Praise to Dave Ryding

Dave Ryding – England’s greatest skier – is not a household name but he should be.

Ryding, aged 35, recently won the gold at slalom in the Alpine World Cup on Kitzbuhel.

Born in Bretherton, Lancashire – the son of a market trader and hairdresser – he had to learn his trade on dry plastic slopes and did not ski on snow until he was 12.

From then on he dominated English skiing in a sport hitherto that only produced the joke figure of Eddie the Eagle.

If GB did medal it was normally on the ice rink.

Now, with the Winter Olympiad about to begin in Beijing, the likeable and modest Ryding has every chance of being on the podium in the slalom, one of the most demanding and competitive of events.

English team sport might be going through a lean period after the Ashes but individually Emma Raducanu – and now Dave Ryding – show we can very much complete individually.

Let’s raise a glass of Gluhwein to the Lancashire lad.