An RAF Regiment reservist based in North Yorkshire has beaten off tough competition to be crowned a British skiing champion.
Leading Aircraftman Chris Stewart, who recently joined 609 (WR) Auxilliary Squadron based at RAF Leeming, managed to fit the prestigious win around his civilian job as a personal trainer and PE coach and his training to become an RAF Regiment gunner.
Chris emerged a clear winner as the overall British Telemark Ski Champion 2013 following a closely fought battle over three days of racing in Austria.
Chris, 24, has been skiing since he was only two years old. Starting off as an alpine skier, Chris only moved on to his current telemarking specialism at the age of 18.
• Telemark skiers have cable bindings, which allow the heel to rise during turns.
Telemark skiing is therefore characterised by the “telemark turn”, in which the outside ski leads in the turn and the inside ski trails, with the knee bent and the heel raised. By contrast, Alpine skiers’ boots are fastened firmly to their skis and the inside ski leads in the turn.
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