Elise Pellegrin to be the first Maltese woman to compete at Worlds for Alpine Ski and 2014 Olympics in Russia.

Pellegrin’s great grandfather was born in Malta and moved to France for work purposes. It was this connection that pushed her to seek Maltese citizenship.

In doing so, she was the perfect candidate to compete for Malta at the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Schladming, next month and at the 2014 Olympics in Russia. 

Pellegrin considers this a great honour and a huge opportunity of a lifetime to connect her Maltese and French roots.

Downhill skier Elise Pellegrin has been carving it up since the days of bunny hills at the young age of three. Pellegrin was born on 7 May, 1991, in Blois, in the region of Loir-et-Cher in France. 

When she was three years-old, she watched her brother ski in her hometown of Ventron, in Les Vosges, France. Watching him she was inspired to compete. At the local ski-hill Frere-Joseph she started competing and won her first competition at the age of eight years-old. This is what started the avalanche of passion that she has ridden to being the professional skier that she is today.

In 2011 she won the women’s downhill title “Champion des Vosges”. When she was 10 years-old she was interviewed on a radio station about the local ski hill. It was during that interview that she shared her Olympic dream for the first time.  Through her perseverance and family support this dream is about to come true! 

Pellegrin is currently studying a diploma in Business Management. Her future ambitions include coaching and teaching both French and Maltese children how to ski. She hopes to bring her passion for ski to Malta. 

Outside of her world of ski, Pellegrin enjoys cycling, roller skating, volleyball, shopping and, above all, spending time with friends and family.