Students race to ski success
THREE skiing students from Haslingden High School won the Lower Senior Mixed Slalom Team trophy at the North West Ski Federation Schools Race.
Harrison Harwood, 13, Patrick Wilkinson, 14, and Freya Johnson, 12, represented their school at the competition held at Pendle Ski Club, which was attended by 130 skiers.
All three honed their skills at The Hill, home of Ski Rossendale.
Harrison was not only first in the Lower School race, against competitors from Year 7, 8 and 9 from all over the UK, he also finished third fastest out of all the male competitors.
Patrick was third in the Lower School competition. He is a member of Team GB U14 squad and has been skiing since he was three.
While Freya was second in the female individual competition.
She said: “It was really
fun. I have been skiing since I was five at Ski Rossendale Race Club. My dad is a snowboarder and he got my older sister interested and then I got involved too. It is nervewracking when you are racing.”
Harrison said: “It is when you get to the top that the pressure is on you. When they say you have to go, you have 13 seconds to put your skis into the gate and get your poles ready, then break the light beam as you leave to start the timer.
“You have to try to keep your cool and get ready to
go. When I am going down, I don’t think I just ski; if you stop to think you would make an error as you are going so fast.”
They said students came from as far away as Wales, Stoke, Scotland and all over the North West.
Harrison added: “Skiing is something I want to expand, possible doing freestyle or ski cross.”
Freya is hoping to take her skiing to a higher level.
While Patrick divides his time between school and Team Evolution near Salzburg, Austria.