Eleven-strong Australian Snowboard Team set to soar at Beijing Winter Olympics

The Australian Olympic Committee has announced 11 snowboarders to the Australian Olympic Team for Beijing.

In Snowboard Cross, reigning Olympic silver medallist Jarryd Hughes, Belle Brockhoff and Cam Bolton will all compete at their third Games, Adam Lambert his second, while 2020 Youth Olympic champion Josie Baff and Adam Dickson will make their Olympic debut.

The Halfpipe event features a mix of experience and youth, with 2018 Australian flagbearer Scotty James named for his fourth Olympics, joining just six other Australians who have competed at four Winter Games, while 16-year-old Valentino Guseli will make his Olympic debut as Australia’s fifth youngest male Winter Olympian ever, and 22-year-old Emily Arthur will compete at her second Games.

In slopestyle, 23-year-old Matt Cox will make his Olympic debut, while Tess Coady will look to overcome the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic heartbreak, where her Olympic campaign was cruelled by an injury suffered in training before her competition.

Featuring two Pyeongchang Olympic medallists in Hughes and James, and dozens of podiums on the world stage across the team, the snowboarders make a formidable Australian contingent.

Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team for Beijing, Geoff Lipshut congratulated the athletes on their selection.

“This is a Snowboard team I know Australians will be incredibly proud of,” Mr Lipshut said. “These athletes have performed at the highest level on the world stage and is a great mix of experience and youth.”

“To make just one Olympic Team is a phenomenal achievement. For Scotty to make it to his fourth Olympics and Jarryd, Cam and Belle to reach three Games is a truly special achievement.

“Congratulations to all the athletes selected today and thank you to Snow Australia, NSWIS, VIS, coaches, support staff, friends and family who have all contributed to you becoming the athletes and people you are today.

“I look forward to seeing these athletes in Beijing and continue Australia’s proud Olympic legacy in Snowboard.”

The Snowboard Cross team are finalising preparations for the Games in Austria. The Snowboard Cross mixed relay event will also make its Olympic debut in Beijing, with Jarryd Hughes and Belle Brockhoff the reigning World Champions.

29-year-old Belle Brockhoff said she’s entering this Games as prepared as ever.

“It’s good to come into a Games feeling really ready for it, I’ve done everything I can to be as best prepared as possible,” Brockhoff said.

“Every race I enter I want to win and that’s what I’m aiming for in Beijing. With mixed team relay I have a chance to chase two gold medals and that’s what I’m going for.

“I haven’t got that World Cup win yet this season, but sometimes not getting the result you want can give you a bit of fire coming into the Games. I’m pumped up for it, more and more fuel to the fire.”

Pyeongchang silver medallist Jarryd Hughes said he’s setting high expectations of himself for Beijing.

“To be selected for third Oly Team feels incredible, it makes everything I’ve put towards it worth it,” Hughes said.

“My expectations are the same as every Olympics – I want to win. It’s the same expectation I’ll take to Beijing, I’ll do my best and I think that’s good enough to win.

“On race day at the Olympics, everything will be feeling mighty fresh. I’ve got the right people around me and I’m ready to go.”

Cameron Bolton said he was proud to make his third Olympic Team.

“I get to do my favourite thing in the world in front of the biggest audience, I’m really looking forward to representing Australia, friends, family and everyone back home.

“We competed in China in November, the course ran well, it makes for interesting racing. It will be tight, good races and a good show all round. Heading over there for a third Games, I’m more of a veteran with more experience, potentially even some maturity.

“We’ve had a really exciting preparation, everything’s been going really well. I’m feeling good on the snow, had a couple of good results and happy with my riding.”

21-year-old Coady will head into Beijing full of confidence after winning the most recent Slopestyle World Cup event in Laax Switzerland in mid-January.

“The 2022 Olympic Games means a lot to me, particularly because of my experience at Pyeongchang where I was injured in practice so after all of the hype and hard work, I didn’t get to compete,” Coady said.

“It’s been a long way to get back to full fitness and during that time the girls on the Snowboard Tour have kept on raising the bar in terms of the tricks that are being laid down. This Olympic Games gives me the opportunity to compete with the very best in the world and some of my best mates and the chance to establish myself as a true competitor at the top end of my sport.

“I won’t leave anything in the locker in my bid to put down my best competitive runs and do my country proud. I’m just another Aussie girl from St Kilda in Victoria who has worked hard to get to the point where I have a chance to go to the Olympic Games and if I can do it, I hope other young girls will believe that your dreams are possible if you focus on them.”

Snow Australia CEO Michael Kennedy said he is excited to see what Australia’s world class snowboard team can produce on the Olympic stage in just under two weeks’ time.

“For the 2022 Winter Olympic, we’ve assembled a really great team across the three Snowboard events and it’s great to see five debutants who will wear the Olympic rings for the first time,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Scotty James we know is eying off a spot on the podium again after winning Olympic bronze in 2018. He is in good form coming in and no doubt has some tricks up his sleeve

“The experienced Snowboard Cross team including Belle Brockhoff and 2018 Silver medallist Jarryd Hughes will be joined by young gun Josie Baff, who burst onto the scene after a breakout performance at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games, where she won Australia’s first ever gold medal.

Adam Lambert was very fast on the Olympic course during the test event so has every reason to feel confident along with the rest of the team who have all made it to the pointy end of world cup events this season.

“And after the heartbreak of Pyeongchang, Tess Coady couldn’t have had a better preparation coming into these Olympics after her recent Slopestyle World Cup win. She has been so focused in her preparation and her recent World Cup form should give her confidence she is right in the mix.

“This is a dynamic group of athletes who I’m sure will have all of Australia cheering for them.”

The Snowboard competition will run from 5-15 February, with most events in Genting Snow Park and Big Air held in Shougang, Beijing.