Ben Tudhope
Australia’s Youngest Ever Winter Paralympian
Profile
Ben Tudhope is Australia’s youngest ever Winter Paralympian. He made his Paralympic debut in Para-snowboard just three months after turning 14, and has proven every day since why he is a star on the slopes.
At the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games, Ben exceeded all expectations, blowing 23 of the world’s best Para-snowboarders out of the water to finish inside the top 10 in the men’s snowboard cross SB-LL. In recognition of such an outstanding achievement, he was given the honour of carrying the Australian flag into the Sochi 2014 Closing Ceremony.
As impressive as this result was, it was in the years that followed that Ben truly showed the world what he was made of. Competing at the 2016-2017 World Para-snowboard World Cup Finals in PyeongChang, South Korea, Ben set up a bronze medal showdown with Gurimu Narita (JPN) in the men’s snowboard cross SB-LL2, and at the 2017-2018 World Cup in Treble Cone, New Zealand, he won his first international medal – silver in the men’s banked slalom SB-LL2.
Primed for success at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games, just 2.17 seconds stood between Ben and his first Paralympic medal. He clocked 51.68 in the men’s banked slalom SB-LL2, while Matti Suur-Hamari (FIN), the bronze medallist, completed the course in 49.51.
Current Work:
In 2019 Ben enjoyed his most successful season yet, culminating in winning the Crystal Globe in the men’s banked slalom SB-LL2 and a silver medal at the 2019 World Para-snowboard World Championships in Pyhä, Finland. His next focus is gearing up for the inaugural World Para-snowsports Championships in Lillehammer, Norway and also the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.
