Dancing on Ice

03 January 2012, 15:27

Skier Chemmy Alcott may be used to freezing conditions, but the transition from the slopes to the ice rink has not been as easy as you may expect.

Teamed up with professional skater Sean Rice, 29 year old Chemmy, who was Britain’s number one skier for seven years, has admitted ice skating has helped her rehabilitation after a recent skiing accident, but claims her sporting background is now becoming a hindrance on ice.

She said: “When I was a very beginner it was helpful because I had the discipline to know where my body was, but now that I'm getting better it's a huge hindrance because I have trained my body for 28 years, getting into a certain position.

“For instance I look out of the circle when I'm ice skating, so when I'm skiing I put all my pressure, and my body leans over but I have to do the exact opposite for ice skating and my body pattern doesn't work that way.”

Despite this, Chemmy is adapting and absolutely loving her new found passion for ice dancing and the new lease of life it has awarded her.

She explained: “I have this massive opportunity with Dancing On Ice to do something that is going to help me get into the right state with my leg and with my sport and with my head.

“It's just amazing and I'm so grateful. The first few skating sessions that I did, the coach would say 'on your right leg, which is the one I broke, ‘go on your outside edge’. It would take me 10 meters to make that connection from my head to my leg. If I was doing that in a skiing situation, downhill, that would have been disastrous. That's why I can't bounce back and do my racing straight away; I don't have that body control any more.”

She continued:  “This is teaching me to do it in a safe environment. I didn't realise I was going to find it tough with my leg. I've been doing rehab for the last eight months, and it hasn't been sports specific, it's just been labouring rehab. But being able to take part in Dancing On Ice has been an eye opener I worry because if I hadn't of done this, I would have rushed back to skiing and I would have not been ready.”

Is Chemmy ready to hit the rink and wow the judges or is she set to be on a slippery slope? Dancing on Ice kicks off on Sunday January 8.
 

Last updated: 04 January 2012, 22:38