Meet Kendal Snowsports Club's youngsters racing towards Olympic dreams

ITV Border's Fiona Marley-Patterson went to meet some of the athletes at Kendal Snowsports Club

Founded in 1984 by a small group of enthusiasts, the ski slope is now home to a host of olympic hopefuls.

Kendal Ski Club was formed in 1984 when a small enthusiastic group put forward the idea of forming a club and building their own slope.

Two hundred people each put in £10 to get things started, the members then built their own slope and ski lodge on the side of the hill below Kendal Castle.

From humble beginnings, the slope is now the training ground to national champions to practice their tricks and speed.

The club has no snow to maintain and is run entirely by volunteers, so is a cheaper way to learn to ski, opening the sport to anyone.

The club has been nurturing new talent for years and has already seen one athlete compete at an Olympic games.

The club's Chair Rob Blyth told ITV Border: "We've had Emma Lonsdale go on to the Olympics in Sochi and and that's something of which we are enormously proud and likewise with the junior athletes today, that progression is something that I think inspires everybody of all ages in the club."

Alice Sanderson, an 18-year old racer and freestyle skier in the Snowsports England Team is hoping to get into international racing.

She is currently studying for her A-levels but has hope of turning her focus to skiing when she finishes school.

But she says it's the camaraderie in the club that makes all the Team GB hopefuls better, "what's really good is there's so many amazing people who can show me how it's done, and that really makes me less scared."

The club has racing squads and freestyle squads.

Also in the freestyle squad are Fergus Allen and Josh Wright. 16-year old Fergus started skiing when he was six.

He said: "It starts with one of the older ones, we'd see them do something and just be like, 'whoa, how do I get to that?'

"You get a bit of competition and rivalry.

"Josh will do a 360 or something, now I've got to do it, and we kind of egg each other on!"

15-year old Josh, who also started skiing when he was six-years old, now ranks fourth in the UK freestyle rankings.

He said his best trick is a 'misty seven': "I'd spent hours trying it, and I just couldn't do it.

"I was just so excited when I finally did."

Jake Armitstead, 14, was the British Dryslope Champion in 2023 and 2022, but he has his sights set on even bigger things, "I was nominated for the GB team this year, but unfortunately I didn't get in because I'm first year on the 16 and racing against the older people.

"Next year I'm going to try to get into the GB team."

Katie Ormeord is another rising star, coming 15th in the Super-G Championships at just 16-years old.

Katie told ITV Border: "The Super-G, it's just very quick. That's what I like about it."

Katie learned to ski at the dry slope at the age of 3 and said: "You've got all these racers doing whole seasons and you come within seconds of them.

"It's like it doesn't really matter where you come from, you can still do well."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...