Ski champion joins Round the Island Race: Olympic hopeful Emily Sarsfield swaps skis for sails

SURREY, U.K. - May 21, 2013 - PRLog -- Ski champion Emily Sarsfield is swapping the mountain snow for the ocean waves to take part in this year’s J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race. Britain’s number one ski cross racer will take part in the prestigious event off the Isle of Wight with SkiWeekends.com on June 1.

Emily says: "I'm really excited about taking part in the Round the Island Race this year. Although I have sailed before, I’m a virgin racer. I'm really looking forward to helping the SkiWeekends team get the best result possible and seeing their brand new spinnaker!"

Eight times British champion Emily finished 17th in this year’s Freestyle Skiing World Championships and is currently the only British Ski Cross athlete who meets the BOA selection criteria for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Russia. In 2010 she achieved the best result for a British female skier, finishing 11th in the Ski Cross World Cup Finals in Italy and made history by being the first British female to win a Europa cup event.

Based in Shamrock Quay Marina, Southampton, SkiWeekends.com is supporting Emily in her mission to secure a place at the Winter Olympics in Sochi next spring by sponsoring her for the 2013/14 season.

Dan Fox, Managing Director of SkiWeekends, says: “SkiWeekends.com is delighted to have Emily as part of our Round the Island Race crew. We feel privileged to be able to help one of our most successful winter sport athletes on the ‘piste’ to the Olympics. Emily has achieved fantastic results and deserves the chance to represent her country and has the potential to gain her best ever result, fingers crossed for a medal. As keen skiers and sailors ourselves, we know many people compete and play in both sports, so inviting Emily to join Skipper Mike Saqui and the crew on the famous RTI race was irresistible. She’s so excited already. We can’t wait to bring her competitive athleticism and spirit on board!”

SkiWeekends.com is sponsoring the yacht previously named Edith (GBR6831T) – for Round The Island she will be known simply as SkiWeekends.com. The IRC-optimised Elan 333 enjoyed a triple whammy last year by winning the Solo Offshore Racing Clubs Solent series, the Royal Southampton YC Double Handed series and the Royal Lymington YC Thursday night series. Edith and her team also came second on count back in the Royal Solent YC Tattinger regatta.

Emily is happy to be interviewed about joining the Round the Island Race and her aspirations for the Olympic Winter Games in Russia. Emily will be attending the Press Conference on Friday 31st May at 12 noon at the ISC, Lower Marquee Island Sailing Club, Cowes, Isle of Wight.

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

For further information please contact: Lynsey Devon

Email: lynsey@heavenpublicity.co.uk

Mobile: +44 (0)7717 078862

Phone: +44 (0)20 3544 1563

To arrange interviews with Emily please call Lynsey Devon. High-resolution images are also available on request.

Notes to Editors

Emily Sarsfield was selected to ski for England at 13 years old. After a successful alpine ski career she changed discipline to the new exciting freestyle event of ski cross in 2005. Various ski coaches advised her that her skiing style and attitude would be suited to this new extreme event and at the World University Games, in her first ever ski cross race, she finished in sixth position. She has never looked back since then and believes ski cross is the ultimate downhill race with the biggest adrenaline rush. Emily skis out of Meribel in France.

Ski cross is an adrenaline fuelled, full contact race where four skiers compete against each other in a specially designed course. The racecourse is packed with various features; slalom turns, raised banked turns, rollers, moguls and many large jumps. It is the ultimate head to head downhill competition.

SkiWeekends With 30 years of experience, SkiWeekends offers great value ski trips for the weekend and mid-week ski enthusiasts in some of the best ski resorts in Europe. The portfolio includes hotels and chalets with a premium collection of 4-star and 5-star hotels. There is a choice of flights from 17 regional UK airports or for a budget-conscious traveller overnight coaches are also available for certain dates in the season from London or Dover. For more information please visit www.skiweekends.com

Meet The Round The Island Race Crew Skipper/Owner and IRC Advocate Mike Saqui, ‘wags’, Ancasta yacht brokers’ Tom Clark, Dan Fox, SkiWeekends.com MD will be on bow, Rob Westhorp and from Wales, Sarah Fox (former team GB canoe polo player) and Jane Saqui.

For information and the latest news about the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, please visit: http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk