NORFOLK'S multiple British ski champion TJ Baldwin has been rewarded for a successful 2007/8 season with increased sponsorship from Wymondham company Sunfold Systems.

NORFOLK'S multiple British ski champion TJ Baldwin has been rewarded for a successful 2007/8 season with increased sponsorship from Wymondham company Sunfold Systems.

Eighteen-year-old TJ, from Tharston, won all six British U18 titles in April and is now ranked in the top 15 in the world for age 18 in both downhill and Super G.

He is a full time member of the British FIS Ski team based at the British Olympic training centre at Lofer in Austria where he trains alongside all of the current GB World Cup and Europa Cup racers.

His FIS world ranking points in both downhill and Super G mean that he should be racing in the Europa Cup series in both events for team GB next season. He will then be pushing hard for a place in the six-man GB team that will be going to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Mike Rawlings, managing director and owner of Sunfold, said: “I promised TJ that if he had a successful season with some good results we would reward him with extra backing. To win all the U18 British titles and be ranked in the top 15 in the world for his age is magnificent. We don't have too many British sportsmen who get that high in the world rankings in any sport, and to achieve it in skiing especially coming from Norfolk is truly amazing!”

“I have complete faith that he will get to the Winter Olympics, hopefully in 2010, but definitely in 2014.”

TJ added: “This will truly help me to achieve my goal of reaching the Winter Olympics and also ski at World Cup level.

“I am now working hard through the summer to improve my strength and fitness in preparation for the start of the season in November. My main aim for next season is to compete at the World Junior champs in February 2009 where I am hoping for a top 10 result. I would also like to end the season ranked in the top 10 in the world for my age.”

Between now and November TJ will be covering many miles on the road almost daily on his bike for his aerobic training. He will also spend four to five days a week in the gym doing his Olympic weight training and core strength exercises.

He will also be spending six weeks in the Swiss and Austrian Alps skiing on the glaciers with the rest of the GB team as well as undergoing various fitness tests at the Olympic Medical Institute in London.