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Alpine skier Dave Ryding has made history, winning Great Britain's first ever World Cup skiing gold medal.

Britain and Ryding's best finish at the event previously was second in 2017.

Ryding was in sixth place in the slalom competition in Austria, when he produced a run of 49.86. This was enough to put him in first place and ahead of his nearest rival, Norway's Lucas Braathen by 0.38 seconds.

Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing as it's sometimes called, involves sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis. In slalom, each skier goes down the slope individually and has to zig-zag between poles on the course. The fastest time recorded at the finish wins.

Speaking after finishing first, Ryding said: "There was so much emotion when I finished and now I just, I don't know what to say, I'm normally not lost for words but now.

"You know, I'm 35 now but I never stopped believing, I never stopped trying, and to bring the first victory for Great Britain in a World Cup, in Kitzbuhel (a town in Austria), I mean, I don't know if dreams are made better."

The Winter Olympics

Dave Ryding's medal-winning performance at the World Cup has come at a good time, because the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China are less than two weeks away.

Ryding has represented Team GB in three Winter Olympics and will be captaining the team at his fourth Games on 4 February.

Ryding began skiing as a child, practicing on dry slopes in Pendle in Lancashire, at the age of six.

But it took more than 20 years to become one of the world's best, finally breaking into the sport's top 30 rankings at the age of 28.

"Coming to the top later means my motivation is still right up there.

"I trained my whole life to get into the top 30 in the world and now I'm there, so why not carry on. I've learned how to be committed and now it's a way of life," he said.