World Championships call-up for Bridlington teenager Jack Shephard

Bridlington teenager Jack Shephard is setting his sights on glory at the World Schools Skiing Championships in Turkey next year.

Sixteen-year-old former Bridlington School student Jack has been called into next February’s event in Erzurum.

Proud mum Tracie Shephard said: “My son Jack, who is in Year 12 at Ron Dearing UTC in Hull studying his A-Levels, has been selected to represent England at the World Schools Championships taking place in Erzurum in Turkey between February 11 and 19 2023.

"This is a great achievement for Jack, who has been training towards this since

he was 12 years old, especially when we have no local ski facilities.

“He is a member of RTR ski club based in Sunderland and prior to the Covid-19 lockdown he used to travel twice a week for training from the age of 12 to 14.

"Covid-19 put a stop to that but once restrictions were eased he went back to training but at training camps all over the UK on weekends so not to impact his schoolwork.

“In 2021 Jack finished the summer UK dry slope race season ranked number one

Under-16 in the whole of the UK, Welsh Under-16 Champion, third in the British

Championships and overall champion at the UK National Schools Outdoor

Championships.

"He was also selected onto the Welsh Ski Team qualifying due to his late grandmother.”

In November 2021 Jack was awarded Bridlington Sports Community Award for

Young Sportsperson of the Year and in June 2022 at The School Sports

Partnership awards got second place for outstanding individual performance in

sport while representing Bridlington School .

Tracie added: “Jack spent 10 weeks away last winter in the Alps with the British Ski Academy training and racing with his best result in the English Championships in Italy, finishing 15th Under-16 out of 67 boys, a great achievement for someone that hardly spends much time away on snow.

"This last summer he moved up to a first year Under-18 and finished third in the British Championships, Under-18 Welsh Champion and managed to podium 10 times from 14 races.

“Everything he has achieved through training, racing, travelling throughout

the UK and Europe has always been self-funded.”