Celebrating International Women's Day - Josie Baff

Sunday 8 March marks International Women’s Day, with people around the globe recognising the great work of women from all walks of life.

To mark the occasion, we’ll be celebrating the achievements of women in snowsports over the last 12 months.

Women account for over 65% of Olympic, World Championship and World Cup medals in snowsports, and one woman who has added Australia’s first Youth Olympic Games gold medal to that tally is Josie Baff.

In January 2020, Josie became the first Winter Youth Olympic Games’ gold medallist for Australia, after winning the Snowboard Cross event.

At just 16 years old, Josie claimed the win in a dramatic Big Final, edging out silver medal winner Margaux Herpin of France by just 0.05 seconds.

The Jindabyne local said that she felt proud to be the first Winter Youth Olympic Games gold medallist for Australia.

“Snowboard cross has always been perceived as a masculine sport and has been dominated by men for so long so I liked to show how well women can do,” Josie said.

Growing up in the new millenium, Baff said she was lucky to have many female snowsports idols.

“Getting to watch girls like Belle (Brockhoff) and Torah (Bright) when I was growing up was fantastic,” Josie said.

“There’s a real female community in snowboarding at the moment and that’s something that I’m really proud to be a part of,” she said.

“But if I had to choose one person that is my idol, I’d have to say Torah. She just has such a positive attitude and really proves that women can do anything.”

Josie agreed with Bobbi Kelly that right now is a great time to be a woman in sport.

“It’s important that we as females continue to work together to show younger generations that younger that they don’t have to be discouraged, they should never think they can’t do something, and that women are just as strong as men.”