FREESTYLE SKIING: Spending her early childhood on the beaches of Byron Bay, it was not until a visit to New Zealand as a teenager that Olympic ski halfpipe hopeful, Amy Sheehan, first saw snow.

Now, like many Australian Winter Olympic athletes, Sheehan follows the winter each year spending most of her time between New Zealand and North America.

“We (Amy and her brother Lyndon) caught the bug and were off ripping around the mountains,” Sheehan said.

“My parents saw how good skiing was for us and we made New Zealand home. My brother and I were ski racers for a while but wanted something more out of skiing - enter the twin tip. A ski that allowed us to do and go wherever the snowboarders ride!”

Sheehan recalls first hearing about and watching the X-Games competition, as something which really motivated her to train hard and progress her freestyle skiing. She first rode pipe in Cardrona, New Zealand and in 2010, was invited to compete in the X-Games ski halfpipe competition.

In August this year Sheehan returned to Cardrona to compete in the Winter Games NZ, an Olympic qualification event, placing a respectable eighth despite poor weather restricting competitors to a single run final.

“I am grateful to have landed a solid run, however I would have loved the opportunity to step it up my second run and better my score. I see this as a good way to finish a competition though, as it leaves me hungry to do better at the next one.”

Sheehan has now set her sights firmly on Olympic qualification.

“Like all athletes who dream of going to the Olympics as a kid, I too envisioned myself standing under the Olympic rings. It is quite surreal to think this dream may just come true with only six months to go. Competing at the Olympic venue in Russia last February was quite overwhelming, knowing that if I come back again it is as an Olympic athlete.

“I think I mostly look forward to sharing this adventure with my family and friends. They have all been so supportive of my journey, and if I make it to Sochi I will be thrilled to know they will all be cheering me on as I fulfil my Olympic dreams.”

Two of her biggest supporters are Sheehan’s brother Lyndon and Australian teammate and friend Davina Williams. Lyndon, also a freestyle skier and aspiring Olympian has recently become a New Zealand citizen and will aim to qualify for Sochi competing for the NZ team.

“My brother jumped over a lot of hurdles to get his NZ citizenship, but I decided to stay for Australia. Lyndon is doing really well under the NZ flag and I am enjoying representing Australia.

“It's quite a long journey to get to this level of competition. We've both put in a lot of work, and have the utmost respect for each other. At the end of the day it's about skiing and doing our best, so I am really happy it is working out for us both.”

Sheehan and her brother have what she describes as a “typical sibling relationship” having driven each other crazy as kids but now being really close – brought together by their passion for skiing.

“I am extremely competitive so I pushed myself a lot to try and keep up with Lyndon,” Sheehan explained. “This has helped me become a stronger skier over the years. We no longer travel together, but still train and compete at the same venues so I still see him a lot. It’s a nice thing to have family around when you are so far from home.”

Sheehan says she is grateful to have Williams as a teammate and that she is one of the most composed athletes she knows.

“Her cheeky side keeps things light and fun and is a great quality to have around when travelling, training and competing. Davina is very talented in the pipe and has a graceful ease about her.

“After competing at the Winter Games we decided to take a couple of days off.  Lyndon, Davina and I jumped in the car and did a mini road-trip checking out some of the beautiful scenery New Zealand has to offer. Now I am refreshed and ready to go again,” said Sheehan from her training base in Wanaka.

While the trio continue with their Olympic preparations they are all too aware of the risks involved with this extreme discipline. Each of them have torn their ACL at least once and have undergone lengthy rehabilitation programs throughout their careers.

“At an elite level it is almost impossible to escape injury,” Sheehan said. “We are always pushing the limits to progress and things can go wrong quite quickly - all of a sudden you are faced with something that stops you in your tracks. The mental game can be hard after surgery but I find when you love a sport so much and you are so focused on your goals you can’t think about the risks. I have learned to respect my body and know my limitations, but never to focus on what ‘might happen’ because that takes away from what needs to happen, and that is land my tricks!”

Sheehan will spend the next few months training in the halfpipe and on trampolines in Wanaka and is working on both perfecting her current repertoire as well as learning some new tricks. 

“It just feels so good to go big with your tricks and show that you own them by grabbing. I know this is exactly what the judges want to see as well, so I will be working hard over the next six months to make this happen with all of my tricks.”

The judges will assess competitors on a number of criteria including amplitude, difficulty and technicality of tricks whilst remaining in control, with style and fluidity throughout the whole run, as well as the overall impression.

“Being confident always shines through in my skiing, and being prepared gives me that confidence. I will work my hardest to be as prepared as I possibly can to lay down my best runs at the Olympics and hope that it is my day.”

Ski halfpipe will make its Olympic debut in Sochi, with men’s and women’s events both taking place at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park.