The New Zealand Mountains Behind the World's Best Snow Athletes

If you've been following winter sports lately, you've probably noticed the Kiwi crew is having a bit of a moment. And what a moment it is. There's nothing quite like watching New Zealand athletes compete on the world stage, doing things on snow that most people can only dream of. We're proud of every single one of them. For some of us, watching these riders now means remembering them as groms up at Cardrona and Treble Cone. From their ‘firsts’ in the park, to Junior Nationals, to the world stage - what a ride it’s been.

15 of New Zealand's 17 Winter Olympic athletes call Cardrona home. They compete in Slopestyle, Big Air and Halfpipe – disciplines honed at home at Cardrona. Getting here takes a village, a very specific environment, a lot of hard work, and a pathway that’s been decades in the making.

Meet Heath Richmond, Resort Manager for Cardrona Alpine Resort - who reflects on seeing Nico do his first double back flip, and the progression of Fin and Cam Melville Ives from little groms to elite world champions.

World-Class Terrain, World-Class Standards

Between Cardrona and Treble Cone, our Kiwi athletes have access to a massive variety of terrain, from progressive terrain parks and halfpipes to technical big-mountain faces. But it’s the commitment to that terrain that matters. While everyone else is asleep, our snow and terrain team are out there building features, cutting the pipe to world-class standard, getting the mountain ready for another day of training. They care about the work the same way the athletes care about their riding. It’s a symbiotic relationship - a shared standard that creates excellence.

Being based in the Southern Hemisphere also matters. Athletes can train through the NZ winter before heading north for international competition, maintaining rhythm and continuity in their season.

Moving Mountains: a short documentary following our Parks Crew, who build and shape the Southern Hemisphere’s most extensive terrain parks, all while we're sleeping.

There's a lot of heart that goes into this place. From the coaches and park crew to the team making your morning flat white, everyone here is whānau and everyone plays a part. That support doesn't stop at the mountain either. It runs through the whole community. On any given morning at Cardrona and Treble Cone, you might find yourself sharing a chairlift with someone who's just returned from competing on the world stage. You’ll see some of the world’s best riders lapping the same lifts as the next generation of groms. This is where the magic happens.

High-Performance Snow Sports Pathways in New Zealand

For those inspired to step into the world of competitive snow sports, we have three distinct high-performance pathways designed to take you there. These programmes align coaching standards, progression benchmarks and competition preparation across disciplines. Acting as the stepping stone to skiing and snowboarding excellence. These programmes focus on:

• Long-term athlete development

• Technical progression standards

• Competition readiness

• Alignment with national pathways

Cardrona Parks Squad - Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding Development

As the Southern Hemisphere's hub for freestyle, Parks Squad is the stepping stone to park and pipe excellence. Training in the region's most extensive terrain parks and halfpipes in the southern hemisphere, athletes work on everything from core fundamentals to high-level competition prep. It’s a programme with a proven track record, having helped shape the careers of athletes like Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous.

Best for: Aspiring freestyle skiers and snowboarder who are interested in getting on a competitive pathway.

Explore Parks Squad

TC Freeride - Big Mountain Skiing and Snowboarding at Treble Cone

TC Freeride Based at Treble Cone - the New Zealand mecca for freeriding. This programme is designed to unlock the next generation of big-mountain talent. Led by world-class coaches (including current and former World Freeride Tour competitors), athletes learn to navigate challenging natural terrain, master line choice, and prepare for junior freeride events in a safe, supportive environment.

Best for: Advanced skiers and riders who want to master technical, off-piste terrain, and get in to freeride competition.

Explore TC Freeride

Wānaka Ski Team (WST) - Alpine Racing in New Zealand

WST is dedicated to alpine racing excellence, offering a tiered training structure from junior development to FIS-level competition. With access to dedicated training arenas at both Cardrona and Treble Cone, the team focuses on technical precision in Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Super G, empowering athletes to reach their racing goals on the national and international stage.

Best for: Skiers focused on alpine racing and technical excellence.

Explore Wānaka Ski Team

Looking Ahead

The athletes currently representing NZ on the world stage are the benchmark, but they aren’t the end of the story. They’re the inspiration for the kids currently hitting their first jumps in the 22ft pipe or dropping into the Motatapu Chutes. The next chapter is already being written - one first jump, one early morning park lap, one "I did it" moment at a time.