SA skiing champion travels abroad to better his skill
DUNKELD – A post matric programme for the SA champ.
The 2016 South African National Championships alpine skiing champion, Connor Wilson, is off to the United States for a post-matric skiing programme for nine months.
The former St Johns pupil said after completing Grade 12 last year, he was looking at options for his gap year. He then spoke to South African ski coach Alex Heath who suggested looking into ski academies.
“He [Heath] said he went to a ski academy as well in the US and that it would be a good opportunity to improve my skiing there too because I would get a lot more time on the snow,” said Wilson.
The 19-year-old, who has competed in more than 60 international skiing events in the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, has his sights set on being accepted at one of the world’s top skiing universities, Middlebury College in Vermont.
“They’re highly focused on academics but they have the opportunity to do skiing at the same time, their focus is between the two,” said Wilson. “A lot of schools and universities focus on academics and the sport is a side thing, but this university mixes them.”
According to Wilson, the post-matric skiing programme at the academy will run from September to June next year where he will be a boarder attending classes six days a week.
The former national junior champion said winning the national championship this year was a great accomplishment and the next step was the world championship. “The South African team selections are coming up next year at the Tiffindel Ski Resort, it’s a major event that I would like to go to,” said Wilson.
“In future, I’m looking at the Olympics but it’s a long shot because it’s very difficult to get in. The selection criterion is very difficult. Your place is only guaranteed if you are top 500 in the world. Right now I’m 1 500.” He said much work and dedication would be required to get into the top 500.
“There are a lot of skiers these days – it’s tough but nothing is impossible.”
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