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‘I Ride For Matty’.
It’s a simple yet poignant tribute to a fallen friend, woven literally and figuratively into the Milano Cortina 2026 Australian Paralympic Winter Team.
A patch stating those words is stitched in the lapel of the team’s Opening Ceremony blazer, as it has been in various items of the Australian team’s uniform since 2014.
That was the year that Para snowboard pioneer Matthew Robinson was involved in an accident while competing at a World Cup event in La Molina, Spain. Days later, on February 21, Robinson died, leaving a gaping hole in the Australian winter sport community.
On the 12th anniversary of Robinson’s passing, Australia’s Milano Cortina-bound athletes will pause to reflect on Robinson’s legacy and reaffirm their vow to perform at their absolute best at the Paralympic Games to honour his memory. Perhaps none will be more reflective than fellow snowboarder Ben Tudhope, who was just 14 years old when he lost Robinson, whom Tudhope treated as a big-brother figure.
“I met him when I was 10 years old, so it was at that crucial stage of my development, and I definitely learned a lot off him,” Tudhope said previously.
“He was that role model who really took me to the top level of the sport.
“To ride in his name and to honour him as much as I can is truly special to me. I ride in his legacy now and he would want me to do this and do the best that I can.
“I love him terribly. I love him and I love everything about him, so it’s great to live in his name. Every day, I do ride for Matty.”
In the years since Robinson’s death, Paralympics Australia, in partnership with the Robinson family and Disabled Wintersport Australia, has continued to honour his life in meaningfulways.
Apart from the ‘I Ride For Matty’ patches woven into the Australian team uniform, the Matthew Robinson Scholarship was launched in 2019 to help emerging Australian Para athletes offset some of the costs of participating in winter sport, including travel, equipment, training camps and coaching.
The recipient of the scholarship in 2023 was Taryn Dickens, who is set to be named in the Australian Paralympic Team to compete in Para biathlon and Para cross-country at Milano Cortina, her first Games.
Dickens said at the time she was awarded the scholarship: “To have this funding, it cements that other people can see me on the snow giving it my absolute best shot. People can see the future I see.
“I’ve read about the sad story of Matty. He was doing great stuff and it’s a real honour to be chosen for a scholarship (named after) someone doing something I would love to do. He definitely sounds like he was my sort of person.”
By David Sygall, Paralympics Australia.
Published 20 February, 2026.
