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On a recent visit home, Zoe talked us through her preparations for the Winter Olympics 2010.

“This season has gone really well for me. I had a couple of podiums, one in early January and then again at the World Cup. That was pretty cool. The end of the season was great because I came third in the World Cup finals in Italy so I finished on a high.

“I did have quite a bad fall in the World Cup but the adrenaline kept me going during the competition. When you are racing you have massive amounts of adrenaline going through your system. It numbs your body and keeps you going. I was feeling quite dizzy and I was thinking about pulling out of the final but I felt good enough to get down the course safely so I went for it and got into third place.

“When the adrenaline stopped I began to feel the injuries and I discovered I had cracked my skull. It could take up to six months to heal. 

Zoe started snowboarding when she was 10 years old

“The next big thing for me is the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next year. The important thing in the run up is consistency. The worst thing I could do is train really really hard a few weeks before the event. I need to keep it steady. At the same time I am preparing more than I ever have before to make sure there are no surprises when I get there.

“I am finding out stuff like where I will be staying, how we are going to manoeuvre around on the Mountain, where the parking will be. I have to make sure there is nothing seemingly insignificant which is going to cause me any problems once the competition comes around.

“The Olympics is always different from other competitions. There’s a lot more media attention and the crowds are always way bigger at the Olympics. The crowds will be absolutely massive. It all comes together to make a more pressured event for everyone involved.

Zoe competed at Turin in 2006

“If I am not nervous before a competition then I am worried. Seeing huge crowds at the bottom of the course makes you feel really geared up and excited. I find it really helps. Obviously you don’t want to fall down in front of a big crowd and as long as I know to expect it, that makes it easier.

“There is a lot of hype about the Olympics. I enjoy that excitement but the training comes first for me. I try not to get too sidetracked because I have to stay focused. I have to keep my goal in mind and make sure I am fit and ready for February.”