Profile - Peter Whelan - Ski Cross

Peter started skiing when he was eight, on a dry ski slope with his school. He picked up the basics almost instantly and over the next couple of years he continued to ski on 'plastic' with his local race team in regional plastic races. His coach at the time, Helmut Gabl, told Peter's parents about his potential and advised them that Peter should start racing on snow.

Having been on one skiing holiday Peter entered his first race, at the English Championships, with no training or trainer; he finished fourth, demonstrating his talent in the sport. That summer Peter went on his first snow training camp aged ten, and joined Sandown Park ski racing club. With the help of some great Swiss coaches Peter greatly improved over the next few years.

Peter was selected for the British Alpine Children's Ski team the first year he moved into the new age group and skied for the next few years with them, winning many British titles and finishing in the top 15 in his last year of children's competition in Abertone, Italy. When Peter was 15 he moved into FIS racing and joined the British Development Team. Some extremely competitive races in central Europe over the next few years encouraged Peter to improve and he was selected for the British Senior Alpine Ski Team. At the British Championships Peter performed extremely well and remains the best ranked British Junior Downhill racer ever.

Peter's move to ski cross took place in the 2009/2010 season, when he heard more and more about the new sport. In his first race Peter was badly injured, highlighting to him the dangers of the new sport he was pursuing a career in. At the end of the season Peter produced some good results on the European Cup circuit. In the southern hemisphere season Peter won the South American Cup series, and will start the 2010/2011 season amongst the top 20 in the world. He is now Britain's top ranked male skier.