The Inevitable Moment: GB Secures First Olympic Gold on Snow

For Team GB’s winter sports competitors, achieving an Olympic gold medal on snow has long felt like a distant dream, spanning a staggering 102 years. However, for those well-acquainted with the sport, this triumph was always on the horizon.

On Sunday, Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale etched their names into Olympic history by capturing the mixed team snowboard cross title in Livigno, becoming the inaugural British athletes to secure this honor. This accomplishment has been a tangible possibility for some time now.

Back in 2018, GB Snowsport set an ambitious goal for the nation to rank among the top five winter sports nations by 2030. This target was established to build upon the achievements of snowboarder Jenny Jones, who became the first Briton to earn a snow medal with her bronze in 2014, followed by freestyle skier Izzy Atkin and snowboarder Billy Morgan, who also claimed bronze four years later.

While this objective raised a few eyebrows and perhaps elicited some skepticism, it appears that the goal may still be within reach as the four-year mark approaches. The undeniable progress made by British athletes in winter sports supports this belief.

With talents like Bankes, Mia Brookes, and Zoe Atkin, Team GB boasts world champions on snow. The team also includes multiple Crystal Globe winners, alongside X Games and World Cup gold medalists.

“We’ve consistently stated that we possess the talent, and we’ve demonstrated it at World Championships and World Cups, but everyone looks to the Olympics as the pinnacle of achievement,” noted GB Snowsport chief executive Vicky Gosling.

“Today, we have actually delivered that gold medal, which is monumental for us. We have always believed that anything is achievable. We have incredible athletes with determination and remarkable skills; it’s all about unlocking their potential. The world can now see that Olympic medals are attainable, and we hope to inspire the next generation to engage with winter sports.”

After clinching the gold, Nightingale expressed, “What we’ve showcased today is that we are on the path to becoming a leading snow sports nation, which is inspiring for young people to witness. We motivate kids to hit the slopes and explore snowboarding or skiing or whatever winter sports interest them. By encouraging youth participation, we can excel as a nation in these sports.”

It’s important to note that the Milan-Cortina Games have not unfolded as planned for some British snow athletes. However, the Olympic medal tally doesn’t convey the entire narrative, nor should it be the sole measure of success.

Take snowboarder Brookes, for instance, who faced disappointment finishing fourth in the big air event, despite nearly executing an unprecedented trick. Even though she fell short of winning an Olympic medal, her previous accolades, including a World Championship title and two X Games golds, affirm her status as a rising star in her sport.

At just 19 years old, Brookes may lead Britain’s future Winter Olympic endeavors if she opts to pursue that path. Her passion for snowboarding goes beyond competition; she finds greater joy in riding in powder than in the pressures of international contests.

Brookes has gained significant respect in the community, with brands eager to collaborate with her, and it’s expected that her own range of Oakley goggles will launch next year. She also boasts her own Mia Brookes CAPiTA snowboard and a line of boots with Vans.

In addition to Brookes, Great Britain features two top-tier freestyle skiers, Muir and Atkin. Muir narrowly missed an Olympic medal by a mere 0.41 points in the slopestyle event but has another opportunity to compete in big air on Monday, having qualified in fourth place.

Atkin, the reigning halfpipe world champion and X Games gold medalist, is set to begin her Olympic campaign on February 21.

Meanwhile, Andrew Musgrave, competing in his fifth Olympics, achieved a notable sixth-place finish in the 10km interval start freestyle, marking Britain’s best outcome in a Winter Olympic cross-country skiing event.

The Alpine skiing team, including Dave Ryding, Laurie Taylor, and Billy Major, is scheduled to compete in the slalom on Monday. Ryding, who won Britain’s first World Cup gold in the sport last year, will retire at season’s end after securing seven podium finishes, while Taylor recently achieved a career-best fourth place earlier this season.

What amplifies the achievements of Team GB’s snow athletes is the modest budget under which they operate. As Gosling pointed out before the Games commenced, “we have exceeded expectations in terms of our accomplishments.”

UK Sport invested £7.2 million into the skiing and snowboarding Olympic program over the four-year cycle leading to Milan-Cortina, the highest amount allocated to any winter sport, yet still a fraction compared to budgets of other nations. This amounts to £1.8 million annually, which is a limited budget considering the extensive global travel required for athletes, coaches, and support personnel.

Consequently, the governing body, which has only seven full-time staff members at its London office, has sought alternative funding through commercial revenues and sponsorship agreements.

The challenge for the success of GB athletes in snow sports has traditionally been the scarcity of snowy mountains and freestyle facilities, but this argument is losing its weight. While many current athletes have refined their skills abroad—Bankes grew up in the French Alps and Nightingale moved to Austria—others, like Jones and Morgan, started their journeys on dry slopes in the UK.

As for the current generation, Brookes trained at an indoor ski center in Manchester, while Muir honed her skills in Aberdeen. Ryding raced on plastic surfaces in Lancashire until he turned 21.

“We have over 60 facilities across the UK,” Gosling added. “We cultivate exceptional talent and have demonstrated this repeatedly in recent years. Now, it’s crucial to nurture that talent, create necessary pathways, and invest more resources into these initiatives.”