London, UK – The Ski Club of Great Britain’s new president – Frank Gardner – was elected at the Club’s annual general meeting last Thursday.

Frank Gardner, the BBC’s award-winning Security Correspondent, welcomed the nomination at the Ski Club’s meeting and demonstrated his charisma with a witty insight into his skiing background. Referring to himself as “a late developer in skiing,” Gardner chatted about skiing as a teenage trainee biathlete with the British Army, and Nordic skiing across the Arctic Circle in his gap year. When he finally graduated to downhill skiing at the age of 23, Gardner enjoyed the opportunity to explore some of the world’s more unusual slopes in Iran, Lebanon and Transylvania.

Gardner has reported for the BBC from all over the Middle East on a wide range of international and domestic security issues. He was shot six times by terrorists at close range while on assignment in Saudi Arabia in 2004. He survived to return to work in a wheelchair and was awarded the Order of the British Empire by the Queen the following year.

After his gunshot injuries Gardner retrained to ski in a sit-ski and has since competed in the BBC Ski Sunday Slalom at Courmayeur, Italy, finishing – according to him – spectacularly last! He spoke of his determination at the Ski Club meeting. “After I was shot I knew there were two things I just couldn’t give up – I had to keep skiing and scuba diving,” Gardner explained.

“It’s an inspiring experience to meet Frank. He has tremendous energy and zeal and a significant public profile. We are delighted he is the new Ski Club President,” said Ski Club Chairman Neil Britten.

“It is a great honor to join your community and club, a real privilege. I’m looking forward to being involved directly with the sport I love,”acknowledged Gardner.