Park & Pipe – 2025/26 Season Wrap

Australia’s park and pipe program delivered a standout 2025/26 season, highlighted by an Olympic medal, X Games success and Junior World Championships podiums, alongside strong World Cup performances across both snowboard and freeski.

SNOWBOARD

Scotty James delivered one of Australia’s defining performances of Milano Cortina 2026, claiming silver in the men’s halfpipe to secure his third consecutive Olympic medal at his fifth Games. The 31-year-old qualified first and cemented his place as a legend in the sport with his second place performance and a post-event determination to keep going towards the French Alps 2030.

Earlier in the winter, James added to his legacy by claiming a fifth consecutive X Games Aspen superpipe title, his eighth overall, drawing level with Shaun White for the most X Games snowboard gold medals. He also took out the Laax Open for the fifth time, his 11th World Cup victory.

New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Valentino Guseli returned from injury to deliver a typically entertaining campaign. He finished second overall in the World Cup halfpipe standings, recording five podiums from six events including a win in Calgary. At the Olympics, he placed fifth in halfpipe, improving on his Beijing result, and also competed in big air at short notice, finishing 10th after qualifying for the final.

Tess Coady returned to the Olympic stage after her Beijing bronze, finishing seventh in big air, Australia’s best-ever result in the event. The NSWIS athlete also recorded four top-eight World Cup results and placed fourth in slopestyle at X Games.

NSWIS snowboarder Mela Stalker continued her progression, finishing 10th in big air on Olympic debut after qualifying alongside Coady for the final. Her season also included career-best World Cup results with fifth-place finishes in both big air and slopestyle.

Sixteen-year-old Ally Hickman emerged as one of the breakthrough athletes of the season. Two years after competing at the Winter Youth Olympic Games, the NSWIS athlete made her Olympic debut as the second-youngest member of the Australian team. Her potential was highlighted by her seventh place finish in slopestyle, while her World Cup season also included a maiden World Cup podium – big air bronze at Steamboat – and a career-best ninth in slopestyle at Laax.

In women’s halfpipe, NSWIS scholarship holders Emily Arthur competed at her third Olympic Games, finishing 24th, while Amelie Haskell placed 20th on debut. Haskell’s season included three World Cup top-20 results, highlighted by a career-best eighth at Buttermilk.

Misaki Vaughan was selected for her first Olympic Games but was forced to withdraw following a concussion in training. Prior to that, she recorded a career-best World Cup result of 15th in Calgary.

At the next level, Australia’s junior athletes continued to gain experience internationally.

James Garth competed at his second Junior World Championships, finishing ninth in slopestyle and 21st in big air, while also recording a career-best Nor-Am Cup result of seventh in big air at Stoneham. Marie-Jeanne Purwanto recorded 11th in halfpipe at Junior Worlds and added experience across big air and slopestyle, while also making her Nor-Am Cup debut with ninth in slopestyle at Copper. Juan George competed across multiple disciplines at Junior Worlds and made his first Nor-Am Cup appearances, with a best result of 18th in slopestyle at Mammoth.

FREESKI

Teen sensation Indra Brown delivered a breakout season, announcing herself as one of the most exciting young athletes in freeskiing. The NSWIS athlete opened her World Cup career with podiums in her first three events, including a halfpipe victory in Calgary, and went on to finish second overall in the halfpipe standings and third overall across park and pipe disciplines.

At the Olympics, Brown finished fifth in halfpipe as the youngest member of the Australian team, before going on to win gold in halfpipe at the Junior World Championships, alongside fourth in slopestyle and fifth in big air.

Her season also included a silver medal at X Games Aspen and a fourth-place finish in big air at the Tignes World Cup, underlining her versatility across disciplines.

Injury disrupted the campaigns of NSWIS scholarhip holders Daisy Thomas and Abi Harrigan. Both suffered ACL injuries during World Cup competition in China, and while Thomas was selected for Milano Cortina, another crash during training in Italy ultimately derailed an Olympic debut.

NSWIS athlete Joey Elliss tripled his World Cup experience with eight starts across the season, recording a top-40 finish in big air in Beijing. He also produced one of his strongest performances at European Cup level, finishing fourth in big air at La Clusaz.

At the development level, Maya Broadbent delivered one of the most impressive junior performances of the season, winning bronze in both slopestyle and big air at the Junior World Championships at just 13 years of age. She backed that up with a big air victory and second place in slopestyle at the season-ending European Cup Premium event in Corvatsch.

Toby McIlwaine competed at his third Junior World Championships, with his best results coming in big air and the rail event. He also recorded a career-best European Cup finish of 24th in big air at Davos.

Hugo Broadbent, Aidan Laing (NSWIS) and Ryder Shook-Edwards all gained valuable experience across Junior World Championships, European Cup and Nor-Am Cup competition, continuing to build depth across the program.