Cara Brown, Alpine Skier - (UK)

Your Name (and Nickname):  Cara Brown

Follow Cara @ www.cara-brown.com

instagram - @caratheskier

facebook - caraskiracer

Your Age: 22

Your Location: Meribel, France

Weapon(s) of choice: Atomic skis, GoPro, Uvex Helmets, Leki Poles

What’s an average day for you like? I wake up pretty early so I can be up on the mountain before the lifts open for the public. I train on snow for about 4 hours every day, I could be training slalom, giant slalom, super g or downhill! After skiing I chill for a while, hang out with my teammates and catch up on a tv series before preparing my skis for the following day. After that I head to the gym for a few hours in the evening.

What is the most difficult part of your activity/sports for a beginner? The easiest? I think the most difficult part of racing for a beginner is getting over the high speeds, you need to get over any fears you might have about going at 70mph! The easiest thing is that once you know how to ski then anyone can try out racing, it doesn't matter how fast or slow you are!

What is the best and worst thing about being female in your sport? The best thing is that female ski racers are seen as being pretty tough and a little bit crazy for going so fast! The worst thing is constantly being compared to the guys, female alpine skiing is not the same as the men's and people need to learn to respect that what the women are doing is awesome in its own right!

What would you like to see change in your sport to make it better for you and other female athletes? I think more girls need to be shown that it's not a "manly" sport. So many girls drop out of skiing because it's not seen as being feminine. I think female ski racers actually do an awesome job at keeping the sport bad ass but girly! I love that some girls have leopard print suits, wear ribbons in their hair and put crystals on their helmets!

Besides your ability and style factor as an athlete, how would you describe your personal style? I think my personal style is quite laidback. I like to be comfty but not scruffy! I love layering t-shirts, shirts, hoodies and a scarf, especially when I'm travelling.

What are your favorite brands/designers for your sports apparel and for stepping out? My favourite ski thermals are made by a British company called Body Barrier that make awesome thermals in fluorescent colours and prints. I never ski without a necktie and GotSwagg make some really cool ones. In the gym I always wear Nike, their kit is so comfy and looks awesome. My favourite shop for everyday clothes is Zara.

Let’s hear your thoughts on how important looking good is to feeling good. “Being” your personal best? I am at my personal best when I feel comfortable and happy and I'm most comfortable when I'm warm and wearing something fun and colourful! I've never had a good day racing when I've been cold and uncomfortable so I would say that feeling good is vital for me.  

How dangerous do you really think your sport is compared to what people do in their regular activities? Most people ski at around 30mph, my fastest ever recorded speed is 70mph so I tend to go a bit faster than the average skier. Obviously the injury risk is higher when the speeds are higher!

I bet in your experience you have seen some crazy crashes. Describe one. I've definitely seen some crazy crashes... I've even had a few myself! I think my most impressive crash was in Zinal, Switzerland last December. I was training Super G and on the very first run of the day I went off the jump a bit faster than I thought I would! The jump caught me off guard and as I landed my whole body collapsed into my legs and I managed to cut my head open on my knee! Unfortunately I also managed to punch the ground with my hand which I broke...

What usually gets people hooked on your activity/sport? The speed definitely hooked me to racing but my love for skiing came from being in the outdoors, in the mountains and the feeling of flying along on the slope is comparable to nothing!

What gets you pumped up for the day? I like to think about what I'm going to do to achieve my goals that day and then make sure that in my head I'm convinced I can do it! Before a race I make sure I'm warmed up properly but I also like to have a laugh with the other girls in the start as it helps calm my nerves.

What are three things you could not live without? I hate to say it but I don't think I could live without my phone... I love staying in touch with friends all round the world and keeping up to date with news. I also couldn't live with my Ortema back protector - it's saved me from back injuries so many times and I think everyone on the slopes should wear one. Lastly I couldn't leave without sugar... It's my weakness, I have such a sweet tooth! I'm not a massive fan or chocolate but I love sweets, cakes and biscuits.  

What are your expectations for this activity/sport? I want to make it to the Winter Olympics and bring home a results that will make team GB proud!

Who have been your biggest supporters in getting you to where you are now? My biggest supporters have been my mum and dad. They've helped me right from when I started racing and they always cheer me on at my races. My coaches from my race team, Orsatus, have also been amazing at helping me see how far I can go in this sport and keeping me on my toes. I've worked with my physio, Luca, for the past 8 years and he keeps me fit and strong. My boyfriend, Iain, has been a rock for the past 6 months throughout my comeback from injury and I don't believe I would be where I am today without his support. My ski club Kandahar continue to support me every year as do Atomic Skis and my Uncle Hamish's company Alpine Management Services. Finally my biggest supporters come through social media, they're the people that like my pictures, comment good luck and tell me they're looking out for me!

Who’s your favorite rider/shooter (photo/video)? My favourite skier is the Austrian racer Anna Veith (previously Fenninger). She's my definition of a perfect skier, but I still want to beat her one day!

How about in the off season to stay in shape? In the off season I enjoy climbing, road biking and sailing for fun ways to stay in shape! I also spend a lot of time in the gym....!

What is your biggest goal to accomplish this/next season? The World Championships are in St Moritz this February and my goal is to compete at them!

What competitions and other awards have you won? Becoming a Sheshreds ambassador is a pretty cool accomplishment! I've been British Ladies Overall Champion for the past 3 years in a row which is my proudest achievement. I'm now ranked in the top 150 in the world in Giant slalom and Super G which has been my goal for a while.

Favorite conditions? My favourite conditions are when it's warm and sunny! But I tend to perform better when the weather is bad: snow, rain, wind and fog seem to suit me best - I try not to let the weather hold me back.

Where would be your biggest dream place to ride and why? I've still never made it to the US to ski- I definitely need to get myself across the pond to test out "hero" snow!

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever done in your sport? I think the coolest thing I've ever done was the Men's World Cup Downhill Finals in Meribel and few years ago. The course was steep, icy and fast but it was such an awesome experience and it was really cool to be in the start gate with the fastest male skiers in the world!

If extreme/action sports didn’t exist, what would you be doing with all the free time you’d have? I think I would still be involved in sports of some kind. I used to do figure skating when I was younger so maybe I would have become a figure skater! I also really enjoy writing, blogging and journalism so I would probably be trying to use those skills.

What’s your favorite board/bike/sled to ride and why? My favourite skis are definitely Atomic. They suit the way I ski and always respond in the way I want them too! They're been the only skis I've used in the last 7 years and I don't see any reason to change!  

 Favorite drink of choice to refresh yourself after a long day of riding/shooting? Ice tea!

What do you want to be when you "grow up"? An Olympian!