Xavier Poynton, a top young ski-racer, and runner, tells of his incredible recovery from injury, and his quest to raise funds and make people aware of mental health issues.

*Xavier Poynton (*above right) with his father Neil at Conwy parkrun.

Xavier Poynton, a top young ski-racer, and runner, tells of his incredible recovery from injury, and his quest to raise funds and make people aware of mental health issues.

 Special report by Don Hale.  Top photo by John Hatton.

https://donhaleblog.blogspot.com

 A young athlete and keen musician from Colwyn Heights in North Wales, who has suffered two devastating injuries on his ambitious journey to become an Olympic ski-racer is now using his own incredible fitness recovery plan to help raise funds for a very worthy and supportive cause.

Twelve-year old Xavier Poynton, a pupil at Ysgol Eirias, in Colwyn Bay, is a highly promising ski-racer with the Ambition Race Team and the British Children’s Team. On two separate occasions, he has suffered debilitating injuries on his quest to reach the top of his chosen sport and has since bravely fought back to become the British Alpine U12 SL Champion.

Xavier is currently fundraising for the Ellie Soutter Foundation, which is run by Giving for Sport, and helps young winter sport athletes who are on an Olympic pathway. This organisation is named after the talented eighteen-year-old Ellie Souter, a British Snowboarder champion, who won a bronze medal at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in the Snowboard Cross event in 2017.

Ellie was the only medal winner at that event, and she was also the team’s flagbearer at the closing ceremony. She was later shortlisted for the Ski Club of Great Britain ‘Evie Pinching’ award – an annual award for young snow-sports athletes.

*Snowboarder Ellie Soutter (*pictured above) won a bronze medal in 2017 at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival.

Tragically took her own life.

 

Sadly however, on 25th July, the following year, and on her eighteenth birthday, Ellie took her own life whilst staying in France. She had been selected to represent GB at the Junior Snowboarding Championships in New Zealand for the following year. 

A few days after this tragedy, her father, Tony, said he thought her history of mental health issues, combined with the pressures of high-level performance expectations, had contributed towards her death. He then called on sports authorities to provide better support to young athletes.

The Soutter family later created a special fundraising and foundation platform in memory of Ellie to help support future, and young winter sports athletes to achieve their aims.

*The late Ellie Soutter (*above) - photo supplied by her family.

 

Xavier now explains how his own mental recovery from serious injury was a very hard challenge, and admits that he too has sometimes struggled, especially with lockdown, and the fact that he was unable to see his friends, which he admits, made things even harder.

His very honest, dramatic, and personal story is one of true grit, and shows a genuine determination to succeed against the odds, and to try to help others. He even admits: “I didn’t really want to come out of my bedroom and didn’t really want to go out, but with lots of encouragement from my family, I improved, and got back on my skis by August. I struggled mentally, worrying what people were thinking of me, doubting my ability, and finding myself very anxious.”

*Xavier (*above and on lower page) in action on the slopes in Austria.

 

High-speed accident.

 

Xavier’s unfortunate problems began in February 2020, when at the age of just nine, and whilst training in Austria for the English Alpine Championships, he was hit by a snowboarder at high-speed and fractured his femur.

He confirmed: “I was airlifted off the mountain and had surgery to put a metal rod in my leg. I was lucky though to have some amazing care and worked with physiotherapists Harris and Ross.”

He says this was when his mental recovery proved difficult, and added: “Unfortunately, 2020 had not finished with me yet, and whilst training in Austria again, I had a freak fall and broke both my fibula and tibia. Again, surgery was needed. I couldn’t believe it! It seemed so unfair. I was so unhappy and frustrated, and for a while I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to ski again.

“My medical and rehab team assembled again for my UK treatment and made sure my body healed well. Recovery was very hard this time. I felt like I’d done it all before, and that it was all for nothing! But I didn’t give up and worked harder than ever.

“I decided that I wanted to use my injury for good, and that I would use the last month of my rehabilitation to set myself a challenge that would help others, so I committed myself to running 100k in May 2021 for the Ellie Soutter Foundation, and I actually completed 120k, and was joined along the way by lots of supporters including my boot fitters at Rivington Alpine, my coaches, teammates, and friends, and we raised £3,500.

“The strange thing is, that whilst doing this challenge for others, I found that running has been amazing for my own mental health, and I don’t suffer from the negative thoughts that I had before. I came back to the slope stronger that when I left, and I became the British Alpine U12 champion.

“Running means my mind is clear and focused, and I feel happier and freer. It’s only doing this challenge that I’ve come to realise and feel the benefits of running on my mental health, and for this I thank Ellie!

“I really want to encourage raising awareness of mental health in young people and to also encourage them to start running or exercise. It’s been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, so whenever I start to feel those thoughts and feelings, I get my trainers on and chase them away.”

Appeal launched at Conwy parkrun.

*This month (May 2023) Xavier has repeated his challenge to run 150k for the Ellie Soutter Foundation and says that instead of just raising money, he will also be helping to raise awareness of mental health issues and believes exercise can help.

He has set a provisional target of just £1,000 and intends to run 5k every day in May, and last Saturday, the piano playing athlete, attended Conwy parkrun along with his father Neil to announce details of this extraordinary challenge, and his latest fundraising appeal.

After the 5k event, in which they both took part, Xavier’s father Neil said: “Many thanks for having us along this morning, we chose a great morning to run! A big thanks to you all for being so friendly and making us so welcome.”

 

Xavier’s tribute to coach, supporters, and school.

 

Xavier paid tribute to his coach Joe Constantine and said: “He’s seen me through some of my worst of times and given me some of my best of times. If your coach is as awesome as mine, make sure they know how much you appreciate everything they do!”

*Xavier Poynton with his coach (*above) and the Ambition Race team logo.

He additionally praised the support and encouragement of his piano teacher and highly respected Welsh International veteran athlete Cheryl Frost from North Wales Road Runners, and he has recently managed a few 5k training runs with her.

Xavier said: "Day 7 started with a piano lesson, another great thing that helps me clear my mind, followed by a 5K with my awesome piano teacher and marathon runner Cheryl Frost."

Cheryl responded: “Xav showed huge potential when he was very young, and I’m not surprised how he’s developed, however, I’m also lucky enough to teach him the piano, and he’s very good at that too, all through his training. 

“He practiced whilst he’s away and he achieved a distinction in his exam, he never moans, and just gets on with it, even when he’s tired. He’s a fabulous individual, kind, and always thinks of others.”

*Piano teacher and Welsh International veteran athlete Cheryl Frost (*above) with Xavier Poynton pictured about to go for a 5k training run.

 

This week, Xavier said he has also had some unexpected but generous help from his friends and teaching staff. And on Monday he confirmed: “I get by with a little help from my friends! I’m lucky that my school @ysgoleirias is so supportive of my skiing, and working with my teachers at @ambitionracing, to make sure that education remains high whilst in the mountains. 

“But, also, the @eiriaspe department and my side of Year 7 all showed up today and ran 5K with me! Thank you so much! 75K done, 75K left in my 150K in May for @esfoundation! Half-way there, folks! 

*Xavier (*above) at the front of the group with his friends, fellow pupils and teaching staff at Ysgol Eirias.

Support for awesome charity.

 

Xavier added: “Everyone has mental health, whether good or bad. Issues with mental health can affect anyone, male or female, young or old, and from any culture. It’s important to normalise talking about mental health from a young age and to understand what we can do to look after it.

“So, this May, I want to challenge everyone to go out for a run if they feel down, and to take a friend if you think they need it, and if you’re struggling to speak up, to tell someone. 

“I will be running with people like I did last time, and will still be doing a JustGiving page, and aiming to raise even more money for this awesome charity, and to start raising mental health awareness, but remember, it’s OK not to be OK, but let’s do something about it! So why not join me or do your own run for Ellie this month!”

 

*This is the link to Xavier’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/xavier-poynton

https://theelliesoutter.foundation

Facebook: Xavier Poynton Ski Racer

Instagram: @xavierpoyntonski