There are two heavens in Chemmy Alcott's world - one is by the sea, the other is in the mountains.

That's why swapping a stroll along Hove promenade for the altitude of Salt Lake City's peaks for her Winter Olympic debut over the next few weeks will be no hardship for the 19-year-old British champion.

"I love the sea and the community spirit there is in Hove but I am equally at home skiing down a mountain.

"I'm looking forward to a fantastic learning experience. It's happy anticipation rather than nervousness.

"I've got no pressure to perform to high expectations. I know it is a 'suck it and see' experience. My main aim is the Olympics in 2006. So the more I learn in Salt Lake City the better."

She has set her targets for Salt Lake City as she goes for the Combined, Downhill, Super G, Slalom and Grand Slam Chemmy, shortened from Chimene, said: "My best chance is in the Combination and I would be delighted with a top ten place. I have qualified for five events but looking at spots in the 20s at best in the remaining four."

Her form has encouraged the teenager, who has halved her world ranking in most of the disciplines in her first full-time year.

She said: "I won three titles at the British Championships recently at that has been good for my confidence."

But she confessed to a late scare.

"I had a lucky escape when I crashed recently and decided to call it a day in that competition. I leant back, my feet went up and I landed on my back. It was dramatic and I was was fortunate but that's a risk you take."

Alcott also told of another accident she had as a 12-year-old old. The fact it broke her neck gave cause to consider leading off this article with the revelation, but further detail was unforthcoming while she played down the 'glamourous Chemmy broke her neck' headlines angle.

She said: "Yes I broke my neck when I was young. I've broken bones in other places but it is something I don't want to emphasis. There are more dangerous sports and I prefer not to dwell on it."

Alcott has plenty to be positive about. Mere selection, for instance.

"I remember the last Olympics. I watched it on TV while I was studying for my GCSEs. I'm so proud to have made it."

But she can call on a previous Games experience.

"I was selected as British youth ambassador for the summer Olympics in Sydney in 2000. Only eight were chosen out of 500 and I saw the athletes and the Olympics village. I learned quite a bit."

Alcott's amount of modelling for bikini as well as sportswear has given her a high profile.

But she is thriving on it all.

"I love being the face of British skiing. I certainly don't mind all the attention and the modelling has given me extra money for my skiing. I'm planning a career in the media so it helps in that area too."

She is the child star who has maintained progress, finishing fifth in the World Junior Championships last season in her first full-time year in which she also cut her world senior ranking in half on several disciplines.

"I've been able to do that by not overdoing my skiing. I made sure I finished my education. It has helped me stay fresh."

Chemmy might be dismissed as skiing's Anna Kournikova, the tennis player praised for her sex appeal and slated for lack of sporting success, over the coming weeks with the Olympics followed by the World Junior Championships.

But we are dealing with one ambitious athlete who wants British skiing to be taken seriously. She is anxious to rid British skiing of its joke image epitomised by Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards in the Eighties.

"I suppose people have looked down on us and mocked is over the Eddie The Eagle thing. But the image has completely changed. Everything's more professional. We don't compete to come last."

The lady who who loves reading Harry Potter novels does not live in a world of make believe. Alcott races in the Downhill on Monday.