By Anna Thompson BBC Sport in Les Deux Alpes

Wakefield's combines his job as a snowboard instructor in Castleford with freestyle skiing

Teenager Mike Wakefield stormed to the British skiing half-pipe title at the Orange British Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Championships in France.

The 17-year-old competed despite pulling a groin muscle in the practice session and managed to land all his tricks in poor visibility.

He produced a number of difficult manoeuvres including a 90-degree rotation to the delight of the crowds in Les Deux Alpes.

Wakefield told the BBC Sport website: "I could barely walk after injuring myself in the practice but adrenalin kept me going and I was so pleased to make the tricks."

Wakefield from Hemsworth in west Yorkshire only took up skiing just more than a year ago.

He works as a snowboard instructor at Castleford's indoor ski slope and learns new tricks on a trampoline in his garden.

I'd be lying if I said the X-Games and the Winter Olympics weren't an ambition of mine Mike Wakefield

"Although I'm a snowboard instructor, I much prefer skiing when I am competing," he said.

It is the first time freestyle skiing has been incorporated in the British Championships, which began in 1987.

Wakefield said: "This is the biggest event I have taken part in and I'm delighted to have won the half-pipe.

"The Brits is a great event and everyone is so supportive of one another. There is no great rivalry, we all just enjoy ourselves."

Wakefield is a great testament to the ambition of AIM - the Artificial, Indoor and Mountain Series - to bring skiers and riders from grassroots level through to international competition standard.

He added: "AIM is a fantastic way for British people to get involved in the competition scene."

And after his performance at the Brits, the judges believe Wakefield has what it takes to make the top three at the international X-Games.