The 20-year-old put in his best performance yet by finishing 15th in the half pipe World Cup event in Cardrona, New Zealand earlier this month.

During the qualification rounds Ben produced his highest scoring run to date of 38.9 out of a possible 50 by landing a perfect front side 900 on his first run and beating that in his second run with a flawlessly executed front side 1080.

This made Ben the first British rider to ever land a 1080 degree spin in a World Cup competition.

In the finals Ben took 15th position which means he has completed the first of the qualifying criteria for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

He must remain in the top thirty during the remaining World Cup events to qualify for the Olympics in Vancouver.

Ben said: "I was really happy to get a personal best in New Zealand. It gives me a real boost of confidence for the start of the season. I just need to keep finishing in good positions if I want to make it to Vancouver in two years time."

The next World Cup meeting takes place in Switzerland on October 30.

A fundraiser is being held to help the young snowboarder raise the money needed to allow him to pursue his dream of competing at the Winter Olympics. Over two hundred people are expected to attend a Hollywood themed event at the Milton of Crathes Marquee on November 15.

The former Banchory Academy pupil said: "The Highland Institute have been really supportive by paying for my coaching and physio. However I have to raise a lot of the money for flights and accommodation myself."

The money raised will hopefully be enough to finance Ben's participation in the remaining World Cup events that determine qualification for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Ben added: "I just missed out on qualifying for the last Olympics in 2006 so I'm really hoping I can make it this time."