TJ Baldwin Bags the Men's Downhill Title, Whilst the Scottish Girls Continue Their Reign at The Top
28th March 2012… Norwich's TJ Baldwin won his second title of the week at the Delancey British Alpine Ski Championships in Meribel today, bagging the downhill title for the second year in a row, on a piste which he now knows virtually every metre off having raced here since he was a young Junior. He finished a clear 2.15 seconds ahead of second placed Lancashire's Bradley Morgan, skiing the top section of the Du Corbey course the best he has yet this week.
At a level where he is now ready to take on some of the World Cup's more testing downhill's, speed specialist Thomas 'TJ' Baldwin routinely finds himself in a league of his own at the Delancey British National Alpine Ski Championships in Meribel, France. Past British Champion Dougie Crawford is absent from the event because of an ankle fracture which he sustained in December, leaving the Norwich downhiller a free run at the speed titles here.
"It was a pretty good run today, making one small mistake coming on to the final pitch, but I made a good recovery and then down the Stade I finally got the line right so I am happy with that." said Baldwin. "You try not to be complacent; I always do set myself my own personal goals. After the first training run I made sure I just step it up every day. I try to cut the racing line ever closer and find more speed wherever I can."
Baldwin is keen for the end of his long season to come, but it has been a fruitful one, reaching his key targets, "My ambition now is to get qualified for the Olympics, to start to score points at World Cup level and to get to top 10, top 15 at Europa Cup but to just keep making progress forwards. I have made some good breakthroughs in Super G and Downhill. It has been tough since Christmas without having Dougie around it is good having him around, but we team up with the Americans which is good, when I am on my own it is a hard grind for sure, and I have been home only five days in five months so it has been a long season, now you start to get mentally tired. I'd love to get on holiday."
In the Women's Downhill it was Aberdeen's Alex Tilley who prevailed, to match Baldwin by also winning her second senior title of the championships. She eclipsed her good friend and rival Charlotte Guest (from Perthsire) by just 37 hundredths. The Scottish duo have been friends, rivals and sparring partners since they raced as kids.
Tilley said: "I was not really expecting to win today, probably the last thing I expected, because this week is the first time I have had my downhill skis on for a year, it is the only downhill I do all year. I am never entirely confident going into it, but really happy with the result. It went better than previous days. Today I had a good mindset. Yesterday's Junior Downhill gave me a bit more confidence, I got the line a bit better and today I was excited for it, not just nervous."
"We have been friends and trained together since we were about 11 and we get on really well, and push each other." explained Guest. "It is great. It never really gets bad between us, some days she has a good day, some days me and we help each other along. It makes a difference."
Details of the Delancey British National Alpine Ski Championships, including race programs and details of how to attend as spectator can be found on the official website: www.britishalpinechamps.com. Further information on Delancey and the services they provide can be found on: www.delancey.com.
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For further information and photography please contact Katharine Walsh on +44 7957 855102 or email Katharine.walsh@delancey.com Or
To arrange an interview with Dave Edwards or one of the BSS elite athletes please contact: Kirsty Buchanan on +44 207 842 5764 or email BuchananK@teamGB.com
