Two-time Olympian Jamie Nicholls has spoken in support of the Halifax dry ski slope, where he trained as a youngster. British team members at Beijing 2022, Katie Ormerod and Katie Summerhayes, also trained at the facility.
Speaking about funding for local snowsports facilities that are supported by funding from the National Lottery, Nicholls said,
"They're very important, and they are all dotted around the country. You only need to go on Google and search 'my nearest slope to snowboard' and I'm sure there's one not too far away, whether that's an indoor place or a dry slope." Snowsports have really kicked off in the UK. For a place without snow it's amazing and we've got such a good group of athletes at the Olympics currently. I'd love to see that keep going. I want to be on the sofa when I'm retired and old, still looking back and thinking what we started is still going, and I'll still be able to watch future Olympians who have started on dry slopes and indoor snow domes. That would be amazing."
Team GB and ParalympicsGB winter athletes come from a wide range of backgrounds, starting their journey at local National Lottery-funded facilities across the UK, just like the one in Halifax. James 'Woodsy' Woods also started his career in nearby Sheffield.
"I don't think we all focused on going to the Olympics. We were riding and enjoying it and it was a passion for all of us. The Olympics came about and it naturally fell into place that we'd all give it a try and try and go there - and we've all been. These facilities are open - you can go and ride there whenever you want. The beauty of Halifax, for example, is that there is always a permanent jump there. That's why I got so good, because I just rode every single night seven nights a week, for pretty much my whole childhood."