WILTSHIRE student Lloyd Wallace has made a successful start to his 2015 freestyle aerials season.

The 19 year old, from Semley, south of Warminster on the Dorset border, claimed an eighth place at the Europa Cup in Finland and 16th and a 17th place in at the first two World Cup events in Beijing, just prior to Christmas Wallace has been training new manoeuvres all summer into water in Canada and Switzerland.

In China, he jumped triple somersaults for the first time, putting him in league with the top aerialists in the world.

“It is pretty scary the first time as the jumps are 14 feet high and you have to ski in so fast” said Wallace.

“But I think I prefer triple somersaults now as there is more time in the air to make corrections and land.”

Wallace performed a lay-tuck-full, a triple somersault with a full twist in the last flip, breaking his personal best with a score of 90.3 points.

The Beijing event was held inside the Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium, built on a huge scaffolding hill, with snow brought in by lorry.

Wallace was the top European finisher and will head out to Austria for the World Championships in Kreischberg on January 2015 14, returning immediately to the University of Bath for exams.

The self-funded athlete is looking for sponsorship to help with the cost of travelling this season and in the build-up to the next Olympics in 2018. Contact robin.wallace@gbaerialski.org.uk.