My athletic goal is:
My name is Robert Poth and I am an Alpine Ski Racer living in Hertfordshire. I am 17 years old and a member of the Great Britain U18 Delancey Ski Race Team and hold a British Olympic Association Silver Passport. I am currently ranked the number one U18 ski racer in Great Britain in Slalom.
Alpine Ski Racing is a hugely costly sport and unfortunately there are very little government subsidies for young talented ski racers like myself. All of this has to be funded on a private basis.
I began my first ski lessons at the age of three and progressed swiftly through the various ski racing groups which eventually led me to take part in my first ski race at the tender age of four.
In 2009 aged 11, due to numerous ski racing successes early on, I was selected to the Great Britain Children’s ski race team where I continued to dominate my age group during my five years as a member of the team.
I achieved phenomenal success as a child racer, the main highlight was my international win in January 2013 at the FIS ‘Ski Interkriterium’ Slalom in the Czech Republic which created British ski racing history, as I was the first Brit to do so in over 20 years. I also had a podium position in the Giant Slalom the following day with an equally impressive silver medal in a strong international field. My results in the Czech Republic were mentioned by Graham Bell on the TV programme Ski Sunday. In April 2013 I was proud to have completed my childhood ski racing years with multiple top results and my name engraved on every single alpine trophy.
This year in April, I completed my first FIS ski racing season as a member of the GB U18 Ski Race Squad combining my A-Level education with ski training/racing on the Aktiv/EDEP Ski Racing Academy programme coached by Richard Breese and Stephen Edwards. I was pleased to be ranked in Great Britain, 1st in my YOB in slalom at the end of the season!
I will be using the funds for:
In January 2015, I am hoping to be a selected athlete representing Great Britain competing at the European Youth Winter Olympic Games in Austria and Liechtenstein. Having already achieved the selection criteria due to my alpine ski racing results point scores in my first FIS year in Slalom and Giant Slalom, I have already been put forward by British Ski and Snowboard on a long list of potential athletes to the British Olympic Association. The funds will be necessary to help me to prepare to the best of my ability for this event going towards snow training, coaching fees, accommodation, travel fees, lift passes and many other expenses.
Here is a break down of some of my essential costs for my makeachamp campaign:
Training cost/Accommodation/Meals - approx. £750 per week
Season lift pass - £450
Flights to and from training base - average £100 each way
Excess baggage allowance (travelling with skis is a nightmare!) - £60 each way
Great Britain FIS license - £160
Race entries - average £40 per race
Transfers to and from races and airport to base - £25
Your contribution means:
Any contributions, including spreading the word about my campaign are greatly appreciated. I am grateful for all your support!
