Ski Racing, Scottish Childrens Champs, Nevisrange, March 14/15th

The Gordon Skiers Racing team, Ellie is second from left front row.

Ellie was ski racing in the Scottish Childrens Championships at Nevisrange this weekend.  Saturday was 2 runs of giant slalom followed by 2 runs of slalom on the Sunday.  The weather was absolutely fabulous with clear blue sky both days and spectacular views of Ben Nevis and the peaks of the Western Highlands.

Ellie did well completing both runs of GS and slalom without any missed gates, crashes etc which given the icy conditions on Sunday was no mean feat fo someone in only her second season of racing. Her second run of slalom even beat a couple of the U16 girls which she was very pleased with.

Here are a few photos, there are loads more on the Gordon Skiers Racing facebook page.

8th March, Baking and Skiing

Been a busy weekend in the Green household.  Isobel has been busy baking.  Blackforest Gateaux cupcakes and breakfast muffins with blueberries and a yogurt and muscarpone topping.

And whilst all this baking was going on, Ellie and I were up at the Lecht.  Despite a serious thaw over Friday and Saturday there was still just enough snow for training.  We were seriously questioning our own sanity as we left at 7.15am in the pouring rain.  As we drove up the road it dried a little and by 10am the sun was out and an excellent day's training was enjoyed by all on some very spring snow!

Not quite Courchevel but good fun all the same.

Glenshee Winter Games

Ellie was racing up at Glenshee today, had a fabulous drive up Deeside with the sunrise turning Lochnagar a faint pink as we drove past and the Ben a Bhuird and Ben Avon looking fabulously clear as we drove through Braemar.

Glenshee was pretty mobbed and queues were long but I guess on the positive side at least you get a break between runs.

Ellie skied well to complete both runs cleanly and get a few more ranking points and is definitely starting to catch up with the opposition.

Winter Is Here

Winter has most definitely arrived up here.  Last weekend we were up at the Lecht all weekend for the Gordon Skiers Open race weekend with Ellie skiing a slalom race both Saturday and Sunday.  The course was on the Harrier run, the Lechts only black run and one of the steepest race tracks in Scotland.  Success was therefore getting to the bottom in one piece!  Considering she had never even skied the run prior to the race Ellie skied brilliantly.  On Saturday she unfortunately straddled a gate (an occupational hazard!) so was disqualified from the only run that they had.

Sunday was better weather and they managed to get two runs in, Ellie skied both with clean runs and is getting visibly quicker and starting to catch up with the competition.

Here are a few photos.

This weekend has however been a little more frustrating!  Loads of snow at the Lecht and the road closed all weekend!  I guess you have to look on the positive side that at least that means the ski areas have had a serious dump of snow so we should be skiing for a while yet with any luck.  To make up for it Ellie and I went for a walk instead.

On a positive note, there should be loads of snow for next weekend when it is off to Glenshee for two days of racing at the Glenshee Winter Games.

Aonach Mor

Managaed a mornings skiing up at Aonach Mor with Ellie between Xmas and New Year.  Reasonably quiet, only the top Summit run and the Top half of the Goose Gully any good and certainly a few rocks to catch out the unwary in the Goose Gully.

Lovely morning with great views across to Ardnamurchan and Glenfinnan hills with the sun rising and picking out the summits.

Certain skier was very proud in her new Poc helmet : )

Craig Ullian

In order to work off all those cakes some exercise was definitely required so despite it being a very wild day we managed a walk up Craig Ullian with great views over Seil Sound and across Seil Island and over to Mull.

Even managed to avoid the worst of the showers!