Imagine how nervous you would be if you were competing in your first senior international snowboarding event at the age of 13.
Add in having to do it without the guidance of your coach – as he was having to head back to the UK at short notice before a coronavirus travel ban came into effect.
British teenager Mia Brookes had to contend with both of these but took them in her stride as she finished second in a Europa Cup slopestyle competition in Switzerland.
Her mum Vicky told BBC Sport: “It was quite dramatic when her coach said he would have to leave immediately.
“We gave Mia the option and she said still wanted to compete. We didn’t expect her to get a podium so we’re really pleased.”
At her age, Brookes is only allowed to enter second-tier Europa Cup level events but will be able to step up to World Cups when she is 15.
She will just miss out on being eligible for the 2022 Winter Olympics by a few weeks on age grounds and is instead targeting the 2026 Games.
The sport’s world governing body, the International Ski Federation, called Brookes’ performance an “incredible debut on the international competition scene”.
She had qualified for the finals in fifth place and the field was stacked with experienced World Cup riders as their calendar has been disrupted by Covid-19 cancellations.
“Mia fell on her first run in the finals as it was really windy but in the second she contended with the conditions really well and landed all her jumps,” her mum said.
“Her coach Hamish McKnight was following the competition on his journey back and immediately texted his congratulations when he saw her score flash up on an app.”
Australia’s Tess Coady won in Corvatsch with a score of 80.5, with Brookes second on 77.5 and Belgium’s Loranne Smans third with 73.5.
“She beat the two girls who had won gold medals [in slopestyle and big air] in the 2020 Youth Olympics in Lausanne so we were really impressed,” said Vicky.
Brookes has been in Europe since the end of November, with the family staying in a campervan, based at the resort of Laax in Switzerland.
She is juggling training and competitions with schoolwork but mum Vicky said Sandbach High School in Cheshire had been extremely supportive.
“Because of Covid cases and pupils self-isolating, lessons are on Zoom or Teams anyway, so that works well for us. She’s not missing out and is able to do both her snowboarding and education,” Vicky said.
Brookes will stay in Europe for the remainder of the season and will compete in other Europa Cup competitions.
“She’s got the ability, but has now got the time to develop and gain experience before the Winter Olympics.
“If the 2022 Games are postponed a year like the summer Olympics were, then we would consider her competing in 2023 but if not, we will aim for 2026,” Vicky added.
