Snowboard NZ Athletes

Teams:

The overall aim for the Snowboard NZ Teams is to acknowledge and support those riders who have reached an international level in their respective gender, age and discipline in competitive snowboarding.

Team selection is multi-level with consideration to the achievements and commitments by riders working towards their own individual competitive goals.

A selection panel convenes every six months to select the nation’s top development and elite athletes for Snowboard New Zealand’s teams. Support is provided for each athlete along his or her pathway from rookie to pro.

New Zealand sent its largest team to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver with a total of five athletes including Julianne Bray, Kendall Brown, Rebecca Sinclair, Mitchell Brown and James Hamilton. With the inclusion of Slopestyle in the next Winter Olympic Games and Para-Snowboard cross in the Paralympics,  the team is likely to grow. In addition, NZ athletes have competed in Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Adaptive Snowboard Cross at the Winter X Games, and in big mountain freeriding at the prestigious Freeride World Tour.

The Snowboard NZ Teams Include:

National Team

The country’s elite competitive snowboarders at an international level. They positively represent and influence the snowboarding scene on and off snow. They are committed as professional snowboarders and are respected by both their peers and public alike. The ‘Snowboard NZ National Team’ is the pinnacle of New Zealand competitive snowboarding. Every discipline of snowboarding may be represented.

Development Squad

Represents snowboarders coming through with expectations to make the National Team. Snowboarders in ‘The Squad’ can represent New Zealand at any international open level event or be considered for selection to Youth Worlds; Junior Worlds.

Youth Squad

Riders under 17 years of age showing talent and dedication to training and competing in all disciplines of snowboarding. The Junior Squad is provided development opportunities to continue their progression in snowboarding. Juniors can be considered for special selection to represent New Zealand at international junior events.

Complete Selection Criteria Information click here :

• Carl Murphy

  Adaptive snowboard cross athlete Carl Murphy continues to dominate on the international stage. At his first event of the 2013 northern hemisphere seas...

  

• Shelly Gotlieb

  Originally from Ohakune, Shelly now spends much of the southern hemisphere winter in Wanaka and Queenstown. Shelly is one of New Zealand’s most respec...

  

• Rebecca Sinclair

  I grew up in Auckland, started snowboarding at Mt Ruapehu when I was eleven (we had moved to Taupo by then) and I am now based in Wanaka. I went to a ...

  

• Rebecca Torr

  Te Puke's Rebecca 'Possum' Torr began competing in snowboard slopestyle in 2010. She has enjoyed a rapid rise up the elite ranks and in 2011 was named...

  

• Stef Zeestraten

  Things you may not want to know about me:  I was a youngest child of three, born in Holland and migrating to beautiful New Zealand at the young age of...

  

• Stefi Luxton

  I was lucky enough to grow up in Wanaka with my family: my mum, dad and two brothers. I skied until the age of 14 when I tried out skateboarding which...

• Christy Prior

  Christy began snowboarding at age 17. Although this was a relatively late introduction to the sport, Christy has been on a rapid rise to success.