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 Following
gold and silver wins in the opening Snowboard
Cross World Cup event of the season, Valle Nevada, Chile, Zoë
Gillings has qualified for the Olympics.
Going it alone
Britain's only female World Cup Snowboard Cross competitor has
surpassed expectations bringing home a gold and silver to the British
Snowboard Team's growing collection of World Cup victories.
After achieving a number of top 5 finishes within last season's
Snowboard Cross circuit, Zoë, 19, of the Isle of Man was selected
to the World Cup Snowboard Cross Team. Zoë also took the British
Snowboard Cross Champion title and overall winner at the Orange
British Snowboard Championships.
Training pays off
In the first heat Zoë qualified first, closely followed by reigning
X Games champion and last year's Chile World Cup champion, Lindsey
Jacobellis. In the second heat Zoë's fitness training in Bath over
the summer and intense start training in Saas Fee finally paid off
and she qualified for the finals one second ahead of the reigning
champion.
The finals were very intense, but the talented Brit narrowly missed
being taken out and glided over the finish line with a substantial
amount of distance between her and the other competitors.
On 17 September Zoë competed in the second of the two World Cup
Snowboard Cross held in Chile. After a promising start in the preliminary
heats, tiredness struck Zoë from the previous day and her start
did not give her the advantage that she was looking for. Zoë finished
in second taking home two top three medals in one weekend.
Hopeful for future
Speaking from her hotel in Chile Zoë said "I am so stoked,
when I passed through the finish I was given a radio so I could
speak to Craig I said 'now I know what it feels like to win a World
Cup' we are both over the moon and my mum was at home crying with
happiness. The next day I was very tired but achieving a second
place too tells me that I am capable of a lot more and possible
even a podium place at the 2006 Olympics!"
 Zoë's
coach Craig was thrilled after the competition. "I am overwhelmed
by the progress Zoë has made in the last two years and am confident
she is now ready to perform at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Zoë has
progressed from a World Cup Competitor to World Class athlete"
Zoe now will be flying back to the UK this week before jetting off
to join the rest of the British Team in Saas Fee.
For further information check out the
FIS homepage.
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