Fresh off his victory at the Nor-Am Cup in California and his ninth place finish at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado, 23-year-old Jamaican skier Errol Kerr is confident that he will do well in the ongoing XXI Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

“The momentum that we have going now is something that is so positive for me that it makes me ski better than I could without it. Moving into the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I am super excited,” said Kerr in a recent media interview.

He concluded his intense training regime at Alpine Meadows ski resort in California on February 10, before making his way to Vancouver for the flag-raising and opening ceremonies on February 11 and 12 respectively. Kerr was scheduled to return to Alpine Meadows yesterday to continue training until February 18, after which he will return to Vancouver to prepare for his ski cross event on February 21 at Cypress Mountain.

“I feel like we came through a battle zone and now we’re ready for anything…right now is the point when we’re skiing the fastest. I know that I have the speed to ski with anybody on any given day…the course up there suits my style…I don’t see any reason why we can’t reach for the top,” said an optimistic Kerr, who is dual citizen of the United States and Jamaica.

Richard Salm, president of the Jamaica Ski Federation, also expressed confidence about Kerr’s chances to become the country’s first Winter Games medal winner.

“He’s currently ranked in the top 32 in the world in ski cross and he usually qualifies in the top half of the draw. I strongly believe that Errol is a medal contender. The vast majority of skiers are seven or eight years older than he is, so he has a very bright future ahead of him,” said Salm.

Salm noted that in order for Kerr to get to the next level and realise his full potential, greater financial support would be needed. While the Jamaica ski team was able to secure enough funds for Kerr’s preparation and participation in the Winter Olympics, more funds are still required to cover outstanding expenses and facilitate Kerr’s training and active participation in competitions.

“To be able to concentrate on what he needs to do, a comfortable training budget is US$15,000 a month. We might be able to get away less outside of the season, but it is extremely difficult to make progress without the funds,” said Salm.