Both Danielle Harrison and Josh Brown overcame bootlace dramas to complete improved routines in today’s free programmes and skated to 10th place finishes at the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF 2015).
Harrison was first up and jumped 12 places after early mistakes in Monday’s short programme left the 15-year-old with plenty to do in 22nd.
But the Basingstoke-born skater produced an assured performance and was delighted to have done herself justice at EYOF 2015.
“I feel so much happier with my performance today compared to Monday. I actually went out and skated what I am capable of and showed everyone that I can come back from a bad skate,” said Harrison.
“My lace snapping in the warm up actually distracted me, I didn't think about competing. Sometimes when I think too hard it goes wrong, so in a weird way it was good thing to have happened.”
There was a third top 10 finish for Team GB on day three over at the snowboard cross course, where Ayla Thidling and Glen Ironside joined forces in the team event - eventually came in ninth.
“Racing was great today and the team event is so much fun. It’s the first time I’ve raced in the event and it’s a lot of fun boarding in a team rather than just on your own. There’s just a better atmosphere around the course,” said Thidling.
“I’m really pleased to have got a good result, especially after going out in the first round on Monday, it’s helped make this week a great experience for me.”
Kirsty Guest produced the best result of any British skier this week, clinching the Team GB’s first alpine skiing top 30 spot with 29th in the girls’ giant slalom in a time of 2:03.22
Elsewhere on the mountain at Malbun, Anna Henderson couldn’t follow up a strong first run and fell early on in run two, while Jess Anderson and Sofia Iglina also failed to complete the course.
Guest was pleased to have sneaked into the top 30, particularly after crashing out of yesterday’s slalom first run.
“I’m happy with the top 30 finish. But there’s always that nagging feeling that I could have skied better across the two runs and ended with a better placed finish.” Said Guest.
“Much happier than yesterday after crashing and pleased to put down two runs.”
In the cross country skiing, Lynne Gray recorded her second personal best of the week in the girls’ 5km free skate with a 61st place finish, while Beth Maclean came in just behind in 69th with Duncan Gibb coming 70th in the boys’ 7.5km.
Gray said: “I felt really strong in the first lap and my goal was to overtake the same three people that I did on Monday. I got two in the first lap and then the third in the second so I was really happy with that. I’ve really enjoyed today.”
Team GB alpine skiers Euan Kick, Robert Poth, and Zac Vinter return to the Malbun to compete in their rescheduled slalom race. Unfortunately, Jordan Fellows will not compete in the slalom tomorrow after injuring his hand when he hit a gate during the second run of his giant slalom race on Monday. Fellows said: “Really disappointed to be out of the European Youth Olympic Festival but hopefully I can use the experience I’ve had so far to help me in the future. “Hopefully I can still enjoy the rest of the week and the Festival that’s on offer. I got out watch some of the ski jumping yesterday which was amazing, and I’ll be on the mountain today supporting the other Team GB skiers in their events and then the other British athletes in the team. Gibb, Maclean, and Gray compete in their final cross country race of the Festival tomorrow the sprint classic. “Tomorrow’s sprint race isn’t my speciality but it will be good to race one final time at the Festival,” said Gibb. “The whole week has been really good and so different from our usual camps. It’s great to be in this kind of atmosphere and experiencing an Olympic environment for the first time.”
Team GB Schedule (all times are shown in Central European Time) Alpine Skiing- Boys' Slalom Run 1 - 10.00 Run 2 - 13.00
Euan Kick Robert Poth Zac Vinter Cross Country Skiing – Sprint Classic 10.30 Duncan Gibb 12.30 Lynne Gray Beth Maclean