TWO sisters who triggered a skiing craze in the district have excelled in a national final.

Izzy (13) and Hannah (11) Skinner were part of respective teams from Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School, and Corbridge Middle School, which competed in Norwich last weekend. 

They were up against the sport’s leading competitors from other schools across the UK. 

And the QEHS team returned home in buoyant mood after finishing fifth overall in the U16 category. 

Izzy was part of the three-girl QEHS team alongside Olivia Ashburn (13) and Mia Condren (14), while Hannah represented Corbridge Middle with Isla and Heidi Mason. 

Each competitor was challenged to three ski runs at the dry slope venue in Norwich, with individual point scores contributing to the overall team result. 

The achievement was extra special for Izzy and Hannah, for the two sisters were instrumental in the formation of a ski club at Corbridge Middle School last year. 

Hannah remains at the heart of the Corbridge club, while Izzy helped to establish a new club at QEHS after moving up to high school. 

Mum Katie Skinner said: “They have all done really well. They had to get through regional qualifying at Sunderland to reach the final, which was an achievment in itself. 

“In Norwich the girls were competing against the upper echelons of the sport in their respective age categories. 

“It was a windy day, which made conditions extremely difficult on what was already a very technical course.

“The wind was blowing back up the hill, and it takes a lot of skill to ski through that.”

Katie regularly transports the girls to Sunderland for training sessions.

She added: “My girls were first introduced to skiing at Corbridge Middle School in 2016, when they were given a few lessons. 

“Since then they have been hooked, and we now have a good core of young ski enthusiasts. 

“Skiing is great exercise, and the girls find it exhilarating.”