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STUDENT NEWS
Olympic skier to RVC student Andi Naude
Skiing has played an integral role in my life. It has shaped who I am as a person, and for that, I am forever grateful.
I began skiing at the age of four at my local ski-hill in British Columbia, Canada. Every weekend my family and I would
be out in the mountains enjoying the beautiful surroundings and fresh air.
It was not long until I discovered my passion for freestyle mogul skiing.
I joined my local ski-club, and never looked back. I began to compete all across North America, working my way up the ladder, with my sights set on qualifying for the Canadian National Team, and one day, the Canadian Olympic Team.
I was one step closer to realising my dream in the spring of 2012, when
I was called up to join the National Team and represent Canada on the World
Cup circuit. Travelling and competing for Canada for six years was nothing short of incredible. I was able to pursue my dream, learn valuable life lessons and discover the many different countries and cultures of the world.
In 2014, just weeks before the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, I was told I had missed qualifying for the Olympic Team by one spot. I was absolutely shattered. This heartbreak, however, was probably one of the greatest things to ever happen. I learned that I could overcome any disappointment and come out stronger.
I put my head down and worked harder than ever for the next four years to ensure that I qualified for the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The sport of mogul skiing is quite complex; it is a judged sport, and one run only lasts 28 seconds. There is simply no room for error. Unfortunately, during my third and final run at the Olympic Games, I fell. I was the last skier in the entire competition to run, as I was sitting in first place with the highest score of the day.
I was the only skier who could possibly upset the already determined podium.
Initially, my world came crumbling down. I could not believe that I had let Olympic gold slip through my fingers, it had happened so quickly. But I had to remind myself that I did my absolute best. I poured my heart and soul into everything
I did leading up to this moment. At
the end of the day, it was all about
the journey, and not about the result. Realising this, I suddenly came to peace with it all. I would not let the lack of an Olympic medal define me.
A few days after my Olympic event,
I received my acceptance letter from the RVC. I was beyond excited and humbled for the opportunity to study at the best veterinary school in the world. I am now into my second year of the course and I am loving every moment. I feel incredibly fortunate for this new challenge, and to have another incredible dream to pursue.
The Buttery and Haxby – working towards a plastic-free cup
Harry Peters, Hawkshead’s Buttery Manager, tells us how the bars are working towards reducing their environmental impact.
The Buttery, in partnership with SU Environment, is very proud to announce our new biodegradable and compostable ‘plastic’ cups! These new cups are made out of renewable corn starch and fully recyclable. We will move onto using them 100% of the time (that we’re not using glass) as soon as possible – we still have a few plastic cups left.
The Haxby in Camden is also working towards the same goal and will using
the new recyclable cups as soon as their current stock has run out.
Plastic-free cups are for alumni too!
At this year’s Graduation, the Alumni Relations team were giving away travel cups at our RVC4Life stand. These cups are made from rice rusk and natural resin (and no added chemicals) – they will last for years if used correctly, but
in conditions of full exposure to nature are totally biodegradable – fertilising the soil when buried and becoming part of nature again. So they are reusable and biodegradable!
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Photo: Kevin Light