Skiing: It's all uphill from here for Olympic slalom hopeful

By Terry Maddaford

What difference does a second and a half make?

Not much if you are running a marathon or riding in the Tour de France, but for Todd Haywood it is the difference between being ranked outside the top 500 skiers in the world and being in the top 100, and with it the chance of contesting the slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The 22-year-old Aucklander knows it will not be easy but he is prepared to gamble around $15,000 of hard-earned savings to give it his best shot.

He flew to Austria earlier this week to join the Dutch national side for some intensive racing and training in Altmark. Late next month he will go on to Canada to continue his bid to break into the big-time in both slalom and giant slalom.

He is the national champion in both disciplines but that alone will not get him to the starting gate at the Olympics.

Haywood, who has been on skis virtually from the time he could walk, has worked in kitchens, as a barman and on construction sites to fund his latest overseas foray.

"I have been going overseas to either Europe or Canada since I was 10."

He started his secondary schooling at Glendowie College, where he played a bit of soccer, but did his fifth, sixth and seventh-form years at Ohakune's Ruapehu College to be closer to the skifields.

"I did most of my early skiing at Turoa but more recently we have spent most time at Whakapapa."

Haywood has followed his sister Anika on to the international slopes. After making her mark as one of New Zealand's better skiers, she turned her back on the snow to do a masters degree in biochemistry at Massey University. She might, however, find time to join her brother in Canada.

His task sounds easy enough in theory.

Ski through 60-70 gates over a 400m course - which drops about 140m - in around 1m 10s, or at least in a time to get you among the world's best and write your ticket to the Olympics in Salt Lake City.

The reality is different, but Haywood is prepared to at least give it his best shot in a sport in which New Zealand has done reasonably well but where the recreational interest has not been mirrored in competition.