It may be the middle of July, but winter sports enthusiasts are already looking ahead to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next February. Making headlines recently has been Women’s Ski Jumping USA, which filed a lawsuit in May 2008 against the organising committee’s decision only to include men’s ski jumping at the Games. Despite the Canadian Supreme Court’s agreement that this was discriminatory and “distasteful”, the court ruled against WSJUSA last week after concluding that the International Olympic Committee was at fault, not the Vancouver organising committee.

The Games will also see ski cross make its Olympic debut – a new and high-octane freestyle skiing event with roots in motocross and downhill skiing. Team GB has suffered a blow as British number ones Angus Morison and Emily Sarsfield have both sustained major injuries this season, but there is strength in depth and the likes of Craig Robinson and Sarah Sauvey will have to step up.

There are also serious medal contenders for Britain in bob skeleton, snowboard cross, curling and alpine skiing (even if slalom skier Alain Baxter, who was stripped of his bronze medal in 2002 after failing a drugs test, is now looking to win a medal in 2012 on a bike!).