QUEENSBURY snowboarder Jamie Nicholls is well on the way to joining his cousin Katie Ormerod at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The 23-year-old, who came sixth in the men's slopestyle final at the 2014 Games in Sochi, was second in the World Cup event last weekend in Seiser Alm, Italy.

It was an even better, performance, however, as he wasn't even sure whether he would be fit enough to compete until just before the event started due to a knee injury.

However, the former Queensbury School pupil was given the go-ahead and scored 88.90 points to finish behind Seppe Smits of Belgium, with British team-mate Billy Morgan taking fourth.

He said: “I’m so happy! With the last two weeks being so up and down due to my knee injury, I am incredibly pleased to get on the podium, and take second place in the Olympic qualifier in Seiser Alm, Italy.”

Nicholls, who is now fourth in the World Cup standings, is the third British snowboarder to win a World Cup medal this season after previous successes for Morgan and Brighouse-based Ormerod.

Now based in Guildford, Surrey, Nicholls trains at The Snow Centre at Hemel Hempstead in the summer and competes all over the world in the winter.