The 21-year-old achieved his qualification aim thanks to five consecutive top-20 finishes in World Cup meetings.

And Ben, currently ranked No 26 in the world, received confirmation that he will join Team GB in Vancouver on Tuesday.

He said: "I had been up at Glenshee all day on Tuesday and I didn't have any signal on my mobile but I finally got the call when I making my way back in the evening. Apparently they had been trying to get in touch all day. I am delighted that I have been selected for the team. It will be a real honour and I'm sure it will be an amazing experience."

The former Banchory Academy pupil narrowly missed out on qualification for the previous Winter Olympics in Turin four years ago after only being nine points short of the required 120 to qualify for the competition.

This year, Ben, the only British male to qualify, will be joined by snowboarders Zoe Gillings from the Isle of Man and Lesley McKenna from Aviemore at the Games, which start on February 17.

Ben hopes to use the experience of competing against the best in the world next month as a learning curve to help his long-term aim of winning a medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
He said: "I will be aiming for a top 20 in Vancouver. The run that I do doesn't have the necessary tricks for a podium finish. Russia will be where I will be looking to compete for a medal. Vancouver will hopefully give me the experience to enable me to push for a medal in four years' time."

Ben, whose other interests include golf and playing the piano, was introduced to snowboarding at the age of nine at Glenshee and has been hooked ever since.

Banchory Golf Club provided Ben with an unusual training facility during the worst of the recent wintry weather when a bunker was converted into a makeshift snowboard jump.

However the snowboard sensation says he can't wait to compete for real in Canada next month.

Ben said: "I will be doing some intensive training over the next month to make sure I am ready to compete. I am really excited and I can't wait for it all to begin.

"It is like a dream come true but I wouldn't have been able to do it without the support of my parents and coaches. Everyone throughout the Banchory area has also been really great with supporting my fundraisers and passing on their encouragement."

Ben started the year with two aims – to gain a place in the 2010 Winter Olympics and land a role in a snowboard movie. Who knows, if the young Banchory man stars in Vancouver next month, Hollywood may be the next to call.