THIS WEEK IN SCOTTISH SNOWSPORTS: FREERIDE FINALS AND A GOLD FOR MUIR
The Scottish Freedom Series 2026 came to an unforgettable conclusion at Glencoe, where riders gathered for the final stop, The Coe Cup. Under ideal conditions, competitors delivered some of the most impressive runs of the entire season, bringing energy and progression to the forefront.
At the end of a fiercely contested tour, the 2026 Overall British Freeride Champions were crowned. Bridget Reid claimed the title in Female Ski, while Alison Rowe topped the Female Snowboard category. In the men’s divisions, Sam Coleman secured the Male Snowboard crown, and Fynn Gentle emerged as the Male Ski champion.
Although the U18 category was not large enough to support full discipline titles this year, Aiden Norman was recognised as the top-performing youth rider across the season, highlighting the promising talent coming through the ranks. Organisers celebrated the successful return of a full three-stop tour, crediting the athletes for making the series a standout success.
Meanwhile, on the international stage, Scottish cross-country skiers closed out their World Cup season with a series of strong performances. Andrew Musgrave led the charge with a 9th-place finish in the 20km Mass Start Free and 12th in the 10km Interval Start Classic. Anna Pryce matched her career-best World Cup result with 35th in the Sprint, while James Clugnet and Andrew Young rounded out a deep and competitive British lineup.
In freestyle skiing, Kirsty Muir delivered one of the highlights of the week by taking gold in slopestyle. Dominating from start to finish, she topped both qualifying and finals, posting an 82.78 on her first run to secure her third World Cup victory of the season in style.
In Santa Caterina, the British National Championships downhill races saw Scottish athletes make a powerful statement. Louisa McIntosh captured both the British Junior and U18 titles, while Owen Vinter was crowned British National Champion. Hamish Blyth secured double silver in the U18 and Junior categories, and Ian Menzies added a Junior bronze. Zak Carrick-Smith also claimed the Junior Championship title, rounding off a day of exceptional performances.