Should we be a little smug or should we be British and keep our upper lip stiff?
We British located on our little islands which have little snow is starting to make waves – or should that be drifts – in the snow sports events. We are now regularly picking up medals in the World Championships and Winter Olympics for pretty much all the sports we compete in.
“Shout out to team GB – well done!”
But news has broken that Charlotte Bankes has defected from the French ski team to join Team Great Britain was quite a surprise.
Obviously nothing against our squad – we love you – but to leave a very strong team that has amazing facilities and of course a stack of snow to master your sport, to join Team GB, there must have been quite a convincing argument.
Charlotte Bankes Bio
- Charlotte Bankes is 23 years old
- She is currently ranked 4th in the World for Snowboard Cross
- She has won the Snowboard Cross World Cup 3 times
- She has also been the French Champion for 3 years
- She has competed in 2 Winter Olympic Games
- Charlotte joins our other two Snowboard Cross team members Zoe Gillings and Maisie Potter.
She is a big deal in Snowboard Cross and quite the coup for Team GB to secure her services.
Why change teams to Team GB?
Although Charlotte grew up in France and progressed through their snowboard academy, she was actually born in England, Hemel Hempstead to be precise – she didn’t need to move to France did she with Hemel’s dry ski slope on her doorstep.
However, she did move to France at the age of 4 years old and hasn’t looked back, until now.
Charlotte has decided to return home and represent Great Britain in future events, and we are very happy to welcome her back.
So why now?
Quite simply Great Britain are now demonstrating how good we can be with a fully backed snowsports academy of our own and starting to bring back some medals.
Seeing this has made her make the jump across the channel.
Charlottes first event in our colours will be at the Europa Cup in Austria before she joins the World Cup circuit starting in Park City in February 2019.
We will be following Charlotte’s events and will report about her and the rest of our GB Snowsport (new name!) Team.