Rider Profile
Name: Dave Ryding
Hometown: Bretherton, Leyland
Birthdate: 5 December 1986
Sponsors:
C-tec, Vital, Volkl, Technica, Kandahar Ski Club
Favourite tunes?
I’ve got a wide variety of favorite tunes but at the moment I would have to
say “shake it” by metro station but I have always liked a bit of Basshunter.
Favourite resort?
Samoens (France).
Favourite Discipline?
Slalom
Favourite race?
British Championships
Metrosnow.co.uk just about catches up with Olympic hopeful Dave Ryding
How did you get into ski racing?
It was my Dad who first got me into skiing, when I was younger he said I couldn’t come on holiday with him until I could ski properly because he only went on one holiday a year and he didn’t want to be waiting for me all the time, so I started to learn at Pendle Ski Club at 6 years old. At 8 I joined the race team and took it from there.
Does it hurt when you hit the gates?
In the Disciplines that I do, (Slalom and Giant Slalom) you hit every gate, but it doesn’t hurt at all because you have hand, leg and mouth guards on. But if you get it wrong and go off course then it hurts like hell. It's worse for Downhill because you don't wear padding. If you hit a downhill gate at 90mph mixed then its brutal and it stings like 10 wasps stinging you at once.
What has been your scariest moment racing?
Catching an edge training Downhill on a glacier and heading straight for the ropes surrounding the crevasses, or straddling a GS gate again training on a glacier and flipping off the piste.
Who are your best friends on the circuit?
Well luckily we have a great team at the moment and they are all great guys so I wouldn’t say I have a best friend. We are just all there for each other and pushing each other so it gives us some great banter.
What is your happiest memory?
Either taking part in the World Championships last season or winning the Overall British Title at the British Championships 2009.
Aside from competing and training, what else do you get up to when the snow is a fallin'?
In the season if were not skiing we are either, in the gym recovering and sometimes doing a fitness session, playing darts (not very well) or just relaxing after a hard days skiing, which includes watching movies and TV shows or just chatting to the other guys. And of course catching up with the people stuck back at home.
Who would you most love to race?
Errrm I’m not to sure on this one I would probably have to say Alberta Tomba “Tomba La Bomba” as he is one of the greatest Slalom and Giant Slalom skiers of all time.
What’s your career goal?
To regularly compete in the worlds top 30 and win an Olympic medal would be the icing on the cake.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a pro skier?
Thinking about it I always used to want to be a teacher but I’ve always been good at sports. I would definitely be doing another sport and recently I’ve been thinking about doing some bike races.
Your favourite noise?
I would have to agree with Jenny Jones on this one, it's walking through fresh, dry powder.
Photos: Colmar, Snowsports GB, Racer-ready
Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard Magazine
