Sir Francis Walker schools ski and snowboard race report

One hundred and seventy school children recently took part in the Sir Francis Walker Race on Cairngorm Mountain last Wednesday 23 March.

Over 40 teams of skiers and boarders, from primary and secondary schools throughout the Highlands and Aberdeenshire took part in the event.  Organised by Snowsport Scotland with support from Highland Council’s Active Schools Coordinators Dawn Horsburgh and Tina Gibson, the race was also sponsored and supported by Cairngorm Mountain.

Up by 70 more racers than last year and around 250 people involved on the day the race has a long tradition with Sir Francis Walker (ex convener of Inverness-shire County Council and a key supporter of the early ski developments on Cairngorm).  It also marks the final week of the Badenoch and Strathspey Schools Snowsports Association (BSSSA) programme, where over 200 local primary children have been learning a snowsport through a heavily subsidised initiative organised by the BSSSA.  The race is a great way to finish the four week programme and for local children to put their new skills into practise.  

The giant slalom course was set by Kerr McWilliam on the 105 piste in Coire Cas.  This included 22 turning gates which took the racers anywhere between 33 seconds to over a minute to complete.  There was a strong showing from local racers from Cairngorm Ski Club and the Gordon Skiers based at the Lecht.  Cairngorm Snowboard Club also had many of its members competing who dominated the male podium.  However, for many entrants, this was their first introduction to racing and - with all but a few finishing – organisers were delighted with everyone’s performance.     

Iain Whitaker, Chief Executive of Cairngorm Mountain presented the prizes in a packed daylodge T-bar cafe.  The results were:

Primary skiing – female

1st: Rachel Brown (Durris Primary), 2nd Ruby Still (St Margaret’s School), 3rd Nula Langmuir (Abernethy Primary)

Primary skiing – male

1st: Finlay Taylor (Abernethy), 2nd Connor Douglas (Durris Primary), 3rd Daniel Donald (Kingussie Primary)

Primary sking teams

1st Durris Primary – Rachel Brown, Connor Douglas, Andrew Simpson, Kathleen Ray

2nd Abernethy A – Finlay Taylor, Nula Langmuir, Rowan Langmuir, Morgan Anderson

3rd Alford Primary – Struan Pryde, Tabby Allan, Laura Calder, Liam Middleton

Secondary skiing – female

1st: Yandra Banks Brown (Grantown Grammar)

2nd Aleysha Rattray  (Robert Gordon’s College)

3rd Isabella Mackenzie (Aberlour House)

Secondary skiing – male

1st Hector Cowie (Fortrose Academy)

2nd Jamie McWilliam (Grantown Grammar)

3rd James Taylor (Kingussie High School)

Secondary skiing teams

1st Grantown Grammar A – Jamie Mcwilliam, Lewis McWilliam, Yandra Banks Brown, Duncan Coltart

Retained the Sir Francis Walker Granite Trophy and Baxter’s  of Speyside Trophy for fastest local High School.

2nd Robert Gordons College – Aleysha Rattray, Grant Scott, Calum Scott, Jamie Manson

3rd Kingussie High School A – James Taylor, Savio Gennini, Alastair Johnstone, David Taylor

Snowboard female

1st Rebecca Shepherd (Grantown Grammar), 2nd Ella Connoly (Nairn Accademy), 3rd Lauren Gunning (Kingussie High School)

Snowboard male

1st Calum Forewood, 2nd Jamie Trinder, 3rd Angus Trinder (All Grantown Grammar)

Snowboard teams

1st Grantown Grammar A - Calum Forewood, Jamie Trinder, Angus Trinder

2nd Lochaber High School A – Arran MacPhee, Keir Coupland, Connor Skinner

3rd Nathan Kish, Torrin Prescott, Stuan Kish

Chief of Race Donald Hall thanked Cairngorm Mountain for their support and sponsorship with the race.  Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all helpers and race officials.

Dawn Horsburgh, Highland Council’s Active Schools Coordinator for the Grantown cluster said: “It was fantastic to see so many youngsters taking part.  Experienced racers had their chance to shine, and many skiers and boarders had their first opportunity to slalom through the gates.  Thanks go to the organisers, the schools and volunteers that helped make a great day of activity possible for a lot of people.”

Full results and video will be available on www.snowsportscotand.org.