This month, GB junior coach Ben Kinnear has been appointed to the role of Specialist Development Coach for freestyle snowboarding and skiing in Aberdeen. The position is the first of its kind in the UK, and it’s a promising indicator for the future of the sport.

Based in Aberdeen Snowsports Centre, Ben will be helping to further develop the existing pool of Scottish freestyle snowboarders and skiers who are already making an impact on the international stage, and it sounds like he can’t wait to get started:

 “I am so excited about the prospect of developing future World and Olympic medallists … The Grampian region, with its wealth of snow sports specific training areas – such as those found at Aberdeen Snowsports Centre, Glenshee, and the Lecht, plus its many other crosstraining facilities – makes it the perfect location to nurture blossoming talent.”

Ben will be working closely with Mark Ritchie from Sport Scotland, who played a key part in establishing the role. The job itself was made available thanks to funding by Sport Scotland, Aberdeen Snowsports Centre, and Aberdeen Snowsports Club; and with snowboarding and skiing success already demonstrated at this year’s British Freestyle Championships in Tignes, the Scotts definitely look worth the investment.

This year they took six medals as follows :-

Gold

Ben Kilner [snowboard] – x1 gold men’s ½ pipe

Finlay Bremner [snowboard] x2 golds – youth ½ pipe and slope style

Silver

Grant Donald – [ski] x1 silver men’s slopestyle

Abbie Dorwood – [snowboard] x1 silver girls’ slope Style

Bronze

Abbie Dorwood [snowboard] – x1 bronze girls’ ½ pipe

Finlay Jacobs [ski] – x1 bronze kids’ slope style

Other places

Finlay Jacobs [ski] – 6

Cam Smith [snowboard] – 7th Snowboard Kids’ slope style, 8th Boarder

Cross, 4th kids half pipe

Abbie Dorwood [snowboard] – snowboard cross 5th