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Defending Winter Olympic champion Nico Porteous has announced he won’t compete at next year’s Games in Italy. He has decided to step back from Olympic competition and will no longer compete in freeski halfpipe.
The 23-year-old is New Zealand’s most successful male snow sports athlete and leaves the sport asone of the most decorated halfpipe athletes in history.
He was the second Kiwi to win gold at the Winter Olympics with victory in the freeski halfpipe at Beijing in 2022, four years after claiming bronze in the same event.
“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,” said Porteous.
“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.”
Gold medal winner Nico Porteous will take part in the Jossi Wells Invitational. Photosport
“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.”
Porteous 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, beating two-time defending champion David Wise.
After taking a break from competition in 2023, Nico returned to competition in 2024 and claimed the silver medal at the 2024 Aspen X Games.
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.
“What I’ve achieved wouldn’t have been possible without an amazing team of people behind me.
“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.”
Porteous says he wishes the Snow Sports NZ team well and will be cheering them on in Milan. Compatriot Finley Melville Ives will be a strong medal chance after winning the halfpipe world title in March.
“It’s super inspiring to see this new batch of athletes coming through. The future of the sport is looking really bright in New Zealand and I can’t wait to see them in action in Milano Cortina.”
Snow Sports New Zealand CEO Nic Cavanagh congratulated Nico on his career and acknowledged his significant contribution to his 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.”
