* Mickel prepares for Saturday's first FIS World Cup Downhill of the season in Lake Louise, Canada
* Snowboarding World Cup gets underway in Saas Fee
* Koyander is nominated for regional Young Sportswoman of the year.
* Snowsport Scotland and Snowsport England vote against modernisation.

The British Land Alpine Ski Team's top downhiller Finlay Mickel starts his FIS World Cup season tomorrow (Saturday) in Lake Louise, Canada.

After his 10th in Wengen last year on the Lauberhorn and now with nine career Top 20's at World Cup Fin is looking to continue his trajectory up the world cup standings in Men's Downhill.Consistent top 20 results are his main target this season, but on his day Fin knows he can provide a challenge to the best.

In very bumpy conditions and flat light on Lake Louise's Men's Olympic Downhill run on which he finished 19th last year and 29th in 2005, Fin has some work to do to better last year's placing, but he still had today (Friday)'s final training run to go before race day. Fin had improved to 34th fastest in yesterday's training run:

"I was a bit all over the place on the first day. It is really bumpy with flat light and it was hard to get the confidence to just keep in the tuck and keep looking for the speed. The forecast is for the weather to be much the same over the next few days, on and off, so there does not seem to be any clear days expected, so this is pretty much how it will be."

Fin improved yesterday after strapping his leg between his abductor and hamstring to help support a muscle strain he suffered last week when he hit a Super G gate.

"That definitely helped. All I am looking for here is to make a good start to my season, to ski well. I am not thinking about results or numbers or targets. I have had a few glitches in my skiing recently so I am just trying to iron them out and get off to a good start. It is a good course, not the most challenging there is, but it is bumpy and it is hard to make every turn count."

Also training along with Finlay in Lake Louise has been Noel Baxter After his success in the Olympic combined in February when he finished 14th, 10th in the Slalom and 25th in the Downhill, Noel has changed his training programme to target the World Cup Super Combined events this season. Noel trained with Fin in South America but Beaver Creek next weekend is likely to be his first World Cup downhill on the notorious Birds of Prey course. His initial programme is to compete in the first two Super Combination events in Beaver Creek and then in Val d'Isere, but it is unlikely that Noel will compete in Lake Louise.

"It has been good experience here. First time down I felt like I was just finding my way. It is rough and pretty bumpy, but really perfect training for me. At the moment I am just learning the course, but I was 20th in some sections so I must be doing something right!"

Noel has been racing Slalom and Giant Slalom in Canada over the last couple of weeks, and placed 4th in the FIS Slalom in Panorama, and 7th and 12th in Giant Slalom.

"The downhill training has been good for my Slalom and Giant Slalom too, I am pleased with my Giant Slalom. I was leading in the Giant Slalom and went on my hip in the second run, so overall I am pleased with the way it is going. It is great for me because it all feels fresh and exciting."

Alain Baxter, narrowly missed out on qualification in the first World Cup slalom when he finished 34th in the opening race in Levi, Finland. Finishing behind Baxter were leading American slalom skiers Bode Miller and Ted Ligety.

Andy Noble started his season off with promising results with three top 10 results in FIS races held in Finland. Noble secured consecutive 5th places in Giant Slalom at Pyhaetunturi.

Dan Wakeham and Sam Cullum will compete again today (Friday) in Saas Fee, Switzerland in the second of two FIS World Cup half pipe events. Dan finished 37th in the first half pipe on Wednesday and Sam, competing in his first ever FIS World Cup event, finished in 47th . Ben Kilner did not compete after sustaining a bad ankle sprain.

Also in Saas Fee Lesley McKenna failed to qualify for today's finals in her first World Cup on this season's women's tour, but made 12th overall from a field of 34 starters.

"Sam was quite nervous at his first world cup but did as well as he could and gave it everything. Dan fell on both runs, putting a hand down in the second, but he is on good form." Reported British Snowboard Team coach Craig Smith

"The standard of competition is very high, but I am sure that Dan will come back tomorrow and show us what he can do."

Meanwhile Zoe Gillings, James Foster and Nick Dudar are all at the Europa Cup event in Kaprun, Austria where Men's and Women's Snowboardcross events take place this weekend.

In the preceding Europa Cup event in Saas Fee Sam Cullum secured a creditable 14th place in the European Cup Half Pipe event at Saas Fee, Switzerland. In the Women's Half Pipe Lesley McKenna came 10th out of a field of twenty two competitors.

After picking up the local accolades of Derbyshire Dales Young Sports Woman of the year and recognised with an Award at the Derbyshire School Sports Association Awards, Ellie Koyander has been selected as a finalist in the BBC (East Midlands) Sports Awards 2006.

Ellie was delighted to have been nominated and short listed to the final three. The winner is due to be announced later this month at the BBC Sports Awards Ceremony to be held in Derby.

Ellie's sport is moguls skiing which is an Olympic discipline and she is Great Britain's no 1 female mogul skier. She is set to compete at FIS Europa Cup level this coming season racing against athletes honing their race skills with a similar ambition of qualifying for the 2010 winter Olympics.

The BBC Awards will be broadcast at 9.00pm on November 27th via live
television web cast on www.bbc.co.uk/eastmidlandstoday and can be seen anywhere in the world. They will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio's Derby, Leicester and Nottingham. Anyone interested in finding out more about Ellie or her unique sponsorship opportunities should make contact via e-mail to bumpscoach@hotmail.com

The tour operator, Directski.com will once again sponsor the dual slalom competition which will be raced under the floodlights on Wednesday 28th March 2007

Wills and Co. the London based stockbroker has increased their interest in winter sports by adding support to the British Land National Ski championships in Meribel, France. The financial organisation, which currently sponsor British Bobsleigh will become a bib sponsor for the Championships and will host a pre-downhill party on the evening of Monday 26th March 2007.

Entry forms for the championships will be available from 1st December 2006 and can be downloaded from the SnowsportGB website.

Chemmy Alcott recently collected her trophy for being named SnowsportGB Olympic Athlete of the Year from Sir Clive Woodward at the offices of the British Olympic Association.

Snowsport Scotland and Snowsport England members have voted against the proposed plans to modernise the British Ski and Snowboard Federation. At the Scottish vote the decision was unanimous whilst in England the vote was 730 against and 22 in favour. In Wales the vote was strongly in favour of the proposed plans where 82% voted in favour and 18% against. The SnowsportGB Congress and EGM are to be held on 10th December 2006 in London.

The revised British Competition Rules and the British Artificial Competition Rules are now available on the SnowsportGB website following the Technical Delegates (TD) forum in November. The British Competition Rules 2006 apply with immediate effect.

Entries to the Welsh Alpine Championships in Oppdal, Norway are now being taken and for further information interested racers should gotowww.snowsportwales.net

SnowsportGB has launched a new fundraising initiative asking companies to support our elite skiers and snowboarders to help fill the funding hole created by UK Sport's decision to reduce the funding for the next four years. The initiative is asking British Companies to support the teams by donating £1000 per year for the next four years. A donations board will be launched on the SnowsportGB website and at the British Championships in Meribel.

Congratulations go to Alain and Sheila Baxter who this week had a baby boy. Both mother and baby are reported to be well.