Winter Olympics: Snowboarding granny Norma Peace still going strong

We first bumped into snowboarding granny Norma Peace back in 2014 at an indoor slope on the outskirts of Manchester.

At the time, Norma was relatively new to the sport and had "yet to try it in the big outdoors".

Four years on, the 78-year-old is still going strong, achieved her goal and is "still enjoying it and boarding when I can".

Here she reflects on her slopes odyssey...

Home-made beginnings

"I started off in the early 1960s - when winters really were winters - on homemade, second-hand skis," recalls Norma.

"They had cable bindings that fitted over my normal walking/climbing boots. Those were the days."

A bit like this perhaps?

Early 1960s skiing (none of these are Norma)

Keeping up with the grandchildren

Norma went on to ski most years but then, inspired by grandson Sam, she decided to take up a new challenge.

She went to a nearby indoor ski slope for her first come-and-try snowboarding session in March 2013.

And we first met her shortly afterwards...

Skiing partner

Norma and her husband, who is six years older, have been skiing regularly together - but he's left the boarding to Norma.

"He gallantly supports my efforts," she explains.

"I spend half the time on skis to keep my husband company and fit a bit of boarding in in the afternoons when he isn't able to continue."

Norma and her husband in the Italian resort of Sauze d'Oulx in 2015

Surprising and inspiring others

Norma's presence on the slopes has had quite an impact.

One instructor was worried about her getting injured because of her age. She wears a recommended back protection despite it "doing nothing to help my image". She adds: "Even at nearly 79 we still have our vanity."

Another instructor "dissolved into an uncontrollable fit of giggles when she saw with whom she was to spend the next hour".

"However, she helped get me going again after a year's lay-off and taught me to use a towbar," adds Norma.

Norma and the "lovely Dutch girl" who had giggled when meeting her at Seefeld resort in Austria

Achieving her goal

Norma's last boarding holiday in Italy in 2017 was a big success.

"I achieved my immediate goal of coming down a blue run safely and in control even under icy conditions and spent three wonderful days doing it. Fantastic!

"I really felt I was beginning to act instinctively and, because I was on the board all day, made great progress."

Bravo Norma - the self-proclaimed "silver surfer" - we salute you!