Saturday 30 January 2010

ANDORRA - Slalom & Combi and an Exceptional Achievement Award from School!!

29th January 2010

Today, Daniel & Robert were competing in two separate events. The CH2 racers competed in Slalom which had two separate courses which had to be both completed for a result and the CH1 racers competed in a Combi. The Combi is a test of the racers free(all mountain) skiing ability and slalom skis are recommended. They usually consist of rollers,jumps,banked turns,Big turns and smaller turns usually set with stubby gates.

Daniel unfortunately abandoned the course in the CH2 Slalom run 1 but Robert, competing in the CH1 Combi kept up his outstanding form from the silver medal the day before in the Giant Slalom and raced to another top 10 position in his age category finishing the combi in 6th place just missing another medal by a whisker!

This day concludes a most fantastic set of outstanding results this week for Daniel & Robert in Andorra at their first International Ski race representing Great Britain on the Children's Ski race team. Tonight is the closing ceremony.

The GB team came 5th Position overall out of 26 countries which took part in the Trofeu Borrufa 2010.

Hopefully....! photos will be added later from Daniel's lovely new camera!!!

An Evening of Celebration at the Gala Presentation took place at Mount Grace School this evening. Daniel & Robert had both been nominated for an award but we had no idea what it was for. As Both Daniel & Robert were away In Andorra competing for Great Britain, Mum and Dad went along to the evening. Wow!!!What a fabulous evening it was too. Daniel & Robert were both awarded Exceptional Achievement awards for their ski sporting achievements. After being talked about on stage for more than 10 minutes. This certainly was a very special proud moment for the Boys parents and it is a pity that they couldn't be present too to receive their fantastic awards. Mum collected the trophies on their behalf and thankfully negotiated the stage steps brilliantly to rapturous applause. WELL DONE DANIEL & ROBERT!!!!

Thursday 28 January 2010

**SILVER** FOR ROBERT in ANDORRA - Giant Slalom

28th January 2010

Robert with silver medal from Andorra 2010


After a super 7th place in yesterdays Super G for Robert, today he has pulled a silver medal out of the bag in the CH1 Giant Slalom competing in a field of 45 racers to 2nd place with just 0.20 behind the winner!!

Daniel skied to 28th place overall in CH2 which had 57 racers competing over 2 separate courses on the Portella del Mig Piste.

Tomorrow is the Slalom and Combi event.

Wednesday 27 January 2010

ANDORRA - Super G

27th January 2010

Due to the Boys mobile phones not working for some reason in Andorra there has been no contact with home since landing at Barcelona airport on Monday lunchtime! Thank you Virgin media... What a super service... NOT! Think we will have to think seriously about another server on their return as it is crucial to have contact and a reliable service at moments like this!! If anyone reading this blog can offer any advice, we would be most grateful! As it happens...No news was good news..!

Today was the Super G race. Robert raced in the CH1 category which had 43 racers competing on a 29 gate course. Robert's result was 7th Place with a time of 1:00:05 just a mere 28 hundreths of 5th place!!

Daniel raced in the CH2 category which had a strong field of 54 racers competing on a different course to the CH1 racers which had 35 gates. Daniel's result was 22nd Place with a time of 1:12:02. A great result considering he spent 3 weeks over christmas and New year on crutches!

Tomorrow is the Giant Slalom race.

Monday 25 January 2010

Andorra here we come!!

Today we're both flying out to Andorra for a week of racing with the GB Children's ski race team at the 48th Trofeu Borrufa 2010. It's also Daniel's birthday today so what a coincidence.... He gets to celebrate his birthday like Robert did on his last birthday.. in the company of British Airways and the GB Ski squad!! Packing was rather a nightmare for this trip as BA decided recently to change the baggage allowance. Both Boys needed to pack skis for each discipline. Slalom, Giant Slalom and the fab Super G!!! Their boots alone are around 8-9kg a pair and this is all supposed to come under 23kg? The Boys are looking forward to their first International ski races representing Great Britain and are hoping to do their best and have a great time!

Big Thanks to Shokk Gym, Potters Bar, Mount Grace School, Bartletts, Snow & Rock and to TEAM POTH supporters who have sent kind wishes to the Boys.

Hope to update here as news comes in!

Saturday 9 January 2010

Robert takes 3rd place in Austrian GS race!




31st December 2009

With great THANKS to Andreas Kristan our stay in Petzen for ski training and racing was very worthwhile!

We travelled over to another resort called Koralpe, near Wolfsberg for the 2009Koralpencup Giant Slalom race. After travelling up the extremely steep gradient mountain road in our car, sometimes in 1st gear!!! we eventually reached the carpark! The race piste was equally as steep but even more challenging with the hard packed ice!

There were at least 160 competitors taking part which ranged from mini-mini minis!! (in catsuits!! SHOCK HORROR) LOL!! to Masters.

There was just one run to count in this race and the very technical course unfortunately caught a lot of racers out either on the bend in the middle or towards the finish.

ROBERT POTH IN ACTION c/o N.Marment photography
Robert in action at the 2009 GS Koralpencup, Koralpe, Austria.


Robert gave everything and had a blistering run giving him a podium 3rd place finish! WELL DONE ROBERT.

Koralpencup Giant Slalom 2009 presentation.
1st place - Jaka Dvornik SLOVENIA
2nd place - Phillipp Zmugg AUSTRIA
3rd place - Robert Poth GREAT BRITAIN

BARSC CANCELLED but we still raced!! Robert takes 4th place in Austrian race.

28th December 2009 - Austrian Regional Championships Slalom Race at Turracher Hohe.

Despite the unfortunate news on Christmas Day informing us that the 2009 BARSC ski races had been cancelled it didn't stop Slalom Plus Ski team training or racing! We travelled to neighbouring slopes to train around Petzen and on the 28th December we took part in a Slalom ski race in Turracher Hohe which was the Karnten regional championships. Over 150 Austrian/ Slovenian competitors took part on a steep, icey slope.It was good to see other British racers taking part too, as Ambition ski team also came to Petzen.



ROBERT POTH IN ACTION c/o N.Marment photography
Robert Poth. Karnten regional Slalom Championship race 2009.


Robert - 4th place Turracher Hohe Slalom. 2009



Robert finished 4th place overall after the 2 runs on 2 different courses which was a fantastic performance against some of the best young ski racers in the Karnten region.

Christmas Day 2009

This is an excerpt from our Mum's Diary!

Father Christmas visited around 6am ish, I think . Daniel sounded like he woke up first,(another uncomfortable night for him) and i think i heard a chocolate orange drop off his bed! Lovely to hear the whispering and excitement of Christmas morning especially when.. "He's been!!!!". Big footsteps into our room followed by Daniel dragging a leg along! Meanwhile, down below us, Vicky had transformed the G-J place into a Pullin Grotto. Thanks for yelling Merry Christmas around 3am.After opening pressies and eating a bit of breakfast the most important part of the day started to be prepared. THE TURKEY!!
I went down and supervised an extremely excited Vixster, jess got set peeling potatoes and her fingers....and a general christmas buzz went around the whole apartments. Nearly forgot to say, even Bruno visited to wish us all a Happy Christmas!! Good heavens...who is the CPO? good job he didn't go next door! LoL. Karen and Nick set a fabulous Orienteering exercise around the area. Brilliant apart from the torrential rain lashing down which also unfortunately washed all the snow away too.

Christmas Day 2009 orienteering!


Daniel was in charge of timing and the clues which became soggier as the time passed. (laminate needed for next year). The cryptic clues sent the teams all over the grounds, In the forest, down the lane and back and then down again!!! The three formidable girls did a sterling job followed by the Boys and the adults just needed to work as a team! LoL. Everyone was drenched but it was fun. It was after the orienteering that we learnt that the 2009 BARSC had been cancelled.

The waft of cooking smells from both floors was a delight. All looking forward to peaceful sit down feasts within our own walls. My last minute napkin creations were masterpieces from Robyn. How could she have transformed 4 Kitchen roll sections so beautifully?. We had just pulled our crackers and were just about to take the first mouthful of christmas dinner when we heard shreaks of ...HELP... coming from outside. A scramble to the balcony saw Vixster striding forcefully towards Chantelle with an enormous branch looking like a Zulu warrier? What on earth could have gone wrong now... We also noted 3 horses sniffing around our cars.... This can't be right... oh NO. WHO LET THE DOGS.. I MEAN HORSES OUT!! OO OO oo oo!! The immediate guffaw of laughter soon turned, we attempted to continue to eat but realised we had an emergency on our hands so we donned the Alpine raincoats and went to help lasso the escaped horses.. What a nightMARE!!!. Chantelle took a spectacular slide on her knees right into manure..UGH.. white sallopettes not a good idea for rodeo. After about 50 minutes of what seemed like a 'Big Brother House' task... I thought we ought to phone the owner. He seemed to take a long time arriving but eventually did with a bucket of feed and that seemed to do the trick and all the escapees were enticed back into the field. PHEW!! We were all invited for a kleine schnaps as a sign of gratitude!!! Some loving that experience more than others. ha ha! The kids were given a soft drink in the barn next to the secret family.... Errr... that's another story! Never thought Christmas day would finish up with running around in the rain twice!! Hope the owner bought our story that... 'We just looked out and noticed the horses were out of the field!!!... BTW... Did anyone find the clue that was on the otherside of the field gate?

BARSC in Petzen 2009

We arrived on the 18th December in a very snowy Petzen!! We managed to escape the English snow which was creating chaos back home. It snowed all night and the following morning in -20 degrees we went to ski and have fun with Dad. The powder was wicked.

Off to ski with Dad! (Petzen 2009)

On the sunday whilst slalom training, Daniel took a nasty fall on his last run which resulted in him being wagoned off the slope and driven for 97 minutes to Klagenfurt hospital in an ambulance. Mum frantically followed the ambulance on the unknown,dark,icey back route!! Dad accompanied the patient. (Thanks to her Barry Manilow CD which she is only allowed to listen to on her own...her nerves were not as shattered as they could have been!!) The Hospital was amazing.. the ambulance drove straight into the reception, no messing. By the short time it took to park the car and incidentally not have to buy a parking ticket, Daniel was ready to be x - rayed.Good news... The catsuit wasn't cut off... Bad news, Left leg immobolised and given a pair of Krankenhaus poles which are nowhere near as cool as his Komperdell pair!