Menna Fitzpatrick, Team GB’s most decorated Paralympian, will be returning to her former training slope at Manchester’s Chill Factore on the 10th July to speak to local schoolchildren about her achievements at the Winter Games and her experiences on the Chill Factore Sponsored Athletes Programme.
The 20-year-old alpine skier won a total of four medals at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games earlier this year, including a Bronze, two Silvers and a Gold in the Slalom event with her guide, Jennifer Kehoe.
Menna is visually impaired and has only 5% of her vision but learned to ski from the age of 5 by following her dad down the slopes on family holidays. Since then, she’s scooped a number of medals and become the first British skier to win the overall World Cup visually impaired title in Aspen in 2016.
The Sponsored Athlete Programme is an annual initiative run by the Chill Factore snowsports team which prides itself on recognising the talents of young local athletes in winter sports. Menna’s budding talent was recognised by the team at Chill Factore in 2011 when she was awarded a place on the Sponsored Athletes Programme and where she trained for five years prior to being selected for Team GB.
Menna said: “I’m really excited to go back to my roots and head to Chill Factore this July. Obviously I know the slope and the venue really well so I feel right at home there!
“Being part of the action in Pyeongchang was utterly surreal and I’m overwhelmed by all the support from Chill Factore! I can’t wait to meet Manchester students and inspire others to pursue their dreams.”
Morwenna Angove, CEO at Chill Factore, said: “It is a privilege to welcome Menna back to Chill Factore! She did us so proud at the Winter Olympics and we’re really pleased that all her determination and skill brought her a total of four medals. Menna’s incredible talent was recognised by the team at Chill Factore many years ago and it’s a huge honour to be able to see our former sponsored athletes go on to achieve such success.
“Offering local children the chance to meet Menna is an opportunity we’re thrilled to share, and we really hope she inspires them to put on some skis and take up snowsports for themselves.”
One of the top attractions for days out in the North West, Chill Factore is home to the longest indoor real snow slope in Europe at an impressive 180m long. As well as skiing and snowboarding lessons and lift passes, Chill Factore is home to Altitude and Mini Moose Land, full of interactive snow fun for all the family. For more information, visit www.chillfactore.com
Featured Image Credits: Vanessa Fry Photography
