Baxter leads challenge

Alain Baxter will spearhead Great Britain's alpine skiing challenge during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City next month.

The British Olympic Association yesterday named its seven-strong alpine squad with Baxter, a 28-year-old from Aviemore, representing the best chance of success. Baxter, likely to compete in the slalom and giant slalom, had four top-10 finishes in the World Cup slalom series last season, including fourth in the season's finale in Are, Sweden.

That was Britain's best alpine World Cup finish since Konrad Bartelski came second in a downhill in December 1981.

Baxter is joined in Salt Lake by his half-brother, Noel and his cousin, the snowboarder Lesley McKenna.

Chemmy Alcott goes in the women's downhill to cap her first full-time season. Emma Carrick-Anderson, Ross Green, Finlay Mickel and Gareth Trayner are also in the squad.