Ben Tudhope Becomes First Aussie To Win 50 World Cup Medals

With two silver medals at the second event of the FIS Para Snowboard World Cup in Austria on the weekend, Para snowboarding superstar and New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Ben Tudhope became the first Australian winter athlete to win 50 medals in World Cup competition. 

The extraordinary achievement cements Tudhope’s place as one of the greats of Australian snow sports, alongside the likes of legendary Para alpine skier (and former NSWIS Para athlete) Michael Milton, Australia’s only Paralympic snowboarding gold medallist so far Simon Patmore, and non-disabled athletes including Olympic moguls champion and NSWIS scholarship holder Jakara Anthony, who last week won her 26^th World Cup gold medal to overtake aerials skier Jacqui Cooper and become Australia’s most prolific World Cup gold medallist. 

Tudhope – who has won 59 international medals including Paralympic and World Championships events – started out in snowboarding in 2009, influenced by his sisters who are both accomplished winter sport exponents. Over the past decade he’s led Australia’s charge in the sport, which was introduced to the Paralympic program for the 2014 Games in Sochi. 

There, aged just 14, Tudhope was the youngest athlete from any country and carried the national flag at the Closing Ceremony. At Beijing 2022, Tudhope was co-captain of the Australian team, won the bronze medal in the snowboard cross SB-LL2 and was again Closing Ceremony flag bearer. The following year, in the same discipline, he won gold at the World Para Snowboard Championships in Spain.

Amid all the 180s, Euro Carves and getting air – and heading towards his fourth Paralympics, at Milano Cortina – Tudhope, now aged 26, has maintained a humility and infectious zest for life that has made him an Australian Paralympic Team favourite. 

Ben, what an amazing feat, winning your 50th World Cup Para snowboarding medal. How conscious have you been of approaching that milestone? Was it something you had as a goal? 

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool seeing that stat. I’m not too much of a stat man, I more just go with it. I wasn’t aware of the 50, so it was epic when it popped up on social media. 

“We don’t reflect a lot as athletes, so it was nice to have a quick think back at all the past comps. I’ve been on this sport for a while!” 

As the first Australian winter athlete to achieve 50 World Cup podiums, how does it feel to be a leader among so many great Australian athletes? 

“Gosh, I didn’t even know no other winter sport Aussie has achieved 50 World Cup podiums. That’s pretty cool. There’s been some legendary characters in that lot. I’m honestly just going and doing what I do without making too much of a fuss of it. 

“I will continue to ride to my ability and try continue to get on the podium at every race I compete in and if other people take a bit of motivation by that, I hope to lead by example.”    

Of all those 50 medals over the past decade or so, is there one that stands out as a favourite? 

“My first World Cup podium was pretty sweet. I hadn’t achieved any podium in my career for five years from 2013-17. But in 2017 in Treble Cone, NZ, I was in Year 12 at school and flew to NZ for the weekend. We raced the next day, came 2nd and nearly got the gold – the US competitor got me in the last run – then went back to school on Monday, like nothing happened. It was bittersweet. 

“Still the most memorable is taking out gold on both days in Pyhä, Finland in 2019 in SBX (snowboard cross), five days after my late coach Mikko Wendelin died, in honour of him.” 

What has been your secret to maintaining such a consistently high level of performance over several years? 

“Love of snowboarding. It’s as easy as that. You will still see me up there before the race like I’m a kid having the most fun on snow. Popping 180s, Euro Carves, getting air and, most importantly, smiling when I’mdoing it all. 

“I get more serious when time comes but still enjoy the competition side of things too. When I’m having fun, I’m performing my best.” 

How would you rate your preparation for Milano Cortina? What’s coming up between now and Games-time for you? 

“Preparation has been smooth. We have done everything that we could have done before this competition block and have spent a lot of time on different courses this season, working on the micro techniques and movements to improve our riding. 

“We are in quite a heavy competition block right now, with three more World Cup events with two comps in each. I’m in Switzerland now, then travel to Big White, Canada and Steamboat, Colorado. Then back to Europe for the final push before the Games.” 

We’ll potentially have a very exciting Para snowboarding team at MICO. What are your hopes for the team at the Games? 

“The Australian Para snowboard team will be very different to Beijing, where it was only myself competing. All the team are doing exceptionally well and I can’t wait to show what we can deliver at the Games, including our alpine skiing and biathlon teams.” 

David Sygall, Paralympics Australia.