Daisi began skiing when she was just four years old, after a family holiday to Austria.
“I really didn’t like it,” she admitted. “I was crying and screaming so mum and dad left me with the instructor. I didn’t want to put the skis on but by the end, I wouldn’t take them off. The instructor chased me down the baby slope with a hula hoop to catch me!”
When they got home, Daisi’s mum won tickets to Chill Factore indoor skiing and gave them to Daisi. There, her talent was spotted by a coach – and she began training on a serious level.
At the age of eight, she progressed from indoor skiing to real snow, and was using skis above her age.
She recently made her debut in downhill skiing, having spent her years in the sport competing in three Alpine disciplines: slalom, giant slalom and super G.
Daisi said: “I enjoy slalom the most because it’s the must upbeat and has variation, but it’s not my best, results-wise. I usually do best in giant slalom, but my first downhill was good. I always said I’d never do it, but I was amazed it went so well, and my coach was really pleased.”
The former Beech House School pupil said it was tough balancing her sport with her school studies, but struggled more when looking for a college place.
“I asked around for time off to ski, and most said they’d struggle.”
Daisi attended Itchen Sixth Form College in Southampton, where she won a scholarship to study for a BTEC in triple sport. Being from Whitworth, Daisi lived with a host family throughout her time at college.
She said: “I adored Itchen. They were so helpful, thanks to their talented athlete programme. And my host family made really good food!”
Daisi, who currently trains with Ambition Racing, trains three times a week, balancing cardio with strength. When the pandemic hit, she bought her own home weights to use at home and also enjoys boxing – which she picked up at school – as an alternative way of keeping fit.
The teenager currently works in the family business, Bouncy Castle Network, the world’s largest online booking system for party rental businesses. She plans to continue the business when her parents retire.
“Now this season has finished, I need to start planning for next season. It’ll be my last year as a junior so it’s quite a big year.
“My goal is to win the world juniors, so I need to train hard in the summer. I couldn’t do it without my sponsors, so a big thank you to them as always.”
Daisi will return to the slopes in Winter 2022 for the next season.
