Ski ace is hot prospect

Hoxne ski ace Tom Jarrold has now become one of the top four young giant slalom ski racers in the country. After his two successful runs in the English National Championships, held at Bormio in Italy, the 14-year-old was placed fourth overall, just a few hundredths of a second outside the podium places.

Hoxne ski ace Tom Jarrold has now become one of the top four young giant slalom ski racers in the country.

After his two successful runs in the English National Championships, held at Bormio in Italy, the 14-year-old was placed fourth overall, just a few hundredths of a second outside the podium places.

“It really helped that I had a week of training on the snow to sharpen up in advance of the event,” said the Framlingham College pupil. “In most of my previous races this season I have not had the chance to train properly beforehand.”

Jarrold also had two top-six finishes in the two other disciplines at the English Nationals - slalom and super g (super giant slalom).

The teenager is currently in his third winter season at the British Ski Academy at Les Houches near Chamonix. He has also had impressive top four and top-five finishes at other events this year, the British Schoolboys' Championships and the Welsh Championships, both held in Switzerland.

“I feel I have made a good improvement since my first races in January at the British Alpine Racing Ski Championships where my best finishes were fifteenth in the super g and ninth in the slalom,” he added.

Malcolm Erskine, director of the British Ski Academy, said: “Tom has shown continuous progress and is now emerging as a very exciting prospect.”