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High winds and driving snow greeted competitors for the final event of the Natives Workers Challenge 2008 race series – the Scott Dunn Skier/Boarder X.
Fortunately, visibility remained good and prevented a second postponement (the original date of 12 March being a full-on snowstorm), so competitors from Tignes, Val d’Isère, Méribel, La Plagne and Verbier psyched themselves up for action.
 Specially designed course
While the organisers made sure the sponsors’ flags didn’t blow off down the valley, almost 30 hardy souls headed to the start for their contre-la-montre timed run down the specially created course. With rollers leading into a mix of kickers and banked turns there was plenty of time to build up speed for the final jump across the finish line.
The male skiers unsurprisingly set the fastest times, with Angus Morrison leading the appropriately named Sam Speed, ahead of another Val worker John Andree. The times recorded in the individual heats were used to seed the skiers for the knockout rounds, which started promptly amid fears the Natives gazebo would blow away!
 Tactics, nerve and sheer strength
It’s at this stage that the skier/boarder X format really comes into its own, as racers fight it out head-to-head over the course. Tactics, nerves and sheer strength all come into play.
In the women’s boarder comp, it was head-to-head, literally, as only two athletes competed. Although close, Kiwi and Val d’Isère local Stephanie Takarangi beat Roz Fisher (winner at the Méribel leg of the series).
Tignes workers do well
The women’s ski final saw Tignes season worker Lauren Merryfield edge in ahead of Elizabeth Horne from Val d’Isère, while Edinburgh University student Shona Doran beat her fellow student Jessie Henson for the final place on the podium.
 In the men’s boarder final, Tignes also took the honours as masseur Robert Emmanuale took top spot ahead of another Tignes season worker, Paul Dickson.
Credit must go to both Tom Eliase and Pat Souberbielle who took 3rd and 4th respectively. Both still teenagers and just in resort on holiday, they showed real guts to enter and compete against the big boys, and at prize-giving later, both were rewarded with special prizes.
UK no.1 takes the prize
The male ski category was by far the toughest competition, with six head-to-head heats required to produce a final winner. Unsurprisingly, this turned out to be Angus Morrison, who had earlier set the fastest individual time, but also had the great advantage of being Britain’s no.1 skier cross athlete.
 Morrison, however, needed all of his Europa Cup and World Cup experience to win a very closely contested final. With all four athletes passing the finish line within a few seconds of each other, French holidaymaker Julian Karcher took 2nd spot, with the remaining place on the podium going to Val d’Isère local Nathan Van Puten. Swedish Scot (don’t ask!) John Andree took 4th.
And so the 2008 Natives Workers Challenge comes to a close. After superb weather in January (The Respect The Mountain Slalom in Méribel) and February (The Rossignol Big Air in St Anton), the not so spring-like March and April proved that the mountains can never be underestimated.
With over 200 competitors and many more spectators, the Workers Challenge will be back in 2009. Watch this space for details of how to join in.
2008
Winners - Scott Dunn Skier/Boarder X
 Female Skiers
- Lauren Merryfield (Tignes)
- Elixabeth Horne (Val d’Isere)
- Shona Doran (University of Edinburgh)
 Female Boarders
- Stephanie Takarangi (Val d’Isere)
- Roz Fisher (Meribel)
Male Boarders
- Robert Emmanuale (Tignes)
- Paul Dickson (Tignes)
- Tom Eliase (Guest)
 Male Skiers
- Angus Morrison (Verbier)
- Julian Karcher (Guest)
- Nathan Van Puten (Val d’Isere)
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