Giselle Gorringe: Teenager targets Alpine World Junior success

Giselle Gorringe (L), was formerly coached by four-time WInter Olympian Chemmy Alcott

Giselle Gorringe (L), was formerly coached by four-time WInter Olympian Chemmy Alcott

Welsh teenager Giselle Gorringe is embracing her greatest challenge yet as she competes at the Alpine World Junior Ski Championships.

The 19-year-old is skiing in four events in St Anton, Austria.

After a disappointing start in the downhill, she is targeting improvements in super G, giant slalom and slalom.

"I'm more comfortable in the giant slalom and then the slalom, hopefully I can put down something good," said Gorringe.

"Here we're racing the best under-21s in the World, on a piste that is really difficult, so for me I'm aiming to get some good skiing and feelings down."

Gorringe missed a gate as she failed to finish the downhill event but she's not disheartened as she negotiates new experiences on the slopes.

"It's a different feeling to other races," she said.

"There's a lot of cameras around here and the crowd is amazing.

"I wasn't expecting tons of people. Even the kids were out of school.

"I'm just looking and learning and dealing with having a camera in your face at the start gate and I'm thinking 'No, no, I'm not supposed to be looking at that I'm meant to be looking at the course!'

"Obviously if I managed to get to a World Cup that's what happens at every race so it's getting experience."

Gorringe hopes the experience of the downhill has shown she can tackle the piste at top speeds, ahead of the slower more technical events.

"To be honest I was just proud to even have the courage to push out of the start gate [of the downhill], especially as there were a lot of injuries happening.

"It was very stop-start, a helicopter coming in and all that so I was just happy to keep my nerve at the start."

After clocking some personal bests before Christmas, confidence remains high for Gorringe.

"That was amazing, the feelings were super high coming into the Christmas break.

"We hadn't had the selections [for Great Britain] yet - but to have that confidence does make a massive difference."

"Better balance" and managing Winter Olympic ambitions

Last season was Gorringe's first after finishing her school education, but she has since started an English literature course as she strives for "better balance" with her skiing career.

"Last year I just skied and it felt liberating and all of that but at the same time I found not having much to do in the afternoon I'd really focus in on my skiing.

"I'd watch my video over and over again, which was a good thing but it got too much - like an obsession in a way and so this year I'm doing an online course.

"It's not like a full Uni course but it's something else I can have in the back of my mind a little bit so if I don't have a great day skiing I can come back and put my mind on something else.

"I think that balance is really important."

Her former coach, four-time Olympian Chemmy Alcott, has backed Gorringe to reach a future Winter Olympics.

It's an ambition Gorringe shares and having made Italy her main base for the last two seasons, the prospect of racing at the next Games in Milan in 2026 excites her.

"I really love racing in Italy but at the same time that's far away still and I have to try to bring it back to the present and try to work every day because you never know what can happen.

"I'm hoping to break into the Europa Cup a bit more.

"I've done two of them at the beginning of the season in speed so working through the ranks of Europa Cups, World Cups and then hopefully by the time we get there [the Winter Olympics] I can do something good."

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