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Last Friday, seven girls set off with Miss Turley and myself for Flaine to compete in the British Schoolgirls’ Ski Races, a prestigious event that brings together top independent school ski racers from across the UK. Over several days, the team faced intensive training, thrilling head-to-head races, and extreme weather conditions, all under the expert guidance of their formidable, fun, and truly unique instructor, Vincent Chanel.

Saturday and Sunday mornings were spent honing technique, building confidence, and preparing for race day with Vincent. His supportive coaching and humour helped the team fine-tune their skills, ensuring they were ready to tackle the competition. Sunday afternoon was set for the A team parallel slalom. The A team, consisting of Lettie, Hettie, and Lieve, performed well in the parallel slalom, advancing to the second round before facing North London Collegiate in a tightly contested race. They narrowly lost by just one metre, but their speed and teamwork were impressive.

Monday brought a brutal race day with heavy rain, unlike anything I have seen in 17 years of attending the event. The rain-soaked conditions made for an incredibly tough slalom race. The event was even more demanding, with 168 racers starting and 60 failing to finish (DNF) due to the challenging conditions. Despite the high attrition rate, the St Mary's girls held their nerve, and Hettie delivered a phenomenal performance, winning gold in the U21 Unregistered Slalom category - a fantastic achievement.

Tuesday brought snow and ice, making conditions even more difficult for the Giant Slalom. The course was brutal, but all of St Mary's racers completed one strong and quick run. As the course deteriorated further, however, race officials cancelled the second run and the B team Parallel Slalom. Results were based solely on the first run, making every second count.

Hettie once again rose to the occasion, winning gold in the U21 Unregistered Giant Slalom, securing her second title of the competition. Lieve also had a fantastic race, earning silver in the U18 Unregistered Giant Slalom, adding another medal to our tally.

At the official presentation evening in the Auditorium at Flaine Forum, the final results were revealed, and Hettie was crowned Overall Combined U21 Unregistered Champion - a truly outstanding achievement! Her exceptional performances across all disciplines made this possible.

The girls had an invaluable experience racing against athletes who compete for their countries, with some likely to go on to compete at the Winter Olympics. Competing at such a high level was both challenging and inspiring, pushing the team to new heights. Away from the races, there were plenty of giggles, endless plates of food, and unforgettable moments, making the trip as much about team spirit and camaraderie as it was about competition. Every one of the seven girls who competed showed courage and commitment. It was a truly fantastic trip, and Miss Turley and I were proud to be out there with them. Miss Turley was also the chief photographer, and did an incredible job.

A huge thank you to all the parents who came out to support on the slopes. Well done, Team SMC!

Mrs Natalie Baldwin, PE Teacher