Sport: Snowboard Cross DOB: 02/08/2004 Place of Birth Melbourne, VIC Place of Residence: Melbourne, VIC OWIA Athlete Performance Contract Commenced: 2024 Institute/Academy: NSWIS
Personal Best Results:
World Cup - 8th, Mt St. Anne, CAN, 2024
Note: current as @ 30/04/2024
BIOGRAPHY
Mia Clift was born into a snow sport loving family, living at Mt Buller for the winter season from an early age and attending school on the mountain. Clift started off as a skier, and was begging her mum to snowboard, but had to wait until she completed all levels in the ski school.
Clift was first on a snowboard at age five and never looked back. Her first few races were in Interschools competing in the giant slalom and snowboard cross event where she developed her love of the sport. As a young athlete she looked up to other legendary riders who also came from Mt Buller including Alex “Chumpy” Pullin, Belle Brockhoff and Cam Bolton.
The first FIS events for Clift in snowboard cross where the Australian New Zealand Cup (ANC) events at Mt Hotham in 2019, where she placed a promising sixth, third and second in her first three FIS events.
In late November 2021, Clift made her World Cup debut at 17-years-of-age in Secret Garden, China, which would be the site of the 2022 Beijing Olympics in a few months time, finishing in 22nd place. Clift then followed the tour to Montafon, Austria, where she placed 26th, but unfortunately at the next World Cup in Cervinia, Italy, Clift ruptured her ACL in training forcing her out of competition until August 2023.
Clift returned for the ANC events at Mt Hotham in 2023 placing fifth, third and, which gave her confidence that she was back ready to return to the World Cup level.
During the 2023-2024 season, Clift had an impressive first full year on the World Cup circuit, making top-16 finals on eight occasions, with the highlight making it through to the small final at the World Cup final in Mt St Anne, Canada, where she finished in a career best finish of eighth place.
Clift finished the 2023-2024 season ranked 19th on the World Cup standings, and was awarded the FIS Snowboard Cross female rookie of the year for her great first season.
In the 2024-2025 season Clift will be looking forward to making her World Championship debut in St Moritz, Switzerland.
Q & A
Childhood Ambition: Play AFLW and go to the olympics for snowboarding
I began this sport .... When I was five at Mt Buller!
Participation in other sports: Footy, basketball and netball
Favourite overseas competition and why: Montafon because the people are nice and the food is good.
Sports Hero: Erin Phillips
When I am not training/competing I am: Hanging with my fam & friends, baking & cooking, watching the footy
Highest level of education achieved: VCE and currently studying bachelor of business part time