'Ready for something new': Nico Porteous steps back from Olympics
Two-time Winter Olympic Games medallist Nico Porteous has announced he is stepping back from Olympic competition and will no longer compete in free ski halfpipe.
The 23-year-old made history for New Zealand in 2022, landing a right and left double corked 1620 combination to win Olympic gold in the halfpipe at the Beijing Winter Games.
He leaves the sport as New Zealand's most successful male snow sports athlete, and one of the most decorated halfpipe athletes in history.
"I've loved representing New Zealand. Wearing the fern and competing for my country has been the most incredible experience and I'm so proud of what I've achieved," he said.
"This wasn't an easy decision to make but I'm excited to do something new and I feel like the time is right for me to look for a new challenge and new opportunities."
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Despite stepping away from halfpipe competition, Porteous was not retiring from skiing - and planned to maintain his level of skiing and remain active in the sport through filming, product development, and other competitive events.
"I still love skiing and I want to keep skiing to the best of my abilities and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the sport.
"Ultimately, I'm ready for something new. What that looks like I'm not exactly sure but over the past few seasons I've enjoyed filming and producing videos, as well as working on gear and product design.
"There are also other events, like Natural Selection Ski, that I'm keen to explore. I'm open to new opportunities and excited to see what the next chapter looks like."
Nico Porteous has had to pull out of the Winter Games after suffering an injury in training, but his previous roads to recovery have taught him to take it in stride. (Source: 1News)
A history-making Olympic career
Porteous made history for New Zealand in 2022 by winning Olympic gold in the halfpipe at the Beijing Winter Games.
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Four years earlier, he scored a stunning run to win bronze as a 16-year-old at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.
His career highlights also include two X-Games gold medals, a World Championship title, and five World Cup medals. Porteous is widely credited with helping to drive the progression and creativity of freeski halfpipe and inspire a new generation of Kiwi snow sports athletes.
He was also named as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2023 for services to snow sports.
"What I've achieved wouldn't have been possible without an amazing team of people behind me," he said.
"First of all, I'd like to thank my family for all their support. Mum and Dad have made this dream come true, and getting to ski alongside my brother Miguel has been such a cool experience.
"My sponsors have been a huge part of my journey, and I'm so grateful for their support. Snow Sports New Zealand and High Performance Sport NZ have also played such an important role and the results I've had wouldn't have happened without their help."
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous pose after their gold medal wins at the Beijing Games. (Source: Getty)
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Snow Sports NZ thanks Porteous
Snow Sports New Zealand chief executive Nic Cavanagh acknowledged his significant contribution to the sport both in New Zealand and internationally.
"On behalf of Snow Sports NZ I would like to thank Nico for his contribution to his sport — not just the countless titles, podiums and medals, but also for his creativity, his passion and his unwavering commitment," said Cavanagh.
"The legacy Nico will leave on both the freeski halfpipe and wider snow sports community is nothing short of monumental and will endure for generations to come. The entire team at Snow Sports NZ wishes Nico all the best and we can't wait to see what he does next – it will undoubtedly be great."
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