Winter sports athletes come together for fourth H3 Summit in Melbourne

Transitions was the central theme of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) and Snow Australia 2026 H3 Summit, with athletes, coaches and support staff from across the winter sports disciplines coming together in Melbourne today.

While Milano-Cortina was the closing of the most recent winter Olympic and Paralympic quadrennium, ‘Transitions' was the central theme of the 2026 H3 Summit. The day was MC’d by leadership coach and Lead Facilitator of the Snow Australia Coach Academy Chip Richards.

The H3 Summit provides opportunities for cross sport connection amongst the Olympic and Paralympic team environments, with the aim of fostering a unified team culture. 

Athletes participated in sessions led by an array of experts, where they drew on their own personal and professional journeys. Sharing practical tactics, insights, and lessons learned to athletes in navigating the various transitions throughout their elite sporting careers and life in general.

For two-time Olympian Valentino Guseli, the H3 Summit is always a good, and rare, chance to be with winter sports athletes from across the disciplines.

“It's awesome to see everyone again. I haven't seen lots of them (properly) since the last Australian season, so it's great to catch up.” 

“Its pretty cool, and super inspiring. We get to hear about new outlooks on how we can move forward,” he said. 

“It’s been our best season ever, it's only going to keep getting better. I’m super proud to be an Australian in Winter sport,” Guseli said.

Keynote speaker Michael Crossland, spoke about ‘The power of perspective’, sharing his remarkable story of overcoming extreme adversity to achieve incredible outcomes in both his personal and professional life. Bringing a new perspective on life, leaving with powerful tools that will assist in both the sporting area and the everyday. 

The panel session with Mel Perrine (para-alpine ski), Brodie Summers (mogul skiing), Jackie Narracott (skeleton) and Danny Geiger (Ski Cross coach) created a discussion around transition, and how what they had learnt as an athlete has helped them in the professional world. 
“Days like this are always special, and you can see it from the buzz and the energy in the room from the moment everyone arrives in the morning,” Summers said.

“I think one of the biggest lessons I hope everyone can take away from today, is that even though ‘transition’ can sometimes feel like a lonely process, there’s a big network that supports everyone in this room.

“And there’s a lot of value that comes from those conversations, either with people who are there to support you in that moment or those that have been there in your life to support you up to that moment of transition, and whatever that may be.

“I think taking comfort in knowing that there are people there to support, and are established in helping athletes with transition and using them as a bit of a sounding board and support mechanism to help navigating the process,” he said.

When it comes to transition and perspective, Australian Olympic Chef de Mission Anna Meares wrapped up the seventh edition of the H3 Summit with defining success and the power of the mind.

Aerials Olympian Airleigh Frigo said: “The snow community is so close knit and these H3 days are such a special day where you get to see everybody - not just athletes but also the staff who support us.

“The speakers they bring in, and the different kinds of experiences we get to be a part of is amazing, and can really centre you for the year to come and focus you.

“The first speaker, Michael (Crossland), was just amazing. The power of perspective is something I work on in everyday life. But to hear his speech and what he’s overcome, was just amazing and it reminds you to keep practising those values.

“It’s a great starting point for the year…being a winter athlete most people come back from the (northern) season around March or April, so the H3 really sets up the year for the winter community and brings everyone together before we all go out and try achieve big things again.

Following the day-long summit, athletes and staff will celebrate the highly-successful season at the 2026 Snow Australia Awards.