Gower aims for Alpine skiing success - but how far can he go?

But like other British Alpine skiers, the Donnington youngster’s chances of receiving the necessary coaching and competing at future Winter Olympics are under threat through a general lack of funding for the sport.

Attended by the Earl of Wessex, the championships are the biggest event on the British alpine calendar and provide the opportunity for young British athletes such as Gower to race on the same pistes recently chosen by FIS to host the finals of the Alpine Ski World Cup in 2015.

Gower will be hoping to have as good a 2012 championships as he had last year, when he came in first in the NJC Super G British Junior STS Shield, and was awarded the trophy for the best British junior as well as the Dragons Ski Club Cup in the men’s giant slalom.

In last year’s men’s NC slalom, despite tough competition from the French, and with Earl of Wessex Sir John Ritblat, Lord Moynihan and the iconic Konrad Bartelski all watching, Gower put on a great performance and was awarded the British under-18 Schools Abroad Trophy by the Earl of Wessex himself, as pictured above.

Despite the government spending around £10bn staging the London Olympics, the attendance of a competitive British Alpine ski team at the Winter Olympics in 2014 is under threat from a severe lack of funding and sponsorship.

Although many Alpine skiers from the UK excel on the global stage at junior level, they fail to develop at senior level.

Details of the Delancey British National Alpine Ski Championships, including race programs and details of how to attend as spectator can be found at www.britishalpinechamps.com