Manchester’s Chill FactorE is launching a special initiative to encourage the snowboarding superstars of the future. For one day only next month, the north-western snow dome will be offering a free taster session to any kid between the ages of eight and 14. While that in itself is pretty cool (and will hopefully get a whole load more kids excited about our sport) Chill FactorE aren’t stopping there.

They’ve basically got plans for a sort of Britain’s Got Talent for snowsports – think the X-Factor but with low-slung pants instead of Simon Cowell’s nipple-high chinos.

The three groms who take to the sport the best will then be invited to come back for a further two days of free beginners tuition – and they’ll be given some kit to help them develop their talents. The peeps up at Chill FactorE reckon the overall prize, with kit and lessons, is worth a cool £1,000 – so its definitely not to be sniffed at!

The free taster session for snowboarders will take place on Tuesday August 17th from 10am to 6pm. And like the X-Factor, its pitched very much at the mainstream, so don’t expect a sick freestyle setup or anything – it’s all about getting beginners stoked on something they’ve never tried before.

Chill FactorE said: “The campaign has been designed to support the development of British snowsports talent and to encourage participation, particularly amongst children and young adults,” adding “both involvement and funding in snowsports has declined in the UK in recent years.”

They’re also secretly (or not so secretly) hoping that they might just find the next British superstar. Chill FactorE have been holding up local lad Jordy Gee as an example of the kind of raw talent they’re hoping to uncover.

Young Jordy only stepped on a snowboard for the first time a couple of years ago, but can now be seen tearing up the slope outside the Trafford Centre at every available opportunity. He made the final of the Grom Games earlier this year against much more experienced riders, and recently finished 5th out of 58 riders in a 3-Star TTR comp in Neuss Germany. And he’s still only 16!

Whether or not there’s another Jordy or Jamie Nicholls waiting to be found in the north-west, we reckon the initiative has to be a good thing. Spreading the word about the best sport in the world and getting kids stoked on it has to be cool right?