LOUIS MUHLEN-SCHULTE
Olympic Winter Games Attended
BIOGRAPHY
Louis Muhlen-Schulte started skiing at just three years-old. While he excelled in a wide range of sports, the snow eventually won him over and narrowed his focus to becoming an elite athlete.
“I have memories tagging along with my big sister to Hotham Ski School, where we have been skiing since I could stand,” Muhlen-Schulte said. His journey in alpine gained prominence with a bronze medal at the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in ski cross. Muhlen-Schulte made the difficult decision to leave his family and friends in Melbourne to pursue his goal of competing at a winter Olympics when he accepted a spot in the US Ski Team’s high-performance program in late 2017. He became a regular on the podium in FIS (International Ski Federation) events across the 2016-17 season. So the switch to the US development system was a game-changer, brought about by the connections which former Snow Australia’s Alpine director Mick Branch had with the sport in the USA. Muhlen-Schulte started with the Sugar Bowl Academy in Lake Tahoe and ended up in a Montana college. “My primary training and racing opportunity in the past four years have been in North America where I’m attending college at Montana State University (MSU),” Muhlen-Schulte said. “With great time management and hard work I have managed to juggle a full-time college load and race the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) series, Nor-Am, the occasional ANC and even a World Cup start.” The 2018-19 season was his first with the MSU Bobcats and Muhlen-Schulte earned second-team All-America honours at the 2019 NCAA Skiing Championships in slalom after finishing 7th. In the 2019-20 season he was 10th in giant slalom at the NCAA Championships. All this from the former Melbourne Grammar School student, who still shakes his head at how his career in skiing became a reality. "I honestly don't really know how skiing became my sport.” Particularly as, by his own admission, nobody else in his family holds a similar passion for ski racing. "I've always been someone who's loved sports, any sport has been a good sport for me. “I think skiing was just the one that I liked the most when I picked it, so I just followed that progression." Muhlen-Schulte made his Olympic debut at Beijing 2022 in the slalom and giant slalom disciplines. Battling through heavy snow falls coming in at all angles, reducing visibility down to a few gates, he made best of the situation in giant slalom where equalled Australia's best ever result in the event. Muhlen-Schulte came 23rd in a field of 92 competitors, level with Zali Steggall's achievement at the Albertville 1992 Games. Muhlen-Schulte competed at his first World Championships in 2023, recording a did not finish in Giant Slalom and Slalom at the Courchevel Meribel, FRA, pinnacle event. Muhlen-Schulte best performances came in the European Cup with a 15th place finish in Levi, FIN, with podium finishes in FIS and the Italian National Championship events. In the 2023-2024 season, competing in giant slalom events on the World Cup circuit, the 2022 Olympian improved throughout the season, with a 45th place finish in Adelboden, 41st in Bankso, 47th at Palisades Tahoe, before his breakthrough performance in Aspen. At the World Cup in Aspen, Muhlen-Schulte became the first Australian male to score World Cup ranking points in the giant slalom with a top-30 finish. Muhlen-Schulte finished the first run in 28th place, and moved up one place in the second run to finish in 27th. A second giant slalom event also took place in Aspen, where Muhlen-Schulte almost made it back-to-back top 30's, finishing in 32nd place. "It's definitely pretty cool to make history for Australia," said Muhlen-Schulte reflecting on the first top-30 of his career in Aspen. "I hope though that it's just the start and between Harry, myself and all the other Aussies we can really start to put Australia on the map in the world of skiing! "It's honestly super cool, watching Madi crush it on the woman's side and then Harry and I starting to put things together on then men's side it's awesome to be a part of and show the world of skiing what Australia can do. "It's for sure a long way from where we all started racing Australian championships and small races, but I think it shows how if you stick to your goals and work hard it doesn't matter where you start!" Q & AChildhood Ambition:
Become a professional sportsman Proudest Moment: 23rd in Giant Slalom at the 2022 Beijing winter Olympics I began this sport .... at the age or 2 at Mount Hotham Participation in other sports: I have competed/ played in; Mens Schoolboy 8 rowing, Rugby Union, Mountain biking and surfing as the main ones Favourite overseas competition and why: KitzBuhel Slalom FIS World Cup, It is my favourite, because it is one of the classic World Cup races that draws a big crowd and the slope is unlike any other i have competed on which makes for such an exciting atmosphere and vibe around the race. Sports Hero: Stephan Curry (NBA Player), because of how hard working he is and how much he has been able to change, and be an influence on the game of basketball as an entire sport, and the communities around him. I think it is very impressive when someone can have such a monumentous impact on so many people and places. When I am not training/competing I am: Learning! I am someone who is addicted ( so to speak) to learning new skills, new sports, new information, and anything else that spikes my interest. Highest level of education achieved: Graduated High School, and I am 3 years through a 4 year undergraduate degree in business management. Sponsors: Head Sports, Shred, XTM, Mount Hotham, Team Hotham LINKSOWIA News Search: Additional Links:
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