THE 2020 Snow Australia Awards were awarded via online announcements after the cancellation of the traditional glittery Melbourne event in April.
Crystal Globes winners, snowboarder Scotty James and aerial skier Laura Peel, were named the joint winners of the Olympic Athlete of the Year title for 2020. Both finished the season ranked number one in the world and previously shared the title in 2015.
Triple Olympian James now becomes the first person in history of the Snow Australia Awards to win the Athlete of the Year Award four times.
It was an extraordinary season for both athletes, with dual Olympian Peel claiming her career first Crystal Globe, and James becoming the overall season champion for the third time.
Peel finished the season with two gold, one silver and one bronze medal, in her first year jumping triple back somersaults. The 30-year-old Canberra local said that this season far exceeded the expectations she had set for herself.
“It was a great season - was pretty magic for me. I went in doing triples and completing triples for the first time - so the goal wasn’t to win the Crystal Globe, it was to gain some experience doing triples,” Peel said.
“But that (winning the Crystal Globe) has been a dream of mine pretty much since I started the sport, so this was a really amazing season,” she said.
James successfully defended his X-Games titles and won the Dew Tour event in Copper Mountain. He qualified first in every World Cup event, before going on to finish the season with three golds and one silver World Cup medals.
James echoed Peel’s sentiments, adding that he feels extremely honoured to be named Athlete of the Year.
“It’s getting harder every year to win this award, so each year brings a different excitement,” James said.
“I’m very happy to be the winner of this award, alongside Laura again. She’s been amazing and I’ve been watching from afar. As winter athletes we don’t get to be together that often so it’s been good to watch and support each other from afar.”
Snow Australia Chief Executive Officer Michael Kennedy said he couldn’t think of two more deserving winners for the title of Athlete of the Year Olympic Disciplines.
“Scotty and Laura had fantastic seasons. They are both pushing themselves and their sport to the next level,” Kennedy said.
Ben Tudhope was named Snow Australia’s 2020 Paralympic Athlete of the Year after producing his best season to date, winning two gold and three silver World Cup medals and crowned Crystal Globe champion.
The 20 year old NSWIS snowboarder from Manly is Australia’s youngest ever Winter Paralympian, 14 years at Sochi 2014, and was arguably Australia’s best athlete on the World Para Snowboard World Cup circuit.
Ben’s performance on the world stage was inspirational after the sudden passing of his coach and mentor Mikko Wendelin at the start of the season.
“This is such an incredible title to have - I’m overwhelmed with joy right now. It’s just amazing to see how far my career has come and to be honoured with this achievement just really puts me at the top of my game,” Tudhope said.
Jindabyne snowboarder Josie Baff was named as Snow Australia’s 2020 Junior Athlete of the Year after making history and winning Australia’s first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games gold medal at Lausanne 2020.
The 16-year old claimed gold in a dramatic Big Final, where she finished a narrow 0.05 seconds in front of French snowboarder Margaux Herpin. The win put Josie on the radar as one to watch for future Olympic Games and a star on the rise for Australia.
“The whole experience was just so enjoyable and so fun, I’m so glad I got to go with so many of my friends and the people I’d been competing with and against for so many years,” Baff said.
“The race itself was very surreal, I don’t think it’s ever going to properly sink in,” she said.
Athlete of the Year
Scotty James
Laura Peel
Finalists
Belle Brockhoff
Jakara Anthony
Nominees and Discipline Athletes of the Year
Madi Hoffman (Alpine)
Jessica Yeaton (Cross Country)
Sami Kennedy-Sim (Ski Cross)
Tess Coady (Slopestyle)
Athlete of the Year – Paralympic Disciplines
Ben Tudhope
Finalist
Patrick Jensen & guide Amelia Hodgson
Outstanding Achievement
Belle Brockhoff
Honourable Mention
Jessica Yeaton
Junior Athlete of the Year
Josie Baff
Nominees and Discipline Junior Athletes of the Year
Madi Hoffman (Alpine)
Robbie Morrison (Ski Cross)
Bentley Walker-Broose (Cross Country)
Abi Harrigan (Ski Slopestyle/Big Air)
Meila Stalker (Snowboard Slopestyle/Big Air)
Coach of the Year
Harald Benselin & Jan Klemsa
