Baxter slaloms back into the world's top 30

Published on Wednesday 17 December 2003 00:00

FOR Alain Baxter, the 12 days of Christmas would have felt long and bleak but for his inspired 11th place on Monday night in Madonna di Campiglio, a result which has driven the Scottish skier back into top the 30 on the World Cup slalom start list.

Instead it will be a much more relaxed and positive Baxter who heads home this weekend to his native Aviemore, to "chill out and take it easy".

Reflecting yesterday on his performance in Italy, Baxter said: "Certainly had I not made a result last night it would have been a long time at home waiting for the next event."

Baxter made a disappointing start to the season in Utah last month, but is confident his improved display will stand him in good stead for 2004.

"The good thing now is that the pressure is off a bit and the races come bang, bang, bang when I get back: Flachau, Chamonix, Wengen, Kitzbuhel, which will be intense but that is the way I prefer it.

"Last year there were big gaps between the races and when I was not making results it was a bit of a nightmare."

Failing even to qualify in Park City, Utah, woke him up. "That was a real shock because I had been skiing so well in training and I thought it would be a case of just going out there and doing it, but I did not put enough into it.

"What you have to realise is that in every race the depth of talent and the intensity just means you can’t afford to be passive anywhere on the course. If you do, it’s gone. Over."

While the plaudits and the prestige matter, Baxter was most of all pleased to feel back as a fully paid up member of the "white circus".

The Highlander was back as a main player in Madonna, skiing in the colours of a new personal sponsor, and enjoying the banter with his international friends and rivals in the competitors’ corale, rather than having already sloped back to his hotel to lick his psychological wounds.

Baxter has impressed all with his summer training. Finland’s current slalom World Cup leader Kalle Palander has admitted Baxter is one of the few skiers on the circuit he fears, and in the autumn the Scot paced and beat the Finn on timed training runs.

"What is frustrating is always knowing what I can do in training," said Baxter. "Hopefully this will be things turning the corner now and we can make more results like this."

With no World Championships or Olympics this season Baxter will be concentrating mainly on the World Cup circuit, aiming to start clocking up consistently good results as he did in the 1999-2000 circuit when he ended up ranked 11th in the world. He will race some Europa Cup events as well, but if he can set up a stream of World Cup finishes he will use them only as warm ups.