Growing up on the slopes of Sweden and Norway, I was excited about the challenge that lay ahead of me in the “English Alps”. The plastic track, glistening from water, made up for the lack of snow. The wind was whistling in my ears. The cold was biting me with its teeth. If I closed my eyes, I could imagine being back in Sweden. 

The ski slope was deserted at the time I arrived, but reassuringly my Hall School teammates soon started to arrive. The sun rose and peered through the clouds, warming our bodies and emboldening our spirits.  I was ready! Nervousness turned to adrenaline and off we went to scale the mountainous slope. 

The ski lift felt like an eternity, passing speedy racers who were already torpedoing down the steep track. Eventually we reached the peak, where my heart started to echo the stomp of a giant’s footsteps. This was it, I could hear the distant roar of the crowd encouraging me to plunge into the unknown. I pushed myself off and soon was winding through the gates, twisting and turning, descending the heights like a falcon hunting for its prey. As I sped through the final gate, I heard cheering and screaming. I had done it! Now it was time to cheer on my team. Later on, I heard that The Hall U12 A Ski Team celebrated a well-deserved podium 3rd place, inspiring us all. For the B Ski Team this experience has motivated us to improve for the next challenge.