After starting 40th in the first leg of the Women’s Slalom at the FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships in Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria, a storming second run from British ski racer Reece Bell lifted her up into the top 20.
Reece, the daughter of Martin Bell, who still holds the best result for a male British Alpine skier with his eighth place in the men’s downhill in Calgary in 1988 (if we exclude Alain Baxter’s unfairly cancelled bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake Games), moved up 7 places after her second run, equalling the biggest upward move recorded in the competition.
Reece has lived most of her life in the US and recently graduated from the University of Denver where she studied ecology. She has had her share of injuries whilst competed on the Europa and World Cup circuits.
Reece is reported to now be aiming to qualify for next year’s Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo Italy, following in both her father’s tracks and those of her Uncle Graham Bell, the other Bell brother, who took part in five Games.
Reece is reported to be receiving mentoring in her career from Dave Ryding, who also moved up after a storming second run in his own World Championships Slalom race, the final event of the 2025 World Championships on Sunday, ultimately finishing sixth.
Fellow British competitor Victoria Palla also moved up the results table after her second run in the Saalbach World Championships slalom, finishing 23rd.
