Newcastle University

Hannah and Heidi Parker are sisters, skiers and both part of Newcastle University's elite athlete squad. Heidi is 18 and a 1st yr Economics and Business Management student. Hannah is 20 year old and studying Marketing Management. I caught up with them before they competed at the BUDS championships in Edinburgh where they're hoping to secure some BUCS points.

Talk me through your upcoming event?

Heidi. The next big event is the dry slope ski championships in Edinburgh on the 14^th November

And where do you hope to come in this event?

Hananh. We are both hoping for top three or at least top five. This event should get us BUCS points

Heidi. We compete in other events, indoor in the UK and we compete in Europe. We are going to France for a week long event later this month.  After Edinburgh the next event is where we can secure some more BUCS points will be next Easter in France for the BUSC event.

How is the Newcastle Skiing Team viewed?

Heidi. Newcastle has a better reputation for skiing then any other university in the UK. Ben Hall the team captain is in the English alpine and dry slope ski teams. The two Bruton brothers are also excellent skiers.

You are both in the elite athlete squad, how did that come about?

Hannah. The race captain Ben told us to apply for it. We have known him for years from previous skiing events. There is a circuit for ski racers and you get to know most of the people who compete.

How do you think the elite athlete programme will help you?

Hannah. The funding will help us so much. Skiing equipment is so expensive. You have to service the skis and we need new ones all the time. We also need to compete abroad.

Heidi. The funding will also help cover the cost of training. It costs £12.50 to train on a Wednesday and £10 on a Thursday plus the cost of the petrol to get there. Without the funding we might not have been able to afford to train as much as we need to.

Hannah. We have only just joined the programme but the staff have been so helpful. For example I wanted to increase my upper body strength, so the strength and conditioning coach is devising an exercise programme to help me to do that. The training facilities at the university are excellent.

Are there any parts of your sport you hope the scholarship programme could improve?

Hannah. Well I spent a ski season in Austria, however, towards the end of season I wasn’t psychologically prepared for the races. I started crying at the end of every race! I hope the sports psychologist can help with that.

Heidi. I’m so competitive. If I loose it discourages me from racing. But I don’t know if there is any help for that!

Do you compete in the same events?

Heidi: Yes we both compete in slalom, giant slalom and super G. We are very competitive, especially with each other. Hannah is usually better on the dry slope. We seem to take it in turns when it comes to slalom and giant slalom.

Hannah. I have cried when she has beaten before!

Where do you train?

Hannah. The dry ski slope in Sunderland. It is probably the best dry slope in the UK apart from Hillend in Edinburgh.

Do you have time for a social life?

Hannah/Heidi. YES, but only just!

Hannah. However at school we were given a lot of time off to compete, our teachers were very understanding. At university we have to work harder, but I’m sure we will be able to compete as much as possible

How did you get into skiing?

Hannah. Well our parents met each other skiing. It’s part of the family.

Heidi. I met a girl when I was 11 who was in the England squad and she got us into competitive racing, and now we both beat her! I’m ranked 40^th in the UK for women. Hannah is 41^s !

Do you plan to become professional skiers?

Hannah. It is a bit of disadvantage being British and trying to be a skier. We would have needed to leave school at 16 and moved abroad if we wanted that

Heidi. To be honest we just want to compete to the highest level we can for the university. I want to get the scholarship for the next two years and ensure Newcastle remains the premier university in the UK for skiing.

View excerpts from the interview.

by Joe Mellor