Two young Hertfordshire skiers will try to prove themselves on the slopes, as they take part in the English Alpine Skiing Championships later this month. The competition runs between February 17-22 and will see skiers ranging from under-10 level up to seniors competing in a variety of events in the hills of Bormio in Italy.

Making their way over for this year's competition are 16-year-old Nia Boty from St Albans and Harpenden's Olivia Herries.

Boty will be representing the British Ski Academy and has been on their books since 2015, joining from Hemel Ski Race Club.

Boty heads into the under-16s competition, where she will race the in the slalom, Super G and giant slalom disciplines, in good form having secured two podium places at the Welsh Alpine Championships last month.

Despite bringing home medals in the event at the end of January she expects it to be tough on the Italian slopes, with the nation's best taking part.

She said: “I’ve done the Welsh Alpine Championships, where I came second in GS and third in the slalom.

“I’m quite happy with where I am when I came in but I think it’s going to be a lot tougher at the English.

“There are more experienced skiers taking part. I love how well laid out the event is and how well organised. It just has a big feel to it.

“I’m feeling positive for my slalom races, I’m not sure or confident in my speed for the other events. I just have more confidence in my slalom."

Meanwhile, Herries is looking forward to returning to Bormio after spending last year on the treatment table with a torn ACL that caused her to miss out on the competition.

The 14-year-old is a relative veteran of the event, with a pair of appearances already under her belt and she has her sights on a podium place in this year's slalom.

She said: “It’s always great, the atmosphere’s really nice.

“I’ll be doing slalom, giant slalom and two Super-G races. I’ll have a busy few days.

“I like the race atmosphere. It’s great training, training’s amazing, but racing, you get to meet your friends. Healthy competition’s good and I like seeing where I am in comparison to the rest of the field.

“Obviously I missed last season because of my injury, but I’ve made a pretty strong recovery and my physio says that I’m back to full health.

“I’m probably expecting a top-three in the slalom, maybe a top five in GS and maybe another top five in the Super G.”

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