BEIJING (AP) 鈥� When Dave Ryding gets to the start gate of the men鈥檚 slalom at the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday, expectations on a British skier will be high for the first time in decades.
Ryding became the in the 55-year history of the Alpine skiing World Cup 鈥� and on one of the circuit鈥檚 most challenging slalom courses 鈥� when he triumphed in Kitzb眉hel, Austria, last month.
Now the 35-year-old Ryding, nicknamed 鈥淭he Rocket,鈥� is trying to end his country鈥檚 lengthy wait for a first Olympic medal in Alpine skiing.
鈥淭he expectation is naturally going up since Kitzb眉hel, and that鈥檚 fine,鈥� Ryding said. 鈥淵ou know, that鈥檚 because I鈥檓 skiing well. And if the expectation was rock bottom, it鈥檚 probably because I鈥檓 not skiing well and I wasn鈥檛 in a good place.
鈥淲ith success comes expectation. But like I always do, keep everything in perspective, do what I can, do the right things going up to it, getting my routine on the day and giving it my all."
Alain Baxter initially won Britain鈥檚 first Olympic medal in Alpine skiing when he finished third in the men鈥檚 slalom at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, but he was later stripped of his bronze for using a decongestant that contained a banned stimulant.
The Beijing Games are Ryding's fourth Olympics. His best individual result is ninth 鈥� in the slalom in 2018 鈥� but he knows he has a chance on Wednesday.
There have been six World Cup slaloms this season and six different winners. Only four skiers have even made the podium more than once and no one has done it more than twice.
鈥淎ll I can say is this: six slaloms this year, six different winners,鈥� Ryding said. 鈥淎nd on those six podiums, there鈥檚 been 14 different people. So one of those guys who鈥檚 had a podium has to finish 14th, it鈥檚 as simple as that.
鈥淏ut I know that it鈥檚 in me to win and I know I can be reassured that I鈥檓 in the form to do whatever on the day. I鈥檝e had a first, I鈥檝e had a fifth, I鈥檝e had a 20, you know, so I will give it my all.鈥�
The Olympic men鈥檚 slalom has somewhat of a tradition for producing gold medalists at a late age.
When Andre Myhrer 鈥� who was also 35 at the time 鈥� took gold in slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, he became the oldest winner of that discipline at an Olympics, breaking the record set by Mario Matt four years earlier.
And Ryding has always come late to things in skiing. He didn鈥檛 even ski on real snow until he was 12, having learned on dry slopes near his home in northern England.
Ryding had to wait until he was nearly 26 to break into the top 30 in a World Cup race, and until he was 30 to get a podium. He finally got a victory on the circuit at 35.
But his advanced years might serve as an advantage on Wednesday.
鈥淚 always try and keep everything I do in perspective. I鈥檝e always been analytical myself and how I鈥檓 skiing and my results,鈥� Ryding said. 鈥淚 knew that skiing was in me even before that first. Now it just reiterates the fact that it is there. Don鈥檛 rest on your laurels. Keep working hard and bring out what you can on the day.鈥�
In the speedy world of ski racing, tenths 鈥� or even hundredths 鈥� of a second can mean the difference between a gold medal and not even making the podium.
With slalom this season being all about 鈥渁lmighty tight, almighty fine margins,鈥� Ryding knows there鈥檚 only one way to approach the race on the course known as The Ice River.
鈥淚鈥檝e had a ninth at the Olympics 鈥� so there鈥檚 no point trying to get another ninth. I may as well try and go better,鈥� Ryding said. 鈥淎nd the only way to do that now, especially with slalom, is to risk it. And yeah, the winner will take it all.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the day and I am in the mindset of I will have to do or die.鈥�
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Daniella Matar, The Associated Press
