Ormerod second in Italy

Brighouse's Katie Ormerod demonstrated her Winter Olympics medal winning potential by taking silver at the first Big Air World Cup of the season.
Katie Ormerod poses for a portrait during Women's Snowboard Slopestyle at Winter X 2017 in Aspen, CO - USA,  January 25, 2017. // P-20170126-01242 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //Katie Ormerod poses for a portrait during Women's Snowboard Slopestyle at Winter X 2017 in Aspen, CO - USA,  January 25, 2017. // P-20170126-01242 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //
Katie Ormerod poses for a portrait during Women's Snowboard Slopestyle at Winter X 2017 in Aspen, CO - USA, January 25, 2017. // P-20170126-01242 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to www.redbullcontentpool.com for further information. //

The 20-year-old former Hipperholme Grammar School pupil had led going into the final round of the event in Milan, Italy but had to settle for second place behind Anna Gasser of Austria.

However, Ormerod said she was “really pleased” with her silver towards the end of a year in which she fractured a vertebra in her back in the spring and had to miss the World Championships.

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The 23rd Winter Olympics take place in Pyeongchang County, South Korea from February 9 to 25 and Ormerod is one of Britain’s top medal hopes.

She started snowboarding at the Halifax dry slope when she was five years old and is a former county level gymnast.

Ormerod plans to take part in four big air and three World Cup slope style events in her countdown to Pyeongchang.

Great Britain has only ever won one Winter Olympic medal on the snow, through Jenny Jones in the slope style at Sochi 2014, but snowboarder Ormerod has high hopes of collecting two in February.

Her successes so far include a World Cup gold and bronze at the X Games,