British Ski & Snowboard, Snowsport Scotland, Snowsport England and Para-Snowsport GB have announced the dates of the first ever UK based Ski and Snowboard Cross, (GBX), National Trials sponsored by car manufacturer Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, as well as more details about the creation of the Home Nations, National Academy and British National Squads in the GBX program.

For the summer of 2016, there will be six ‘Mitsubishi Motors Ski and Snowboard Cross GBX National Trials’ running at UK slopes and ski centres between April to October.  Athletes will be selected using the GBX Skills Mission* and successful athletes will be invited to join either the Home Nations squad, The National Academy squad, the British National squad or the Para-snowsport UK SBX squad.

The six ‘Mitsubishi Ski and Snowboard Cross National Trials’ are taking place on the following dates and venues, there will also be 3 SX & SBX competitions taking place:

• Saturday 23^rd April 2016 – Trial:- Snow Factor, Braehead.
• Saturday 28^th May 2016 – Trial:- Norfolk Snowsports Club, Norfolk.
• Sunday 5^th June 2016 – Trial:- The Snow Centre, Hemel Hemstead
• Saturday 25^th June 2016 – Trial:- Snozone, Leeds

i)     Sunday 26^th June 2016 – SX&SBX competition, Leeds.

• Saturday 9^th July 2016 – Trial:- Snow Factor, Braehead

ii)   Sunday 10^th July 2016 - SX & SBX competition, Snow Factor, Braehead

• Saturday 17^th September 2016 – Trial:- The Snow Centre, Hemel Hemstead.

The Home Nations GBX squad will be expected to focus on training primarily in the UK and utilizing domestic opportunities to progress in the sport, however there will be opportunities for on snow programs for those excelling into the National Academy.

The GBX National Academy and National Squads are 12 month programs, (6 months based on snow), consisting of on snow coaching, competition coaching, fitness support, nutritional support, and a full FIS / European Cup competition program.

The Para-Snowsport GB SBX squad is managed in full by Para-Snowsport GB.

Technology partner Nexsan has provided the GBX trials with two private cloud appliances, called Transporters. These devices allow the team to securely share confidential data, images and large media files across the team. With two devices the team can backup all of their data as well as share it securely in real time.

National phone network ThreeUK, fleet management solution Kinesis Telematics by UK Fuels, schools ski/board company SkiTeam4, dairy free coconut mylk producer Rebel Kitchen, sleep partner Sealy Beds, sports nutrition company Nutrition X and the UK’s largest defibrillator and AED retailer defibshop are all actively partnering and supporting the GBX National trials.

The GBX programme was formed in 2014 by British Ski & Snowboard (BSS) with an aim of strengthening the performance of both disciplines by sharing resources. The GBX programme, funded by the athletes and managed by British Ski and Snowboard together with Snowsport England and Snowsport Scotland is lead by the GBX Performance Manager, Dan Brier, alongside the Head Coaches for Ski Cross and Snowboard Cross.

The “Mitsubishi Ski & Snowboard Cross GBX National Trials” series is being run & managed in full by 3 x British Olympian Zoe Gillings-Brier and Cross Snowsports club.

To view the full schedule of the Ski and Snowboard Cross (GBX) National Trials and to book a spot on one of the selection events go to www.gbxsquad.com.