SLALOM star Dave Ryding came within a quarter of a second of being the first Brit on the podium of an FIS World Cup slalom race after an impressive display in Finland.

The Chorley star came home sixth, Britain's best result since Alain Baxter finishing fourth in a downhill race in 2001, with a superb performance in Levi.

"I am delighted. I am sure no-one expected a Brit in the top six,” said the Pendle Ski Club star who had never previously finished in the top 10.

"I have been skiing well and performing in training but this was better than I would have expected.

"I really had to focus before the second run and give it everything to stay up the rankings. I was aiming to get a solid top 15 so sixth is amazing."

Ryding, 29, was fourth after the opening run on Sunday after clocking 53.57secs, meaning he went fourth from last in the second run.

He was up on the leader’s time at the first split, but stalled in the middle third and could not regain the required speed, finishing his second run in 52.67secs, only good enough the 18th fastest time.

But the two-time Winter Olympian - who will be hoping to make his third appearance in South Korea in 2018, had still done enough for sixth spot, 1.57secs behind winner Marcel Hirscher and just 0.26secs off a podium spot.

Ryding, who does not receive UK Sport funding, sits sixth in the early season slalom World Cup standings and ninth in the overall competition.

The slalom series continues next month in France on December 11.