A SNOW sports protégée – dubbed the “future of snowboarding” – is continuing her gold medal winning form in her second season as a racer.
Hurst Green Primary School pupil Amber Fennell learnt to ski when she was just four years old before taking up racing a few years ago.
In her first year competing, the 10-year-old mainly achieved second and third place finishes, topping the podium on the odd occasion.
But last season – where she competed at under 10 level – she took major strides forwards, taking victories in 26 of her 32 races, including being names as the overall winner of the British indoor and outdoor championships, the Irish Championship, the All English Championship and the Welsh Championship.
Amber competing in the 2017 ski season. Photo: www.racerready.zenfolio.com
Then on Christmas Day in 2016, after the ski season finished, Amber travelled to Austria to her team house where she met up with her coaches Steve Addicott and Kate Foster.
While in Austria she took part in snowboard competitions and became ‘The Princess of the Valley’ – by winning a series of four races (pictured below).
She also came second in the German Masters before heading on the under 16 ‘World Rookie Tour’ where she was the youngest racer to compete.
When Amber returned to the UK she had not been on her skis for six months, but that did not stop her from taking gold in her first race back – continuing her streak for this season and winning 14 out of her 20 races.
Her 2017 season was brought to a crashing halt however after she suffered a fractured wrist, which left her “very upset”.
Amber’s grandmother Dianne Fennell said: “I think for a young girl of 10 to live in Austria, without her family, and with her nine coaches and team members, shows a great attitude towards doing her sports and shows great determination to try to make it to the Olympics.
“One of her coaches has already said she might be the future of snowboarding!
“But she would not be allowed to go if it wasn’t for the brilliant support of her school and great teachers who prepare all her work to take with her.
“Amber works so hard with her sport and keeping up with her work, and her family are so proud.
“But as she says, the most important thing she really enjoys it.”
Amber returned to Austria in November and claimed victory in her first competition of the season – the Zillertal Valley Ralley in Kaltenbach.
She is set to come back home to Halesowen in May.
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