Potters Bar skier Robert Poth Picture courtesy of N Marment Photography

Potters Bar skier Robert Poth took third place at the Koralpencup Giant Slalom ski race in Austria.

THE opening of the 2010 winter ski race season has begun on a high for Potters Bar’s Great Britain junior ski racer Robert Poth.

Robert, a pupil at Mount Grace School, bagged another trophy for the family cabinet as he competed over the Christmas period at Austrian Regional Championships which saw him racing alongside over 160 of the best Austrian and Slovenian children ski racers in the Karnten region.

At the Koralpencup Giant Slalom ski race held at Koralpe near Wolfsberg, the long, technical Giant Slalom course was set on a steep, icey slope.

Robert, representing Great Britain blitzed the course and skied to a well-deserved third place where he shared the podium.

A Slovenian skier finished top of the pile to secure gold place and an Austrian collected the silver medal.

This result was a tremendous performance at a challenging competition so early in the season.

Robert also had success at the Karnten region slalom championship at Turracher Hohe, Austria which consisted of two separate slalom courses.

His combined results placed him in fourth position overall.

Robert and his brother Daniel, who are both sponsored by Shokk Gym in Potters Bar are now preparing to represent Great Britain at their first international ski race with the Great Britain Children’s ski race team in Andorra at the end of January.