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Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
GB snowboarder told she'd never walk again 'felt like bag of bones'
Maisie Hill nearly died in 2023 after crashing into a 'wall of ice' during training, now she's training for the Olympics Snowboard sensation Maisie Hill has made a miraculous return to the slopes, training for the upcoming Winter Olympics, defying doctors' grim prognosis from just two years prior that she might never walk again. The Cheltenham native suffered a harrowing accident while practising a routine trick, slamming into an "ice wall" at breakneck speed. The crash left her with a catalogue of serious injuries: broken vertebrae and ribs, a punctured lung, a significant brain bleed, and a lacerated liver that nearly claimed her life due to massive blood loss. Maisie described the aftermath as feeling like "a bag of bones that someone had picked it up and was jangling", but this harrowing experience hasn't deterred her; instead, she cherishes each run as a testament to her good luck Introduced to snowboarding at age eight by her father on the hills behind their Cheltenham home, Maisie didn't immediately warm to the sport after they relocated to Morzine in the French Alps two years later. Reflecting on those early days, she shared with PA Real Life: "I didn't love snowboarding at first. But my dad always said I would be really good at it. I owe so much to his belief in me." Her talent was undeniable, and by 16, Maisie was scouted by GB Snowsport for their youth programme in Laax, Switzerland. At 18 when she missed out on selection for the British World Cup squad, but this only fuelled her resolve to hone her craft further. In the summer of 2021, she dedicated herself to daily practice on a Swiss glacier, juggling jobs as a cleaner and barista while living in a tent to scrape by. By the following year, the tenacious 21 year old had earned her stripes to represent Britain at the World Cup, securing an impressive seventh place. Riding high from her World Cup experience, she returned to Laax for training, filled with a fresh zeal and passion for snowboarding. It was during these preparations that disaster struck. Maisie said: "It was a foggy day and I was tired. I was just doing one last run before the tournament the following day. I don't know how, but I was going extremely fast and I slipped off a rail. I slammed into an ice wall." The aftermath was dire; airlifted to hospital, Maisie was bombarded with a litany of injuries from doctors who doubted she'd ever walk again. She shared: "I remember the doctor listing all the injuries I had. It was horrible how many there were, it just went on and on. I was crying, wishing they'd stop talking." Post-surgery, the first flickers of movement in her toes signalled hope. Moving back to Cheltenham with her mum, Maisie embarked on Team GB- approved physiotherapy. However, regaining her strength proved to be a deeply emotional battle. Reflecting on the physical and emotional toll, she revealed: "They'd cut open my stomach, and my abs must have stored all my trauma because the first few times I tried to do a sit-up, I cried so emotionally." Amidst her recuperation, an email from the Olympic Solidarity programme landed in her inbox, announcing a grant awarded to her after GB Snowsport put her name forward. She recalled: "I thought it was a scam at first. But it was life-changing. I don't think my parents could have continued funding me. Suddenly I thought, 'I'm going to do this!' It's amazing. If you work hard enough, help will come." In October 2023, Maisie travelled to New Zealand with her squad and startled her coach with the speed of her first descent. Remarkably, less than twelve months following her catastrophic accident, Maisie was competing in World Cup events again. However, progress wasn't as swift as before; a sports psychologist observed that the mental scars from her accident were still taking their toll. Maisie said: "When I'd have a bad run, I'd be angry with myself." But she discovered a technique that transformed her mindset: "But I found this method, that every time I get back to the top, I find some reason to smile. When I'm smiling, I'm the best version of myself." By March, Maisie secured fifth place at an Austrian World Cup and is well on her way to qualifying for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics next February. She reflected on the impact of her approach: "I remember my family watching a tournament on TV when I was younger and they said that I was the only one smiling." This practice serves as a reminder for her: "Doing it reminds me to make the most of my time and not waste it, and it reminds me that I just love snowboarding. It really works."
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'As I lay on the ground after my crash, I felt like I was a bag of bones that someone had picked up'
Maisie Hill lost so much blood she almost died A snowboarder who was warned she might never walk again following a life-threatening crash that left her feeling like a "bag of bones" has returned to the slopes, gearing up for next year's Winter Olympics. GB Snowsport freestyle snowboarder Maisie Hill, 24, from Cheltenham, sustained devastating injuries in January 2023 whilst training in Switzerland. Plummeting at breakneck speeds into a "wall of ice" during practice of a routine rail trick, Maisie revealed she nearly died from the massive blood loss caused by a torn liver. She was airlifted by helicopter to Gaubunden Hospital in Chur, Switzerland, where medics warned her she might never walk again. The collision also burst a lung, triggered a significant brain haemorrhage and shattered two vertebrae plus four ribs, she explained. Yet through pure grit and a "life-changing" grant from the Olympic Solidarity programme, Maisie was back doing what she adores within nine months. She's now hoping to secure her place at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games in February 2026. "As I lay on the ground after my crash, I felt like I was a bag of bones that someone had picked up and was jangling," Maisie said. "I remember the doctor listing all the injuries I had. It was horrible how many there were, it just went on and on. I was crying, wishing they'd stop talking. "In my first season competing again (2023-24), I was very scared and was losing confidence in myself. However, I find that smiling every time I get back to the top of the slope helps me perform, reminding me how lucky I am and that I love snowboarding." Maisie was first introduced to the sport by her father at the age of eight on the hill behind their family home in Cheltenham. When Maisie turned 10, she and her dad relocated to Morzine in the French Alps. "I didn't love snowboarding at first," she said. "But my dad always said I would be really good at it. I owe so much to his belief in me." By 16, Maisie explained she was thriving in freestyle snowboarding and received an invitation from GB Snowsport to join their youth programme in Laax, Switzerland. Maisie relocated there on her own, renting accommodation away from the slopes where costs were lower, walking 20 minutes to catch a bus each morning. However, when she reached 18, she revealed she failed to secure selection for the British World Cup squad. "It felt like no-one believed in me, like I was just some silly girl," she said. Nevertheless, she remained convinced that dedication and sheer determination would eventually earn her a place on the team. She dedicated the summer of 2021 to daily snowboarding on the glacier in Switzerland. To fund this pursuit, she lived in a tent in Saas Grund, Switzerland whilst working as a cleaner or barista. Her parents, meanwhile, backed her by funding a private coach, though Maisie knew it was a burden on them and wouldn't last indefinitely. In 2022, at the age of 21, she qualified to compete for Britain in her first World Cup, where she secured seventh place. Maisie described the subsequent months as the happiest in her life, as she made rapid progress and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of snowboarding. In January 2023, she had just returned from a World Cup in Austria and was gearing up for the next competition in Laax, Switzerland. "It was a foggy day and I was tired," she recounted. "I was just doing one last run before the tournament the following day. "I don't know how, but I was going extremely fast and I slipped off a rail. I slammed into an ice wall." Maisie instantly realised that everything had changed. "I refused to breathe because I was panicking so much," she said. "I couldn't move, couldn't do anything." She was then airlifted to Gaubunden Hospital in Chur, Switzerland, where she was given the devastating news that she might never walk again. She had fractured two vertebrae and four ribs, punctured a lung, lacerated her liver and suffered a major brain bleed. Despite the severity of her injuries, Maisie recalls the pure relief she felt when she was able to wiggle her toes after her operation. She moved back to Cheltenham with her mum and received physio training from Team GB, gradually regaining her strength, though it was a challenging journey. "They'd cut open my stomach, and my abs must have stored all my trauma because the first few times I tried to do a sit-up, I cried so emotionally," she said. In the summer of 2023, she received an email from the Olympic Solidarity programme, the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) global development initiative, informing her that she had been selected for a grant, after being nominated by GB Snowsport. "I thought it was a scam at first," admitted Maisie. "But it was life-changing. I don't think my parents could have continued funding me. Suddenly I thought, 'I'm going to do this!'" The programme provides athletes worldwide with a sum of money every four months leading up to the Olympics. "It's amazing," she said. "If you work hard enough, help will come." James Macleod, IOC Director of NOC Relations, Olympic Solidarity and Olympism365, said: "Currently 438 athletes from 89 NOCs are receiving a monthly grant from Olympic Solidarity, supporting their journey to the next Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026." In October 2023, Maisie revealed she was able to travel to New Zealand with her team. She said she was so thrilled by the possibility of snowboarding again that on her first run, she went so fast her coach told her to slow down. Less than a year after her life-threatening crash, she was competing at World Cups again. However, she soon discovered that her performances were declining, that she was losing confidence and was frightened. She began working with a sports psychologist, recognising that there was a lot of mental trauma hampering her performance. "When I'd have a bad run, I'd be angry with myself," she said. "But I found this method, that every time I get back to the top, I find some reason to smile. When I'm smiling, I'm the best version of myself." After finishing fifth at an Austrian World Cup in March, Maisie said she is on track to qualify for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics next February. She hopes her smile and determination will take her there. She continued: "I remember my family watching a tournament on TV when I was younger and they said that I was the only one smiling. Doing it reminds me to make the most of my time and not waste it, and it reminds me that I just love snowboarding. It really works."
Wales Online
a day ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
'I felt like a bag of bones - they told me I might never walk again'
'I felt like a bag of bones - they told me I might never walk again' Maisie Hill was almost killed by the amount of blood she lost Maisie had a major brain bleed, a lacerated liver and a punctured lung from the crash (Image: PA Real Life) A snowboarder who was told she may never walk again after a life-threatening crash left her feeling like a 'bag of bones' is back on the slopes, preparing for next year's Winter Olympics. GB Snowsport freestyle snowboarder Maisie Hill, 24, from Cheltenham, suffered severe injuries in January 2023 while training in Switzerland. Crashing at extreme speeds into a 'wall of ice' while practising a routine rail trick, Maisie said she was almost killed by the amount of blood she lost from a lacerated liver. She was transported by helicopter to Gaubunden Hospital in Chur, Switzerland, where she said she was told she may never walk again. She said the impact also punctured a lung, caused a major brain bleed and broke two vertebrae and four ribs. However, through sheer determination and a 'life-changing' grant from the Olympic Solidarity programme, within nine months Maisie was back on the slopes doing what she loves. She hopes to qualify for the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games in February 2026. 'As I lay on the ground after my crash, I felt like I was a bag of bones that someone had picked up and was jangling,' Maisie told PA Real Life. 'I remember the doctor listing all the injuries I had. It was horrible how many there were, it just went on and on. I was crying, wishing they'd stop talking. 'In my first season competing again (2023-24), I was very scared and was losing confidence in myself. However, I find that smiling every time I get back to the top of the slope helps me perform, reminding me how lucky I am and that I love snowboarding.' Maisie was introduced to snowboarding by her father aged eight on the hill behind their house in Cheltenham. When Maisie was 10 years old, she and her father moved to Morzine in the French Alps. Article continues below 'I didn't love snowboarding at first,' she said. 'But my dad always said I would be really good at it. I owe so much to his belief in me.' Maisie was told she may never walk again after the crash (Image: PA Real Life) By the time she was 16, Maisie said she was excelling in freestyle snowboarding and was invited by GB Snowsport to Laax in Switzerland to join their youth programme. Maisie moved there alone, renting a flat away from the slopes where it was cheaper, walking 20 minutes to a bus each morning. When she turned 18, however, she said she did not make the selection for the British World Cup squad. 'It felt like no-one believed in me, like I was just some silly girl,' she said. However, she knew that hard work and pure determination would get her into the team eventually. She spent the summer of 2021 in Switzerland snowboarding each day on the glacier. To afford it, she said she lived in a tent in Saas Grund, Switzerland and she worked as a cleaner or barista. Her parents, meanwhile, supported her by paying for a private coach, though Maisie understood it was a strain on them and would not last forever. In 2022, aged 21, she said she qualified to compete for Britain at her first World Cup, where she came seventh. Maisie said the following months were the happiest in her life, as she progressed rapidly and was loving every minute of snowboarding. In January 2023, she had just returned from a World Cup in Austria and was preparing for the next competition in Laax, Switzerland. 'It was a foggy day and I was tired,' she explained. 'I was just doing one last run before the tournament the following day. 'I don't know how, but I was going extremely fast and I slipped off a rail. I slammed into an ice wall.' Maisie knew instantly that everything had changed. 'I refused to breathe because I was panicking so much,' she said. 'I couldn't move, couldn't do anything.' Maisie said she was then air-lifted to Gaubunden Hospital in Chur, Switzerland, where she was told she may never walk again. She said she had broken two vertebrae and four ribs, punctured a lung, lacerated her liver and she had a major brain bleed. Despite the severity of her injuries, after her operation Maisie remembers the feeling of being able to wiggle her toes – she said it was a moment of pure relief. After the operation, she moved back to Cheltenham with her mother, and she said Team GB provided physio training. Slowly, she regained her strength, though it was not easy. Maisie said if you work hard enough, 'help will come' (Image: PA Real Life) 'They'd cut open my stomach, and my abs must have stored all my trauma because the first few times I tried to do a sit-up, I cried so emotionally,' she said. That summer in 2023, she said she received an email from the Olympic Solidarity programme, the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) global development initiative, saying she had been selected for a grant, after being nominated by GB Snowsport. 'I thought it was a scam at first,' Maisie said. 'But it was life-changing. I don't think my parents could have continued funding me. Suddenly I thought, 'I'm going to do this!'' The programme offers athletes from around the world a sum of money every four months leading up to the Olympics. 'It's amazing,' she said. 'If you work hard enough, help will come.' James Macleod, IOC Director of NOC Relations, Olympic Solidarity and Olympism365, said: 'Currently 438 athletes from 89 NOCs are receiving a monthly grant from Olympic Solidarity, supporting their journey to the next Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.' In October 2023, Maisie said she was able to go to New Zealand with her team. She said she was so excited by the prospect of snowboarding again that on her first run, she went so fast her coach told her to slow down. Less than a year after her life-threatening crash, she was competing at World Cups again. However, she soon found that her performances were getting worse, that she was losing confidence and was scared. She began working with a sports psychologist, appreciating that there was a lot of mental trauma hindering her performance. 'When I'd have a bad run, I'd be angry with myself,' she said. 'But I found this method, that every time I get back to the top, I find some reason to smile. When I'm smiling, I'm the best version of myself.' After coming fifth at an Austrian World Cup in March, Maisie said she is on track to qualify for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics next February. She hopes her smile and determination will take her there. Article continues below She continued: 'I remember my family watching a tournament on TV when I was younger and they said that I was the only one smiling. Doing it reminds me to make the most of my time and not waste it, and it reminds me that I just love snowboarding. It really works.'
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans for UK's longest ski slope face cold shoulder
Plans that could see Merthyr Tydfil become Wales' St Moritz are facing the cold shoulder after being recommended for refusal. The location, visual and ecological impact of the scheme, which would include the UK's longest ski slope at 500m (1,640 ft), have raised concerns among Merthyr Tydfil council officers. The development, called Rhydycar West, would include a snow centre, a tropical waterpark and an activity centre, all indoors, while there would be an activity area outdoors. There would also be as many as 418 hotel rooms, up to 30 lodges and potentially 830 parking spaces. The application, from Marvel Ltd, covers land to the south-west of Merthyr Tydfil's A470/A4102 roundabout. Plans for the attraction have previously been endorsed by GB Snowsport and Snowsport Cymru Wales, who said they wanted it to be an Olympic and elite athlete training hub. Historically it has been used for industrial activities with the remains of mine workings, spoil tips, canal and railway features still on site, according to the planning report. Man skis down Welsh hill that rarely sees snow The pioneering woman surfer in a sea of men Teen's joy as skateboarding added to GCSE sports There are scheduled ancient monuments and a Grade II listed building on the site, which is part of the Merthyr Tydfil landscape of outstanding historic interest. The site includes the Cwmglo and Glyndyrus site of special scientific interest, the Rhydycar West site of importance for nature conservation, ancient woodland and woods covered by tree preservation orders. A network of public rights of way crosses the site and into the surrounding area. A farm has been proposed as off-site compensation for ecological loss that cannot be provided within the site. In total there have been 141 letters in support of the application and 23 objections sent to the council. Supporters pointed to economic benefits including job creation, training opportunities and more tourists. They highlighted supply chain benefits and the possibility of the attraction driving further investment to the area. Opponents said the application was contrary to planning policy, would badly affect the landscape and historic designations and could damage the canal and affect public rights of way. There were also worries about congestion, pollution, noise, litter, anti-social behaviour, and destruction of natural habitat. The planning report outlined concern with the proposed development due to its planned location, sustainability, scale, impact on the view and ecology and the conflicts with national and local planning policies. The Welsh government's Design Commission for Wales issued a report and said it was "unable to support the proposal", setting out "significant and fundamental concerns". The council report said: "On balance, the potential economic and social benefits including employment creation, significant private investment, and enhanced leisure facilities would not outweigh the harm identified to the important ecological and landscape value of the site." The application is due to go before the council's planning committee on 12 March. 'UK's longest ski slope' plans unveiled Archive footage of Merthyr ski slope Is Merthyr set to become the St Moritz of Wales?
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Merthyr Tydfil ski slope plan faces rejection as refusal recommended
Plans that could see Merthyr Tydfil become Wales' St Moritz are facing the cold shoulder after being recommended for location, visual and ecological impact of the scheme, which would include the UK's longest ski slope at 500m (1,640 ft), have raised concerns among Merthyr Tydfil council development, called Rhydycar West, would include a snow centre, a tropical waterpark and an activity centre, all indoors, while there would be an activity area would also be as many as 418 hotel rooms, up to 30 lodges and potentially 830 parking spaces. The application, from Marvel Ltd, covers land to the south-west of Merthyr Tydfil's A470/A4102 roundabout. Plans for the attraction have previously been endorsed by GB Snowsport and Snowsport Cymru Wales, who said they wanted it to be an Olympic and elite athlete training it has been used for industrial activities with the remains of mine workings, spoil tips, canal and railway features still on site, according to the planning report. There are scheduled ancient monuments and a Grade II listed building on the site, which is part of the Merthyr Tydfil landscape of outstanding historic site includes the Cwmglo and Glyndyrus site of special scientific interest, the Rhydycar West site of importance for nature conservation, ancient woodland and woods covered by tree preservation orders.A network of public rights of way crosses the site and into the surrounding area.A farm has been proposed as off-site compensation for ecological loss that cannot be provided within the site. In total there have been 141 letters in support of the application and 23 objections sent to the pointed to economic benefits including job creation, training opportunities and more highlighted supply chain benefits and the possibility of the attraction driving further investment to the area. Opponents said the application was contrary to planning policy, would badly affect the landscape and historic designations and could damage the canal and affect public rights of were also worries about congestion, pollution, noise, litter, anti-social behaviour, and destruction of natural planning report outlined concern with the proposed development due to its planned location, sustainability, scale, impact on the view and ecology and the conflicts with national and local planning Welsh government's Design Commission for Wales issued a report and said it was "unable to support the proposal", setting out "significant and fundamental concerns".The council report said: "On balance, the potential economic and social benefits including employment creation, significant private investment, and enhanced leisure facilities would not outweigh the harm identified to the important ecological and landscape value of the site."The application is due to go before the council's planning committee on 12 March.
