A former Norwich School pupil who played tennis for his county is now making a racket on the ski slopes at the English Alpine Skiing Championships.

Wroxham resident Alex Ogden began as a prodigious tennis talent but his switch to skiing has paid dividends, rising to represent Great Britain for the first time in early 2019.

The 13-year-old’s next challenge, having secured a fourth-place finish on his first GB appearance in January, comes in a fifth outing at the Bormio-based national competition.

“I used to play county level tennis and one of my best friends found out there was a ski slope nearby,” explained Ogden, born in Jersey.

“His parents told my mum, so we both started having lessons there and caught the bug. I kept skiing, joined a race team when I was seven and kept going from there.

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“I enjoyed it and I think it was the speed of it which helped me get into it.

“In Norfolk you start on the nursery slope and then move up to the main slope, which was my main goal originally and that drove me forward. I started there when I was five.

“My slalom skiing is good from my dry-slope background, but this season my giant slalom has really come on so I’m feeling confident in my speed.

“I’ve been resting and recovering, but also spending more time thinking about the sport.

“I’ve been analysing and watching other skiers – which has helped me get more of a feel for the sport.”

The Championships, where Olympian Dave Ryding started his career before competing in the World Cup, is one of the biggest annual competitions in the skiing calendar, beginning on February 17.

Ogden, previously affiliated with Team Evolution, is in his first year at prestigious Aiglon College in Switzerland, near Chesières.

He’ll return to Bormio with skills honed in the Swiss Alps, only likely to breed confidence he can challenge for medals in all three disciplines in the Dolomites.

And having gained a late selection for the Alpine Junior World Ski Championships in Topolino later in the season, the English Championships take on a new significance.

But eschewing pressure means Ogden is just keen to enjoy the ride – and the grub.

“I like the atmosphere and it’s friendly, plus the food they do is really good!” he said.

“Last year my best result was fourth in the slalom, which made me first in my year. It makes me hopeful for this year.

“I’m hoping to do the best I can, I don’t aim for positions and just want to do the best run I can on the day – then the positions will come with that.

“You want to try and win, that’s the goal with racing, but it’s a nice at atmosphere at Bormio, which helps drive you forward.

“In the long term I want to go as far as I can and hope to make it to the World Cup circuit.

“It’s just going for the highest level I can and being the best I can be. I want to go as far as I can because I love the sport and enjoy it so much. I just want to be the best I can at it.”

Snowsport England is the national governing body for skiing and snowboarding in England, aiming to inspire as many people as possible to try snow sports. Find out more about Snowsport England’s affiliated clubs, athletes, competitions, coaching and campaigns here: http://www.snowsportengland.org.uk