Snowboarding's rise from niche to mainstream

Thirty years ago, snowboarders had to seek permission to race. The association had been competing since the 1960s, but until 1996 there was only one way down the hill – on skis.

This year, snowboarders made up 80 of the 126 competitors at the RAAF Alpine Snowsports Association (RASA) championships.

Snowboarding emerged in the late 1980s to early 1990s, bringing surf and skate culture onto the snow. RASA Vice President FLTLT Daniel Armstrong said the establishment of the day viewed it as a breakaway sport.

A small group of aviators pushed to change that. Chief among them was WOFF Steve Medaris, then a corporal, who petitioned then RASA President WGCDR Glen Campbell to let snowboarders compete alongside the skiers.

Approval came at the end of 1995 with a catch.

“The association had no idea how to run a snowboard race, so I was told to work it out,” WOFF Medaris said.

“They were extremely welcoming [in] assisting me, showing how ski racing worked.

“I had a lot to work out. I was the advocate, looking after safety, race format, team selection – you name it.”

The first Air Force snowboarders went to the triservice competition in 1997 and a European tour followed in 1998, with WOFF Medaris as inaugural team captain.

“The boys asked if they could do a demo, and they performed extremely well,” WGCDR Campbell said.

“I said there's no reason you can’t participate – you’ve beaten half the people who’ve already gone down the hill.”

Three decades on, the numbers have flipped. This year’s championships, held at Mount Hotham from August 2 to 9, was dominated by more than 60 per cent snowboarders, with more than half of this group taking part for the first time. A mid-week top-up of snow left the pistes in excellent condition and FLTLT Armstrong described it as the most competitive snowboard field in recent memory.

Snowboarders contested boardercross, parallel giant slalom and slopestyle, while skiers took on giant slalom, slalom, slopestyle and skier cross.

SQNLDR Matt Walker was the overall male snowboarder, followed by LAC Kai Millis coming second in his first year competing for Air Force. Meanwhile, SQNLDR Loretta Newton-Hoare was the overall female, with SGT Meg Macauslan a close second. On skis, FLTLT Matthew Keil and FLTLT Zara Dinning took the overall titles.

At the triservice championships that followed, Army edged out Air Force 2878 points to 2762, though Air Force claimed the champion men’s snowboard and champion female ski teams.

“It’s great to see the continued success of our aviators at the highest level of snow sports competition in the ADF,” President of RASA WGCDR Brett Aaker said.

“Our Service achieved great things, with our female ski team winning for only the third time in the history of the competition.

“FLTLT Zara Dinning was overall women’s ski champion, with PLTOFF Luke Bitschnau taking third overall male skier, winning slalom despite giving himself a bloody nose after coming off second best to one of the racing gates.”