Diana Tomkinson

Diana Helena Tomkinson, later Lady Lewthwaite, was a British Alpine skier who competed during the 1960s. Born in London in 1943, her mother Helen Blane represented Great Britain as a skier at the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Winter Olympics. From a young age Tomkinson excelled in skiing, going on to represent the British team when she was just 17-years-old.

After an impressive start to her skiing career, Tomkinson had earned herself a reserve place on the British team for the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics. Two years later she competed at the 1966 Alpine World Ski Championships in Chile. In 1967 she competed in multiple events in the inaugural edition of the Alpine Ski World Cup, becoming one of the best British skiers at the time. Tomkinson was selected to compete at the 1968 Grenoble Olympics. She had to miss the downhill race, however, after breaking her arm in a training run. Despite her injury and her arm in a cast, she went on to compete in the slalom, where she finished in 23rd place.

In 1969 Tomkinson married David Lewthwaite who later became Sir David Lewthwaite, 5th Baronet. Her husband had previously started a ski chalet holiday business, which she also helped to run. In 1975 she became the President of the Ladies’ Ski Club, a role that her mother and grandmother had both previously held. Tomkinson later ventured into the world of equestrianism, becoming the owner of horses that competed in three-day eventing. One of her horses, Supreme Rock, was ridden by Pippa Funnell at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where Great Britain won the silver medal in the team event.