Olympic coaching great Trennon Paynter appointed Snow Australia Park & Pipe Director

Snow Australia is delighted to announce the appointment of Trennon Paynter as Park & Pipe Director. 

The role leads the strategic direction and technical delivery of Australia’s Park & Pipe pathway across six Olympic disciplines: Freeski and Snowboard Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Big Air. 

Paynter joins Snow Australia after 15 years as Head Coach of the Canadian National Halfpipe Ski Team, where his athletes won medals at every Winter Olympic Games since halfpipe skiing’s 2014 inclusion.

Paynter built Canada’s program from the ground up, leading its strategy, coaching team and athlete pathway to deliver medal-winning performances across four Olympic cycles. He also worked with national federations and the IOC to help secure halfpipe skiing’s place on the Olympic program.

During his time in charge, Canada’s achievements included:

• Five Olympic medals at Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022 and Milano Cortina 2026, including gold to Cassie Sharpe in 2018.

• 15 FIS World Championship medals, won across 11 different athletes.

• 95 FIS World Cup podiums and nine Crystal Globe season titles.

• 36 Winter X Games medals, with athletes on the podium at every X Games ski superpipe event since 2005.

Though he has spent most of his professional life in Canada, Paynter has deep Australian roots. Born in Sydney, he learned to ski at Thredbo and went on to compete for Australia in moguls at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games and is a Snow Australia Medalist.

Snow Australia General Manager - Sport, Ben Bond, said Paynter’s expertise would be invaluable for the organisation.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Trennon. He has led a program that has won Olympic medals at every Games since 2014, and he knows how to build the systems, coaching teams and pathways that deliver sustained success,” he said.

“He also understands the Australian system and shares our ambition for a clear pathway from club to podium.” 

Paynter is a 10-time recipient of the Coaching Association of Canada’s Coaching Excellence Award, and was named in ESPN’s 50 Most Influential People in Action Sports in 2012. 

Outside of national team roles, he is regularly contracted by Red Bull, and has previously been engaged by Surfing Australia to run acrobatics-specific aerial awareness camps.  

Paynter’s recruitment is a key step in Snow Australia and OWIA’s strategy for Park & Pipe, building a system capable of delivering repeatable international performances across multiple Olympic cycles.

“Our Park & Pipe community has asked for dedicated leadership and a clearer pathway, and this appointment delivers on that,” Bond said.

“With the National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC), proven athletes and an exciting junior cohort, Trennon arrives at the right time as we build towards 2030 and 2034.”

Paynter said he felt he was coming full circle in beginning his role with Snow Australia.

“I’m so honoured and excited to be working with Snow Australia. As an Australian Olympian whose first day on skis was in New South Wales’ Snowy Mountains, it brings great pride to take up such an accomplished and respected organisation in this role,” Paynter said.

“Australia’s sustained performance in snowsports, across multiple Olympic Games, has long been an inspiring sport story. I’m thrilled about the prospect of contributing to the next chapter, and working closely with all involved across the entire Park & Pipe ecosystem and pathway.

“The culture around sport in this country is second to none, and it’s a culture that I look forward to both learning from and contributing to, as we move towards the next Winter Olympics with our eyes on the podium.”

Paynter’s appointment follows a range of recent investments and changes, including capital works at the NSTC and the publication of new National Institute Network (NSWIS) scholarship selection guidelines for Park.

He will begin in the role on November 23, 2026.