ninth April 2025 | Jane Peel, Mayrhofen, Austria
What do you get if you deliver collectively servicemen and girls from the Military, Navy and RAF and allow them to unfastened on the snow? The reply: fierce competitors and an entire stash of medals. NEW
The British Armed Forces all the time make their mark on the British Snowboard & Freeski Championships – and this 12 months was no totally different.
They’ve been sending a group to The BRITS for nicely over a decade.
They had been again for the 2025 Championships in Mayrhofen in Austria – the primary time the occasion has been held within the Alps since 2019.
Twelve women and men had been chosen for the group, although solely 11 may compete after an damage to one in all them, three days earlier than the competitors started.
All are snowboarders.
For some motive, the skiers within the Armed Forces are into alpine, and never freestyle.
And most certified for the Masters (Over 30) or Legends (Over 40) age classes.
Their largest success was in Snowboard Cross.
Victory for the Armed Forces in Snowboard Cross. Picture © Craig Robinson
No fewer than eight medals in Snowboard Cross went to the Armed Forces group, together with a handful of Nationwide titles.
All three companies had been represented on the rostrum.
Armed Forces medallists in Snowboard Cross at The BRITS. Picture © PlanetSKI
PlanetSKI spoke to 2 of the group.
HAYLEY PHILLIPS, RAF (Legends)
Hayley Phillips. Picture © PlanetSKI
Hayley is a reservist and bodily coaching teacher, based mostly at 504 Squadron, RAF Wittering in Northampton.
She’s an ex-regular who left the RAF in 2015 and rejoined 18 months in the past.
She’s been snowboarding for twenty years and labored seasons within the mountains earlier than becoming a member of the RAF.
This was her first BRITS.
“One of many large causes I rejoined is, after having my three youngsters and ten years of being at dwelling with the youngsters, I wished to get my life again just a little bit, and this supplemented my private coaching enterprise very well.
“It means I can get a little bit of me once more and make the most of the unbelievable sport that we’ve bought in snowboarding.”
Hayley Phillips, Snowboard Huge Air at The BRITS. Picture © Craig Robinson
“It’s good at The BRITS,” Hayley added.
“The way in which everybody’s so pleasant, all rivals. The wonderful thing about this sport is, irrespective of how large the trick, or if somebody is studying one thing new, everyone seems to be tremendous glad for one another.
“Being out right here for the primary time sporting the British Armed Forces badge is a proud time.”
DAVID GRANT, Military (Masters)
Davd Grant. Picture © PlanetSKI
David Grant is within the REME, the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, however is at present hooked up to MAB 7 (I’m not allowed to say extra about that, but when you understand, you understand).
The 37-year-old is The BRITS group supervisor and that is his third time on the Nationwide Championships.
He began snowboarding about 10 years in the past on the REME Championships and, yearly since, has managed to get at the very least 4 weeks on snow.
He’s now the REME’s Chief Teacher.
“We focus massively on our grassroots so we are able to get as many new snowboarders on snow as potential.
“It makes a large distinction to folks’s lives. You see some individuals who come, who’ve by no means finished a snowsport earlier than and, by the point they’ve finished two or three weeks on snow, they’re a modified particular person for the higher, as a result of they’re challenged and pushed a lot.”
David Grant competes in Snowboard Huge Air at The BRITS 2025. Picture © Craig Robinson
“We don’t essentially choose the most effective athletes for The BRITS. We choose individuals who have given one thing again to the game and the armed forces,” David says.
“It’s a reward to be right here.”
We’re positive they’ll all be determined to make the group once more in 2026.
British Armed Forces at The BRITS 2025. Picture c/o James Mitchell
See our earlier protection from The BRITS 2025 on the return of the competitors to the Alps and the kids tipped to turn into the freestyle stars of the long run.
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