West Midlands’ Prime Accountants Group steps in to fully fund GB Snowsport Ski Cross World Cup team’s 2024-25 season

GB Snowsport has secured full funding for its elite Ski Cross Team for the 2024-25 season thanks to the generosity of a West Midlands accountancy practice.

Prime Accountants Group has been announced as a partner for GB Snowsport for the upcoming season to fund its elite athletes’ coaches, technicians and expenses.

Prime, which has offices in Solihull, Birmingham and Coventry, has stepped in to support GB Snowsport and provide much-needed additional investment in the run-up to the Milan-Cortina Olympic qualifying period.

GB Snowsport’s goal is to manage and develop the programme to put British world class skiers and snowboarders onto World Cup podiums and win Olympic and Paralympic medals.

Most of its funding comes from UK Sport, but this comes down to whether athletes are judged to have ‘podium potential’ at major events.

Morgan Davies, managing director of Prime Accountants Group, said: “Ski Cross is a sport where hundredths of a second matter and can be the difference between qualifying for major events.

“Countries such as Canada, France and Switzerland provide significantly more funding to their athletes and for GB athletes to compete at this level without backing is an impossible task.

“Supporting the team is bigger than looking after one individual and is simply about providing the athletes with an environment to deliver. It is increasingly up to businesses to help fund those dreams.”

Team GB Ski Cross athlete Ollie Davies has raced regularly on the World Cup circuit and in 2023 took silver at the Reiteralm World Cup.

However, there is very limited UK funding in place for the discipline and an athlete in Ollie, who has already demonstrated the ability to compete with the best in the world.

Alongside its backing for Ollie and the GB Snowsport team, Prime has supported Solihull skier Scott Johns – son of Prime director Kevin Johns – since he first qualified for the Winter Youth Olympics in 2020.

“We’ve taken the decision to support GB Snowsport for at least the 2024-25 season and we are committed to working with the organisation longer-term to find solutions to its funding issues,” added Morgan.

Vicky Gosling, GB Snowsport chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Prime Accountants Group on board for the 2024-25 season.

“Our Ski Cross team have delivered some impressive results in recent years, and the support that Prime bring coming into the new season will allow us to invest in the team set-up as the critical Milan-Cortina Olympic qualifying period gets under way.

“This is a really exciting time for British Ski Cross, and we look forward to getting the season started at the Val Thorens World Cup next month.”

The Ski Cross season gets underway with the Val Thorens World Cup from December 10 to 14, with the world championships set to take place in St. Moritz in March 2025.

For more information on GB Snowsport, visit https://gbsnowsport.com/about-us.