Honor Clissold Triumphs at the British Ski Champs in Meribel

Chalets Direct sponsored skier, Honor Clissold, was awarded Overall Children’s Champion(female) at the British Ski Championships in Meribel, which took place during the first week in April. Honor’s achievement was all the more amazing as, born in December 1997, she was the youngest competitor in the Children 2 age group which comprises skiers born in 1996 and 1997.

Honor’s championships points were acquired over three events. On the first day of the Championship, she won the SuperG (speed) competition by more than a second, beating off competition from Jessica Mailklem from the Les Arcs Ski Club (second) and GB team’s Darcie Mead (third). Honor, was the only female skier to break through the one minute barrier on the tough icy course; her win was attributed to her good line and feel for the snow – and nerve may have had a lot to do with it!

Slalom has been a challenge for Honor this year as she has made the transition from ski-ing classic (where smaller skiers do not hit the gates) to cross blocking where her size (4’ 10 “) and weight (35 kilos) puts her at a disadvantage; but she skied well with good rhythm to take fifth position in her age group. The slalom was won by Darcie with Jessica in second place.

Competition in girls championships was unusually tough this year with dual passport holders from both the US and France arriving to attract the attention of the British Team selectors. In the Giant Honor skied a gutsy second run to finish a close second to Jordan Richardson from the USA who had the advantage of an earlier bib number at the time when the snow was beginning to soften.

In probably the most contended female British Children’s Championship of recent years a handful of talented and determined skiers fought for the overall title to the last. The final line up was Jessica Maiklem, third, Darcie Mead, second with thirteen year old Honor Clissold taking the championship podium.

In the course of the 2010/11 season Honor also won the Giant Slalom at the British Schoolgirls Races in Flaine in January, the Interschools in Les Houches and the Aiglon Cup in Villars in March and she was second overall at the English Championships in Bormio in February. Based in Flaine for most of the season, Honor now receives coaching from Olympian Sean Langmuir who was with her in Meribel and played no small part in her success. She also trains with Flaine Superski who first noticed her ability when she was eight years old and have been mentoring her ever since.

Honor’s next challenge is to be seriously competitive on international stage and to this end she will be training with Sean Langmuir in the summer. ‘I really want to thank all my coaches and my sponsors for supporting me in what has been a tough but rewarding season’ says Honor.

Honor on the top of the podium, with congratulatory applause from Prince Edward, in Meribel at the end of the British Championships last week.