Skier Marta Bassino excited for World Cup Giant Slalom opener in Austria

Marta Bassino will be looking to add to her five podium finishes in her career so far

Battling the ice and meeting penguins has meant a summer of mixed emotions for Marta Bassino.

It's been a tough few months away from home for the Italian but the 23-year-old Sky Sports Scholar is in prime condition for a new World Cup season on the slopes.

First up is the Giant Slalom in Austria so how is Marta feeling and what has she been up to?

"Every year I grow, I mature, I acquire awareness in myself and in my abilities and my objectives are clear - I want to be one of the best in my discipline.

It is not presumption but awareness that I have everything ready to reach my goals and I am ready!

It's been a busy summer though. I spent a month preparing for the season in Ushuaia, Argentina. It was a huge month of skiing practically every day and I worked really hard on consistency and technique.

It was winter - almost spring - where the snow conditions were perfect for our training. Some days were icy, other times the slopes were really soft.

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Marta reveals how being a Sky Scholar has improved her performances as a skier and in front of camera!

But we have to be ready for every condition because skiing is always an open-air sport and unfortunately we don't control the weather!

We worked so hard but my team is great and we had so much fun!

Usually we had a daily routine but some nights, especially when we had a day off, we went out for dinner in our favourite restaurant in Ushuaia.

As Italians we are used to eating good food, but there, I have to admit, the Argentines are doing really amazing things with their food - not to mention their red wine!

On one day we changed our routine at the end of a hard day's ski and my teammates and I went to see some penguins. They were so cute and funny!

I feel in really good shape and I am happy about my work and how I have improved over the summer.

After coming home at the end of September, I had a few weeks regenerating at home and now it's the new season!

It was hard being away from home for so long and I am such a fan of the warm weather.

Now it's time again to leave my family, my boyfriend, my whole life at home and immersing myself into winter wonderland and work, work, work!