Bedford Modern skiers enjoy British Schools’ Ski Championships success

Four BMS boys travelled to Meiringen, Switzerland on 25 January for one day’s training followed by two days of racing.

Year 11 student Daniel Barton won the gold medal and the Hewitt Perpetual Trophy in the U16 Slalom.

Daniel, 15, recorded the fastest times in both runs, despite losing a pole in the second run and having to block the gates with his hand.

The course had 38 gates and 37 changes of direction and covered 1km in length. Daniel also came second in the Giant Slalom, recording the second fastest time in both runs.

James Willis and Ed Forrester, both 12, also put in sterling performances in the two races.

Willis was sixth in his year in one of the Giant Slalom races and also sixth in his year in the Slalom.

Forrester achieved fourth and 12th places in the Slalom and eighth in the Giant Slalom.

Dominic Barton, 11,, who like his brother is from Eyeworth, meanwhile won a bronze medal in the Giant Slalom and finished fourth in the Slalom.

David Orton, head of games at Modern, said: “I am delighted for all our skiers, but particularly for Daniel, as he has worked so hard with his coaches in the last couple of years to turn himself into a top performer with great technique.

“In addition to this, his work with Mrs Williams, the school strength coach, has clearly benefited him. It gave him the power to stay on the attack throughout these big alpine runs and brought him a well-deserved gold on the day.”