Jasper Klein says a Winter Olympic odyssey alongside brother Felix would cap a true family fairytale.

Klein, 19, grew up skiing on the slopes of the New Zealand Alps in Wanaka alongside his brother Felix, 20 – with both going on to represent Great Britain after their move to Cirencester five years ago.

And Jasper reckons scaling the dizzy Winter Olympic heights alongside his sibling would make a Games debut all the more special.

He said: “We’re on GB together, which is actually really great. My parents are very, very supportive of both of us.

“Living in Wanaka and skiing was so popular, and all of our mates got into it, so it just felt natural to do it.

“I still get to go back to New Zealand and see all my mates and train as well. I do love it there.

“I want to qualify for an Olympics. I want to start doing World Cups. I’ve got enough points to enter one but just need to get picked for it.

“X Games would be sick, but that’s quite a long-term goal, and the same with the Olympics. I think the 2026 Games in Italy is my main aim. I think Felix is the same.”

Earlier this year, Klein was hand-picked as part of the British contingent to visit Italy as part of a competitive GB training camp.

His skiing career is financially supported by a partnership between Entain – owner of Ladbrokes and Coral – and SportsAid, set up in 2019 and part of the company’s innovative Pitching In initiative.

And the sustained financial assistance helps him access funding for training, travel, equipment and mentoring as he embarks on his thrilling career.

Klein competed at the Youth Winter Olympic Games 2020 in Lausanne, securing a top ten finish in the men’s big air competition with a combined score of 133.75 from his best two runs.

He also earned a silver at the 2019 British Championships and added: “The Youth Olympics was great.
“It was lucky it happened as well because it was in January, right before Covid happened. It was really nice to get a taster of what it could be like in the future.”

Klein watched New Zealand freestyle ace Jossi Wells compete at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games, having skied with him frequently in Wanaka before his move to Gloucestershire.

And he added: “Jossi was the best for quite some time.

“He influenced us all a lot, including my brother and me, because freestyle skiing was big in Wanaka mainly because of him and his legacy. It’s nice to be a part of that.”

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Member of Parliament for The Cotswolds - Klein's constituency - said: “It’s fantastic to see that Jasper is getting support from Pitching In with Entain and SportsAid, in recognition for their achievements as a skier.

We need to keep on supporting our young athletes, especially at this difficult time for everyone.

"British sporting success in the future is something that can bring us all together and I look forward to everyone in The Cotswolds cheering Jasper on in the future.”

Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, is proud to be championing the next generation of British sporting heroes by providing talented young athletes with financial support and personal development opportunities in partnership with SportsAid. Visit entaingroup.com to find out more.