Winter Games boost for Welsh para-skier Menna Fitzpatrick

Welsh para-skier Menna Fitzpatrick and her guide Jennifer Kehoe won silver in the first World Cup race of the season.

The British pair finished second in the first Giant Slalom race of the week in Kuhtai, Austria.

The race was won by Slovakia's Henrieta Farkasova and guide Natalia Subrtova.

"To come from where we were last year [when Fitzpatrick broke her hand], to win the Europa Cup and then to cement that with silver here is a really nice start to the season," said Kehoe.

Three British visually impaired athletes are vying for Winter Paralympic qualification in 2018 - including reigning Paralympic champion Kelly Gallagher and BBC Young Sports Personality 2017 nominee Millie Knight.

Two pairs will be selected on 5 January, but Fitzpatrick and Kehoe staked an early claim.

"Hopefully if we carry on doing what we do this next couple of days then we'll be qualified," said 18-year-old Fitzpatrick, who has only 5% vision.

"We've still got another giant slalom race tomorrow (Wednesday) and then two slalom races after that."