ALPINE SKIING: Australian alpine skiers are competing far and wide ahead of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia at destinations such as Yongpyong, Les Saisies and Hochfuegen.

Chasing vital FIS points and perfect Olympic form, Australian hopefuls have raced out of South Korea, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland over the past week.

Twenty-one year-old hopeful Emily Bamford is in the midst of eight races in nine days across Europe.

Bamford’s best results to date have been 13th in Slalom at the Citizen race in Turnau, Austria on Saturday and 59th in Slalom at the FIS Race in Hochfuegen, Austria on Thursday.

Compatriot Lavinia Chrystal also raced the Citizen Slalom in Turnau, finishing 14th in Slalom.

"Slalom is going really well at the moment," Chrystal said from Austria.

"I’ve had some solid training and racing in the past two months in the US and Europe. The focus will now shift towards Giant Slalom and Super G in the coming weeks, which I’m really looking forward to. I’m also hoping to make my World Cup debut in Slovenia on February 1 and 2, which will be invaluable experience heading straight into the Games."

Meanwhile Greta Small contested the Far East Cup in Yongpyong, South Korea- the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Alpine Skiing venue.

Small picked up the Giant Slalom silver medal and finished fifth in the first Slalom event.

“After a rough time on the first run I was sitting in eighth position, with an improved second run that pushed me up to second overall,” eighteen-year-old Small said.

In men’s Alpine Skiing, Ross Peraudo has been entrenched in France. At the Les Saisies FIS Race he posted a 31st place finish Giant Slalom. The next day he was in N.D. de Bellecombe for a FIS Slalom race where he was fifth.

Fellow Sochi hopeful Luke Laidlaw’s best result was third in the Giant Slalom in a University race in St Moritz, Switzerland.