Downhill challenge

SKI SHOW: Erika Heginbotham is competing in the Delancey British National Alpine Ski Championships today.

SKIING: SADDLEWORTH’S Erika Heginbotham was aiming to make a downhill splash today despite admitting she found her first races at the Delancey British National Alpine Ski Championships tough.

More than 100 skiers took to the slopes at Tignes in France’s Northern Alps on Monday for the Super-G event, postponed at the weekend due to poor weather.

Sixteen-year-old Erika’s age means she is eligible for both national championship and national junior championship races. The Crompton House pupil finished 11th in the British overall national category, but failed to finish in the junior classification after missing a turn.

Erika believes she got better as the day wore on - and is still working back to peak form after a knee injury last season.

“It was quite bumpy,” she said. “I think I could have taken a straighter line on the first run, but the second was better - even though I didn’t finish. I’ve not done much training.

“I’ve been trying to get back into it since the last British championships after tearing my meniscus a year ago. It’s fine now.

My first race back was at the end of January, so I’m getting back into it. I’m looking forward to the downhill. I’ve done it once before and I crashed and went through the gate. To finish this time would be a start!”