Can Max be York's first elite athlete?

Hardy in action on the indoor slopes

Looking back however, there can be no real shock that a sportsman who has recently won a senior national skiing title, trained with the Great Britain ski team and holds real aspirations of being a professional skier won the prestigious York award. More and more people are starting to take note of Hardy’s achievements, even as high up as the Vice-Chancellor.

Hardy is attempting to become the university’s first ever elite athlete and gain funding to help his ski season. York Sport can only subsidise £500 towards Hardy’s Europa tour (the level below World Cup) season, but with each season costing upwards of £6000, Hardy may struggle financially.

“York Sport have already recognised my achievements through the award but they have no money to back me further. Alex Lacy is 100% behind me and we’ve been in contact with the VC to see how much the University of York care about sport.

Fingers crossed more Ski Cross titles are on their way

“Alex thinks we have a good chance as it would help both, me and the university. I could compete in the tour events and York could have an internationally recognised athlete, something which should encourage more high class athletes, not just skiers, to go to study at the University of York.”

Hardy’s route to becoming a top skier has not been conventional for a British skier as he has not come through the grassroots system. His parents are travel journalists so Hardy has had the chance to both ski regularly abroad whilst meeting and training with some of the top names in skiing.

“My parents being well connected has given me a great head start in life as for many skiers, the classical background of working up from the grassroots doesn’t work.” Even though he has gained advantages by not going through the system, going solo does has its disadvantages too because he has had some trouble getting a licence from Snowsport GB.

This trouble comes even though he has just won a senior national title in the event of ski cross, a relatively new event where skiers race downhill simultaneously in an event that Hardy likens to BMX-ing.

“Ski cross has come out of nowhere and is now a Winter Olympic sport for 2010. It is a four man race down a slope where you travel at 45 mph and have to manoeuvre over jumps.”

The title Hardy won was indoors which he readily admits is not the top draw in skiing. “It is like being the best Futsal player in the country. There is a different skill base to 11 a side football, just like there are different skills from outdoor to indoor skiing, with outdoor skiing being the more recognised nationally.”

Hardy is not that far from breaking into the big-time as he recently marginally lost an indoor race to a top 50 world ranked outdoor skier.

Hardy a care in the world

All this success has not come without a personal cost, both financially and socially. To compete on the tour this year Hardy will need to miss some university time, obviously not helping in his quest to get a 2.1. Hardy is also having to refrain from the delights of Tru and Ziggy's more this year, in order to help his fitness and give him more time to study and train.

“I’ve had a good couple of years of going out so it’s not too bad having to stay in” stated Hardy with an expression somewhat longing for the Gallery's basement dancefloor.

A change in diet has also been required to attempt to make the next step up the skiing ladder with Hardy having six meals a day and going to the gym five days a week. “I have to get the balance right between eating and exercising which isn’t always easy. I am supposed to eat brown bread and brown pasta so it can get a bit annoying for my housemates as they have to buy that. Another thing I eat a lot of is porridge and to tell you the truth, I’m getting pretty sick of it.”

To tell you the truth, I'm getting pretty sick of it (porridge).
Hardy is brutally honest about the daily rigours of the Europa tour.

Hardy has also taken a big financial knock to get YUsnow to where it currently stands. The club now, after much hard work is “self-sufficient” as they would still be a top club if Hardy was to drop out. With this platform, Hardy wants to make YUsnow the club the university are most proud of and wants future skiers who are also good at other sports to pick skiing over say football or hockey.

So the future is bright for YUsnow and with Hardy hoping to be in the England team by the end of the year it looks like the success of YUsnow and Hardy is set to snowball to even bigger things. You never know, soon he might even be swapping Gallery's basement for the ultra-exclusive VIP room...

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