Lee’s Story

This is Lee’s summer in a nutshell, and I must admit, I’m completely jealous. He has just returned to Worcester after competing in the Australian Continental Cup circuit for freestyle skiing. This prestigious event down under attracts many international athletes preparing for the forthcoming Olympics, including his training partner, Adrian Costa, Australia’s number one mogul skier, who knows all too well that results will be used for national team selection.

I’m in awe as Lee describes the course: 225 metres of huge moguls on a 30-degree slope with two big jumps included. He smiles as he recalls waiting at the starting gate for his first ever run. “The adrenaline rush was incredible,” he says. “It made Red Bull seem like a sedative!”

It’s a far cry from years ago, snowploughing down the slopes of Austria on his first ski trip with his school, Bishop Perowne. He reminisces about 1989, when the teachers would forever sing what became the tour anthem, Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust,” in response to the group spending more time with their heads buried in the snow than gliding across the top of it.

It was through Ski Astons that Lee pursued his passion for the sport. The company specialises in school skiing tours and runs a trainee ski instructor scheme for sixth formers and teachers alike.

“They were of great help to me,” recounts Lee. “I had the opportunity to develop my coaching skills before gaining my Ski Tutor/Guide qualification, which was partly subsidised by the company as well. I worked as an instructor for them during my university holidays and made lifelong friendships in the process.”

After gaining his degree, he packed his bags and spent two seasons working at Austria’s Scheffau Ski School. His pursuit of excellence then led him to Whistler, Canada, the mountain playground for some of the world’s best. Here, he was awarded Rookie of the Year by the ski school in which he worked and consequently received sponsorship to return for another season.

Inspired by the words of his childhood hero, extreme skiing guru Glen Plake, Lee turned his attention to the freestyle discipline, the mogul field. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of former Canadian racer Bob Callidine and American extreme professional Chris Lennon, Lee raised his skiing to competition level. As a member of the freestyle team ‘Dingo Mogul,’ Lee now plans to head for Zermatt as part of his training for the European mogul circuit. His sights are set on securing a place in the British Freestyle Team. We wish him all the best!