ALAIN BAXTER

Some would consider him a creature of habit, but Alain Baxter’s life has never been short of new and unexpected turns. A move from his beloved Aviemore, where he learned to ski in the Cairngorms, to Scotland’s central belt, near Stirling, sees Alain contented, happy but just as hungry for success.

These past few years have been tough for Alain as he has struggled to repeat the level of consistency which saw him finish the 2000-1 season world ranked 11 in Slalom. His place in British ski racing history as our best ever World Cup slalom skier was assured before his third in the 2002 Olympic Slalom.

Marriage and fatherhood may have seen him slow up his passion for very fast motorbikes (although he did manage a handful of track days, which included a crash at Donington) but he has no immediate plans to hang up his slalom skis, not while there is unfinished business to attend to, and he has the self belief to try to achieve it.

"I do want to get back to where I was and I know the skiing is there. I would stop if I was not enjoying it but I am sure that I don’t want to carry on regardless if I am starting back in the 40s and 50s. I know I can still make a good result. It’s still that mental thing and I need to beat it. I look at Sweden’s Freddie Nyberg still going at 36 and anything is possible. I certainly feel as fit as ever."

www.alainbaxter.co.uk