LANGDON Hills skier Caroline Powell is on the lookout for sponsorship to help fund her racing and training.

Powell, 13, has enjoyed skiing for many years, but has been seriously interested in the sport since being told at nine by a ski-rep she would be good enough to start racing.

This winter has seen her make the step up to racing on snow, having developed her talent on the dry slopes of Brentwood Park, Warley.

"I joined Brentwood Park aged nine to train for dry slope racing, but I didn't really get on with the dry slope then," she said.

Overcoming these initial difficulties she found her first attempts at racing very enjoyable.

"Last year I was really keen to race", she said.

"I started at my first club national as a beginner and I soon qualified to race in the Grand Prix races and national championships."

Powell has since excelled. By the end of last year's racing she found herself first in her age group and second best female overall in the Eastern Regional final championships.

Alongside this she has competed in the English School Ski Association Championships and, having been spotted, joined their training squad.

With the next dry slope season under way, as well as her progress onto snow, Powell is now in need of sponsorship to continue her development.

"I would like to carry on racing, getting faster and maintaining my progress," she said.

"But my parents cannot provide for all the things I need to maintain what I have achieved with my hard work."

Her first major outings on the snow saw Powell compete at the former 1992 Winter Olympic venue Les Menuires in France, in which she qualified to race in the nationals.

From here she only hopes to progress, adding "At Brentwood, which is the club for Essex, they also hold races and I am the fastest girl in the club, so I guess this means that I am the fastest girl in Essex.

"But eventually I hope I will be skiing for England with a proper sponsor."

To contact Brentwood Park, call 01277 211994.