Summer at a glacier
Every year since she was a child, Lara has spent the summer at Les Deux Alpes, skiing on the glacier. "Skiing a lot, even during the summer, has always been a habit of mine," Lara reveals.
The group of boys and girls who join the Ski Club make training enjoyable, as well as worthwhile. Summer after summer, Lara trains with young athletes who come from far away; from China, the United States and Canada: an international group of friends who have now grown up together.
During the long weeks of summer skiing, Lara has great support and affection from her family: "My whole family moves here. We always rent the same house for ten years."
Lara's mother, the Olympic champion in Salt Lake City 2002 in Super G, Daniela Ceccarelli, leads the family and Golden Team Ceccarelli Ski Club "relocation" to Les Deux Alpes. Daniela supports Lara, not only on skis, but also in training at the gym.
At Les Deux Alpes there are her father Alessandro Colturi, a ski instructor and coach, her 11-year-old brother Yuri, her grandparents, her uncle and her aunt, who is a physiotherapist, with her cousin. Not to be left out are the family dog and cat, who also make the trip and complete the family
The World Junior Super G champion spent her preparatory time in the French mountains in 2023 as well, but it was, for Lara a very different year than usual: "I didn't ski this year, I was still recovering from my injury I sustained in February. It is very hard for an athlete not to be able to practice her sport," she confesses.
This summer at “base camp” was different for Lara. No cable car ascents or sessions between the Slalom gates, but rather training on the home bike, strength training and physical therapy. Between training sessions, she finds time for walks with Bailey, her faithful four-legged companion, running in nature, and games with friends. She also enjoys helping her grandmother in the kitchen
This positive attitude will very likely be an asset coming into this new competition season as she looks forward to getting back on snow.