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Age started riding: 21
DOB: 9/8/74
What events do you do?:
I started as a racer and did giant slalom and slalom at World
Cup. Then I started to ride more boarder X and was ranked 5th in the world in 1999, until I got hurt a bit and started to ride more pipe. I was lucky enough to Qualify for the 2002 Winter Olympics in half pipe, which was quite an achievement as there were only 20 spots. Last season I started to ride more big air and slopestyle which I really like so I think I will ride pipe, big air and slopestyle next season. I would also like to try and do a bit of freeriding.....
How did you get into snowboarding?
I was on the British Ski Team for three years before I snowboarded and the Scottish Ski team for four years before
that. The last few years I skied I went snowboarding now and
again as a hobby, I really loved it and thought the people involved in the sport had a great outlook on life. Then I got hurt skiing and I could not put ski boots on and could only put on soft snowboard boots so I went riding for a month. At the end of the month (March 1996) I was hooked. I then met my good friend and travelling companion Melanie Leando.She really wanted to go and do snowboard world cups and I though ‘why not’. So, off we went! Definitely a case of right time right place and straight in at the deep end.....
Did people take you seriously at first?
No , people did not take us seriously at first.We were pretty
much last to be honest, but with a lot of perseverience we got
better and once people saw we were trying our hardest they
were a lot of help. We did not have a coach then and the coaches from the other teams really helped us out - without that help we would not have made it to where we are now.
Do they take you seriously now?
I think so, although I don’t think anyone takes anyone that seriously though! The nicest thing that happened last season was when I won the the World Cup in Japan, all the other riders and coaches were just as happy for me as I was, if not more so. It was nice to see others appreciating the hard work I have put in during the last few years.
What about the Olympics?
I was the only British snowboarder, male or female, to qualify for the last Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and this made it pretty nerve wracking. It is never easy being a team of one. I did enjoy the whole experience but was far too nervous to really make a good go of it. I am ready the second time round though. There are already two of us qualified, myself in half pipe and Zoe Gillings in boarder-X, and there is a good chance there will be more Brits who make the qualification criteria so at least I will not be a team of one if I make it there.
A lot of people asked me why I din't try and qualify for both pipe and boarder-x as I used to ride boarder-x too and was ranked 5th in the world in that discipline at one point. I really had to choose though, and pipe is the event I prefer. Also I still want to film a bit and if I rode boarder-x then I definitely would not have time to do that too. I feel I need all my competition energy for the pipe.
The Womans pipe has moved on a long way since Salt Lake and I am really happy to have kept up with the exciting changes and still be in there. I hurt my ankle in April and have had to take the summer off which is not ideal but in a way it has been good as now I am especially focused and motivated for the coming season and anyone who knows me well will know that when I get an idea in my head I can be pretty determined. I am really looking forward to the Turin Games and hope the sun shines down on us in a great pipe on the 14th of Feb.
What now?
The Winter Olympic Games in Turin in February 2006 are my main focus for the next season. Chunkyknit will still be making another film and I hope to do a bit of filming after the Olympics. I would really love to get in a bit more powder riding after the Games. I think I might be a bit burnt out on pipe by then!
What do you do in your spare time?
I don't have much spare time but when I do I like to read or go surfing. I am really into alternative health and nutrition and maybe one day I will study something in that field. I think homeopathy is great.