Haslingden school children steal the show at North West Skiing Championship

The teams took part in a competition at Pendle Ski Slope, which attracted about 120 skiers representing different schools from across the North West.

The lower school team comprised of Year 7s Patrick Wilson, Robyn Dobson and Year 8 Owen Begley.

Patrick, 11, from Rawtenstall, is following in his grandfather’s footsteps as he used to ski for the RAF.

He is one of the youngest members of the British Ski Academy, where he competes in the under-14 team, and was awarded a bursary so he could spend four weeks at Christmas skiing with the team in Pila in the Italian Alps.

WINNER: Patrick Wilson, lower school winner and member of the British Ski Academy

Patrick said: “I have been skiing for eight years and racing for three to four years.

"I like skiing because it is fun and fast and is a fun way to fill your time. I am a member of Ski Rossendale Race Club.”

He is also going away for three weeks over Easter with Team Evolution when he will be skiing in Salzburg, Austria.

Owen, 12, is a member of the 2K Club also based at The Hill, home of Ski Rossendale.

Also skiing to success was the upper school team of Oliver Harwood, 15, Jeremy Nuttall, 14, Zayn Horlock, 13, and Cameron Stretch, 14.

Zayn and Cameron are members of Ski Rossendale Race Club, Jeremy is a member of the 2k Club, while Oliver attends both clubs.

All four team members got to ski the slalom course twice with the top three best runs counting.

Oliver said: “It was a nice day, but really windy and there were lots of people there. The slope at Pendle is a lot flatter than at Ski Rossendale and so it tests the skiers because you have to try to keep your pace on the way down.”

Although their success does not lead to a further competition, PE teacher Erika Wilson said they would be entering further events at the Chill Factore in Manchester.