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Surprise win for skier Thea (9)
YOUNG Sleights skier Thea Fenwick had a surprise success in the Yorkshire Ski Championships last weekend.
Thea (9), who came third in the British Indoor Ski Series last season, is a pupil at Sleights School and trains at Castleford Snozone with SZ Racing Club.
In addition to her usual slalom and giant slalom events, Thea also entered the Moguls competition at the Yorkshire Ski Championships.
Moguls are a series of bumps constructed (seeded) on a slope for freestyle ski-ing competitions.
During a competition run, contestants must execute tricks and navigate the moguls against the clock.
Mogul racing has been an official Olympic event since 1992.
Thea was among the youngest of more than 70 entrants, mostly seniors.
After a fiercely fought first round, only the top six ladies qualified to compete in the final round.
Despite her lack of experience, Thea managed to qualify in fourth place and was the only mini (under 10) to make it through to the ladies’ final.
Competing against senior members of the British Freestyle Squad, Thea finished the competition as the first placed Mini (under 10) and sixth in the overall competition for all ages.
Thea’s mum, Sarah Fenwick, said: “Thea had set her heart on a good result in the Moguls but I thought she had no chance against adults who compete at an international level, so I told her not to get her hopes up.
“When they read out that she had made it through to the finals I couldn’t believe it.
“Coming away with a first place is a fantastic achievement and a boost to Thea’s confidence”.
As a result of this surprise win, Thea will be training for more freestyle events at Sheffield Ski Village, a centre for excellence in freestyle ski-ing.
Thea’s dad Mark Fenwick added: “Ski racing is a sport that demands a great deal of commitment, especially as children are expected to train and compete abroad in winter.
“So it’s amazing to see Thea rewarded with this great result in the Moguls, we’re really proud of her.”
Any local people or businesses interested in sponsoring Thea should contact the Whitby Gazette on 829909.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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