Sheffield skiing brothers target Winter Olympics

Skiers James and Rob Machon are aiming high. James has just won gold at the Dare2b Half-pipe event at the Freeski Championships in Switzerland while brother Rob won the University Slopestyle title at the Castleford Snow Zone.

The Leeds Metropolitan University students now have the Olympics in sight and biggest prize of all.

In 2014 they hope to be part of the elite club of sportsmen and women who can call themselves Olympians by competing in the freestyle skiing disciplines at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

“I’m really excited about the Olympics,” says James.

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“It is less than two years away but I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. I just need to keep training and make sure I’m prepared.”

James, 21, and Rob, 19, grew up in Sheffield and started skiing at the city’s Ski Village seven years ago.

“We started with my family when we were young. We went on skiing holidays every year,” says James.

“I trained at the Ski Village for three years on their freestyle facilities. Then I got noticed by the British team coach at the time.

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“From there I started doing competitions and getting into teams, and then started competing in national competitions.”

Rob says they tried ski racing before moving on to freestyle skiiing which they prefer.

“We then began competing which was something we really wanted to do as we’re both really competitive,” he says.

“Since joining the England team it’s become our favourite sport and we’re aiming for the Winter Olympics in 2014.”

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Freestyle skiers perform gravity defying jumps, rotations, grabs and grinds on half-pipes, ramps and rails.

James and Rob are establishing themselves as two of the most ambitious, driven and talented up-and-comers in the sport.

But James says continued support from their university, allied with maintaining a positive mindset is vital to their prospects.

“The university have been really good in giving us time off,” he says.

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“But it is also down to us to get the work done which is sometimes hard. You have to wake up in the morning with the right frame of mind.”

James’ latest achievement in the Freeski Championships was his forth consecutive victory in the competition.

“I think I am cementing my name in the sport,” he says.

“Everything’s going really well and these competitions are giving me more experience.

“At Dare2b all the British teams are there. It is a great event to be involved in. All the scouts in the industry go there to spot competitors.”

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Performing gold-medal winning runs is the end of a long process, for James must first learn and master his moves on a trampoline and air bag.

“It’s hard work,” he says.

“But putting all that hard work in is the best bit. We start on the trampoline and then progress on to the air bag before trying tricks on snow.

“Landing a trick on snow for the first time after putting all that work in is the best feeling. You can’t compare it to anything else.”

James knows if his dreams of competing at the Olympics are to come true he cannot rest on his laurels.

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He follows a strict regime of gym and cardiovascular work to keep him in peak condition.

“It’s coming to the end of the season now so I’m in the gym a lot,” he continues. “I’ve just put together a new training plan to keep me fit for when I’m skiing again. I do a lot of trampolining which helps me stay comfortable in the air. I also have to do a lot of core and stability training.”

Despite all the months of training, it all comes down to one minute for James, as success is measured by a run lasting less than a minute on the half-pipe.

“Before my run I don’t think too much about the pressure,” he says.

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“I try to clear my mind and listen to music. I get in the zone and I am really up for it. I’ve trained for one run all season so I know exactly what I’m doing and what grabs I have to get.”

The brothers compete in an an extreme, adrenaline-fuelled sport. In order to be successful they must keep pushing themselves to the limit of their capabilities.

“I’ve done 900’s,” says James, in reference to when a skier completes a 900 degree spin, or two and half full rotations.

“This summer I’m going to be working on double flips and corkscrews. But it’s not just about the tricks. I also need to be stylish and make everything look good as well.”

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Merely getting to the Olympics will be an achievement for the Machon brothers, who do not benefit from the natural snow that the majority of athletes from the traditional winter sports countries can train on.

“We will be competing with people from countries that have mountains and snow which we don’t really have in England. Beating them would be a really good achievement. I have wanted to do this ever since I was young,” says James.

Briatin may be gearing up to the London Summer Games but for these young men from Sheffield, it is all about the journey to the Winter Olympics.

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