L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Heel wins Super G in Val Gardena with Defago and Jaerbyn on the podium ... Paerson wins Super combined from Hosp and Suter ... Walchhofer retains King of the Hill in Downhill, Miller 2 and Osborne Paradis 3 ... Gut wins Super G in St Moritz from Suter and Fanchini

'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams' (Eleanor Roosevelt).

The season starts ...

Despite having scored some tremendous results in Giant Slalom last season, 16th in Maribor and 25th here in Solden, Chemmy had to rely on her FIS points for her start number in the opening race of the Giant Slalom World Cup.  Having broken into the top echelons last year, starting at 68 was always going to be hard for her.  "I was standing in the start gate thinking about the steep because here at Solden this is what it is all about," reflected Alcott.  This was the start of the season.  This was racing with the big names!

The media interest in Chemmy has grown as her results have come in.  With Channel 4 and the BBC sharing the Austrian races, television coverage can only help in the constant search for sponsors.  With Witan already on board up to the next Olympics, Chemmy is looking to add to the list of impressive results by her name.

As the crowd woke up from their slumber with Resi Steigler (USA) storming down one before Chemmy and into provisional 25th, the British press contingent focused on Chemmy.  Out the start this speck dropped into the first of the rollers and then there was a long wait until she reappeared.  Little did we know that Chemmy had taken a slide on the thining snow and lost a lot of time.  Her split time was not as close in as it should have been and before we knew it Chemmy was fighting to stay in the course.  The steep was not great, not poor by any means but at this level a mistake had been made that was to prove a nightmare in trying to qualify in the top 30.

With the standard rising every year, Anja Paerson had set a commanding time and with only Finland's Tanja Poutiainen and Spain Maria Rienda Contreras coming close, the rest were playing catch up.  The qualifying time looked at being around the 3.20 second mark, in the end Gen Simard (Canada) was 3.40 seconds out.

Chemmy was upset at having made such a "silly mistake" and spent a while composing herself before facing the Press.  Channel 4, for whom she is doing a video diary to go out with their World Cup Skiing shows that are starting on November 21, were first in there and Chemmy was relaxed yet frustrated having tasted success last year on the same slope.

"You always want to start the season well..." Chemmy reflected yet seeing that she is about four weeks behind schedule in terms of training, the time spent racing (after the mistake) was not too downheartening for her.  "The mistake cost around four seconds" she felt and take that off her time this would have put her comfortably in the top 30.  It is a big word "if" but with the speed training starting next week in Pitztal and then some dryland training in Cyprus at the BOA training centre, things are looking up.  It is a long season and this is just one result.  For those looking for blood, this will be ammunition but for those who know and support Chemmy, she will be back!

At least Racer Ready managed to keep a promise and bring a smile to her face by giving her some promised Wine Gums!

Alain decided not to race in the Giant Slalom and will focus on the Slalom races that start in November in Beaver Creak.