CHEMMY ALCOTT produced the best result by a British woman for more than 30 years when she finished ninth in the World Cup downhill at Cortina d�Ampezzo in Italy. The 22-year-old from Twickenham is one of the youngest competitiors on the downhill circuit and this is her fourth finish in the top cadre of racers this season. The last British woman to finish in the top ten of a World Cup downhill was Davina Galica in Bardonecchia, Italy, in December 1970 and, in slalom, Gina Hathorn in Heavenly Valley, United States, in 1972.
Noel Baxter, the 22-year-old from Scotland, also yesterday produced his best World Cup slalom result in Wengen, Switzerland, finishing 26th and breaking into the top cadre of slalom skiers. His brother Alain, 30, came nineteenth on a difficult course that saw most of the world�s best crash out in the first run. The race was won by Benjamin Raich, of Austria.

The Baxters� cousin, Leslie McKenna, is leading the snowboard half-pipe world rankings as British winter sports enjoy a resurgence after many difficult and under-funded years. Athletes now benefit from more support and have a permanent winter training base in Lofer, Austria.