Midland Ski Club

Annie Manning - U12 Ski Racer
(bio in poem form)

From Folie Douce dancing to mountains of white,
Annie first found her skis and pure joy in the light.
At four years old, carving neat parallel lines,
With snow in her soul and adventure in mind. 🏔️

At Stoke she discovered both speed and her flair,
Always in pink with bows in her hair.
Our little Ski Barbie stood proud at the start,
With courage, determination, and a huge racing heart. 💗

Then Midland Ski Club opened the way,
With podium dreams growing stronger each day.
Roger’s coaching, teammates, and fun,
A ski family formed that will never be undone. 💙

From Swadlincote slopes to Pembrey’s fast line,
Llandudno adventures where friendships still shine.
Rossendale podiums and Welsh Champs so fast,
Each season improving on the one that has passed. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

At Rossendale she flew to a brilliant top place,
First in category with speed, style, and grace.
In Pembrey and Stoke she kept charging ahead,
With determination and courage in every turn led. 🏆

From Welsh Championships to GBR race days,
She keeps finding speed in so many ways.
Llandudno weekends, indoor battles, and more,
Always coming back wanting faster than before. 👊🏼

Then Wales Ski Academy called Annie’s name,
With dragon-heart courage in every race game.
Uniq soon became a place close to her heart,
Where snow racing dreams truly started to spark.💙🖤

In Bormio she raced beneath Alpine skies blue,
And Olympic dreams suddenly grew too.
Now coached by legends Dave Ryding and Billy Major as well,
Keeping alive the dream she carries so well.

Though one small truth should also be told,
Behind all the medals and courage so bold…
“Sorry, I missed it — race prep took time!”
Is Annie’s well-practised and favourite line.
Her school bag holds goggles, race gloves, and snacks,
But completed homework? … well, sometimes that lacks! 📚🤪

Yet whether in Midlands blue or dressed head-to-toe pink,
Annie races with joy before most would blink.
Always cheering teammates wherever she goes,
With the biggest smile at the end of each course. 😊

Midland Ski Club sits proud at the heart,
But Stoke, Uniq, and Wales all played their part.
An extended ski family wherever she roams,
For Annie has found many mountains called home.

UNIQ Snowsports Stoke Ski Centre Snowsports Snowsport Cymru Wales

Club National this weekend. 🏁 📆 6th June '26 📍 Swadlincote Snowsports Centre, Swadlincote The tent ⛺️ will be fully stocked and ready for race weekend. Need any gear bringing along? DM us. 🚐💨 #tardisontour #dryslopeskiracing #dryslopeskiing #summerfun #GBRskiing #skibartlettontour

⛷️ Midland Ski Club National – Next Weekend! ⛷️

We’re really looking forward to the Midland Ski Club National next weekend and what promises to be some fantastic skiing.

As always, it’s not just about the competition – it’s also a great opportunity to spend the weekend with our extended ski family at Swadlincote, catching up with friends old and new and enjoying everything that makes our club so special.

There’s still time to enter, so don’t miss out! Enter now and join us for a brilliant weekend of racing, friendship, and fun.

We’d love to see as many racers and supporters there as possible.

See you at Swadlincote! 🎿❄️

Max Ellans - Midland Ski Racer Bio
(In style of poem)
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

From tiny skis in Tignes snow at only age two,
Max found his edges, and off he flew.
At three with ESF Ourson proudly complete,
He chased the big boys on determined little feet.

Jon led the charge, Max close behind,
Too young for the Snowdome — or so they’d remind.
Yet gates were calling, and races began,
With Joe and Roger helping shape the young man.

Ackers at four, first bib, first run,
Still chasing Jon and Huw for fun.
Then Covid paused the mountain air,
But not the passion growing there.

Back came training, stronger and bold,
Through ESF levels to Etoile d’Or gold.
At seven forerunning with fearless flair,
Club Nationals and winter leagues everywhere.

CESA Tri Cups, Midland Schools too,
Two years champion in Under 10s through and through.
Alongside best mate Elliot, grins side by side,
With speed in his skis and Midlands pride.

At eight came nationals, the next big scene,
Plus ski cross silver — fast, fearless, keen.
Then onto TV screens with Harper in tow,
For CBEEBIES’ “I Can Do It” show.

Schools finals followed, then Bormio snow,
English Children’s races in slalom and GS flow.
Gressoney adventures with Florence and Walter too,
And Jon still ahead — just barely in view.

Now Santa Caterina and GB Children’s await,
Another big chapter, another start gate.
Still chasing Jon — but not for long,
Next year together, where they both belong.

Another great day for Midland Ski Club with lessons learned and our racers leaving everything on the hill at Hillend. ⛷️💪

Back in the fridge at Chill Factore, the team continued to put in the hard work and determination all weekend.

A massive shout out to Huw Harding with a brilliant Top 10 finish overall 👏🔥

Charlie also finished Top 10 in a very competitive Minis field — a fantastic result and one to be proud of! 🙌

Safe travels home everyone, and we’re looking forward to some half-term training fun with you all this week! ❄️🎿

What a day for Team Midland yesterday! 💙⛷️

From Hillend in Scotland all the way to the fridge at Manchester, our racers were out in force showing incredible grit, determination, huge PBs and, as always, outstanding team spirit! 🙌

Massive congratulations to Charlie, Walter 🥈 (and 3rd overall Mini! 🔥) and Flo 🥈 — also finishing in the Top 10 overall women! What amazing results!

A very special shout out to Abi Bezzant for a stand-out performance at the Ambition Champs in Manchester! 💥 Incredible to see her up on the podium in 🥈 position — the smiles say it all! Huge well done also to Elliot, Huw, Kitty and Georgina too! 👏💙

Let’s go Team Midland! And what a sight to see one of our Midland skiers wearing the red bib today — go Walter! ❤️🔥

Flo Harwood - U14 Racer Bio
(In style of a poem)
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

From Italy’s peaks in January snow,
With Esprit Ski, she first would go,
A tiny girl with eager eyes,
Chasing dreams beneath the skies.

Then July on Welwyn’s hill,
Dry slope bristles, iron will,
Her first sharp turns, her first brave glide,
The spark of racing born inside.

By 2019 we all took flight,
A family bound by snow and white,
Year by year through ski school days,
She carved her lines through winter haze.

Till 2023 changed the game,
And skiing never stayed the same…
(That’s when spare time disappeared!)
As racing fever firmly steered.

She trained with Stoke, found speed and fire,
Each run would lift her spirit higher,
At Uniq camp in Llandudno snow,
The racing dream began to grow.

Then Telford races — what a sight,
Young Flo attacked each turn just right,
Overall first U10 girl,
A golden moment, flags unfurled.

And from that day it all took flight,
A whirlwind climb, a pure delight.
CN races, Copper Horse too,
GBR starts she battled through.

Second overall U12 girl,
Across the 24/25 world,
In Pila racing NSSA,
She found her confidence each day.

Then Gressoney became her home,
With Sci Club colours she would roam,
Club Champion not once but twice,
24/25… then 25/26.

But medals only tell one part,
For skiing lives within the heart,
The friendships made beside the track,
The laughs, the lifts, the journeys back.

With Midland club she found her team,
A second family chasing dreams,
Through early mornings, endless miles,
Shared determination, shared smiles.

Her dad beside her all the way,
Driving, fixing, day by day,
Standing proud in snow and rain,
Through every triumph, every strain.

And Roger too, with guiding hand,
Helping Flo to understand,
That racing’s more than wins alone —
It’s courage, grit, and how you’ve grown.

Now stepping up with U14,
Among the “big girls” on the scene,
And still she rises, calm and bold,
With silver won at Llandudno cold.

Top 15 — the journey grows,
And nobody yet quite knows,
How far this fearless girl will ski,
But what a ride it’s been to see.

UNIQ Snowsports Snowsport England

These pictures…. Are Dry Slope Ski Racing! ⛷️

What ski racing is truly about isn’t just the competition, the medals, or the podium finishes. It’s about a group of children from three different clubs who share the same passion — the love of skiing, the thrill of freedom on the mountain, and the friendships built along the way. 🎿

Every weekend they stand side by side as competitors, all chasing their own goals and racing for the top spots. But what makes this community so special is that beneath the race bibs and club colours is an incredible bond of friendship, respect, and sportsmanship. 🥰

These children are each other’s biggest supporters. They carry one another’s skis, help with equipment, cheer from the sidelines, and shout words of encouragement before every run. They celebrate not only podium finishes, but personal improvements, brave performances, and the hard work each skier puts in.⛷️

No matter which club they belong to, they lift each other up. They are role models, teammates, and best friends all at once — proving that sport is about far more than winning. It’s about community, kindness, resilience, and shared passion.❤️💛🖤💙

Three local clubs, competing fiercely every weekend, yet united by something far greater: a love for the sport and genuine pride in each other’s success. It’s a rare and incredible example of what youth sport should be — children simply lovingSnowsport EnglandgUNIQ SnowsportsStoke Ski Centre SnowsportsaTelford Ski SlopenMidland Ski ClubUSnowsport Cymru WaleskRacer Ready Ski-MagazineoSki Racing Suppliesd Ski Club Snowsport Cymru Wales Racer Ready Ski-Magazine Ski Racing Supplies

Another brilliant day at Llandudno for Team Midland ⛷️💙

A huge well done to Abi for finishing in the top 15 girls overall, and to Tommy for securing a top 10 finish in the boys’ category 🏅

Our U14 team showed some fantastic speed on run one, before an interesting second course tested everyone’s skills and determination. In true Midland style, every racer finished the day smiling and taking away valuable lessons. A special well done to Elliot and Flo on competing in their first U14 GBR race 💙

Massive congratulations to Huw for taking gold in the U14s 🥇

Our U12s also put in improved performances across every run. It was fantastic to see the hard work from Max, Charlie and Annie paying off in their racing today 💙

The standout performance of the day came from Walter, who was the fastest U12 and claimed gold in a very competitive field. We can’t wait to see you wearing the red bib next week at Hillend ❤️🥇

An amazing weekend all round for the team, and a huge thank you to Roger and all the parents for the incredible support — we were definitely among the loudest supporters on the hill 👋🏻

An incredible day yesterday for Team Midland Race Team!

Huge congratulations to Huw, Flo, and Walter for their podium finishes — outstanding performances from all three. 👏

It was also fantastic to see improved runs from everyone throughout the day, with great results and some brilliant skiing across the team.

An extra special mention goes to Flo — competing in gates for the very first time as a U14 girl and finishing in an amazing 2nd place, while also making the top 15 overall! An incredible achievement and only the beginning of what looks set to be a brilliant season. ⭐️

Now we go again today for Copper Horse GBR — let’s go team! 💪🎿