Ben Tudhope - striving for more success

Paralympic snowboarder Ben Tudhope is the new world champion, but the 23-year-old says he’s still on the journey towards reaching the top of his game.

Tudhope achieved one of his main sporting ambitions by claiming his first world championship title this year and, in a dominant season, he claimed the Crystal Globe by winning five-of-six snowboard cross events on the World Cup circuit.

Tudhope has already competed at three Paralympic Games and broke through for a bronze medal in Beijing.

The Sydney-sider doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself, but says he wants to keep improving before a potential fourth Paralympic campaign in 2026, in Milano-Cortina, Italy.

“I don’t really look too far ahead to any bigger goals,” Tudhope says. “I guess I just want to get into next season and hopefully do the same thing, work my way up, get more confidence in myself and my ability as a snowboarder. Then hopefully, by the time 2026 rolls around, I’m at the top of my game, even more than I am now.

“It will be an interesting ride and it’s going to be a journey. I appreciate, and I’m grateful, for every step of the way and everyone who has supported me. I can’t wait to see where it goes.”

Tudhope has already come such a long way.

He was just 14, the youngest competitor of any nation at the Games, when he made his Paralympic debut at Sochi 2014. He carried the Australian flag in the closing ceremony there, then co-captained the Australian Paralympic team at Beijing 2022.

Having finished with silver medals at two previous world championships, Tudhope this year cracked top spot on the podium in La Molina, Spain. 

“It was absolutely unbelievable,” Tudhope says. “It took a lot of time to sink in.

"I had my family with me over there in Spain and we had tough conditions, so I was just super happy that I was able to overcome everything and win. It’s something I’ve wanted to win from the start of my career.”

One of the touching stories of Tudhope’s victory was that he dedicated it to late-coach Mikko Wendelin and a teammate, Matty Robinson, who had died many years earlier at the world championship venue.

Tudhope, supported by the NSW Institute of Sport, feels he continues to make progress with the professional team behind him.

“I feel like my support network and team dynamics this season have been absolutely amazing,” Tudhope says. “I wasn’t burnt out and every comp was just another stepping stone to that big event.  … it was just gaining momentum until the world champs and I was super happy.”