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SLOPEY SUCCESS
Sub Lieutenant James French from 72 Sqn was selected to join the Royal Navy’s ski team for the Interservice ski championships. This would be his third time representing the RN at the championships, after good results at the previous two editions he had his hopes set high
Fitting in around the BFJT flying programme, a busy two-week schedule was planned, culminating in the championships. SLt French joined the team for the last two weeks of the five weeks they spend in the Alps. At the end of January, he arrived in Valloire, France to for a week of training leading up to the race week.
Ski Racing, like flying is particularly affected by the vagaries of weather. Six days of training were planned during the first week with only three being completed. Nevertheless, the best use of time was made, powder skiing is certainly good for morale! Before long it was
time for SLt French and the RN team to make the two hour drive over to Meribel, France to take on the best the RAF and Army could muster. Skiing is an inherently individual sport, one against the clock, but the inter services is different. The times of each of the services best four skiers are added together to create a team time.
The first event was the downhill, the “blue ribband” and fastest of the events. Unlike any of the other events, competitors get three practice runs to try out their line and more importantly build up their courage. Over the training runs it was shaping up to
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