A CIRENCESTER teenager will represent Team GB this week.
Six of the UK’s best young water skiers will be representing their country at the IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships being held in Chile later this week.
16-year-old Harrison Crossland from Cirencester will take part in the slalom and tricks.
He has represented GB at European Championships but this will be his first Worlds.
He trains at Oxford Wakeboard & Ski Club and at Fairford Waterski Club and is a pupil at Rendcomb College in Cirencester.
The youngsters, aged from 15 to 17, have been training hard ahead of the competition which takes place at Lago Los Morros near Santiago from 5th to 8th January.
The Championships will see medals awarded in the three separate events of slalom, tricks and jump. There will also be medals in the overall, where the scores in all three events are combined, and Team medals.
The six Britons are:
• Dani Halford (16) from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire (slalom, tricks, jump)
• Lilli Deste (17) from Amersham in Buckinghamshire (slalom, tricks, jump)
• Harrison Crossland (16) from Cirencester (slalom, tricks)
• Tom Parkin (17) from Scarborough in North Yorkshire (slalom, tricks, jump)
• Stella Gamski (16) from Oxshott in Surrey (slalom, tricks)
• Noah Pollard (17) from Kings Lynn in Norfolk (slalom, tricks, jump)
The whole GB Team has been together in Florida, USA, ahead of the competition, taking advantage of some warm weather training - though a few days of unexpectedly cold temperatures over the Christmas holiday meant it felt more like home at times!
They have been accompanied by GB Youth Coach, Charlotte Wharton, who has also travelled with them to Chile.
“Many of the team have been training in Orlando, Florida at Matt Rini Ski School with myself and Cole Grant,” Wharton said.
“Despite the cold front to hit Florida, the skiers were able to get some great quality training in leading up to this event. For some of these skiers, it is their first World Championships and, despite the nerves, I know they are excited. I have seen how hard they have been training and we are all excited to watch them compete this week.
“We have a few days practice before the event begins on January 5th and Team GB are ready!“
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