SNOWBOARDER Chris Gregory from Whitchurch has been given up the ‘thumbs up’ by selectors of the Great Britain team to represent his country after a superb season Europa Cup.

A Royal Engineer Commando, Chris finished his last Europa cup competition in Lenk in Switzerland this weekend and he did enough to earn a place in the squad, which keeps him on schedule for his ambition of a Winter Olympics 2022 place in Beijing, China.

The 28 year-old races in the spectacular snowboard cross (SBX), where four or six riders race neck and neck down a track that consists of jumps, banks and bends.

His father Lance, who lives in Whitchurch, told Times Sport: ‘After the final race he had a meeting with the British coaching staff and he has been asked to represent GB again next season. The aim is that he will qualify for the 2020/21 World Cup and if he achieves that, he will be on course for selection for the Winter Olympics in 2022.’

Lance, along with Chris’s stepmother Helen, who is a sister at Tavistock Hospital, travelled to the Czech Republic to cheer him on last month while his dad, along with Chris’s sister Marie, also supported him when he competed in Georgia.

It has been a busy season for the talented snowboarder. Chris has competed for his country this season in the Europa Cups at Lenk, Switzerland; Sunny Valley, Russia; Gudauri, Georgia; Dolni Morava, Czech Republic; Grasgehren, Germany; Puy St Vincent, France and Pitzal, Austria.

He also took part in the Australian/New Zealand Continental Cup at Mount Hotham in Australia, where he finished 32 overall against stiff competition from current Olympians. Chris also had top ten results this year at FIS international races in Georgia and Czech Republic.

Chris is currently in Austria, coaching his Corps’ team in advance of the Army competitions.