Rising to the Summit: An Interview with Holly McKey

In a season full of remarkable performances, Holly McKey’s achievements have truly shone. Fresh from claiming both the Scottish and British Alpine Championship titles in 2025, Holly has cemented her place as one of the sport’s most exciting young talents. Even more remarkable, her victories came alongside her brother, who also won the British and Scottish Alpine Championships.

We caught up with Holly to talk about her incredible season, the sibling dynamic on the slopes, and what’s next as she looks ahead to new challenges and international ambitions.

1. Can you tell us how you first got into skiing?

We really started by going on family holidays once a year, doing ESF lessons and the fun race at the end of the week. 

2. Was skiing always something you imagined pursuing competitively, or did it grow naturally over time?

I never imagined I’d be racing nor was it something expected or wished on me. I started racing and race training once I completed all the ski lesson levels at Hillend and the next thing was joining the race club! I started doing local races and then moved onto doing national races and international races. 

3. Growing up, who or what inspired you most in the sport?

I always quite liked Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn but it was really cool to meet a lot of the Italian World Cup skiers on a training camp in Stelvio. 

4. What's it like competing as siblings - does it feel more like support, rivalry or a mix of both?

It’s actually really nice, we are super supportive of each other, I think it helps that we compete in separate categories though. It's helpful to have someone who knows what you are going through or talking about. However I do always love beating him and try to do it as often as possible!

5. Do you and Lewis train together often, and if so, how does that influence your performance?

We do train together, we aren’t with a snow club or academy as it was just too expensive for the both of us so we do our ski race season ourselves. We go to races, organise travel, training, accomodation, drive and then train by ourselves. It’s definitely a harder way of doing things but is cheaper and more flexible and when we train together, Lewis is a really good benchmark for me to see how I’m doing.

6. Winning both the Scottish and British Alpine Champs is a huge achievement - how did it feel when you realised you were the overall winner?

It was a pretty good feeling, always nice when your hard work pays off.

7. How do you handle the pressure of big races, especially when expectations are high?

I try to control what I can control and do what I can do and then try not worry too much about the rest. If I’ve done all the prep needed then whatever the result, at least I was prepared and organised beforehand. 

8. What do you think are the key mental qualities needed for success in alpine racing?

I would say you’ve got to be pretty determined and resilient. It's a tricky and quite brutal sport at times, one mistake and your day/race is over. No second chances, that can be quite hard but worth it when it goes right.

9. What are your ambitions for the next few years in ski racing?

I’d love to keep pushing my limits and potential. I still think I have more in me so I am willing to keep going until I’ve given it my all. I don’t know where I’ll end up but I’m willing to keep trying until I can turn around and say that’s the best I can do.

Holly would also want to thank her sponsors: " I could not be here without them and really appreciate the support they give me."

Thanks for talking to us Holly, and we look forward to seeing you race in the next season!