NSWIS teenager Ally Hickman has achieved a career‑best World Cup result in the slopestyle event in Laax, Switzerland, placing ninth in her first-ever World Cup slopestyle final. The performance improves on her tenth-place finish at the same venue last year, when only eight women progressed to the final. This season the field was expanded to ten.
 
The 16‑year‑old qualified for the final in tenth position with a score of 55.46 on her second run. In the final, Hickman was unable to land a clean run, scoring 22.58 on her first attempt and 35.25 on her second, finishing ninth overall. Japan’s Kokomo Murase secured the win with a top score of 77.55.
 
Fellow Australian Meila Stalker also competed in the women’s event, finishing 16th in qualifying.
 
In the men's competition, NSWIS snowboarder and two‑time World Cup Overall Park & Pipe Champion Valentino Guseli delivered his best slopestyle performance of the season, qualifying for the semifinal after an impressive third‑place finish in his heat with runs scoring 79.95 and 83.75.
 
In the 24‑man semifinal, Guseli was unable to match his qualifying form, posting a best score of 44.21 in his second run, placing him 17th and outside the top‑12 required for the final. French rider Romain Allemand won with a best score of 86.70.
 
Other Australian men in action included Joshua Robertson‑Hahn (49th) and Jesse Parkinson (58th).
 
Freeski Slopestyle
In the freeski event in Laax, NSWIS skier Daisy Thomas made her return from injury, finishing in 26th place.
 
Also in action for Australia was Joey Elliss, 55th in the men’s event.

VIS snowboard halfpipe superstar Scotty James has delivered a career highlight performance under lights at the prestigious Laax Open in Switzerland, winning gold in the World Cup final and leading a memorable double‑podium result, with fellow Aussie and NSWIS rider Valentino Guseli claiming bronze.
 
In the best‑of‑two‑run night final, James opened with a score of 84.00 points on his opening run. He then produced one of the finest performances of his illustrious career, as the last rider of the night and needing a score better than 91 points to win. With a pure pressure performance, James soared to the top of the leaderboard with a spectacular second run scoring 98.75 points. The victory is the eleventh World Cup win of his career, and third consecutive Laax halfpipe title, and fifth triumph at the iconic venue.
 
James began his winning run with a switch frontside triple cork 1440 indy, then a frontside double cork 1260 stalefish, a backside double cork 1080 stalefish, a switch backside double cork 1440 mute, and ended with a backside double cork 1260 mute on the sixth and final hit. The final two trick combination had never been done in competition before.
 
Guseli secured his place on the podium with a strong opening‑run score of 80.25 points, earning the bronze medal, the twelfth World Cup podium of his career. It capped off a big week for Guseli, who balanced halfpipe preparations with a full training load and competition in the slopestyle discipline. Earlier in the day, he placed 17th in the slopestyle semi‑final, just missing the cut for the final.
 
The podium in Laax had a distinct ANZAC flavour, with New Zealand’s Campbell Melville Ives finishing between the two Australians in second place on 91.00 points.
 
“It’s honestly one of my favourite events on the calendar, huge shoutout to Laax, they are a visionary when it comes to freestyle, and they give us the platform to come here and ride every single year and do what we love, “said the 31-year-old James from Warrandyte in Victoria.
 
“To put it down in my last run is a bit of a dream come true and feeling good so I just have to keep it up.
 
“I have been working on some things, and this year is a tough year, its amazing competition, and I want to give a shout out to the ANZAC’s, two Aussies and a Kiwi on the podium which is unbelievable. The Japanese are also riding amazing, so you must put your best foot forward this year to try and get a chance or a sniff of the podium, and I am just grateful to be here, so I am pumped.
 
“We are probably going to be in for one of the most exciting, thrilling and competitive Olympics in history amongst the whole field in the halfpipe, it’s exciting for me and I hope it’s exciting for everyone, and I can’t wait to go to battle with everyone.”
 
Also competing for Australia in the women’s event in Laax were Emily Arthur, who finished 25th, Amelie Haskell in 26th, and Misaki Vaughan in 29th.
 
Next is the X-Games event in Aspen, USA, where James will be aiming to win an incredible fifth straight gold medal.

Men's podium in Laax (top) and Scotty James in qualifying
© David Tributsch & Chad Buchholz

NSWIS snowboarders Meila Stalker and Tess Coady both secured top-six finishes in the World Cup slopestyle event in Aspen, USA, with Stalker achieving a personal-best result fifth place and Coady close behind in sixth.
 
In qualifying for the eight-athlete final, Coady was fourth on 69.98 points and Stalker sixth with 69 points. Ally Hickman missed finals, finishing 26th.
 
Finals were held under sunny skies, where Stalker posted her best score in run one with 51.36 points to claim fifth, while Coady’s top score of 47.85 points, also in run one placed her in sixth.
 
In the men’s competition, Joshua Robertson-Hahn placed 26th, while Valentino Guseli wrapped up a busy week in Aspen by competing in both the halfpipe and slopestyle events, finishing 35th overall. Jesse Parkinson came in 42nd.
 
In the freeski slopestyle event, Joey Elliss was the only Australian in action, finishing in 48th place.
 
The World Cup tour now heads to Laax, Switzerland, for the final Olympic qualification events, with freeski slopestyle event on January 17 and snowboard on January 18.

IMAGE
Meila Stalker launching above the park in Aspen
© FIS/Andrew Wevers

Teenage sensation Indra Brown continued her outstanding debut World Cup season with a fourth-place finish in Aspen, USA, just missing the podium by 3.75 points, but retaining the coveted yellow bib and her lead at the top of the standings.
 
In qualifying, Brown opened with 79.75 points before improving to 86.75 in her second run, advancing to her fourth consecutive World Cup final.
 
Under sunny skies, Brown opened the best-of-two-run final with a strong 85 point performance. In her second run, she looked set for a big score, but sat down on a landing late in the run, with her score from the first run putting her in fourth place.
 
Victory went to Fanghui Li of China with 93 points, followed by Zoe Atkin of Great Britain on 92.75, and Kexin Zhang also of China in third with 88.75.
 
With one World Cup event remaining in Silvaplana, Switzerland, on March 29, Brown leads the standings on 290 points, ahead of Atkin on 260 and Zhang  with 245.
 
“I was super happy, didn’t land my second run which I would have loved to, but that’s how the sport goes,” said the 15-year-old Victorian secondary school student..
 
“I am so happy my family were here, and everyone brought such great stoke at the bottom of the halfpipe.
 
“The first hit was a little slow, starting your run without maximum speed doesn’t help for the rest of the run, but everyone was in the same boat.”
 
Next for Brown will be her X-Games debut in Aspen on January 23.
 
“We have X-Games in two weeks, which I am super excited for. I am taking it week by week, not rush anything or get ahead of myself, taking the steps I need to take to get there and just enjoy the process.”
 
The next event for Brown will be the X-Games, also in Aspen on January 23, where she will make her X-Games debut.

NSWIS snowboard star Valentino Guseli came agonizingly close to a third consecutive World Cup podium in Aspen, USA, finishing fourth in the men’s halfpipe.
 
Guseli faced a packed schedule, competing in both halfpipe and slopestyle, and started strongly by winning the halfpipe qualification round with an impressive 92 points. In the best-of-two-run final, he delivered two solid performances, opening with 85.25 points and improving to 86.75 in his second run, securing fourth overall.
 
Victory went to Yuto Totsuka (Japan) with 90.50 points, followed by teammate Shuichiro on 90, and American Alessandro Barbieri rounding out the podium with 89.25.
 
Guseli now sits second in the World Cup standings with 210 points, trailing Totsuka by 50 points on 260, with three events remaining this season.
 
In the women’s event, teenager Amelie Haskell celebrated her 18th birthday in style, qualifying for her first World Cup halfpipe final and achieving a personal-best eighth place with a top score of 63 points.
 
The women’s podium featured Mitsuki Ono of Japan in first with 91 points, American Madeline Schaffrick second on 82.75, and Sena Tomita also of Japan in third with 80.75.
 
Also representing Australia but missing finals were Emily Arthur in 18th and Misaki Vaughan in 20th, who missed the finals.
 
The final Olympic qualification event for halfpipe will take place at the World Cup in Laax, Switzerland, on January 17.

IMAGE
Valentino Guseli showing his incredible amplitude in Aspen
© Chris Hocking

Melbourne teenager Indra Brown has continued her incredible World Cup debut halfpipe season with her first gold medal performance in Calgary, Canada. Brown now boasts three consecutive podium finishes since her debut in early December, making it one of the most impressive starts to a career at her age in winter sports history.
 
Brown claimed bronze on debut in China in early December, followed by silver in the USA before Christmas, and now gold in Canada. Her victory equals a record set by Sweden’s Jennie-Lee Burmansson during the 2017–2018 season, when Burmansson, also 15 at the time, opened her World Cup slopestyle career with a second, first, and third-place finish.
 
Brown also made history for Australia becoming the first Australian skier to claim three Freeski Halfpipe World Cup podiums, surpassing Davina Williams and Amy Sheehan, who both had two.
 
In a best-of-two-run final under light snow and flat light conditions, Brown opened strongly with a score of 85.20 points that no skier was able to match.
 
Her podium run included a leftside 900 safety grab, rightside 900 safety grab, leftside 720 safety grab, switch rightside 540, switch leftside 360 mute grab and finished with an alley-oop 360 japan grab.
 
China’s Kexin Zhang claimed silver with 84.20 points, while American Svea Irving took bronze on 83.20.
 
Brown commented after the event:
 
“The visibility in qualifying was really challenging, so I dialled things back a bit just to do enough to make finals, without taking too many risks. The conditions for finals were great, so I was super happy to ski how I did.
 
“Calgary is so special to me, this is where I first tried skiing halfpipe, and I have the most wonderful friends here. The atmosphere in Calgary is amazing, and so fun to embrace this whole snow rodeo theme here.”
 
“My coach Jaime Melton is such a legend, he's been a huge support in all areas and especially making sure I don't focus on the result, but instead focus on visualising and executing my runs how I want to execute them.
 
This start to my World Cup career has been such a thrill, self-belief is really important in helping me execute my runs, drawing on all the hard work and preparation I put in, helps me give the confidence I need to ski how I hope to.
 
“The pipe is always built so well in Aspen, and so fun to ski, and I can’t wait to get back competing and having a great time with such an amazing group of athletes.”
 
The victory sees Brown move into first place on the World Cup standings with 240 points, ahead of Zhang (185) and Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin (180), who did not compete in Calgary.
 
Two World Cup halfpipe events remain this season: Aspen, USA, on January 10, and the World Cup Final in Silvaplana, Switzerland, on March 29, following the Olympics.

TOP - Indra Brown with men's event winner Nick Goepper of the USA 
BOTTOM - Indra Brown flying high in the Calgary Halfpipe
© FIS/Preston Peterson

NSWIS snowboard World Championship medallist Valentino Guseli has claimed his first World Cup victory since February 2024, delivering a gold medal performance in Calgary, Canada. The victory capped a historic day for Australia’s winter sport youth movement, following 15-year-old Indra Brown’s breakthrough win in the women’s freeski halfpipe earlier in the day.

The 20-year-old from the NSW South Coast now boasts three World Cup wins, all on Canadian snow, two in Calgary’s halfpipe and one in big air at Edmonton.

Guseli carried his strong form from a podium finish at Copper Mountain, USA, into Calgary, qualifying first for the finals.

In the best-of-two-run night showdown, he opened with an unbeatable score of 87.75 points, securing the win before his second run and turning it into a celebratory “victory lap.”

His gold medal run featured a stylish backside alley-oop 360, cab double cork 1080, frontside 1260, backside 720 and switch backside 900, with all tricks completed with grabs. 

Swiss rider David Habluetzel finished second with 80 points, while Patrick Burgener of Brazil was third on 79.25.

“It was great, it was the most fun run I have had it this pipe all week, so happy to end my time in this pipe off like that,” said Guseli after completing his victory lap final run.

“I am stoked, Calgary has always treated me very nicely, and I was really happy to be back in Canada after a two-year hiatus. Feels good to be back on the top step and looking forward to pushing for more. “

“There are so many Aussies in Canada, so I really feel the Aussie love here, but also everyone in Canada is so nice, so thank you.”

In the women’s snowboard halfpipe, Australians Emily Arthur finished 14th, Misaki Vaughan 15th, and Amelie Haskell 18th.

With four World Cup events remaining, Guseli now sits first on the halfpipe standings like Brown, and both will wear the yellow leader’s bib at the next event in Aspen, USA, on January 9.

15-year-old Indra Brown has continued her remarkable World Cup debut, securing back-to-back medals with a silver medal in the freeski halfpipe at Copper Mountain, USA. The result improves on her bronze medal from last week’s debut in China and confirms her status as the youngest Aussie to land on a winter sports world Cup podium.
 
In a best-of-two-run final under tricky flat light at the Colorado resort, Brown opened strongly with a score of 80 points, placing her in second position. She looked set to improve in her final run but crashed while attempting a new trick on the last jump, holding on to the silver medal.
 
Her podium run included a leftside 900, rightside 900, leftside 720, switch rightside 540, switch leftside 720 and finished with an alley-oop, with grabs in all but one jump.
 
The gold medal went to Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin with 89.25 points, while China’s Kexin Chang claimed bronze on 77.50 points.
 
“Fortunately, I was able to stay calm and positive, trust my training and remind myself to have fun out there,” said the Melbourne high school student.
 
“The halfpipe shape was definitely different to China, so it took me a while to adapt, but really stoked I was able to put it together today.
 
“That slam definitely gave me a fright today, thankfully I'm all ok and the bodies in good shape.
 
“I have a few more days here in Copper, before a few days off for Christmas, where we're driving up to Revelstoke to ski some powder with family and some great friends. Then we are off to Calgary and then Aspen for the next World Cups.
 
“No plans have changed in my preparation, but there are loads of things I want to work on, so hopefully I can keep progressing.”
 
Brown now sits second in the World Cup standings with 140 points, trailing Atkin (180) and ahead of Chang (105).
 
Her next event will be the Calgary World Cup on January 3, as she looks to continue her incredible start to the season.

Australian snowboard star Valentino Guseli has made an impressive return to halfpipe competition, securing a bronze medal at Copper Mountain, USA, in his first event since sustaining a knee injury 12 months ago.
 
Guseli demonstrated strong form from the outset, placing second in qualification heat two with a score of 77.83 points, to advance to the final.
 
In the best-of-two-run final, Guseli delivered two impressive performances. His opening run scored 79.95, followed by an improved second run of 84.75, which secured the bronze medal and marked the tenth World Cup podium of his career.
 
Both runs featured a stylish backside alley-oop 360, cab double cork 1080, frontside 1260, backside double cork 1260 and frontside 1440, with all tricks completed with grabs.
 
The event was won by Ryusei of Japan with a top score of 94.50, while teammate Yuto Totsuka claimed silver with 90.50.

“It's really nice to be back up there, I definitely did what I wanted to do which was basically just put down some runs and stamp my authority back in the halfpipe,” said the 20-year-old from Dalmeny on the NSW South Coast.
 
“The biggest factor today was how sick I felt in the morning during training, I was happy I was able to get through that and then the main thing was just really focusing on my runs and putting them down and I was able to get that done.”
 
“This wasn’t the most technical run I've ever done, but I have a new addition to it, the backside alley-oop 360, which in my opinion is a pretty cool trick, it brings something fresh and exciting back into halfpipe.”
 
“It's my first halfpipe comp of the season, I'm going to have some time to train now and put some time into getting these bigger tricks, so by the time the Olympic Games come around I'm ready to take it.”
 
In the women’s snowboard halfpipe event, Australians Amelie Haskell finished 19th, Emily Arthur 27th, and Misaki Vaughan 28th.
 
Looking ahead, 15-year-old Indra Brown will compete tomorrow in the women’s freeski halfpipe event, fresh off becoming Australia’s youngest-ever World Cup medallist last week in China.
 
The next snowboard halfpipe World Cup will take place in the new year in Calgary, Canada, on January 2, followed by the freeski halfpipe on January 3.

NSWIS rising snowboard star Ally Hickman was the second Australian teenager in as many days to secure their first World Cup podium, finishing third in the season’s final big air event in Steamboat, USA, in only her eighth World Cup start.
 
At 16 years and one month, Hickman from Sydney, is now the second youngest Australian World Cup medallist, narrowly behind Indra Brown’s bronze one day earlier in the freeski halfpipe in China at 15 years and 10 months.
 
Hickman carried strong recent form into Steamboat, following a seventh-place finish two weeks ago in China. She qualified for the final in first place on Friday with a huge score of 93 points for a frontside 1080 with double mute and tailgrab.
 
In the three-run final, where the two best scores count, Hickman opened with the same jump from qualifying, scoring 88 points, and then had two attempts at a backside 720 melon grab, performing both jumps well earning 72.75 on her first attempt and improving to 74.25 on her final jump. Her two-jump combined score of 162.25 points secured the bronze medal behind winner Japan’s Miyabi Onitsuka, on 174 points, and South Korea’s Seungeun Yu in second with 173.25.
 
Also competing in the women’s final for Australia was NSWIS rider Meila Stalker in seventh place on 145 points in her second finals appearance of the season.
 
Hickman’s podium finish moves her to fourth overall in the final World Cup Big Air standings, Stalker is seventh and 2018 Olympic slopestyle bronze medallist Tess Coady sits in 12th. Coady did not compete in Steamboat, opting for training in Europe.
 
In the men’s event, Australians Jesse Parkinson (27th), Joshua Robertson-Hahn (33rd) and Valentino Guseli (46th) missed the finals.
 
Joey Elliss was the sole representative for Australia in the freeski big air in Steamboat, placing 44th.
 
The focus now shifts to the slopestyle discipline and the final World Cup and Olympic qualification events, kicking off the new year in Aspen with the next competition from January 7 to 10.

Teenage sensation Indra Brown has delivered a historic debut performance for Australian winter sports, claiming a bronze medal in the freeski halfpipe at Secret Garden, China. At just 15 years of age, Brown becomes the youngest Australian ever to secure a World Cup podium finish.
 
Competing at the 2022 Olympic Games venue e, Brown impressed from the outset, qualifying for her first World Cup final in fourth place with a score of 85 points.
 
In challenging winter conditions during the best-of-two-run final, the Melbourne high school student displayed composure beyond her years, producing two strong performances. Her opening run earned 82 points, securing third place and cementing her place in the history books.
 
Brown sets the record at 15 years and 10 months, eclipsing snowboarders Torah Bright and Valentino Guseli who both podiumed at age 16 years and 11 months.
 
Her podium run included a leftside 900, rightside 900, leftside 720, switch rightside 540, switch leftside 360 and finished with an alley-oop 360 with grabs in each jump.
 
The gold medal went to Chinese superstar  2022 Olympic champion Eileen Gu with a score of 91.75, while Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin claimed silver with 90.25 points.
 
“To podium in my first World Cup is an incredible feeling, especially to be able to share it with my idols” said Brown.
 
“I was able to keep my composure in the tough conditions today by staying calm and remind myself of what I need to do to land my run.
 
“It's a dream come true to share the podium with such incredible athletes and it's a moment I'll never forget
 
“The support from home has been amazing, I've loved staying connected with everyone and seeing all the messages from friends, family and supporters.
 
“My next event is the Copper Mountain World Cup in Colorado starting in a few days.”

The second Big Air World Cup in China took place over the weekend, this time as a city event in Beijing at the iconic 2022 Olympic venue. Once again, Olympic bronze medallist Tess Coady was the top-performing Australian.
 
Coady advanced to the women’s top-eight final, qualifying in seventh place with a score of 150.25. NSWIS teammates Meila Stalker (17th, 123.25) and Ally Hickman (24th, 77.50) missed the cut.
 
In the three-jump final, where the best two scores count, Coady’s highlight came in run two, landing a backside double cork 1080 method grab for 72.25 points. Her final attempt, a frontside 900 grab, was unsuccessful, scoring 21.50, giving her a two-jump total of 93.75 and an eighth-place finish.
 
In the men’s event, two-time World Overall Park & Pipe Champion Valentino Guseli narrowly missed the final, finishing seventh in his heat with a two-jump score of 138.50, just short of the top-five required. Guseli ranked 13th overall, while Joshua Robertson-Hahn placed 24th (106.50) and Jesse Parkinson finished 40th (77.50).
 
In the freeski Big Air competition, Abi Harrigan scored 97.50 for 18th place, and Joey Elliss finished 40th (110.50) in the men’s event.
 
Next weekend World Cup events are scheduled in China and the USA.
 
In China, the World Cup halfpipe event at Secret Garden will feature four-time World Champion Scotty James making his season debut, alongside snowboarders Emily Arthur, Amelie Haskell, Misaki Vaughan, and Indra Brown, who will make a World Cup debut in freeski halfpipe.
 
In the USA, the third World Cup Big Air of the season takes place in Steamboat, Colorado, with Harrigan and Elliss in freeski, and Stalker, Hickman, Guseli, Robertson-Hahn, and Parkinson in snowboard.

The opening Big Air World Cup for freeski and snowboard athletes took place over the weekend at the 2022 Olympic resort of Secret Garden, China, with four NSWIS athletes reaching the top-8 final.
 
In the earlier qualification rounds, first up was the freeski event, which saw Daisy Thomas qualify for the final in an impressive second place. Also in action for Australia was Abi Harrigan in 21st and Joey Elliss 48th in the men’s event.
 
In the snowboard event qualification all three female Australian athletes qualified through to the final for the first time, with Melia Stalker in fifth, Ally Hickman sixth and Tess Coady eighth.
 
In the men’s event and missing out on finals were Joshua Robertson-Hahn in 20th, Valentino Gusei 30th in his return to competition from an injury last December, and Jesse Parkinson 41st.
 
The women’s freeski final saw Thomas in second place after the first run scoring a huge 88 points for her left side double cork 1080 with grab. In the second jump, Thomas jumped a right side double cork 12 with grab but unfortunately had trouble at the end of the landing injuring her knee, and was unable to complete the third and final jump.
 
Thomas was still able to record a personal best World Cup finish of sixth, with the 18-year-old improving on her personal best of seventh from December 2023.
 
The snowboard final featured three Australian women and four Japanese riders, with Coady the highest place finisher, just missing the podium in fourth on a two jump best score of 134.50 points, Stalker was fifth on 114.50 and Hickman seventh with 79.25. Stalker and 16 year old Hickman, both recorded personal best World Cup finishes.
 
Japanese riders swept the women’s podium with first going to Mari Fukada (156.75), second to Reira Iwabuchi (145.75) and third, was  Miyabi Onitsuka (141.50).
 
Next up, the skiers and snowboards will remain in China for a big air in downtown Beijing on December 6.

NSWIS skiers Abi Harrigan and Daisy Thomas have commenced the 2025-2026 World Cup season in Stubai, Austria, finishing in 15th and 24th places respectively.
 
Severe winds on the glacier forced the cancellation of the men’s competition, which was set to feature Joey Elliss, leaving only the best of two-run women’s qualification round to determine final standings.
 
Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud claimed victory with a score of 81.92, ahead of Canada’s Olivia Asselin (76.71) and Anni Karava (68.07) of Finland in third.
 
Harrigan posted her best score of 50.16 in the opening run, while Thomas also recorded 39.40 in her first attempt.
 
Next up, the World Cup tour heads to the 2022 Olympic resort of Secret Garden, China, for a big air event for both skiers and snowboarders on November 29 and 30.
 
Australian and NSWIS snowboard stars Tess Coady and Valentino Guseli will make their season debut in China, where Guseli will return to competition for the first time since injury last December.

The 2025–2026 Freeski Park & Pipe season kicks off this weekend with the opening slopestyle event in Stubai, Austria.
 
Australia will be represented by NSWIS skiers Abi Harrigan and Daisy Thomas in the women’s competition, while Joey Elliss will make his World Cup slopestyle debut in the men’s event.
 
This year marks the ninth time the season opener has taken place at the Stubai Zoo terrain park on the glacier. The event is one of three slopestyle Olympic qualifying competitions this season, with Aspen and Laax still to come before the qualification deadline on January 18.
 
Harrigan captured her first World Cup medal last season with a silver in Tignes, France, while Thomas posted her best slopestyle finish to date, placing eighth in the same event. Harrigan wrapped up the season ranked 11th overall, with Thomas in 21st on the World Cup standings.
 
For Elliss, Stubai marks his World Cup slopestyle debut after competing in big air World Cups and both slopestyle and big air at last season’s World Championships.
 
Looking ahead to the Olympic season, Thomas said she is eager to make an impact:

"Super excited for the first world cup of the season this weekend” said the 18-year-old from Sydney.

"We have already had a great start to the season in terms of preparation and I am feeling very confident and comfortable to get this show on the road! 

"I’ve been in Austria for 2-3 weeks now having spent a week at Banger Park getting my tricks dialed and perfected. I have also spent a week on the World Cup course already learning new tricks for the rest of the season as well as get my competition run sorted. With all that in mind I’m here to put down my smartest run and score a result i’m proud of."

Legendary Australian snowboarder Torah Bright has been officially inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, with the Olympic gold and silver medallist cementing her legacy in the nation’s sporting history.
 
The announcement was made at the annual gala in Melbourne on November 17 2025, where Bright joined six other sporting greats, including Lleyton Hewitt, Jason Dunstall, Laura Geitz, Cameron Smith, Mark Schwarzer, and sports medicine pioneer Dr Peter Harcourt.
 
Born and raised in Cooma, at the foot of the NSW Snowy Mountains, she began skiing at an early age before transitioning to snowboarding at 11. Bright made her Olympic debut at 19 during the 2006 Turin Games, finishing fifth in the halfpipe, just one point shy of the podium.
 
Her competitive excellence continued at the prestigious Winter X-Games in Aspen, USA, with gold medals in 2007 and 2009, and silver medals in 2006 and 2008.
 
Her defining moment arrived at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. After carrying Australia’s flag at the Opening Ceremony, Bright faced injury concerns heading into the halfpipe final. Rising to the occasion with remarkable determination, she delivered a magnificent performance to claim the gold medal, a victory that transformed both her life and snowboarding’s status in Australia.
 
At the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Bright made history as the first female athlete to compete in three snowboarding events: halfpipe, slopestyle and snowboard cross. Her silver medal in the halfpipe secured her position as Australia’s most successful Winter Olympian.
 
“I hope my legacy shows that no dream is too big! I want the next generation of snowboarders and athletes in general to truly believe in themselves. Belief, real, unwavering belief in yourself, your vision and what’s possible, isn’t something you’re just born with. It’s a skill. Like a muscle it has to be built, stretched and strengthened every day. People often point to talent or genetics as the key to success. But in my experience, belief is the foundation. It’s the silent force that carries you through every challenge.
 
“Sport has taught me everything. Those early days skiing with my family built the foundation – connection, freedom and fun. Sport gave me confidence in who I am beyond results. It taught me discipline, self-awareness, and the importance of creating an environment that supports who you truly are. It taught me to believe in myself and in what’s possible. It also taught me resilience: to feel pain, but still choose hope. To trust the unknown. Most importantly, I’ve learned that it’s all a game. Perspective shapes our experience. Mindset and leading with heart is something I carry into every area of my life now.”

Australia’s most decorated snowboarder, Scotty James, has etched his name into the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) history books once again, claiming his third VIS Award of Excellence honour and in doing so, equaling the record held by Australian athletics legend, Catherine Freeman OAM.

The VIS Award of Excellence was held last night at Melbourne Recital Centre, where athletes and staff were recognised and celebrated for their incredible achievements over the past year.

The coveted award recognises a VIS athlete who has achieved outstanding sporting results in the year, alongside meaningful contributions to the promotion and development of their sport.

James previously won the award back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.

His 2025 win comes after an extraordinary season where he balanced elite competition, fatherhood and publishing new books, while cementing his name as a driving force in strategic investments - most notably as a strategic advisor and investor for the X Games.

“The first time I walked into the VIS I would have been 14 or 15 years old, and I had a dream of what I wanted to accomplish in snowboarding,” said James.

“I’m 31 now, but the VIS has been there every single step of the way, and we’ve been able to accomplish some amazing goals together.

“World Championships, Olympic medals, and to be honest, I couldn’t have done it without the VIS support. I’m very honoured, and very proud.”

On the snow this year, he claimed his fourth World Championship title, seventh X Games gold medal, and topped the podium at the LAAX World Cup.

Cementing his status as a global icon, James is now months out from competing at his fifth Winter Olympic Games where he hopes to bring home Olympic gold – the only gold that has eluded him so far.  

James was among three finalists for the 2025 Award of Excellence, being joined by Para-cycling World Champions Emily Petricola OAM and Alana Forster.


The evening also saw the VIS recognise a number of other athletes who enjoyed success in sport and life throughout 2025.

The Para Athlete Award went to Forster, a Paralympic bronze medallist and leader on the international stage. Forster was crowned a double World Champion at the 2025 UCI Para Road World Championships in Belgium. Beyond racing Forster is a doctor and proud member of the Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club, where she serves as Vice President.

Hannah MacDougall was awarded the 2XU Performance Lifestyle Award, which recognises excellence from an athlete in their studies, career ambitions, and/or work setting whilst pursuing their sporting career.

MacDougall won gold at the Oceania Triathlon Para Championships, claimed bronze in the World Triathlon Series and claimed bronze at the World Triathlon Championships last month.

Beyond the podium, she continues to shine academically and professionally with multiple degrees, a PhD and contributes to academic research on elite Para-athlete wellbeing. Forster works as a Player Development Practitioner and Inclusion and Wellbeing Consultant, in addition to being an informal amputee mentor.

The Carbine Club Rising Star Award recognised one of Australia’s most exciting young talents, netballer Lily Graham.
Known for sinking ‘super shots’ in the Super Netball, Graham was part of the premiership-winning Melbourne Vixens team in 2025. In addition to her Vixens success, Graham earned U21 Australian selection for the 2025 Youth World Cup in Gibraltar, where the team went undefeated and Graham was named as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Amongst three impressive Sarah/Sara finalists, the Sarah Tait Spirit Award was taken out by Australian basketballer, Sara Blicavs, who sacrificed her Paris Olympic dream to undergo a high-risk spinal fusion and disc replacement surgery.

Through sheer commitment and persistence, Sara not only returned to the court stronger than ever but also earned selection for the Australian Opals at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, where the team were ultimately crowned champions.

The Frank Pyke Achievement Award, presented to an athlete who enjoyed a successful sporting career, made a significant contribution to the VIS and their sport and who has since built a successful post-athletic career, was awarded to Paralympic Champion in athletics, Tim Matthews OAM.

The VIS congratulations all athletes and staff for their achievements in 2025. The grit, passion and relentless pursuit of excellence have shone through in both sport and life. 

Article courtesy Victorian Institute of Sport
 
Australia’s most decorated snowboarder, Scotty James, has the chance to become a three-time VIS Award of Excellence winner, having won the award back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
 
James has continued to push the boundaries of what’s possible on the halfpipe. With the clock ticking to the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games, he’s claimed his fourth world championship title, seventh X Games gold medal and finished top of the podium at the 2025 LAAX World Cup.
 
The 2025 Award of Excellence finalists are:

• Scotty James (Snowboarding)
• Alana Forster (Para-cycling)
• Emily Petricola OAM (Para-cycling)

“Among a highly competitive and talented field of nominees, our award finalists truly embody the VIS vision – in which VIS athletes are thriving and succeeding on the big stage and inspiring Victorians," said VIS CEO, Nicole Livingstone AO.
 
"Their dedication to sport is reflected in their consistent ability to perform as world-leaders, elevating Australian sport and making our state proud.”
 
The annual VIS Award of Excellence will take place at the Melbourne Recital Centre on November 11, honoring the national and international accomplishments of VIS athletes and the way they strive to win well in both sport and in life.
 
Link - https://vis.org.au/news/2025/10/vis-2025-award-of-excellence-finalists-announced

IMAGE: Scotty James celebrates World Championship gold number four in Switzerland 
© Chris Hocking

Snowboarder Scotty James has won an incredible fourth career halfpipe World Championship gold medal in St Mortiz-Engadin, Switzerland, making it a double medal celebration for Australia after Mia Clift and Cam Bolton claimed silver in the snowboard cross mixed team event earlier in the day.
 
James four World Championship gold medals make him the most successful snowboard halfpipe rider in history. Additionally, he has the highest number of World Championship wins among Australian winter sports athletes.
 
In the best of two run final in blizzard conditions, James opened with a score 89.50 for the highest scoring run of the round, leading Japanese riders Yuto Totsuka on 88.75 in second place and Ruka Hirano third on 88.50.
 
In the final run, James performed the same tricks but improved his execution and landings to score a huge 95 points. His run including a switch McTwist Japan grab, cab double cork 1080 with grab, frontside double cork 1260 with grab, backside double cork 1080 with grab and switch backside double cork 1260 with grab.
 
After James final run, the two Japanese riders were the only competitors left to go. They both increased their score from the first run, but it wasn’t enough to catch James, with Hirano second on 92.25 and Totsuka third on 92 points.
 
“Coming out this week it was such a challenge, with the weather and to ride at this level is already so high, and I definitely was sitting there feeling ok when Ruka and Yuto were dropping, they have been riding incredibly well all season and I have had some great battles with them” said the 30-year-old from Warrandyte in Victoria.
 
“Halfpipe is a scary sport, and it gets even scary when conditions are tough, I'm really pumped and felt like I had to be resilient today, so I’m stoked.”
 
“Honestly, I didn't really know what conditions to expect, I knew that it was going to be slow and the pipe was full of snow, and maybe runs might be toned down a bit, but then again once the good slip of the pipe gets through and you get a bit of momentum, you can usually get some better runs going.
 
“The 2023 World Championships was not a good day for me, I was pretty disappointed with my outcome and I wanted to make a statement for myself personally, that I wanted to come back and finish at the top, to have won four world titles again I'm pinching myself.”
 
Australia currently has three medals at the World Championships in St Moritz, snowboard halfpipe gold to James, silver in snowboard cross mixed teams to Mia Clift and Cam Bolton and bronze to Matt Graham in the dual moguls. The World Championships conclude tonight in Switzerland, with Australian aerial skiers Laura Peel, Danielle Scott and Airleigh Frigo a strong chance for another medal.

This week at the World Championships in St Moritz-Engadin, Switzerland, the snowboard and freeski athletes took on their second event, the big air competition, following last week’s slopestyle opener. NSWIS skier Daisy Thomas and snowboarder Tess Coady delivered the top performance among the Australian contingent, finishing in 22nd and 23rd places respectively.
 
In the snowboard big air, Japan dominated taking five of the six places on the podium. Australian results included Coady 23rd, Mela Stalker 24th and Jesse Parkinson 51st. Kokomo Murase and Ryoma Kimata of Japan were victorious.
 
In the freeski big air, Thomas was 22nd, Abi Harrigan 24th and Joey Elliss 49th. The freeski wins went to Italian Flora Tabanelli and Luca Harrington of New Zealand.

IMAGE - Daisy Thomas in action
PIC Chris Hocking

Daisy Thomas, Abi Harrigan and Joey Elliss have represented Australia in the freeski slopestyle event at the 2025 FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships on Corvatch mountain in St Moritz, Switzerland.
 
In the women’s competition NSWIS skiers Thomas and Harrigan missed out on the 12-woman final finishing in 20th and 24th places respectively. In her World Championship debut Thomas’ best score came in her second run scoring 44.34, and Harrigan on  26.79.
 
Making his World Championship debut in the men’s event was Elliss in 40th place.
 
Victory in the women’s event went to local Swiss skier Mathilde Gremaud and Norwegian Birk Ruud was the men’s event winner. 
 
The three skiers will return to compete in the big air event at the World Championships. Women's qualifications are on March 26th, men's on the 27th, and the finals are on the 29th.

NSWIS snowboarder Tess Coady has finished 12th in the slopestyle final at the 2025 FIS Snowboard and Freestyle World Championships in St Mortiz, Switzerland.
 
In qualifying, Coady scored 66.39 in the opening run, placing her in seventh place and safely through to the final.
 
NSWIS teammate Mela Stalker just missed the 12-woman final in 13th place, with a best score of 56.13 in the first run of qualifying.
 
In the final, Coady was unfortunately unable to put a clean run down in her two runs, finishing in 12th place.
 
2022 Olympic slopestyle champion Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand finished in first place with a score of 88.54 in the final run, giving her a third slopestyle World Championship gold medal.
 
In the men’s event Jesse Parkinson was 27th in his heat and placing him 50th overall. Victory went to dual Olympic medallist Yiming Su of China. 
 
Coady, Stalker, and Parkinson are now preparing for the big air event at the World Championships. The men's qualifying round is on March 25, followed by the women's on March 26, and the final on March 28.

NSWIS freeskier Abi Harrigan has broken through to claim the first World Cup podium of her career, finishing second in the slopestyle event over the weekend in Tignes, France.
 
The 2022 Olympian qualified for finals in sixth place with a best score of 64.66, also advancing to the 10-woman final was NSWIS teammate Daisy Thomas in seventh on 62.58.
 
In the best of two run final high up in the French Alps, Harrigan put two down clean runs, scoring 67.85 for her first run, and then improved in the final run to score of 75.41, landing her in second place, securing Australia’s first World Cup ski slopestyle podium since Russ Henshaw in 2017, and only the second Australian female to do so joining former X-Games and World Champion Anna Segal.
 
Harrigan’s silver medal run included a right spinning 540 with grab on the first jump, switch 720 with grab on the second jump, smooth rail sections and left spinning cork 720 with grab on the final jump.
 
Joining Harrigan on the podium in first place was Kirsty Muir of Great Britain on 77.98, third place went to Ruby Star Andrews of New Zealand on 72.75
 
17-year-old Thomas finished in eighth place, her best score of 59.83 coming in the second run.
 
“Feeling pretty surreal to get my first podium here at Tignes,” said the 22-year-old Harrigan from Jindabyne in the NSW Snowy Mountains.
 
“I had a large training block after the Laax open, got a lot of stuff done, but also just had a blast skiing and love the sport so much right now, which has given me a new mindset towards competing.”
 
“This is the best thing leading into World Champs. It’s definitely going to give me a big confidence boost. Just stoked to ski a new course and see what we can get done.”
 
The podium performance improved Harrigan’s final World Cup slopestyle ranking to 11th, while Thomas ii 17th. In the big air discipline, Thomas finished the season ranked 14th and Harrigan 21st.
 
The freeski season for Harrigan and Thomas concludes at the FIS World Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland. Slopestyle qualifications are on March 19, finals on March 20 then big air qualifications are March 27 and finals March 29.
 
Joey Ellis will also be competing in the men’s slopestyle qualifications on March 19 and finals March 22, followed by men’s big air qualifications on March 26 and finals March 29

NSWIS snowboarder Tess Coady has competed in the World Cup slopestyle event at Absolut Park in Flachau, Austria, finishing third in her heat and sixth overall in qualifications before finals were cancelled due to snowfall and low visibility.
 
The 2022 Olympic medallist was drawn in heat one in the qualification round and had her best score in run two with a score of 75.50 from the judges, placing her in third.
 
After the decision to cancel finals, qualification scores from the two heats were used to determine the final result, placing Coady sixth overall.
 
Taking the win was Zoi Sadowski Synnott of New Zealand on 89.50, second was Annika Morgan of Germany on 88.25 and in third place was Mari Fukada of Japan with a score of 80.50.
 
Also competing for Australia was NSWIS World Cup rookie Ally Hickman in 32nd.
 
The result was great preparation for Coady, leading into the FIS Snowboard and Freestyle World Championships commencing this week in St Moritz, Switzerland. Coady will be looking for her third World Championship medal after a podium performance in 2021 (slopestyle - Aspen) and 2023 (big air - Bakuriani).
 
Joining Coady in St Moritz will be NSWIS teammates Meila Stalker and Jesse Parkinson.
 
World Championship slopestyle qualifications are on March 20 for the women and March 21 for the men. Finals for both are on March 23.
 
Big Air takes places in the second week with qualification on March 25 for the men, March 26 for the women and finals on March 28.