Nestled in the Ribble Valley in northwest England, Pendle Ski Club boasts a modest 140-metre-long, 10-metre-wide dry ski slope, often shared with roaming sheep. The surface is plastic matting, with grass poking through, and snow is absent. Despite its humble appearance, this slope produced Britain's most decorated slalom racer, Dave Ryding.
Ryding, now 39, learned to ski at age six on this dry slope, often in tracksuit bottoms and enduring friction burns from the bristles. He recalls practice sessions interrupted by sheep crossing the slope. The short slope, which he could traverse in 12 seconds, helped him develop exceptional speed on flat sections, a key advantage in his career.
Ryding is the only British winner in the nearly 60-year history of the Alpine skiing World Cup, achieving victory in Kitzbuehel, Austria. He is considered a medal contender for the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. His story has inspired the club's 600 members, from children to 77-year-old Jonathan Fenton, the oldest pupil.
In the clubhouse, a Union Jack flag with Ryding's nickname 'Rocket' hangs, alongside a photo with the caption 'Your Ski Club Needs You.' On race days, children gather to watch him compete. 'You've got to start somewhere – he was here and he's been able to get to the Olympics,' said 16-year-old Jayden Cuttriss. 'It shows it's possible for anyone.'
