In 2014 Jenny Jones showed that you could learn at a dry ski slope and become the first Briton to go to the Olympics at Sochi and come back with a bronze medal in slopestyle.

Last weekend, Dave Ryding became the first Briton to win an alpine skiing World Cup gold medal when he won the slalom at Kitzbuhel.

This Friday (February 4) will see Ryding and the rest of the GB Snowsports team at the Beijing National Stadium for the opening ceremony of the 2022 Olympics.

But what links both Jones and Ryding? They both started at their local dry slopes.

Jones began at the age of 17, at what is now Mendip Activity Centre in North Somerset, while Ryding first took up the sport at the age of eight in Pendle, Lancashire.

As for the Mendip centre it has held a long reputation of teaching people to ski and snowboard, but what is not well known is that it also hosts race training events, and it was exactly this type of activity that launched Ryding to world-class success.

Every Thursday evening, between six and nine, race training takes place at Mendip.

The younger skiers train first for 90 minutes, followed by the adults who then use the slope for their session.

The objective of the training is to learn ski skills, be controlled and most of all have some fun. Clattering through the slalom gates sounds impressive, but it is certainly not essential.

For the next generation, though, seeing that success can be achieved through Jones means anything can be possible.

“People Like Jenny Jones are an inspiration to all young snow sports enthusiasts, as it shows what can have achieved by starting at a plastic slope," said John Hancock, who regularly trains with Thurski.

"Clubs like Thurski are a great way to get involved in training, and who knows where it will lead.”

If you fancy finding out a little of what it is like to face the slalom gates yourself, head to the Thurski training at Churchill every Thursday, where you will be given the chance to look down at the alternating red and blue gates before launching yourself down the slope.

And who knows what the future will hold but one thing is for certain starting on a dry slope can certainly take you to the top.