CHORLEY's Dave Ryding has made history after becoming the first British alpine skiing to win a World Cup gold medal with victory in the Kitzbuhel Slalom.

The 35-year-old wrote his name in to the record books after he became the first GB skier to taste victory in the 55-year-history of the Alpine skiing World Cup.

Ryding, who is a member of Pendle Ski Club, is part of the Great Britain's squad for the Beijing Winter Olympics which take place next month and will be his fourth appearance at the Games.

Ryding was sixth after the first run but put down a stellar second run to beat Lucas Braathen of Norway by 0.38 seconds. Henrik Kristoffersen took third place.

The East Lancashire skier has had three previous podium finishes on the World Cup, including second place in the Kitzbuhel slalom in 2017 - matching the previous best alpine skiing result by a Britain - Konrad Bartelski's runner-up place in the 1981 Val Gardena downhill.

"You know, I'm 35 now, but I never stopped believing," he said. "I never stopped trying, and to bring the first victory for Great Britain in a World Cup, in Kitzbuhel, I mean, I don't know if dreams are made better."

This season Ryding has had mixed success in the World Cup.

He finished an impressive fifth in the opening race of the series in Val d'Isere but did not finish at Madonna di Campiglio and Adelboden after crashing out on both second runs.

Ryding was 16th last weekend in Wengen but his stunning victory in Austria will put him in confident mood heading in to the Winter Olympics.