Billy Morgan admits the snowboard slopestyle course he’s just ridden at the X Games suits him better than the one at next month’s Olympics but he has no problems adjusting.
The 24-year-old narrowly missed out on qualifying out of the elimination round and into the final at the invite-only Winter X Games in Aspen last week.
His best elimination run of 71.66 put him ninth with Aleksander Oestreng claiming the eighth and final qualifying place for the final after scoring 84.00.
And so Morgan now heads to the Winter Olympics in Sochi, where unlike the X Games which has long included slopestyle, the discipline makes it maiden appearance.
The course at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park has been revealed in the build up to the Games although it’s not necessarily to the Brits liking.
But Morgan, who has overcome a serious knee injury to earn selection for the British team, isn’t getting caught up in that but more with what is turning out to be a dream month of events.
“The X Games were really fun. It was my first time there and the X Games are this big thing and so it was a really good experience going,” said Morgan, fourth at last season’s World Championships.
“At the X Games the standard is insane but I was quite happy with my runs. Two weeks after I blew my knee I got the invite and I was devastated that I wasn’t going to be able to do it.
“But rehab went well and I had a good positive ride afterwards. When I was growing up, I didn’t know about the Olympics, for snowboarders the pinnacle was the X Games and the Dew Tour.
“The Olympics are around the corner now and I have had a brief look at the course, it has three jumps which doesn’t work in my favour because the X Games course was four jumps.
“But hopefully I can put it down good enough run at the Games. It will be difficult but I am going there competing against myself and looking to land on my feet.”
© Sportsbeat 2014