A BICESTER Army officer has been honing her military skills in the freezing environment of the snow-capped French Alps.

Major Karen Noonan, 31, of German-based 4th Regiment Royal Artillery was one of 320 soldiers to compete in Army skiing contest Exercise Pipedown, in the French Alpine town of Les Contamines de Montjoie, near Mont Blanc.

She competed in the Alpine (downhill) races finishing 91st out of racers, after only learning to ski just two years ago as part of an Army skiing course.

Karen, who was promoted to major a month ago, completed a seven-month tour of Afghanistan in October, where she was the adjutant in the Royal Artillery. She has also served in Iraq, Belize and Kenya since commissioning in 2002. She said: “For those of us who have just returned from Afghanistan, coming here is a good break – showing the real upside of being in the Army.”

Exercise Pipedown is part of the British Army’s program of adventurous training and offers the opportunity for novices and experts alike to ski under international competition rules.

Triathlon and cycling enthusiast Karen, whose parents John and Heather still live in Bicester, added: “I started skiing two years ago with the Army. I took part in an adventure training exercise and the experience whetted my appetite for skiing. I enjoy the rush and the adrenaline, as your technique improves you become more confident, and I actually did much better here than I thought I would.”