Training and Trials

This year celebrated the 100^th Anniversary of the Varsity Race – the oldest team ski race in the world. As the teams arrived in Val Thorens for four days of training before the races, the air was thick with excitement and anticipation. There was a sense that the racers were competing not just for themselves and their team, but also on behalf of all those who had gone before them.

Training went smoothly and trial times showcased real strength in depth, particularly on the women’s side, providing pleasingly tricky selection decisions for Blues’ Captains David Edwardes-Ker and Georgia Weeks.

The Races

Race Day gifted the athletes with cold air, hard snow and brilliant sunshine. The teams warmed up at the start, the Red Bull drones buzzed over the course, and the crowds cheered at the finish, as Cambridge and Oxford locked horns for the 100^th time.

Women’s Results

A clinical Women’s Blues Team stamped their authority on the competition from the start; an 11^th Varsity win in 12 years was never in doubt.

Blues’ Captain Georgia Weeks led by perfect example, winning the Giant Slalom and placing 2^nd in the Slalom. Whilst she just missed out on the Women’s Overall Individual Title, her wise choice of a Medicine degree has given her three more chances to fight for the crown.

Georgia was closely followed by Lara Gueorguieva, Captain from 2019 to 2021, who spectacularly rose to the occasion, collecting three individual medals as well as a team gold.

The other four Blues women – Katherina Kauma, Honora Verdone, Theodora von Liechtenstein and Zara Wedgwood – also merit congratulation, all of whom contributed to their team’s win and achieved Half Blues in the process.

The Women’s 2^nds and 3^rds were equally emphatic, amassing huge winning margins over Oxford. Those who performed particularly well included Eilish Turner-Frick, Chloe Hambleton, Claudia de Green Lima, Beatrice Ricci and Esme Hearn.

Men’s Results

Racing in his last Varsity, semi-crippled veteran David Edwardes-Ker proved that he still had some life in his legs, winning both the Slalom and the Giant Slalom to claim the Men’s Overall Individual Title by nearly 7 seconds – the largest winning margin since 2016. In a historic year for the Varsity Race, David also made some family history by winning the Individual Title for Cambridge 56 years after his father did the same.

Max Schubert, who has medalled at the British Championships, won an impressive silver in the Giant Slalom before trying to go one better in the Slalom – his favoured discipline. Unfortunately, he was caught out by an extremely technical course and did not finish his first run. 

The same fate befell two other Blues skiers, meaning that the Men’s Blues – after failing to record four Slalom times – were disqualified. This was an agonising result for the Blues, who led Oxford by an enormous 14 seconds after the Giant Slalom. But rules are rules, and the Oxford men kissed their trophy whilst the Cambridge men licked their wounds.

A Half Blue and a Blues jacket provided some consolation for seasoned trooper Max Lewis, who made the Blues team with his 8^th and final attempt.

The Men’s 2^nds, led by Captain Sam Jordan and flanked by Jan Derlatka and Leon Steffens, clawed back some honour for Cambridge, winning a closely fought battle with Oxford.

The Men’s 3^rds foolishly followed the example of the Blues, disqualifying themselves in the Slalom after failing to record four times. Special mention goes to Dan Bacon – the fastest skier on the team despite never having raced before.

All in all, it was a magnificent Centenary Event for both racers and non-racers. Our heartfelt thanks to the Varsity Trip Committee for organising and promoting the Races so successfully.  

Final Results:

Women’s Blues: Won

Women’s 2^nds: Won

Women’s 3^rds: Won

Men’s Blues: Lost

Men’s 2^nds: Won

Men’s 3^rds: Lost