Snowboarders Get Olympic-Sized Halfpipe Boost

‘Supporting Australian athletes and our ambassadors like Scotty James to train on home snow is a huge achievement,’ said Thredbo general manager Stuart Diver.

Skiers are see using the chair lift in Thredbo, Australia on July 7, 2009. Stuart Hannagan/Getty Images

Australia’s winter sport specialists will soon be able to train at home with an Olympic-sized halfpipe being built in Thredbo, New South Wales (NSW), with dual snowboard medallist Scotty James also dipping into his pocket to build a mini pipe.

Thredbo will be the first Australian resort to build a 22ft (6.7 metres) halfpipe for Olympic training during the southern hemisphere’s winter snow season that will be open to all elite athletes.