Team GB’s world champion will face off against China’s Eileen Gu for gold in Milano Cortina having conquered her fear of flying high above a 22-foot wall of ice
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s part of Zoe Atkin’s degree at Stanford University she is learning how the brain conquers fear. The Team GB freestyle skier is about to put theory into practice in one of the most dangerous – and dazzling – sports at the Winter Olympics. “What we do is pretty risky,” she says. “When a regular person watches, they’re like, ‘Oh my god, these guys are crazy. What are they doing?’”
No wonder, given her sport involves skiing down a 22-foot wall of ice before twisting and spinning her body high into the sky and landing back on the wall. Then repeating the daredevilry five more times in quick succession.
Crashing and injuries are inevitable. Especially as Atkin can fly higher and spin faster than most of her rivals. But the 23-year-old isn’t crazy. The 23-year-old just wants to take us all inside the world of freeski halfpipe and how she is pushing the boundaries of her sport in an attempt to win Olympic gold.
