Snowsport GB News

Victory For Jenny Jones At Winter X Games / Chemmy Alcott In Top 15 In Italy Two Months After Ankle Break

British Snowboard Team member Jenny Jones has won the Gold Medal in the Slopestyle event at the 12th Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado, USA.
Lying in second place, 28-year-old Jones clinched a last-gasp victory with a daring manoeuvre, a frontside 720 (double forward rotation) jump covering 80ft through the air late in her run, earning style marks in the 90s from the judges. Her overall score of 90.00 gave her victory by almost three points from Spencer O’Brien of Canada in second on 87.66.
Jones said: “I woke up to see massive snow flakes coming down. Any other day I would be so happy to see this but not today as fresh snow does not equal speed. But as I headed up for practice, it stopped snowing and the fog cleared. I was able to clear the jumps and so it was ‘game on’ for me.
“My first run was sketchy, my second run I cleaned it up, so it looked better and I felt happy with the run but it wasn't enough, as I was still in second by about three points. So I just had to go for it on the last run with the last jump, an 80ft frontside 720.

“I had not practised it all day and it was kind of hit and hope. I just made it round, landed and rode away with no hands down.

“I was so pleased to win and suddenly the emotions went crazy and I had to try hard not to cry. It means so much to me to win an X Games medal and to win gold is the icing on the cake.”

Britain’s other competitor in the prestigious invitation-only event, Zoe Gillings from the Isle of Man, was eliminated in the semi-final of the Snowboard Cross (Snowboarder X) discipline, and having slightly injured her heel she was unable to take part in the consolation final and finished in 12th place overall.


CHEMMY ALCOTT IN TOP 15 IN ITALY TWO MONTHS AFTER ANKLE BREAK

Just two months after suffering a fractured ankle, Britain’s top female skier Chemmy Alcott finished in a remarkable 15th place in the FIS World Cup event at Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy earlier today (Sunday).
In doing so, Alcott recorded her second highest finish in a Giant Slalom event in what was only her second and third races back after an intensive rehabilitation programme following her injury in November. Her combined time after the two runs was 2mins 50.59secs. The event was won by Kathrin Zettel of Austria.

The British Champion will now race in the rescheduled Super G race tomorrow Monday, January 26, at Cortina and is looking forward to competing at the World Ski Championships in Val d’Isere from 3-15 February.

Mark Tilston, head coach of the British Alpine Ski Team, said: ‘We are very pleased with Chemmy’s performance today, especially as she only returned to racing in yesterday’s downhill. Her ankle held up well, and the good news is that we know she can do better. She has earned World Cup points in her first races after returning from injury and is a bonus.”