Zoe Gillings says UK Sport funding cut will spur her on
Gillings toils in snowboard as Canada triumph
Britain's Zoe Gillings says UK Sport's decision to stop her funding will spur her on to snowboard cross world glory.
Gillings was allocated £248,000 from 2006 to the Vancouver Games and had moved up to fifth in the world by 2009.
But UK Sport believes she would not be capable of winning a medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics and cut her funds.
A confused Gillings, said: "Since 2006 I've been on the World Cup podium three times. I am capable of reaching the podium [at the 2014 Games] in Sochi."
UK Sport says for athletes to receive podium funding they have to finish in the top three, eight or 12 at a World Championships or Olympics - a criteria Gillings matched at the 2008 World Championships and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, where she came eighth despite picking up an injury.
The 25-year-old, who is currently 14th in the world rankings, because of an injury sustained in the semi-final in Vancouver, added: "There are lots of questions I am trying to find answers to. The biggest is to understand how the decision has been made.
"I appreciate there is strict criteria on allocation of funding and if your performance is not up to scratch, then fine, but my results have improved every year since the funding began and come well within the criteria set by UK Sport on their website. Why am I not being funded?"
UK Sport announced on Thursday it was increasing winter sports funding by £4.8m up to the 2014 Games.
While skeleton, curling, short-track speed skating and women's bobsleigh all benefitted from extra funding, skiing and snowboarding, figure skating and men's bobsleigh were left without any UK Sport help.
A UK Sport statement said: "While results in Vancouver were of course taken into account, it was decided that, at present, there was not enough evidence to suggest that British Ski and Snowboard would have the programme or athletes capable of reaching the podium in Sochi in four years time or at the Winter Games in 2018."
Gillings responded: "I don't agree with that. I may be biased but I believe results should do the talking. I beat the current Olympic gold medallist, Canada's Maelle Ricker in the 2010 Austrian boarder cross World Cup where I finished sixth overall. How can I not be capable of reaching the [Olympic] podium?"
However, the Isle of Man-born snowboarder was quick to thank UK Sport for helping her career flourish to date.
"I may not agree with their current decision but over the past four years UK Sport have been the single biggest influence in my career and have allowed me to get to where I am today," she stated.
"They have helped me in many ways with my World Class program including building me an indoor start gate and producing me technologically advanced equipment on the lead up to Vancouver, they are not just about finance.
"They are a world class organisation and one required to take our top athletes to the podium."
Despite the setback, Gillings has vowed to continue in the sport and has started the search for further funding.
"I have faced many obstacles in the last 10 years and even though the answer to the current funding problem is yet to be found, there is no question I will continue," she added.
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