Snowboard Star Says Enjoyment Was Key To His Success

Three-time Paralympian Ben Tudhope has revealed the secret to his success during the northern winter, in which he earned a bronze medal at the Para Snowboard World Championships and gained seven podium finishes at World Cup events. 

The Australian Paralympic Team co-captain at Beijing 2022 was named Male Athlete of the Year in Paralympic Disciplines for a remarkable seventh consecutive time at the Snow Australia Awards recently. Tudhope’s coach Nickie Rodger was named Coach of the Year for Paralympic Disciplines for the third straight year. 

“It was a great season and I really had a focus on having fun this year,” said Tudhope, who won bronze in snowboard cross SB-LL2 at the 2022 Paralympics.  

“I feel like when I am having fun and enjoying snowboarding, I am riding my best and that’s definitely improved my performance.  

“We had a bigger Para-snowboard team this year, so it’s been great riding with all my teammates.” 

Another Milano Cortina hopeful, rising star Georgia Gunew, was named Female Athlete of the Year in Paralympic Disciplines for the second time, alongside her guide Ethan Jackson, after a season in which they won two Para-alpine skiing World Cup medals.  

“It’s a pretty cool feeling going back-to-back wins,” Gunew said. “I love getting to race and the awards nights are always fantastic. 

“Seeing what everyone has achieved and celebrating everyone’s achievements is amazing.” 

Gunew said the highlight of her season was winning bronze medals in the giant slalom and slalom at the Para Alpine Skiing World Cup event in Veysonnaz, Switzerland in March. She added that attending Paralympics Australia Team Processing session in Melbourne “made it all feel real” and “getting to put on a little green and gold was an incredible feeling and I haven’t done it before, so I was really stoked”.  

“I can’t even imagine the pride I would feel getting to stand there at the top of the racecourse and having the best crack we can to get down as fast as we can,” Gunew said. 

Jackson, Gunew’s guide, added: “It’s a really cool experience and it’s such an honour to share it with Georgia. We’re such a good team and we spend so much time together we’re like a little family. 

“The consistency is a testament to the work we’re putting in and we spend almost the whole year working and training.” 

2025 SNOW AUSTRALIA AWARDS WINNERS 
 

Female Athlete of the Year – Paralympic Disciplines: Georgia Gunew and Ethan Jackson (Para Alpine) 
 

Male Athlete of the Year – Paralympic Disciplines: Ben Tudhope (Para Snowboard) 
 

Female Athlete of the Year – Olympic Disciplines: Laura Peel (Aerials) and Danielle Scott (Aerials) 
 

Male Athlete of the Year – Olympic Disciplines: Scotty James (Snowboard Park and Pipe) 
 

Junior Athlete of the Year: Charlotte Wilson (Moguls) 
 

Team Performance of the Year: Cam Bolton and Mia Clift (Snowboard Cross) 
 

Coach of the Year – Paralympic Disciplines: Nickie Rodger (Para Snowboard) 
 

Coach of the Year – Olympic Disciplines: Harald Benselin and Jan Klemsa (Snowboard Cross) 
 

Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin Outstanding Achievement Award:  Rosie Fordham (Cross Country)  

By Snow Australia and David Sygall, Paralympics Australia.

Published 6 May, 2025.