17 February 2012

Rose and Crown raises £1300 for Anna's Paralympic Ski Equipment

The Rose and Crown is ace, I can't believe we raised £1300 towards my new monoski, we are nearly a third the way towards raising the £4500 it costs.

Last weekend's Fundraising Sunday Roast was a huge success. Thanks so much to Jez, Jonathon and the Rose team, and to everyone who came including Warwick's mayor, Trudy...

local MP Chris White

Jackie and Bryan from Advocacy Matters Charity (for whom I'm proud to be patron)

and friends and family who came from as far away as Brighton!
I really appreciate your support, without which I wouldn't have won the medals or raced in the Paralympics. The new monoski will really help my skiing and I cannot wait to order it, only just over £3000 more needed...!

The Rose chef made a beautiful Valentine's cake to raffle, and great prizes were generously donated for the silent auction including a flight over Warwick in a two seater plane, Warwick Castle tickets and Spanish lunch at Catalan.

Everyone had a ski hat to wear for Jez and Jonathon's games...

and Auntie Norma won a Diva Hair Voucher (thanks Diva!)





The Rose's renowned Roast dinner was enjoyed by all!

Manager Jez and Chris White talked about the fundraising plans with the Rose and making connections with companies and people in Warwick. I talked about my path to gold in the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics and how sponsors and support from friends and family have helped me achieve great results so far.

Good food and drink was followed with a fab performance from the band, a huge thank you to all involved!

First Live TV Interview!


My husband and I featured on ITV's Lorraine Show yesterday!!!

Being live on National TV was exciting and Pete represented Serre Chevalier, France, where I train but I didn't get a chance to mention recent medals I've won or my website. So much to say, so little time!

ITV's Daybreak also wanted us but that'll be another day. This week I also featured on Channel 5 News, filmed at my sponsors Solihull David Lloyd gym - click on title to watch it as well as articles in the Daily Mail, Birmingham Mail, Coventry Telegrapgh, Stratford Herald and Warwick Courier!



I'm hoping the publicity will attract interest. My hard work training has payed off with great results (7 medals in Europe and World Cups qualification so far this year). Sadly I can't afford to race in World Cups as I get no funding and have to raise the annual £20,000 myself to continue representing GB.

I do Motivational Speaking and Workshops as well as youth work and talks in schools. If you are interested in sponsorship or speaking opportunities, please contact me through www.annaturney.com

2 February 2012

The Rose and Crown helps fundraise for Warwick’s local Paralympic Ski Racer

The Rose and Crown is putting on a Fundraising Sunday Roast on 12th February to help cover the cost of Anna’s training and racing which amounts to approximately £20,000 per year as well as trying to fund a new monoski costing over £4000.

So far this season, Anna has won four Europa Cup bronze medals, competing in Slalom and Giant Slalom. She recently became qualified to compete in World Cups (the highest level). Due to lack of funding, she won't compete in World Cups this year but will train in France instead and compete in the Europa Cup Finals in March.

So join us for a dinner to help raise funds to support Anna!

Ticket Only.
£20 a ticket, for Sunday Roast and Pudding. Speak to Jonathan or Angela to book: 01926 411117
See http://www.roseandcrownwarwick.co.uk/NewsEvents.asp for more info.

Or to make a donation, go to http://annaturney.com/annaFundraising.htm

20 January 2012

Winning Silver & Training in Serre Chevalier




Solution Graphics


Having won 4 bronze Europa Cup medals so far this season, I won silver yesterday in the IPCAS Super G race, behind Germany and bronze in the next race in Abtenau, Austria. I am really pleased and progressing towards gold in Sochi 2014!

The weather is warm and wet and today's Giant Slalom race was cancelled but we are hoping that it will run tomorrow, followed by two Europa Cup Slalom races.



This season I am based mostly in Serre Chevalier, France for training and head back there next week. The Hotel Plein Sud sponsors me and it is a perfect base for training. The atmosphere in the Plein Sud is second to none, the food is delicious, location ideal, there is a swimming pool, stunning views, friendly bar and I feel really well looked after, it is like home from home. Click on the title to see the website.

I will join the team for Europa Cup Downhill and Super G races in Tignes from 7th to 9th Feb... I'm really excited to be racing Downhill in Europe and with some training on the Luc Alphond in Serre Che I should be well prepared, watch this space!

8 January 2012

I'm World Cup Qualified!




The ski season has started well. In my first race in Pitztal, Austria, I finished 0.9sec off gold in Super G, winning a bronze medal and qualifying to race in World Cups (the top level).

So far I have won 4 bronze Europa Cup medals in Slalom and GS.

We spent the last week training in Serre Chevalier, and are now headed to Sestriere, Italy for Europa Cup races.

What I really mean is:

"Wow, sooo excited... can't wait for my first World Cup Race in La Molina, Spain on 31st January, bring it on!"

14 November 2011

Back On Snow!




The first 2 weeks in Austria has flown by, I'm loving being back on snow, training with GB teammates and the Combined Services Disabled Ski Team again.


Team dynamics have changed as we are working with new coaches from Canada, Rip and Sue and I'm confident they will lead us to medals in Sochi 2014. Three older athletes have retired, but its fun to be training alongside Tim Farr and Kelly Gallagher again as well as the military guys and new visually impaired athlete Jade Etherington.


Thanks to CSDST and their military connections (in Blue) for a moving Remembrance Day 'service' at the top of the mountain.


Snow conditions on Stubai glacier suit training but there isn't any snow in the valley. It is very strange to be enjoying the sunshine, and apart from day cancelled due to wind, training is going well.


Our Strength and Conditioning coach, Nick Ward, spent the last week with us and gym training is paying off. Swiss ball rugby turned out to be quite a perilous recovery exercise - click on 'Back on Snow' for video link. As a team, we are fit and ready to compete (and have a good laugh!). Nobody was injured in the making of this video.


This season I aim to continue to win Europa Cup podiums and become World Cup qualified. Three weeks until the first Europa Cup Race!

10 October 2011

Skiing Funding Crisis


Photo by George Althaus www.georgegamedia.com

Two weeks 'til I'm back on snow, training for the Europa Cup Races in December! Can't wait although almost all funding for skiing has been cut and the funding I was hoping for hasn't materialised. I have enough money to last until Christmas but if I'm to continue ski racing I need to raise another £10,000 in the next 2 months.

At the highly informative DKH Negotiating Skills workshop last week, I learned lots of skills which should come in useful for negotiating sponsorship deals but it isn't easy.

At the beginning of the week the team met up at Bath University for our pre-season camp. It was good to catch up with the British Disabled Ski Team and Development Squad. Great training as always with Nick Ward and Team Bath coaches, as well as fitness, strength and body composition testing.

Now I just need to find the money to get out there, put in the training on snow and win more medals! Please let me know if you have any suggestions or can help.