After nearly giving up competing for Australia in winter sport in 2004, Jenny Owens is now in the midst of pre-season training to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi as well as the FIS World Cup Tour.
This Freshwater local has competed in countless world cups for ski cross, winning numerous podiums at World Cup events as well as winning bronze at the Winter X Games in 2012.
For four to six months of the year, Jenny trains and competes on ski slopes overseas. Back in Australia, she spends three months at mountains here or New Zealand. When she’s not on the mountain she’s at the gym, doing a combination of weights and cardio training.
“I do love our sport because I think it’s really entertaining to watch for the spectators and is quite fun to be a part of, minus the crashes and injuries,” says Jenny.
“What I enjoy most about being an athlete is the challenges that I put myself through and the goals I set, and I guess seeing how far you can push yourself.”
Jenny has been skiing since she was four and racing since the age of 10, as part of the Perisher Alpine Race Club.
While gifted in many sports, she says the only reason she chose skiing was the scholarship she received to train and compete overseas at the age of 12. She continued to compete in Alpine skiing for 14 years until making the decision to retire.
However, it lasted “all of five minutes,” she says.“I just realised that being normal is way overrated and I had this amazing life and I was crazy to give it up.”
The next event she is competing in is the FIS World Cup on December 6 and then straight on to Russia for the Winter Olympics.
By Rosie Russell
