Usk schoolgirl wins first international ski victory

Lottie Williams, who won her first Welsh skiing title in Switzerland in February, stormed to victory in the junior girl championship  at The Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands last month, finishing top on the second day of the event to ensure Team GBR took home the overall nation’s championships, ahead of hosts the Netherlands and Belgium.

Although she was officially competing the in the under-12 girls category, Lottie’s combined races ensured she was the fastest across the whole weekend.

Mum Sara Jones said: “This was Lottie’s biggest win in her young skiing career. We are all so incredibly proud of her, not just for the performance but for her resilience and the dedication that she shows to the sport she loves.

“It’s a huge commitment for us as a family, both time and money, but to see Lottie thriving, doing well and making new friends makes it all worth it.

“We’ve always known sport is her main outlet, and to see her confidence grow so much in the last few years has been wonderful – skiing has really brought her out of her shell and increased her self-confidence. We are just so proud of her. The memories she is creating will be worth a lifetime.”

Lottie with her mum Sara, younger brother Sonny and dad Mark (Image: Sara Jones)The Lowlands is the largest international indoor ski race, welcoming 350 competitors of different ages. It was originally established in 2014 and has since evolved into an international Alpine racing weekend, featuring racers from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Iceland.

Lottie has been skiing since she was three years old, and originally got the bug from a school ski race, organised by Snowsport Cymru Wales. She trains every day for dry slope at Pontypool Ski Racing, then out in Austria with Excel Ski Racing, known as the British academy.

Ms Jones said: “She spends much of the winter training in Austria, and her school has been so supportive – enabling her to do schoolwork in the afternoons after a morning training.

“We are now preparing for the alpine race season which will begin in January, but not before glacier training and racing in Norway in December, then at the Welsh, English and British championships across Europe in the winter.”

Lottie in action at The Lowlands Festival (Image: Sara Jones)

The family are currently on the lookout for sponsorship and are already grateful to the Roger Edwards Educational Trust who have helped Lottie on her journey, as well as Snowcat Clothing, for whom she is an ambassador.

Lottie’s alpine coach and director of Excel Ski Racing Rob Bullen said: “As part of our team, Lottie has made huge strides over the last year, with her Lowlands success being just one of many strong performances.

"We’re looking forward to getting back to the Alps in October for glacier training and seeing Lottie and the team getting the mileage in ahead of the winter season.”