Freeride Olympic Inclusion: Community Update
Published Fri 17 Jul 2026
Snow Australia is continuing work to support freeride’s transition into the Olympic pathway following the recent confirmation of the discipline’s inclusion on the Olympic Winter Games programme from 2030.
The announcement marks an important milestone for the freeride community and brings a new phase of planning for Snow Australia, with the discipline to sit within the broader FIS and Olympic high-performance environment.
While further detail is still to come on areas such as qualification, international competition structure and licence requirements, Snow Australia has already begun working through the implications for the national pathway.
Current activity across Australia and New Zealand provides a strong platform for the next stage of development. Junior and Qualifier events are already in place in the region, Australian athletes are represented across multiple levels of the pathway, and domestic interest from athletes, clubs and resorts continues to grow.
Snow Australia’s immediate priorities include supporting domestic event delivery, understanding future FIS sanctioning and licence requirements, building local technical delegate and judging capability, and developing the structures needed to support freeride as a recognised national discipline.
As part of this work, Snow Australia will establish a National Freeride Committee alongside its existing Discipline Committees to help guide the sport’s development. Further updates will be provided as information is confirmed by FIS and the Freeride World Tour, and as the Australian freeride pathway continues to take shape.
Freeride Olympic Inclusion: FAQ
What has been announced?
Freeride skiing and snowboarding have been confirmed for inclusion on the Olympic Winter Games programme from 2030. The discipline is expected to include men’s and women’s ski and snowboard medal events.
What is freeride?
Freeride is a ski and snowboard discipline conducted on natural terrain. Athletes are judged on the line they choose down the mountain and how they execute that line, including control, technique, fluidity, air and overall impression.
What is Snow Australia’s role?
Snow Australia is the National Federation responsible for ski and snowboard disciplines in Australia. As freeride becomes part of the Olympic pathway, Snow Australia will work through the national pathway, event sanctioning, membership, athlete categorisation, officials development and future nomination and selection requirements. Snow Australia will also establish a National Freeride Committee alongside its existing Discipline Committees to help guide the development of the sport.
Will Australian athletes need a FIS licence?
Licensing and membership requirements are still being confirmed as freeride transitions further into the FIS system. Snow Australia is working through how these requirements will apply to Australian athletes and events and will provide further guidance when the details are clear.
What events are currently available in Australia and New Zealand?
The current regional pathway includes Junior and Qualifier events in Australia and New Zealand. Australian activity includes events at Hotham and Falls Creek, with further interest from other resorts. New Zealand also hosts multiple Junior and Qualifier events, which are important for athletes seeking regional results and progression opportunities.
How does the current international pathway work?
The current Freeride World Tour pathway generally progresses from Junior events to Qualifier events, then to Challenger competitions and finally the elite Freeride World Tour. As freeride is integrated further into FIS, this structure may evolve, and Snow Australia will update the community as further information is confirmed.
Are Australian athletes already competing internationally?
Yes. Australia already has athletes competing across different levels of the freeride pathway, including senior international competition and junior categories. Snow Australia will continue to monitor athlete results and pathway development as the discipline grows.
Will there be athlete categorisation for freeride?
Snow Australia expects athlete categorisation to be an important part of the next phase of freeride pathway development. Criteria and processes will need to be considered carefully and aligned with the broader high performance system.
How can the freeride community stay connected?
While not everyone involved in freeride will need to become a Snow Australia member, we encourage everyone in the freeride community to register with Snow Australia for free by activating a SnowID. Community members are also encouraged to subscribe to the Freeride Community Update eNews to receive future updates on events, membership requirements, pathway development and other important information.
What happens next?
Snow Australia’s next steps include continuing discussions with FIS and the Freeride World Tour, supporting domestic events, building technical delegate and judging capability, clarifying membership and licence requirements, and developing the national pathway for freeride. Further updates will be shared with the community as information becomes available.