SKI star Fiona Hughes is gearing up for one of the biggest challenges of her career.

The 20-year-old former Greenhead College student from Lindley will represent Great Britain at the World Ski Championships in Estonia next week.

An Olympian who represented Team GB in the 2010 Vancouver, she is fitting her training around studying engineering at CambridgeUniversity.

She said: “I’ve only been at university since October.

“Cambridge is a bit flat for a skier so I do miss Huddersfield. I’m managing to juggle the studying and the training quite well.

“At college most people know but some are a bit surprised when they find out about the Winter Olympics, they seem quite impressed.

“They know I do a lot of training and as they often see me in my gear.

“I’ve got involved in the cross country running club so that’s been good fun, I’m really enjoying it.”

The hard work starts now however, as Fiona prepares to compete against some of the top names in her sport.

She said: “It’s the under 23s competition and a lot of the best skiers in the world are in that category, especially among the women.

“It’s definitely a tough competition.”

Fiona will be competing in the classic sprint over 1.4km, the 10km time trial and the 15km pursuit.

Fiona found her vocation on a family ski holiday at the age of eight, becoming instantly hooked. She travelled to Scandinavia every year and took part in her first race at the age of 12.

The performance was picked up by the British Nordic Ski Development Squad and they took her on, but it’s been hard work ever since.

She trains 17 hours a week and relied on the support of her mum Madalyn, dad Geoffrey and sister Heather. She also put the time in with several part time jobs and was helped by the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme, Denby Dale Rotary Club and the Yorkshire and Humberside Sports Aid.

Fiona completed the 2008-09 season as the top-ranked female in the country.

Competitions have taken her to Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, France, the Czech Republic and Finland. In January 2009 she took part in her second World Junior Championships and finished 47th.

In a first for a British woman she was chosen to represent her country at the World Nordic Ski Championships.

She said: “I haven’t set out a particular aim because it’s my first time at the under 23 competition. I can’t wait to get started.”