Kiwi world champs among Winter Olympic hopefuls

Finley Melville Ives in action during the 2025 FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup qualification in Calgary. File photo. Photo: FIS Park & Pipe

Freestyle skiers and snowboarders have been carving out a name for themselves in contests around Queenstown and Wānaka, in a push for selection for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

The athletes have been logging hours on the mountain, in the gym, and competing in International Ski and Snowboard Federation competitions in the hope of making the New Zealand team.

Finley Melville Ives, who won halfpipe gold at this year's FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup at the age of 18, said selection was no certainty.

"It's a bit nerve-wracking, honestly. I've been working really hard to qualify," he said.

Men’s freeski halfpipe world championships podium (L-R): Nick Goepper (USA) silver, Finley Melville Ives (NZ) gold, Alex Ferreira (USA) bronze. Photo: Christian Stadler / FIS Park & Pipe

"It would be a dream come true. All my idols have all gone to the Olympics. And it's been a dream of mine for a long time to be able to follow their footsteps."

Just six athletes made the cut for the freestyle disciplines at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

To qualify, athletes had to convince Snow Sports New Zealand selectors they could achieve a top-16 placing at the games and show they had the potential for a top-eight finish.

Skier Ben Harrington, who represented New Zealand in the halfpipe during the 2022 games, said he had been training from sunrise to sunset three or four days per week in a bid to make another crack at the podium.

"A typical day is waking up at 5.30am, leaving the crib at 6.30am, drinking some coffee to get fired up, then on the snow at 7.30am. Ski pipe from 7.30am to 11.30am, train all day. Ski a bit of rail, go hit some jumps, then go to the gym, get a nice little gym session in, go home and have an ice bath," he said.

Athletes also faced weather challenges, with windy days and below-average snowfall throughout the New Zealand winter.

Big air skier Ruby Star Andrews said it had made for a few training "struggles".

"It's hard to jump those big jumps in bad weather, but at the same time, competitions can run in less-than-perfect conditions, so it's good to train in those conditions as well," she said.

Preparation was not limited to the mountain, with some athletes also putting in time online.

Big air snowboarder Rocco Jamieson said he has been studying 3D models of the Milan-Cortina 2026 course.

"They're pretty early renders, but it's looking really good. Just a nice course, great rails, great jumps," he said.

Big air skier Luca Harrington said his past year had been focused on competition, and the long list of wins he chalked up definitely made him feel "a bit more comfortable" approaching Olympic selection.

"I ended up winning my first World Cup, backing it up with another back-to-back gold the next weekend, which then led me into the X Games, which was an extreme honour to be there, where I managed to get two medals," he said.

"Throughout the season, I got a few more podium results and ended up walking away with a Crystal Globe and as the world champion in big air."

Big air snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott said nothing came close to competing at the Olympics.

After claiming both gold and silver in 2022, she said she was working hard at having another shot.

"Getting the call-up for Milan would be really exciting. I don't know if there'll be any celebrating because right now's the time to keep our heads down, and keep working towards the big goal that's looming over our heads," she said.

"For us, the Olympics is huge, and it only comes around every four years."

Athletes who miss out on the first team selection early next month will still have another chance, with more team announcements scheduled for December and January.

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