SNOWBOARDING brothers Harry and George Waite both grabbed bronze medals at the second annual English Slopestyle Championships in Manchester last weekend.

Fourteen-year-old Harry got on the podium at Chill Factore in the under-16 freestyle event, the Queen Elizabeth’s School pupil only beaten by champion Billy Cockrell and second-placed Ciaran Tucker.

St Michael’s Middle School pupil George, 11, won bronze behind winner Tom Robinson and Leo Fordham in the under-14 freestyle category.

Harry said: “I was really pleased with my performance and bronze medal and also to be ranked in the top 12 of all age groups in the overall final.”

George added: “I was so pleased to win bronze as it was the highest turnout to date and the competition was really tough.”

The Wimborne-based duo practise at Snowtrax in Hurn every week and make the 220-mile round trip to Hemel Hempstead fortnightly to train at The Snow Centre.

The brothers, who are both sponsored and pushing for places in the Great Britain junior set-up, are due to compete in Germany inside the next fortnight on the European Chill and Destroy Freestyle Tour.

Snowsport England talent development officer Ian Findlay was delighted to see a high standard of snowboarding on show in Manchester.

He said: “It was great to see the English Slopestyle Championships go from strength to strength in only its second year.

“To have more than 100 athletes take part in the event was amazing and the standard of riding across all age groups is getting better and better.”