Why I... toboggan
"Going at 60mph with your face four inches from a sheet of ice concentrates the mind."
I first heard of the iconic Cresta Run toboggan track in the early 1980s.
I was serving as an officer in the RAF and the 1,325-yard run in St Moritz, Switzerland, had been a major part of the Inter-services Winter Sports Championships for years.
But the biggest obstacle was not the ice or snow – in fact, it was simply being a woman because we had been banned from using the track since the 1920s.
So, with a few like-minded ladies, I campaigned to be allowed to ride. In 1987 women were invited to ride on one day of the year at the end of the season, in what became the annual Ladies Day.
At first, we had to ride under our husbands’ names, then in 1990, the rules were amended so we could use our own names.
In 2009, I broke my shoulder at a notorious bend trying to break my record of 50.92 seconds. I was trying to convert from a traditional to a flat top toboggan and I think the latter was just too fast for me.
But it didn’t stop me. I’ve ridden most years since then and have about 60 rides under my belt – St Moritz has become like a second home. Each year has been different and many have felt like progress.
From the 2018/19 season, women were invited to ride on a number of additional allocated days along with the male riders.
Last year, I achieved the one ambition that really started this. I was allowed to compete in “The Silver Spoon”, which is the Inter-Services Race for those not in the Championship Race, and is open to veterans and non-team members. I rode against the men I served with in the RAF who originally introduced me to the Cresta Run. I came 10th out of 15th but I’m training for a better place this year.
Tobogganing is exhilarating – going at 60mph with your face four inches from a sheet of ice concentrates the mind.
Once a year I get to push myself and conquer my fears and show myself that I can do it, that psychology stays with you in the financial planning business. You need courage but you also need to be able listen to what your coach is telling you and then put it into practice.
Riding gear is any type of clothing that you don’t mind being torn – because the ice wall rips into clothing. You also need rugby boots with rakes attached to the fronts (you should have seen the look on the young salesman’s face when I asked for a pair of rugby boots – you could see him thinking “what, at your age?”.)
Hand and elbow guards are important and, of course, a helmet and goggles. The toboggan itself is the part of the equipment that a club will provide. Last year, I rode a friend’s old-but-lovely sliding seat toboggan. It was very responsive, the bow on the runners suited my body weight and frame and I felt in control.
The three ladies I ride with – two Swiss and one British – are my toboggan heroes. Last year, they progressed from “Junction”, a starting point about two-thirds of the way up, to “Top”, the ultimate starting point, which is a 1 in 2 gradient. The courage they had to train for it and then actually go down was inspiring, I feel quite tearful even when I think about them.