Shrewsbury schoolboy Gabriel Adams, 12, in world snowboard finals
A schoolboy is flying high after becoming the only UK snowboarder to qualify for the World Rookie Finals.
Shrewsbury High Prep School pupil Gabriel Adams will be competing with a mix of rookies from more than 20 countries on the Ischgl slopestyle course in Austria for the most exclusive youth snowboard event in the world.
The year eight pupil has spent the spring term with the British Snowboard Cross Team at their training camp in Austria and is now due to take part in the World Rookie Finals where he will be competing against boys more than two years older than him from all over the world.
Gabriel's passion for snowboarding began when he and his family were living in Morzine, France, where he snowboarded in the adult park and went off was snowboarding in the adult park and going off huge jumps when he was just eight years old.
He was spotted by Team GB junior coach Steve Addicott and has been training with him for the past three years, spending the winter season in Pila, Italy.
Steve, who has always been impressed by Gabriel's abilities, said: "Gabriel shows true potential in freestyle snowboarding. He has the passion, motivation and the natural ability to excel at a high international level. With coaching and added riding experience he is advancing along the performance pathway towards Olympic qualification."
The 12-year-old won a clutch of medals at the British Ski and Snowboarding Championships in Tignes, Franc,e last year, taking gold in the Junior Men Snowboardcross, silver in Junior Men Slopestyle and gold in the Junior Men Halfpipe.
He is a pure Mountain rider and spends the summer enhancing his skills by doing gymnastics, trampolining, Parkour free running, trials bike riding and surfing.
Like many other boys of his age, he also loves rugby and cricket and he is on the Shrewsbury High Prep teams.
Paul Leeming, the school's director of sport said: "Selection for the British Snowboard Cross Team is an outstanding achievement and to reach the finals of a global competition, and as the only British competitor, is just reward for Gabriel's commitment and dedication to his sport. The school will be watching his progress very closely and we wish him the best of luck in the Finals.
"Gabriel is especially inspiring for those pupils who join us every year on our annual Prep Ski trip where snowboarding is becoming as popular as skiing. We look forward to seeing him back at School next term."
