Skiers from all over Great Britain travelled to Ski Rossendale for a racing event - including a teenager back on the slopes after battling cancer. 

On Saturday, Club National races were held on Pendle Ski Slope and then on Sunday The Hill, home of Ski Rossendale, hosted the second event. 

There were 18 Rossendale skiers from Ski Rossendale Race Club and 2k Performance, and they did well with Finlay Royle first in the men’s race and Benjamin Sharples second.

Rebecca Hart was second in the women’s race and Lois Bowker won the U10s/U12s girls’ competition.

Aimee Johnson, 19, started skiing aged five at Ski Rossendale, but in October 2020 she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, which curtailed her skiing and led her to postpone her Burnley College studies.

Aimee, from Crawshawbooth, said: “I have been racing since I was about nine but when I was 16, I had to stop for about 18 to 19 months because I was battling cancer and, after surgery, I had radiotherapy.

“I am now in remission and on check-ups, but I had not been on the slope since February last year because I was ill, and I only attended my first training session last week and decided to enter the race.

“My first race was alright; it was not as good as I wanted to be but I am just trying to get back into the sport.

“There is an amazing adrenaline rush when you are at the side gates and looking down the slope. I managed to get to the bottom and I'm still in one piece. It was mint.”

She finished in 12th place.

Aimee returned to her Level 3 studies in Sports Coaching and Development at Burnley College and managed to complete two years of study in just one year, gaining a triple merit.

She has now opened her own gym AJ Fitness in Britannia Mill, Crawshawbooth.

Manager Dave Fuller said: “This is the third national competition we have held recently and it has really put Rossendale back on the map as a key figure in national races.

“We have people here from all over the country and from Scotland as well as local skiers.”

Kirsten Stirling, from Edinburgh, had travelled down for the weekend with son Max Hannah, 10, who competed in the Under 12s boys’ competition and won on day one at Pendle.

They were staying at Rossendale Holiday Cottages in Water.

Kirsten said: “He really liked the slope at Pendle and found the matting grippy, we went there on Friday night and they showed us around.

“Everyone here has been so friendly and we have been very impressed.”

She said it was the first time they had been to The Hill, but it was good for Max to get used to different slopes; he finished in second place.