ODIHAM skier Sarah Woodward believes all her hard work is paying off after skiing off from the English Alpine Championships with the Under-16 title for the second year running.

Woodward was in impressive form on the Italian slopes at the week-long event, claiming victories in both the Giant Slalom and Super-G disciplines.

She failed to finish the second run of the Slalom but that did little to dampen her spirits.

Victory in the Super-G on the final day of competition – by a winning margin of 0.73 seconds – confirmed the overall title for the 15-year-old ahead of Siena Horton.

And the Robert Mays School pupil intends to carry on her form for the rest of the season.

“It’s a great feeling to have won the Under 16 English title for the second year running,” she said.

“I feel like my training has paid off. I am really happy that I have skied these races the way I can do and have come out with the results and three podiums.

“I was pretty happy with the Super G today. I got a late on a few gates, but I managed to get my speed back up. I didn’t feel any pressure today, so I just charged it.

“I have another International Childrens Race in Italy and I am just going to train really hard and try and do better than last year.

“I have had a good season so far. I got three wins at the Ambition Championships in Leogang and then went to Andorra for the International Children’s Races. They were a great experience, and I came away with a podium, finishing 3rd in the Super G.”

The Championships celebrated their tenth year in Bormio, with over 400 of the country’s most talented skiers – ranging from under-10s to senior racers – flocking to the Italian resort to battle it out for the coveted English titles.

Most of Britain’s most revered racers of recent times competed in the Championships during the early stages of their careers, including four-time Olympian Chemmy Alcott and current racers Cara Brown and Dave Ryding.

Ryding is enjoying the season of his career so far, with the 29-year-old consistently inside the top 10 on the slalom circuit and becoming only the second British man to achieve a World Cup alpine podium at the Kitzbühel slalom last month.

And having competed at the Championships between 2003 and 2007, claiming the English slalom title in his final year, Ryding believes that for the likes of Woodward the competition is a vital stepping stone.

“I have always targeted specific races as goals during the season, depending on the level I was at that particular time,” he said.

“When I was in my teens the English Alpine Championships meant absolutely everything to me, and at the time I valued it on par with how I value the World Cup events now.

“I did everything I could to do as well as I could, and it was a great stepping stone to how I will be valuing the world champs in a week’s time.”

Follow the English Alpine Championships on the Snowsport England Facebook page and get live updates on Twitter @SnowsportEng. Full results will be available at snowsportengland.org.uk while you can find your nearest slope offering value-for-money GO SKI GO BOARD sessions at www.goskigoboard.org.uk