NSWIS athletes meet at National Snowsports Training Centre

As the nation’s best athletes descend on Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games, their seasonal counterparts have arrived at the National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC) in Jindabyne. 

Olympic champion in women’s moguls Jakara Anthony and world number two in Para snowboarding Ben Tudhope are among 38 of the nation’s best winter athletes attending the annual NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Winter Welcome Ceremony to celebrate the past 12 months of success and welcome the Institute’s newest scholarship holders.   

“The history making performance of our winter athletes on the world stage this season is incredible and highlights the outstanding performance support NSWIS provides our athletes on their journey to become world’s best,” NSW Minister for Sport, Steve Kamper said.
"Congratulations to all the athletes and their support staff for their outstanding results and unwavering determination to represent our state at the highest level!"
Thirty-eight athletes, including Olympians, Paralympians and Crystal Globe champions, from moguls, snowboard cross and park and pipe attended the prestigious event which welcomes returning scholarship holders as well as new scholarship athletes to high performance.   

“It was a history making performance by NSWIS athletes this season. There was the phenomenal performance by Jakara Anthony, who, during the 2023/24 northern hemisphere season, won three Crystal Globes and became the first moguls skier in history to win 14 World Cups in a season,” Winter Sports Manager Peter Topalovic said. 

“Then there was the record breaking season by the snowboard cross athletes in both the World Cup and Europa Cup; Crystal Globes to Anthony and Valentino Guseli, Youth Olympic Games medals to Daisy Thomas (silver), Lottie Lodge (silver) and Abbey Wilson (bronze) YOG medals and who could forget Ben Tudhope placing second in the world in the Para snowboard. 

Present to recognise and welcome the athletes were NSWIS CEO Professor Kevin Thompson, Snow Australia CEO Michael Kennedy, Olympic Winter Institute of Australia CEO Geoff Lipshut  and strategic partners from Perisher, Thredbo, and Jindabyne Sport & Recreation Centre.      

“I am incredibly proud of the performance of our winter sports athletes as well as the performance support NSWIS has provided during the 2023/24 season,” NSWIS Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Thompson said.    

"This is a moment to celebrate the success of our programs, athletes, and staff at this unique Winter Welcome Ceremony. It's also an opportunity to honour our rich cultural traditions and recognize our valued stakeholders and strategic partners."
The athletes celebrated at the new National Snowsports Training Centre, a world-class high performance training facility which was opened by the NSW Premier, the Hon Chris Minns.  on 7 June 2024

“The NSTC has already demonstrated its importance to both high performance and community. It has quickly established a reputation for being a world class training environment for all our winter athletes and a place where local community kids and athletes of all ages can come and train along side the worlds best,” Snow Australia CEO Michael Kennedy said. 

"It's fantastic to see so many new Snow Australia athletes across Moguls, Snowboard Cross, Park & Pipe, and Para Snowboarding joining the established cohort as NSWIS scholarship recipients for the upcoming season! Its a significant nod to our Performance pathway and initiatives such as the Emerging Talent Program which continue to deliver Institute ready athletes."

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games are just 18 months away and the Olympic qualification period officially commenced this month, our athletes are using this Australian domestic winter season to fine tune their skills in preparation for a long 2024-25 Northern Hemisphere winter campaign culminating with the FIS World Championships being held in Engadin, Switzerland March 2025.