Alcott ready to realise Olympics dream
"I have the self-belief to win gold. I know it sounds crazy when I've never finished on the podium yet... but I know what I am capable of."
Britain's top skier Chemmy Alcott is certainly not shy about her Winter Olympics aspirations but it's time for the talking to stop and for her to start registering results to back up her words.
The countdown to the Vancouver Olympics next February starts in earnest when the World Cup season begins with the traditional curtain-raiser in Soelden, Austria, on 24 October.
Alcott will be there, competing in the giant slalom and hoping for a performance like last year when she won the second leg of the race to finish 10th overall.
"I've proved I've got what it takes to win," the 27-year-old told me, "and this is the biggest year of my life and my career as a ski racer."
Alcott is extremely strong-willed, her enthusiasm and determination to succeed is infectious and she will stop at nothing - including putting her boyfriend on hold for a few months - to concentrate on Olympic glory.
Alcott has recorded four top 10 results in World Cup races
She even took it in her stride when the governing body, Snowsports GB, ran into financial problems earlier this year which meant the British World Cup ski and snowboard teams, also featuring Noel Baxter, Ed Drake and Zoe Gillings, had to secure large amounts of their own funding to continue as the Olympics loomed on the horizon.
"That's the nature of the situation. It's Olympic year. I'm not going to sacrifice all the work I've done over the last 12 years. I will put money in, they know that, but you really feel you should be fully supported," she said.
"I just want to do what I can in the sport. I don't want to quit it as a bitter British alpine racer going 'if I had had the money I could've done this' because I put so much into the sport and sacrifice so much and know that I can win I just need the right programme."
Alcott, who has four top 10 finishes in the World Cup and an 11th place in an Olympic downhill under her belt, wants a good result in Soelden but does not want to peak too soon as her main aim is a medal at the Olympics, which start on 12 February next year.
She has five shots at becoming Britain's first alpine ski medallist (Alain Baxter's bronze in the 2002 Winter Olympics was wiped from the records for failing a drugs test) as she is aiming to compete in the slalom, giant slalom, downhill, super-G and combined.
"The Olympics always throw up surprises. I believe the top 30 girls are all of the same talent level, it's down to confidence, luck and if you can handle the pressure," says Alcott.
It's also about keeping fit and not crashing - something she is very aware of after missing most of last season with a broken ankle.
But fingers-crossed for her fitness as her brothers Rufus and Alex will be there to cheer her on in Canada after Alcott managed to secure a house-swap with a woman in Whistler who seems to be the only local not interested in watching the Games.
She will instead spend February at Alcott's cottage near Hampton Court in the London suburbs.
Alcott is delighted her brothers will be joining her in Whistler but frustrated that their ticket applications were unsuccessful for her favoured events, the giant slalom and super-G: "It's very annoying but what can you do?" she says philosophically.
Alcott has been impressive in pre-season in Chile and New Zealand, blitzing the German and Italian teams she has been training with but it's the actual races that count.
Two veterans of the slopes have called it a day, Austrian powerhouse Hermann Maier and his compatriot Renate Goetschl, who is starting a family.
The eccentric Maier was a true ski legend who didn't let the small matter of a 36cm pin inserted into his leg after an horrific motorcycle crash deter him from racing.
But at the age of 36, after four Winter Olympic medals, seven World Championship medals and four overall World Cup titles, the physical exertion has become too much. 
Miller's win-or-crash attitude has seen him record 35 race victories at the highest level
Maier will be missed but at least fans will be once again be able to see another of the sport's colourful and controversial characters - Bode Miller.
The 32-year-old is back with the US ski team after a fall-out which led to him quitting the official squad and setting up Team America a couple of years ago.
Miller, a naturally gifted skier with a win-or-crash attitude, has now returned to the fold and will attempt to qualify for the Winter Olympics as there is definitely unfinished business there.
He has flopped on the world's biggest stage in his previous two Games, when he hogged the headlines for his partying rather than his prowess on the piste.
I for one would not be surprised if he rocked up and won a medal in February.
Hi, I'm a senior broadcast journalist covering all sports, but have a particular passion for winter sports. Anything fast and furious like skiing and bobsleigh, and at the other end of the spectrum, the genteel world of cricket and curling. You can also follow me on 
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Good luck to Chemmy, a lot of future revenue for Britsh skiing is resting on her shoulders for a decent World-Cup season, leading into Vancouver in Feb.
I slightly disagree with Chemmy when she said:
"I believe the top 30 girls are all of the same talent level, it's down to confidence, luck and if you can handle the pressure,"
I think its tru for maybe numbers 5 to 30 - the top 3 to 5 racers (Goetschl, Vonn, Paerson etc) have that an extra competitive edge, making them that bit better than the rest.
Hopefully Chemmy can break into the top ranks
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Yet another member of the priveleged, privately educated few gets to go skiing every day and drive a posh car for free. How can the truly good skiers be found if only such as (stupidly named) Chemmy get the chance to prance about on the slopes?
The working class can dream of going skiing only once a decade. The elite simply fund their offspring's hobby and we get mediocrity.
If we want to compete we need to lump the uppercrusts off the slopes and pump money into helping youngsters have a go on the dry-ski slopes.
if we don't want to do this, then it's time to stop writing about and reporting on this elitist "sport".
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Spot on #2 -- though it's the same with a lot of British sports. Perhaps the growth of British younsters in (women's) tennis may come to prove that some 'upper class' sports are realising to encourage wider participation.
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She is lovely though....:-)
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#2 and #3, one could feed one's whole family with all the chips on your shoulders. Not to mention ones ponies, and ones butler.
Do you actually know anything about Chemmy's career development, or are you just making assumptions based on her posh name? Though i'm not denying that she clearly is minted!
Of course skiing is an elitist sport, and one we'll never be very good at since we don't have the natural amenities of the tradtional skiing countries. I would rather leave it to the likes of Chemmy than see lottery funding etc wasted on it instead of more worthwhile alternatives.
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#2 & #3, what idiots. Tennis proves you can pump as much money as you like into a sport, it simply will not guarantee you any sucess at all.
And how dare you even approach criticising Chemmy Alcott? Pathetic that you have to start with her name. Like your monikers are top notch educated nomenclatures!
You know what? Tell me where all of these youngsters are supposed to go to ski?! The dry slopes are usually run by money grabbing morons, and are less than effective. And then you have places like Xscape. I'd have to re-mortgage my house to spend just an hour there. Just like most things in this country, it just simply costs too darned much because people behind it are only interested in profit margin. Not profit, but margin. When they realise that by making things cheaper, more people will go, we might get somewhere.
Whilst we are in the financial mess that we currently have to endure (in the UK generally), money ain't gonna be freely available.
I love this girls attitude. If she listened to you two neanderthals, we wouldn't even have hope in her efforts.
Go girl. Give it your best and see what happens.
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nice comment slpeplow... .really showing your inteligence there
I'm working class and ski 35 days a year abroad and several more!!! its not an upper sport, any body can do it! you don't go into a travel agent and say to you ' erm...sorry mate... you're not allowed to go.. too working class, come back in a year if you've married into royalty'
it's in fact a lifechoice, if you want to make the sacrifices that her parents made for her, for your kids (if you're not going to complaing about being to working class to be able to procreate)
get yourself out to a ski resort and see the range of people that are there!
divvy!
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Think #2 and #3 have a serious chip on their shoulders...!
There are planty of dry and also fake snow ski slopes located around the UK that are very cheap to hire equipment, get lessons.
Consdidering the amount of space that soccer gets, its about time that the "lesser" sports gets more coverage
You dont understand the determination and drive that is required for international competitive skiing.
She is good, she gets very limited funding from a small winter olympic pot.
A view that skiing is "elitist" is just pathetic
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To slpeplow - how can you possibly think skiing is an elitist sport? Are you after yet more handouts so you too can enjoy a decent pastime - perhaps increase tax to 51% instead of 50% so you can queue up for another freebie!
Skiing is not cheap, granted - but I try and go twice a year, costing me about £8,000. I work hard, huge amount of hours and I save my pennies. Why don't you get a better job to earn more cash and put your money where your big mouth is.....Why do you insult someone's name? What is the matter with you?
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"How can the truly good skiers be found if only such as (stupidly named) Chemmy get the chance to prance about on the slopes?"
Her name is Charmaine; Chemmy is an abbreviation.
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Chemmy is a daft name though...
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Any British skier that makes it on the world circuit has my respect. Unlike the big skiing nations there is no direct route to skiing excellence in the UK, you’ve got to do it all yourself. The personal dedication to get in good enough shape – let alone the technical skills needed to survive racing on a World Cup course – and be able to mix it with the skiing power house nations proves that anyone good enough to represent GB on the world circuit are incredibly dedicated individuals – and that’s something mummy and daddy can’t buy! Remember it took the now legend Sir Steve Redgrave four Olympic gold medals (I know he won five) before he received any real recognition and monetary reward for his efforts. Due to his, and in the second half of his career Matthew Pinsent’s , medal count the ‘elitist’ sport of rowing is now well funded producing Britain’s mainstay of medals at the summer Olympics. It seems in the UK it takes a trail blazer to break the established mould before things change, if Chemmy is that person then you go girl.
Support ALL the athletes going to Vancouver in Feb, it may seem like a big party while you’re watching on your TV after coming back from the pub, but the sacrifices everyone of those representing Britain has made is enormous.
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Good luck to her but it will be the Skeleton / Luge and Snowboarders who will bring back medals next year.
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Good luck Chemmy! This has to be your year! Enjoy it! But please, please, please - just try and stay injury-free... and remember not to take any cold meds before Vancouver!!! ;-)
Giant Slalom's where the big result is most likely to happen. Can't wait to see her back in action in Sölden on Saturday. All LIVE on British Eurosport/Eurosport HD, of course. Are BBC planning any live World Cup coverage this season, Anna?
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Can't believe some of the comments on here, the bitterness about her upbringing, name etc! Unbelievable.
She seems like a great ambassador for British sport to me. Confident, attractive and very dedicated. Might be a bit unlikely that she'll medal - but at least she has the right belief, unlike some British sportspeople (i.e. those the LTA regular give Wimbledon wildcards too!)
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Let's cut to the chase here. She is a Brit, she is top of her game in GB and she is passionate and has the drive to succeed. Money or not, great name or not sh has the desire and get up and go to give it a good crack- she has a chot and we all should back her. Oh yes...and she is rather hot too. Good Luck Girl!
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Out of 2 I'd give her 50%
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Chemmy is a lovely girl with lots of talent but forget her brining home a medal this time. She is not a female Baxter. The reason we have no medal hopes (skiers) heading to Canada is simple and highly frustrating, its called Snowsport GB. Like many sports governing bodies in the UK it is badly managed and an old boys network. Chemmy has had so many resources thrown at her over the last 15 years at the expense of many other gifted skiers it is a joke. I can think of 15 skiers of equal ability that had to chuck the towel in because they couldn't get the funds together. To make matters worse they decide to host the National Championships in Meribel when there are far more cost effective alternatives and they wonder why the turn out is so poor! I could go on and on about other poor decisions. Basically if we are to bring the bacon home on the slopes there needs to be a major shake up. Best of luck to Chem she does work very hard but some investment and media exposure in others is urgently required.
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