“At the ISA National Ski Championships in Hemel Hempstead on Monday 28th September, it was medals galore for the Ballard ‘Famous Five’ as they delivered an outstanding performance against a fiercely competitive field of 148 racers.
Representing the school in exemplary fashion both on and off the slopes, Scarlett, Ben, Zachary, Josh and Alice were a credit to Ballard throughout the event. Their commitment, sportsmanship and determination exemplified everything that Ballard sport stands for.
The standard of racing was exceptionally high, but Ballard’s skiers rose to the challenge in spectacular fashion. Scarlett produced two outstanding runs, recording a blistering fastest time of 11.98 seconds, making her the second-fastest skier across all male and female U14-U19 competitors. Notably, she was one of only two racers to break the 12-second barrier on the day.
Ballard also had impressive depth throughout the field, with Ben finishing 7th overall and Zachary placing 11th overall, ensuring three Ballard skiers featured among the top 15 fastest competitors at the championships.
Within their individual age and gender categories, the medals continued to flow. Scarlett secured a magnificent gold medal, while Ben, Zachary and Josh each claimed silver medals in their respective age groups. Meanwhile, Alice showed tremendous resilience and improvement, taking an impressive 1.5 seconds off her first-run time to round off a superb team performance.
The individual successes combined to produce an unforgettable overall result, with Ballard being crowned ISA National Mixed Team Champions 2026.
This achievement was made even more special as it marked the final ISA ski competition for Zachary, Ben and Alice. Particular recognition must go to Zachary, who has served as Ski Captain with tremendous dedication, providing inspiration, leadership and encouragement to younger members of the squad.
This latest success is another milestone in the continued growth of the Ballard ski programme, which has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Congratulations to all five competitors on an incredible achievement and a wonderful way to finish the national championships.
Any pupils interested in ski racing are encouraged to speak to Zachary or Mr Wood to find out more about local training opportunities and becoming involved with the Ballard ski team.”
Mr Wood (Director of Sport)
