But it’s not just Willow’s balance on the board that’s capturing hearts around Hotham. According to her mother, it’s her vibrant, loving personality that sets this four-year-old girl apart. 

“Willow has a beautiful little personality - she just wows everyone in. She's already getting on the chairlift and saying ‘Hi’ and is never short for words. She spreads the love.”

And like all good winter athletes, she started early on snow. 

“We popped her on a little Burton Riglet board when she was 18 months old in the flat area at Hotham in 2015. In 2016, when she was two and a half, we took her up to the Big D magic carpet where we used to let her go down the slope and she’d stop at the mats.” Paige says.

“Last year she was getting around the hill a little bit more and then this year, she was really solid on her board.”

Solid is one way of putting it. Gutsy and talented might be another. Just this week, Willow cruised down Hotham’s black run trio – Canyon, Race Gully and Gun Barell. A  picture of understatement she simply says – “I liked going down them.” And with the kickers towering over her in the terrain park, "It's really fun and I like going down a rainbow.”

Willow’s sister, Winter, is nine and enjoys both skiing and riding and is somewhat a ‘jack of all trades’. She says while in the car with Willow that she “prefers snowboarding as well”. Willow on the other hand has never skied. Could that be her secret? Then there’s the matter of her balance. 

“She also skateboards. She started with her Dad at a really young age. It's where they develop great balance.” Paige says.  

Once a week on a Friday, you’ll find Willow at the skatepark on the Mornington Peninsula. She has a skateboarding coach called Craig Mitchell and skates with him for an hour and a half.

 It's really good for us to do that on the Friday and on the weekends that we don't travel to Hotham - it keeps her interest and her balance up.”

Willow’s preferences seem to change with the season. Now that we’re well into spring she says "I like skating better and I like the flips.” Yet when she wakes up during winter, all she can think about is "snowboarding and wanting to go the snow."

With the snow season coming to an end, Paige says Willow is reflective. “She’s little bit sad - there won't be anymore snowboarding until next year.” But not for long apparently. “She has a new foam surfboard – she'll get more into that this summer.”  

Whether it be snowboarding, skating and now surfing – keep an eye on Willow Latimer. She is one to watch. 

The fine weather and near perfect spring conditions continue this week at Mount Hotham – the last week of the season. After the record 2018 snow season, Hotham Alpine Resort still holds a 115cm snow depth with lifts continuing through to this Sunday October 7.