Athlete Feature I Duncan Cowan joins the NAST

Ahead of Olympic Day on Monday 23 June, Snow Australia caught up with 18-year-old ski cross athlete Duncan Cowan, who was recently named to the 2025/26 National Alpine Ski Team (NAST) and is aiming for a future Olympics after the inspiring experience of competing and being a flag bearer at the Winter Youth Olympic Games.

“I feel incredibly honoured and proud to be part of the NAST and I’m really looking forward to learning and developing with the team,” Cowan said. 

“The goal is to keep building and really enjoy the journey. 

“In the short term, I’m focused on performing well and consistently at Europa Cup level and earning starts on the World Cup circuit. 

“Long term, my eyes are firmly set on qualifying for the Olympic Games and becoming a regular on the World Cup tour.”

With experience in Snow Australia’s Emerging Talent Program (ETP), Duncan is thankful for the incredible support the coaches provide, as well as an opportunity to work on his craft. 

“The ETP helped me improve both my technical and mental skills while teaching me how to train with purpose,” he said. 

“The support from the coaches and the focus on performance goals has prepared me well for a transition to the NAST.

“I have just returned from such a training camp in Jindabyne, and being around athletes with World Cup and international experience - like Louis Muhlen Schulte - has pushed me to raise my standards every day, whether that’s in physical prep, technical execution, or mental focus. 

“Watching how they approach training, recovery, and even setbacks has taught me what it takes to perform at the elite level. 

“It’s also given me a clearer picture of the pathway ahead and the work required to get there. 

“Having access to their experience, as well as the coaching and support staff around them, has assisted my development both on and off the hill.”

Duncan has long held the dream to don the green and gold for Australia at the Olympics, and his opportunity to compete at the Youth Winter Olympic Games only intensified this passion. 

“Getting a taste of the Olympics through the Youth Winter Olympic Games was an incredible experience, it gave me a real sense of the scale, the energy, and the pride that comes with representing your country on the world stage,” he said. 

“To compete at the Olympic Games themselves would mean everything - it has been a dream for a long time. 

“More than that though, it would be a chance to show what Australian athletes are capable of in a sport like Ski Cross where we're still making our mark. 

“Wearing the green and gold at an Olympic Winter Games would be an amazing honour.

“A career highlight so far has been the recent races on the NorAm circuit in USA and Canada and taking out the overall title was very right up there for me. 

“However, representing Australia at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea, where I had the honour of being the Australian team flag bearer at the opening ceremony is the biggest highlight - that was huge and something I will never forget.”