Skiers will take part in four competitions featuring single and dual moguls, encompassing the same format as that used at the Olympics, over two days of action on September 13 and 14.

As well as hosting some of Europe's top freestyle skiers, the event will also include the British National Championships at the venue in Manchester, which opened in 2007 and has the UK's longest indoor real snow slope.

Britain did not have a medallist in moguls events at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, while Europe's best performer was Russian Alexandr Smyshlyaev, who won bronze in the men's individual event.

Mogul skiing features competition where athletes execute tricks and jumps at speed descending a slope with a series of mounds or moguls.

Organisers of the event in Manchester hope to engage with and encourage the next generation of athletes within non-alpine nations, as well as encouraging other snowdomes around the world to work on similar projects to help grow the sport and diversify FIS current competitions.

Alexandr Smyshlyaev could be one of the stars competing at the European Indoor Moguls Championships in Manchester ©Getty Images



"We are absolutely delighted to host the European Indoor Moguls Championships," said Morwenna Angove, chief executive of the Chill Factore.

"It's fabulous to be the first to hold such a prestigious event and shows the quality of the snow and facilities here.

"This follows the success of many of our athletes at this year's Winter Olympics when the indoor snow domes in this country were heralded a successful breeding ground for nurturing and training our young talent, the Fridge Kids."

The Fridge Kids was the affectionate name given to members of the British skiing team that took part in freestyle skiing events at Sochi 2014 and began training or took up the sport using indoor facilities such as the Chill Factore and the Sheffield Ski Village.