Lilly will be starting year 11 at Ulladulla High School this year but while her classmates are back at school, getting their heads around the HSC, she is in Switzerland competing in the OPA cup.

From here she will head to the Youth Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, which will be held between February 12-21.

She will compete in three events including cross-country cross skiing, which is a new event, plus a five kilometer skate and a 1.2 kilometre sprint.

“The Cross-country cross event is similar to a sprint but includes agility aspects such as bumps and tight corners,” Lilly said.

There was not a lot of opportunity to use her skis over the Australian summer so Lilly has spent her holidays focussing on running and strength work in the gym.

It has taken a lot of hard work to keep herself in shape for the Youth Winter Olympics and when you see what is required of Lilly on an average day of racing you can see why she sticks to such a rigorous program.

“An average day of competition starts the day before,” Lilly said

“ We start with our pre-race routine where we travel to the course and ski it getting a feeling for it.

“I warm up 45 minutes before my race starts and during that warm up I have to test my skis and make sure my glide and grip are the best they can be.

“If they aren’t, I take them back to my coaches to fix up, then I race,” Lilly explained.

She will then back up the next day and start all over again.

Lilly told the Times that what she loved about her sport most, is the people she skiis with and the places she gets to travel.

“Being in Europe for the first time this year has been amazing,” she said.

The conditions Lilly faces in the snow are sometimes “cold and horrible,” but representing her country was an honour and a life long goal which she has now achieved.

When she returns to Australia, there will be no rest.

The youth olympian will continue to train as hard as she can to achieve her next goal of qualifying for the world junior games during the Australian winter season.