Where to Ski And Snowboard - Ups and downs for women’s skiing

Ups and downs for women’s skiing

11th February 2013, by Abi Butcher

Chemmy Alcott has withdrawn from the World Ski Championships after injury

British women’s skiing suffered dramatic highs and lows this weekend, with an historic podium win in slopestyle by Katie Summerhayes and the withdrawal of Chemmy Alcott from the World Ski Championships.

On Friday, 17-year-old freestyle skier Katie Summerhayes won silver in the slopestyle in Silvaplana, Switzerland, becoming the first British female to stand on a World Cup podium in 19 years.

But on Saturday, Chemmy Alcott pulled out of the FIS World Ski Championships following a training injury on Thursday. She bypassed Friday’s combined, saying she needed a “rest day”, but on Saturday pulled out of championships due to “excessive stress” in the plated fracture of her leg.

The 30-year-old was Britain’s brightest hope at the World Championships in Schladming and said in a statement she had been looking forward to it “for months”.

“In training I hit the nets at just over 100kph and cartwheeled. I have been recommended by medical practitioners to rest for a few weeks,” she said, adding: “This is by no means the end, I have shown my strength before — yes, the timing blows but better now than in a year! On a positive note the big jolt to my leg may help the old injury to further heal so I am likely to come back stronger.”

Meanwhile in Switzerland, Katie Summerhayes posted her career best after returning from her own injury. The Sheffield-born freestyle skier took six months out last year with a serious knee injury.

She said on Friday: “To finish second in my first event back is just amazing.”

Aerialist Jilly Curry was the last woman to reach the podium in 1994.

Katie’s fellow Sheffield skier James Woods finished 10th the men’s slopestyle in Silvaplana.

Slopestyle is making its Winter Olympic debut in Sochi in 2014.