Four British boarders from Team GB have been in competition in Sochi this morning as the 2014 Winter Olympics have got underway the day before the opening ceremony.
The four, two men, and two women, were competing in qualification events for the new Olympic discipline of Snowboard Slopestyle. In the process one of the make competitors, Billy Morgan, became the first person to compete at Sochi as well as in Olympic Snowboard Slopestyle, while in the women's competition a few hours later, Jenny Jones did the same thing and became the first woman to compete at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
The four boarders were competing in the event which American snowboarding superstar Shaun White dramatically pulled out of at the last minute yesterday, as we reported in our previous story, citing the course being potentially dangerous.
"The course is fine. There are always changes to be made but they sorted that out. The jumps are good and fast and fun. I was happy. I messed my first run up a bit but my second run was solid. I could clean it up a bit," said Billy Morgan who finished sixth in men's snowboard slopestyle qualifying heat one with a best score of 85.50 from his second run, advancing to the semi-finals.
Fellow Brit Jamie Nicholls finished fourth in men's snowboard slopestyle qualifying heat one with a best score of 86.75 from his second run, advancing straight to the final.
"I feel amazing. I can't explain it. I came here and all I wanted to do was land a run and landing a run and getting to the finals is a dream come true," said Jamie, "I am just going to go up there again in the final and try my best. I am just happy to have made it.
I went for it. The standard is crazy. To be able to go up there and do a run that I have never done in my life shows the standard is pretty high."
In the women's competition which started straight afterwards, Jenny Jones finished fifth in women's snowboard slopestyle qualifying heat one with a best score of 74.25 from her first run to advance to the semi-finals.
"I was really happy with the first run and then I was ready to step that up but unfortunately that wasn't the case. "I came off the cannon wrong [in the second run] and because I didn't land well I wouldn't have had enough speed to cut back over and get off the jump, so I just had to cut out," said Jenny.
Aimee Fuller finished tenth in women's snowboard slopestyle qualifying heat one with a best score of 44.50 from her first run to advance to the semi-finals.
"I am enjoying myself. I definitely didn't get down what I wanted to get down so I am a little disappointed there, but I see it as a good building block for Sunday's semi-finals. Riding in front of this big crowd is a completely new experience," said Aimee.