Just 13 months ago Norwich's Megan Jenkins was leaving the slopes and on her way to hospital after rupturing a knee ligament in a slalom race – now she is hoping to top the podium at the English Alpine Championships.

Jenkins, 18, snapped her anterior cruciate ligament while racing last January, but this month returns to championship action in Bormio, Italy.

The English Alpine Championships are a week of national-level racing and skiing camaraderie, featuring the best English skiers in the country, ranging from under-10s up to senior athletes.

And Jenkins – now a full-time skier after finishing her studies at the City of Norwich school last summer – has been on a long road of recovery to make the event.

'I started skiing back in October and did my first races in January. They didn't go too well but I'm hoping to have a couple more under my belt before Bormio,' said the Team Evolution skier.

'So hopefully by that point I'll be back skiing well.

'The rehab took about nine months before I was fully able to get back on skis properly, so it was a long process but I managed to get my school finished (A-Levels).

'I've always known that I wanted to go to university, so I guess the timing of it gave me time to focus on my schoolwork - and now I've got a place at University of Northumbria to study law.

'So regardless of how skiing goes I've always got a backup for what I want to do in the future.'

From February 11-17, 350 of the best English alpine skiers will descend on Bormio, Italy for the 21st English Alpine Championships, organised by national governing body Snowsport England.

The English Alpine Championships continue to feature the rising stars of Alpine skiing in England, previously acting as a platform for the likes of Chemmy Alcott and Dave Ryding.

And despite the severity of her injury, Jenkins is still targeting success in Bormio.

'I've done Bormio since I was a mini, so this must be my eighth or ninth year of doing it,' she added.

'I particularly like the speed races, because there aren't many speed races on the British calendar, so you have to go and find your own ones, especially when you are racing for FIS points.

'So the Super G and the Super Combined I'm particularly looking forward to this year.

'Unfortunately I was injured last year, but the year before I scored my best result there, in the G races, so I'll be aiming to match of beat those this year.

'I'm registered with Snow Sport Wales, so didn't win the English title, but I was the highest place Brit in the race - so to match or better that would be great.'

Follow the English Alpine Championships on the Snowsport England Facebook page and get live updates on Twitter @SnowsportEng. Full results will be available at www.snowsportengland.org.uk while you can find your nearest slope offering value-for-money GO SKI GO BOARD sessions at www.goskigoboard.org.uk