Young skier off to Colorado thanks to ESPC
One of Scotland's brightest prospects for the Winter Olympics in 2014 is off to train on the slopes of Colorado, USA, thanks to new sponsor ESPC.
Aiming for the slopes!
Anna Vincenti (17) who is aiming to compete in halfpipe, freestyle skiing event at Sochi, Russia has 12 months to win a place on the GB ski team. Travelling to Breckenridge in Colorado is a fantastic opportunity for her to work with other top skiers and gain valuable competition experience.
The six weeks of intensive tuition gives Anna the ideal chance to impress GB head coach Pat Sharples and break into the world freestyle circuit for the first time.
Still at school, Anna receives no financial support from the British Olympic Association or the British Ski and Snowboarding Association for her training and has had to find her own sponsors. With mum, Christine, she has been contacting local businesses to help out, when ESPC answered the call.
ESPC has stepped in to pay for her travel expenses and ski passes for the trip, which begins on Saturday 1 December, helping Anna's career development in competitive skiing become a reality.
Christine Vincenti said:
"We are so grateful to ESPC for their support as it makes Anna's trip to Breckenridge possible. The six weeks in Colorado will be an unbelievable boost to her career, as she can begin to ski and train with some of the world's best freestylers.
"She is training so hard at the moment and is so focused on her skiing that it is going to be such an amazing opportunity for her. This trip really will make a huge difference to her skiing career and future with the GB Team."
Anna, who wants to be a professional skier, will be keeping a daily diary of her training and competitions. She is currently studying for her highers at George Watson's College, Edinburgh.
Skiing to success
Malcolm Cannon, Chief Executive of the ESPC, said:
"Anna is a very determined and talented young skier and we are delighted to play our part in helping her achieve her goals. She is going to swap the streets of Edinburgh for the slopes of Colorado for six weeks and I wish her every success. We really hope this opportunity will help her reach the next level in her sport."
Sochi 2014 is said to be the biggest winter Olympics ever and the competition will be extreme as well as receiving extensive media exposure.
Anna commented:
"Skiing is my life; I just love it. I want to be training really hard and get the results I need to hopefully win a place on the GB team. Proving Scots are good at sport is really important to me."
Pat Sharples, British Freeski Team head coach said of Anna:
"Anna is one of my top young up and coming halfpipe athletes on our Development Squad. She has a huge amount of talent and has a good work ethic and is not afraid to go for it 101% which is super important in our sport! Anna is currently training and competing and chasing a place on the British Olympic team to compete in the Olympics in Sochi 2014."
The sponsorship of Anna Vincenti by ESPC is not its first. The company also sponsored Paralympic athlete and silver medalist Libby Clegg during 2012.
Anna with Willie Hunter, Non Executive Director at ESPC, in the Edinburgh ESPC Showroom.