GB snowboarder Katie Ormerod wins bronze in first World Cup slopestyle since breaking heel at 2018 Winter Olympics

British snowboarder Katie Ormerod brought up a notable milestone at the Laax Open after recording her first World Cup slopestyle podium finish since suffering a serious injury that crushed her PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic dreams.

The 22-year-old was one of Team GB's leading medal hopes going into the Winter Games nearly two years ago but fractured her right heel in training just three days before she was due to compete.

She underwent surgery in South Korea but a lengthy rehabilitation period followed, including undergoing several skin grafts - including having skin from a pig grafted onto her heel - and surgical interventions.

But having missed all of last season, her comeback moved up another gear with a third-place at the Laax Open in Switzerland on Friday, finishing behind American winner Julia Marino and Reira Iwabuchi of Japan.

Ormerod opened her World Cup season with outings in big air competitions, including finishing as runner-up in Cardrona , New Zealand in August and then seventh in Atlanta pre-Christmas.

However this was the Yorkshire native's first slopestyle World Cup event for more than two years, although there were few signs of rustiness.

Competing in a high-class field, she finished with a score of 64.20 for third, with only Marino (81.30) and Iwabuchi (76.95) bettering her.

Writing on social media afterwards, she posted: "Soooo happy to be on my first Laax Open podium!! I’m SO excited to have landed the run that I wanted and to finish on the podium at such a high level contest!! Thanks Laax for an epic week and well done to all the other girls!"

The Laax Open doubled up as the first World Cup slopestyle event of the season with the next taking place in Seiser Alm, Italy on Jan 23.