When did it all start - I learnt to ski aged two and a half and ever since, it has played a major role in my life. My parents, keen skiers themselves, actually met grass skiing! Both my older sisters and I, were brought up skiing regularly in the winter, on holidays in Europe.
My sisters, who currently represent Newcastle University Ski Team (one being the former race captain and current president, the other the treasurer) and I, also skied weekly at Sheffield Ski Village on artificial dry slope every Saturday morning as Sharks Ski Club members. I joined their race evening on Thursdays just before my ninth birthday and first competed on snow when I was ten.
For years I travelled around Britain competing in Artificial Dry Slope Races and Indoor snow zone Races almost every weekend during the summer months. I trained weekly; on Thursdays at Sheffield Ski Village and on Mondays at Xscape Castleford. My dry slope skiing naturally subsided as I concentrated on the all important snow. Instead I took every opportunity to travel out to Europe at the weekends and school holidays to compete in international FIS races. For the past two seasons I have skied abroad on snow for approximately 12 weeks in many countries mainly within Europe, but also New Zealand (Treblecone race academy) and America (Sugar Bowl ski academy). This highlights how living in the UK is not ideal, making it very hard to compete against foreigners who spend time on snow daily throughout the winter season.
I have never let skiing interfere with my education and for the past two years I have studied Biology, Economics and Geography A-Levels at Birkdale School. The teachers were all extremely supportive allowing me much time away to train and race, similarly to my former school Sheffield High where I studied up to the end of my GCSE’s.
I have always been a diligent student and finished school this summer with three A’s – securing my place at Newcastle University to study Business Management and Geography. However I took the decision to defer my course by a year as I wish to pursue my passion in ski racing. I am an extremely competitive individual and felt I had not done myself justice by Easter 2011. I know I have not yet reached my potential and I am driven to improve and succeed. This will be my first full time ski season where I can focus on training, racing and fitness alone – without the interference of school! I look forward to working with my Coach Fred Pellerin.
I am currently registered as a member of Lions Ski Club (indoor snow) and Sandown Park Ski Racing Club (outdoor snow). However Over the past 8 or more years I have also skied with Sheffield Sharks (artificial), E.S.SKI.A and ACDAC.
