A Fetcham teenager is “ecstatic” to be part of the team representing Great Britain in the Alpine Ski World Junior Championships.

Abi Bruce, 17, will compete in giant slalom and slalom (zig-zagging through gates) in the World Junior Championships in Switzerland.

We managed to catch up with Abi – who is feeling confident about her progress – just after she finished a race in the sunny Swiss Alps today.

She said: “I was absolutely ecstatic to get in after just missing out last year.

“I did a couple of races today that my coach thought would be good as a warm-up, I feel pretty happy with the way I was skiing.”

The giant slalom is on January 30, she will then take part in the slalom the next day on January 31.

Surrey Comet:

Abi admitted she is a bit of an adrenaline junkie and guessed she skis at about 50kmph.

“A lot of people get really injured, but it’s what people like about the sport - it’s an extreme sport like motorbike racing and danger is part of it.”

Following this success, Abi has eventual Olympic ambitions, she said: “I’m aiming for the 2022 Winter Olympics because I wouldn’t want to go without having a real chance of winning and I’m still quite young.”

With a distinctive lack of snow-capped peaks in Surrey, Abi must take a lot of time out of her school, St John’s in Leatherhead, to practise.

She said: “I miss quite a lot of school to go and stay out in Austria; I do a lot of work online.

“The school have been amazing, they offer me catch up lessons all the time and send me emails with notes.”

Surrey Comet:

Abi’s mother, Heather Bruce said: “I’m really excited for her.

“Abi is a social girl and one of the wonderful things is that she has made friends with athletes from all around the world.

“She will also meet older girls and get inspiration from them, some are going to the Olympics this year so it’s a pretty exciting opportunity.”

Abi will be cheered-on down the slope on the day by her mother, and her father and his second wife.