Riley Sharpe: The next Great Britain Snowboard Superstar?

Sharpe has been Snowboard since the age of two – his ability soon became so evident that the family was advised to allow him to snowboard for an entire season, rather than a week of holiday a year.

“We were told that he had a gift and to give him a chance,” said James, so they made the decision to support him and transferred the family to France for the winter.

“He excelled faster than he expected. It is obsessed with it,” added James.

He competed on the eight -year -old Swiss tour and won every competition in the Under 11 category against other international snowboarders. This season, Sharpe has claimed the Under 12 title at the finals of the World Rookie Tour in Kaprun and is leading Rally Ziller Valley – also in Austria – with an event to go.

John Weatheryy, who trains him alongside Barry Parker, said: “You can say that he is special. He has a lot of style and it’s like a sponge when he is learning something new.”

To help his training, the family is building a railway park in their property in the French ski resort of Avoriaz and has divided the winter season between France and the United States, where the mother Jennifer was born.

“We were just random snowboarders,” said Jennifer. “Now we chase snow all over the world!”

In the summer months, the family returned to Nantwich in Cheshire and in the Sharpe trains at the Chill Farere factory in Manchester and Tamworth Snowdome.

Brookes and his family live 10 miles away and Mia Vicky’s mother recommended the sharples on the number of competitions that should participate in her age, as well as keeping the snowboard fun.

Sharpe and Brookes, 18 years old, got together several times. Jennifer said: “He is really good with him and understands why he was on the same trip.”

Although Sharpe is anxious to progress to the important competitions as soon as possible, he will have to wait until he is 15 for the events of the World Cup and 16 for the Winter Olympics, which would mean being suitable for the 2034 games.

There is no minimum age for X games, however, which is by invitation.

“Nothing scares me,” Sharpe said. “I can’t wait for next season. I want to continue pushing and showing what I can do.”