Sport: Alpine Skiing DOB: 01/03/1986 Place of Birth: Melbourne, VIC Place of Residence: Melbourne, VIC OWIA Athlete Performance Contract Commenced: 2022
Personal Best Results:
Olympic Winter Games - DSQ1 (GS), PyeongChang, KOR, 2018
World Championships - 25th (GS), . FRA, 2023
World Cup - 37th (GS), Schladming, AUT, 2023
European Cup - 2nd (GS), Folgaria, ITA, 2023
Nor-Am - 1st (GS), Whiteface Mountain, USA, 2023
Note: current as @ 30/03/2023
Olympic Winter Games Attended
2018 - PyeongChang, Korea
BIOGRAPHY
Harry Laidlaw began skiing when he was two years old at Mount Hotham and moved to the Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, USA, at the age of 14 to further his skiing pursuits.
Laidlaw competed at the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, in 2012, finishing 17th in the giant slalom.
During the 2016-2017 season, Laidlaw competed at his first ever World Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland, but was unable to finishing his run in the super-g.
At the PyeongChang 2018 Games, Laidlaw made his Olympic debut in the giant slalom, but was unable to finish his run recording a disqualification after missing a gate. Laidlaw competed at the 2019 World Championships in Are, Sweden, with his best result coming in the super-g, finishing in 37th place.
In November 2020, Laidlaw suffered an ACL injury wiping out his northern hemisphere winter.
Laidlaw returned to competition in November 2021, but unfortunately missed out on qualification for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Laidlaw moved on quickly from the Games disappointment, to record an impressive three victories on the Nor-Am tour, becoming the first Australian to do so since 2002, when Jono Brauer won a slalom event, and finished the season ranked 31st in the world in giant slalom.
In March, Laidlaw finished in 39th in the first run at the World Cup in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, a World Cup personal best.
At the opening giant slalom World Cup event of the 2022-2023 season in Soelden, Austria, Laidlaw finished in 42nd place.
In January, Laidlaw recorded a personal best World Cup performance in Schladming, Austria, finishing in 37th place in the giant slalom event,
His improvement continued, with Laidlaw recording his first ever European Cup podium with a second place finish in early February in Folgaria, Italy, The podium is the first ever Australian giant slalom European Cup medal, and the first of any kind since Jono Brauer finished first in January 2006 competing in slalom.
At the 2023 FIS Alpine World Championships in Courchevel Méribel, France, Laidlaw finished in 25th place in the Giant Slalom, his best ever World Championship performance.
Q & A
Childhood Ambition: To be in ski movies.
Proudest Moment: 2018 Olympics / moving my world ranking to 31 in the world.
I began this sport .... Because I love everything it brings from feeling to travel to such a vast amount of experiences.
Participation in other sports: Australian rules, surfing.
Favourite overseas competition and why: Sölden Austria. I live in Innsbruck majority of the year so it’s sort of a home race for me and the crowd is berserk.
Sports Hero: Bode Miller/ JP Auclair
When I am not training/competing I am: Surfing, reading, music and being with friends and family
Highest level of education achieved: High school - mid way through a bachelor of paramedicine
Sponsors: Whispir, TeskaCaraon, Mount Hotham race club, Snow performance, Völkl skis, Ziener gloves, Shred optics, Joos energy