Having been crowned overall senior British national champion five times Chemmy Alcott knows what it takes to claim domestic bragging rights.
And the four-time Olympian admits she will be keeping a close eye on Rochdale’s Daisi Daniels at next week’s Delancey British Alpine Ski Championships.
Daniels will be heading to Tignes, France, for next week’s Delancey British Alpine Ski Championships fresh from winning three under-14 gold medals at the last month’s English Championships.
And after seeing her golden performance first hand, Alcott is expecting more success for the 13-year-old Beech House School pupil.
“Being a coach this season and getting the chance to go to the English Championships and other races I have seen the huge amount of talent that we have in Britain,” Alcott said.
“I can’t remember it being that competitive when I was younger, I see some of these girls skiing and I think that if I was still racing then they would be all over me.
“It’s amazing to see the talent we have but the depth we have as well. It’s not just one guy out there which is what it was when I was younger.
“Someone who really impresses me day in and day out is a girl called Daisi Daniels. She is such a great skier.
“She is skiing like I would anticipate her to ski in World Cup and she is under 14 and it’s really amazing.”
“I was blown away by it all and they are raising the bar. There is such incredible techniques going on and such commitment to speed.”
Alcott won her first British title in 2002 and went on to represent Team GB at four Olympics, a path she believes could be laid out on front of Daniels as well.
“For me winning the British Championships really was the instigator and the thing that got that ball rolling for that professionalism that I brought into my life and my need and want to be the best that I could be in skiing,” she added.
“I knew that I was the best in Britain so I wanted to see how far that took me and that is why I kept going and persevering and got to go to four Olympic Games.”
Chemmy is a Ski Club of Great Britain ambassador, the UK’s biggest snowsports membership club offering benefits such as hundreds of discounts on travel, kit and holidays to info & advice. Visit skiclub.co.uk
Image courtesy of Columbus Direct via YouTube, with thanks.
