THE BRITS 2023 – CAIRNGORM MOUNTAIN
What a weekend at The BRITS! Now we’ve fully recovered, after two weeks back at the desk, we can look back on what an awesome event this was. How lucky were we with the weather?! Yes, it could have been blue skies and rainbows, but I think we were all just grateful there was snow still on the ground and the winds were playing ball! Cairngorm Mountain Resort did a fabulous job of hosting the event.
Snowpark Scotland
“Last weekend the UK Snowsports community truly flexed its muscles and came together to deliver an amazing event. During the lowest of low tides in the Scottish mountains we were able to not only pull it off, but really make it a memorable weekend for everyone. I’m so excited to see what we can all achieve in the future when we get another winter like 2021.”
Here’s a round up of all of the Scottish clubs and individual results:
Aberdeen Snowsports Club:
Silver Saul Brown – Snowboard Rail Jam U16
Gold Kirsty Muir – Ski Banked Slalom Overall
Silver Lewis Donald – Ski Banked Slalom U12
Silver Aila Paterson – Freeski Slopestyle U16
Bronze Sandra Caune – Freeski Slopestyle U16
Silver Caleb Humphrey – Freeski Slopestyle U12
Silver Tyler Prosser Marr – Banked Slalom U16
Bronze Tyler Prosser-Marr – Snowboard Rail Jam U16
Gold Tyler Prosser-Marr – Slopestyle Snowboard U16
Gold Kirsty Muir – Ski Slopestyle Overall
Zoe Lewis, Head Coach Aberdeen Snowsports Club
“The Brits – what a weekend Scotland delivered! The environment created by the park shaping team allowed trainees to experience a top level park without having to go abroad. It was great to have The Brits so close to home this year so the younger trainees who might not have had the opportunity to go away could see the older riders and get inspired. ASC had ten trainees booked in for coach support over the weekend with a number of medals picked up between them and also achieving their personal goals! Here’s to hoping The Brits are held on home snow again!”
Bearsden Freestyle
Gold McKenzie Hainey – Ski Banked Slalom
Gold Matt McCormick – Snowboard Banked Slalom
Silver – Olivia Burke – Ski Rail Jam
Neil Burke, Bearsden Freestyle committee member
“It was fantastic to see The Brits back with a bang after the pandemic had forced it to be cancelled for the last few years. The crews involved from the Cairngorm team, the Snowpark Scotland guys, Snowsport Scotland and of course The Brits regulars did a fantastic job in a year of tricky conditions and weather. The courses from Slopestyle, Rail Jam and hotly contested Banked Slalom were fun and exciting and despite weather issues for Slopestyle, the change to expression session for fun, and ad hoc prizes, was in the spirit of the scene and definitely a worthwhile watch for the spectators, as were the rails, the banked slalom and the snow skate session. The après send in Aviemore was fully Brits worthy and it was so good to see so many faces, old and new getting involved. The Bearsden riders all came home with some podiums and a smile on their faces, though none so big as Matt McCormick’s! Having it on home soil to start it back was brilliant as it made it accessible to a large number of riders and spectators, and let’s hope that this encourages people to get involved in a championship abroad in the future, or indeed have a home soil event become an additional permanent feature.”
Cairngorm Snowboard Club
Gold Jamie Trinder – Slopestyle Overall
Silver Ed Greig – Slopestyle Masters
Bronze Aaron Perch – Slopestyle U16
Gold Joshua Botherstone – Banked Slalom U12
Silver Rochelle Amos – Banked Slalom U16
Silver Stevie Trawland – Banked Slalom Legends
Bronze Eoghain Sutherland – Banked Slalom U16
Gold Lesley McKenna – Banked Slalom Overall
Gold Euan Baxter – Banked Slalom Legends & Silver Overall
Silver Jamie Trinder – Snowboard Rail Jam
Bronze Angus Leith – Snowboard Rail Jam
Jonny Barr, Club coach
“Once again the snowboard club’s effort has paid off! Past and present riders, coaches and parents have made this event monumental. With podiums throughout all categories its a statement that keeps showing we are on the right path. 💪”
Cairngorm Ski Club
Silver Harry Townsend – U16 Banked Slalom
Gold Ffion Townsend – Banked Slalom U18
Gold Lesley McKenna – Banked Slalom Legends & Silver Overall
Gold Linnea Perch – Banked Slalom U16
Lesley McKenna, Cairngorm Ski Club
“It’s been a while since I have had the opportunity to take part in a ski race on Cairngorm and I am guessing it’s been around 40 years since I first had the chance as part of Cairngorm Ski Club Easter Ski camp. It has to be said that taking part in the ski banked slalom at The Brits was every bit as fun as I can remember the club races of my childhood being and it is that feeling of stoke that was alive and well and very much in evidence watching the current Cairngorm Ski Club competitors take on the course next to World Class skiers like Kirsty Muir and Paddy Graham.
It is so important that the local kids have the chance to see and compete in national level events alongside icons of the sport and even more powerful when the ethos is not only about who is the best but also about how each person can make the event as fun and memorable as possible. The Brits was a truly memorable event for all the right reasons: from the perspectives of the competitors, the spectators, the snowsports communities and the events crew and I very much hope that it’s not 21 years until another is held on Cairngorm!”
Glasgow Ski & Snowboard Centre
Gold Deja Parker – Freeski Rail Jam U16
Silver kai Watson – Freeski Rail Jam U16
Bronze Viks Williams Ski Banked Slalom
Bronze Lewis Donald – Ski Banked Slalom
Gold Deja Parker – Freeski Slopestyle U16
Gold Ruariadh Macpherson – Freeski Slopestyle U12
Silver Ruariadh Macpherson – Ski Banked slalom
Viks Williamson, Glasgow Ski Racing
“It was an absolute belter of a comp, great atmosphere and super inclusive. Lots of smiles and cheering from everyone. I love the bank slalom set up too, so amazing for everyone’s skiing and the course is so complex it’s an amazing test of skill.”
Das Swamp
Bronze Mark Donnelly – Freeski Rail Jam
GBS park & Pipe team
Gold Roahan Duncan – Snowboard Rail Jam U16
Gold Roahan Duncan – Snowboard Banked Slalom U16
Gold Ben Kinnear – Snowboard Banked Slalom Masters
Bronze Jamie Matthew – Ski Banked Slalom Overall
Ben Kinnear, GB Park & Pipe Snowboard Coach –
“Brilliant to be back in Scotland for the Brits last weekend and ride with so many new and old faces in the UK scene. An incredible atmosphere all weekend and huge thanks to all those who worked hard to make it happen.”
Jamie Matthew, GB Park & Pipe Head Ski Coach –
“What an epic weekend for The Brits at Cairngorm. The mixed ‘Scottish’ weather certainly didn’t dampen spirits and with three cracking venues we saw two days of great competition. It just goes to show what can be achieved on home soil when the community comes together and it’s great to see the depth of talent and passion for snowsports that still exists in the U.K. Huge credit to Stu & Spence, Snowsport Scotland, Cairngorm Mountain and all involved who had a hand in making things happen. Hopefully this is not the last time we have an event of this calibre in the U.K.”
Scottish Ski Club
Gold Finlay McKee – Ski Banked Slalom u12
Silver Lewis Donald – Ski Banked Slalom u12
Gold Zara Urquart – Ski Banked Slalom U12
Calum Shepherd, Coach SSC –
“It was great having world-class competition back to Cairngorm and I’m really proud of our team for showing off what skilled well-rounded skiers they are. Bring on more banked slaloms!”
Other Scottish Results
Gold Rowan Orr – Snowboard Banked Slalom U16
Silver Kyle Wise – Snowboard Banked Slalom Masters
Silver McKenzie Patrick Snowboard Banked Slalom u18
Gold Scott McMorris – Snowboard Slopestyle Masters
Silver Elliot Neave – Snowboard slopestyle Masters
Murray Buchan – Gold Ski Banked Slalom Masters and Silver Overall
Euan Baxter – Gold Banked Slalom Legends
Murray Buchan, Snowsport Scotland Freeski Coach –
“It’s great to see The Brits back and even better to see it in Scotland. Cairngorm did an amazing job getting such an impressive set up together at that time of the year. Getting the snowboard and ski community together again after a long break was a lot of fun for everyone and I would love to go back again next year!”
Euan Baxter, Snowsport Scotland Park & Pipe Coach –
“The Brits 2023 blew the doors off. The initial response to have the event back on home snow was really positive but the event delivered far beyond expectations. It brought together the community from not just Scotland and the UK as a whole but also across generations and disciplines. The win over the weekend was the Stoke from everyone competing and to see Cairngorm Mountain take centre stage for UK snowsport championing the ambition reflective of the Ski Area’s pioneering founders. A contagious atmosphere of ambition saw fantastic results from the locals and Scotland overall, it was great to be part of in both driving the event from Snowsport Scotland and as a competitor.”
Paddy Graham – Red bull athlete
“These BRITS were amazing I thought, not just the first one in 4 years but the fact that it was in Scotland! There was just something special enjoying the mountains on home turf. The turnout was great, so many new faces and so many ‘veterans’ of the sport all together in one place. Cairngorm mountain did an amazing job with the setup – it’s obviously not a world renown snow park like the contest has seen before but that didn’t matter – working with what mountain provided the shape crew did an amazing job! I hope this will be an annual event drawing more and more people in at home. It’s a must!”
