James French, 16, in action in Meribel. Inset, sister Sophie, 15.
SKIINGBROTHER and sister skiers James and Sophie French have reigned supreme at the British Alpine Ski Championships in Meribel, France.
The pair, who both attend Ryde School, each won a gold and a silver medal as they showed their potential to be great champions of the future.
James, 16, who competed in the senior and junior championships, raced his way to become British Junior 1 super giant slalom champion and now leads the Junior 1 (for racers born in 1992 and 1993) super giant slalom rankings. He also won silver in the Junior 1 downhill.
He said: “The championships went really well but it was pretty intense. In the Super Giant Slalom there were 40 other skiers so there was a lot of competition.
“Getting a gold and a silver was my best yet, I think it had a lot to do with luck and good training.”
Last week Sophie, 15, who was racing in the British children’s championships, won gold in the children’s Super-G — a speed discipline on a slightly smaller scale than the infamous downhill — after beating Emily Evans.
Sophie also came a creditable second in the children’s giant slalom event.
She said: “Waiting to see if I had been quick enough in the Super G was really nervewracking. I was the second to race and there were around 80 others taking part so it was a really long wait.
“I did enter the slalom as well but I fell on my second run. Hopefully I can improve on that next year.
“I am just really looking forward to coming home and seeing my friends.”
The British Championships are the highlight of many racers’ season, as it gives them a chance to show off their talents and be rewarded for their hard efforts throughout the year.
For James and Sophie, who live in Newbridge when they are not training in France, another season in the Alps appears to have paid off.
They have been training all season with ski school ESF and their coach Christophe Jourquin said he was pleased with their performance at the championships.
Both siblings being crowned champions in the same discipline has only added to the friendly rivalry between the two, who have both been offered training opportunities with the English Alpine ski team for next season.
The British youth team is also within James’s sights for next year.
But study is next on the agenda. The pair return to the Island on Sunday and go straight back to school.
• You can catch all of the action from the British Championships on Sunday, on ITV 4, from 5.30pm.