Newest recruit to the British Alpine Ski Squad is from Lancashire
Dante Adam Vidri (17), stemming from Accrington, joins World Cup winner, Dave Ryding, Europe Cup team racer, Robert Holmes and sister Charlotte Holmes, along with Daisi Daniels on the 2024/2025 GB Alpine Ski Squad - all have North West roots.
Forty-one racers will represent Great Britain at the highest levels of ski racing in the world in the upcoming season. Dante Adam Vidri, aged 17, is the latest recruit onto the GB Alpine Squad, he is one of five from the North West - from the town of Accrington - and is coached at British races by Ski Sunday's presenter, Chemmy Alcott. He joins Dave Ryding from Chorley (1 World Cup win, 7 World Cup podiums and 2 Olympic top 10 finishes), Robert and Charlotte Holmes from Barrowford and Daisi Daniels from Rochdale.
Whilst getting to the top of any sport is challenging, ski racing is particularly tough. As children, training on artificial slopes such as the one at Pendle Ski Club where Ryding and the Holmes siblings started out, or at indoor venues such as the Chill Factor in Manchester, is enough to get them on the right track. As they progress, however, they need longer slopes with natural snow to train on in a variety of conditions. To attain this, they are forced to move away from home, often leaving their parents for long periods of time. They have to skip school several times a week to ski train and make up for the missed lessons in what little free time they have left over.
As if that is not enough, funding for Alpine Skiing was cut by UK Sport in 2022 making it very dfficult for athletes to continue on their career path. The funding is meant to be handed to National Federations to "support sports and athletes with realistic medal capabilities at Olympic Games", according to UK Sport.
Dave Ryding responded to this statement on the GB Snowsport website saying "We have all gone out there onto the World stage and consistently delivered record results over the last 12 months. This is the first time in British history that this number of athletes have achieved top 30 placings in a World Cup season and we believe this is a trend that is set to continue. We have more than enough potential to be toppng podiums for the next 8 years. It was a Brit that ran the first ever slalom race and 100 years on we are winning. Now is British Skiing's time!"
With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina just around the corner, British skiing, and our very own representatives from the North West, need all the support they can get. They have a history-making season behind them and work is already underway for the next one. Here's to a successful 2024-2025 season for them all.