Point Piper alpine skier Lavinia Chrystal hopes secondment to Canada will improve ranking as she sets her sights on top 30

IT’S not exactly a sea change for the well travelled Lavinia Chrystal, but the Sochi winter Olympian is hoping a move to a Canadian university will help her perform winter wonders at next year’s world titles.

Sochi Olympian Lavinia Chrystal is headed to Canada for exchange progam and recently won the national titles. Picture: Craig Wilson

IT’S not exactly a sea change for the well travelled Lavinia Chrystal, but the Sochi winter Olympian is hoping a transfer to a Canadian university will help her perform winter wonders at next year’s world titles.

The alpine skier who calls Point Piper home when she isn’t taking on the world’s best in winter sports recently returned from the Ski and Snowboard National Championships in Thredbo collecting national titles for the giant slalom and slalom.

The wins gave Ms Chrystal her seventh career national title on the back of her impressive outing in Sochi which saw her place 39th in Giant Slalom and 32nd in Slalom out of 88 competitors.

Lavinia Chrystal has returned from national titles successful. Picture: Craig Wilson.

Lavinia Chrystal of Australia at the 2011 Ski World Championships on the Kandahar. Picture: Getty Images.

The 25-year-old Sydney Uni student will undertake an exchange program as part of her economics and social science degree at the University of Western Ontario near, London, Canada.

She is aiming for a top 30 finish at next February’s World Titles in Colorado.

WINTER GAMES IN PICTURES

“I have been trying to work out a contact there where I can train with one of their teams, maybe ice hockey or one of their programs to help me with their strength and conditioning coach,” she said.

“Obviously Canada is a huge skiing country so I’m sure I’ll love being there.

Lavinia Chrystal is a champion skier.

“I have worked so hard since I’ve been back form the Olympics. I had about three weeks off and then got back into the gym at Sydney Uni.

“I am the fittest I have ever been at the moment.”

And she is looking to keep the momentum going after a horror injury run in the lead up to Sochi.

“I will definitely be better. Ill have more time on snow. But I think the main thing is I am mentally stronger as well,” she said.

“I think a lot of people struggle if they’ve had injuries in the past it is always in the back of your mind if it could happen again. I have been working a lot with sports psychologists who get rid of those thoughts and I don’t think about it anymore.”