Ski ace Lois Jackson blew her own expectations out of the water with a series of precocious performances at the English Alpine Skiing Championships in Bormio, Italy.
The 17-year-old was rewarded with second place at the event where Dave Ryding began his career, one of the largest in the annual calendar.
And her week ended on a triumphant note as she bagged bronze in the speed-centric super-G down a fiendish course on Stelvio piste, where FIS World Cup runs are held.
“It went really well, I was happy with my week,” said the Newcastle High School student.
“I definitely did a lot better than I thought I would, so it’s nice to change your own expectations by how you perform, to be competitive against the other girls.
“Senior racing is hard so there comes a time when you need to see the results.”
Jackson warmed to her task as the week went on, climbing onto the podium on the opening day as one of the top three English racers in a giant slalom race on Stella Alpina piste.
After a pair of eighth-place finishes in slalom events, the Geordie speedster found her niche in the super-G with fourth and third reflecting her supreme racing.
Jackson is one of 440 athletes have descended on the Dolomites for six days of riveting racing in pitch-perfect piste conditions across super-G, giant slalom and slalom disciplines.
One of the top ski racers in Britain, Jackson is in no mood to let her good form slip and the British Alpine Championships in Tignes, France are the next aim.
“For the British, I can say I did well in Bormio so hopefully I’ll take belief into training and the rest of my races this season,” she said.
“I’m moving up into the under-21s next year, so it’s going to be a lot harder next year but to keep getting near the podium would be great.”
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
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