Snowsports

The Snowsports Association of Ireland (SAI) is the most active and well known of Irish winter sports in high performance due to their role and impact on Olympic Games participation.

They are affiliated to the International Governing Bodies of the sports, the Federation Internationale De Ski (FIS) as well as the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and the World Snowboard Federation (WSF).

They are primarily responsible for the growth and development of cross country and biathlon, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding disciplines and play the key role in supporting Irish athletes to qualify and participate in the Winter Olympic Games.

The Winter Olympics are a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France.

Irish athletes predominately compete in alpine, cross country, freestyle skiing and snowboard. The qualifying standard for the Winter Olympic Games is set by the International Olympic Committee, while selection of athletes is the prerogative of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.

Snowsports Athletes have represented Ireland and competed at the last five Winter Olympic Games, in Nagano 1998, Salt Lake City 2002, Torino 2006, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang in 2018. Ireland also sends teams to the Winter Youth Olympic Games and European Youth Olympic Festival.

National Federation: Snowsports Association of Ireland

International Federation: International Ski Federation

SNOWSPORTS NEWS

Milano Cortina 2026 Nomination & Selection Policies

The Olympic Federation of Ireland has published the official Nomination and Selection Policy for the Winter Olympic Games Milano Cortina 2026, taking place from 6th to 22nd February 2026 in Italy. With the Games on the horizon, anticipation is building as Ireland’s top winter athletes gear up for qualification. The newly released policy outlines the [...]

Top Results from the Weekend

9 March 2025; Sarah Healy of Ireland celebrates winning gold in the women's 3000m final on day four of the European Athletics Indoor Championships 2025 at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile A Golden Weekend for Team Ireland! A massive congratulations to our athletes on their incredible performances over the weekend! [...]

TOP THIRTY FOR JULIA DEAKINS IN THE GIANT SLALOM AT THE EUROPEAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL

Alpine Skier impresses in opening event at EYOF in Bakuriani On the second day of action for Team Ireland at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Bakuriani, Georgia, Alpine Skier Julia Deakins made an impressive start to her campaign, finishing 28th in the Girls Giant Slalom. Ireland's sole competitor of the day delivered [...]

GANGWON 2024 Winter Youth Olympics

Some of the best images from the Winter Youth Olympics Read about all of the performances from the Games Irish first with Thomas Dooley competing in Dual MogulsWINTER YOUTH OLYMPICS – FINAL DAY OF TEAM IRELAND ACTION Irish first as Thomas Dooley competes in Dual Moguls Representing Team Ireland in Dual Moguls, Thomas Dooley was [...]

Garry Power

BIOGRAPHY Garry Power was part of the Four Man Bobsleigh team at the Nagano 1998 Games. OTHER SNOWSPORTS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: title=SEE+ALL+ATHLETES&style=outline-custom&outline_custom_color=%2300ed00&outline_custom_hover_background=%23ffffff&outline_custom_hover_text=%23001136&shape=square&css=.vc_custom_1677079573058%7Bmargin-top%3A+10px+%21important%3Bmargin-left%3A+0px+%21important%3B%7D&link=url%3A%252Fathletes-list%252F&el_class=see-all-athletes }} Patrick McMillanSimon LinschiedPatrick-Paul Schwarzacher-JoyceJeff PamplinTamsen McGarryPaul O’ConnorKirsty McGarryThomas FoleyRory MorrishShane O’ConnorPJ BarronClaire BerginFlorence BellConor LyneJan RossiterThomas Maloney WestgaardTess ArbezSeamus O’ConnorJack GowerBrendan Newby SNOWSPORTS NEWS Top Results from the Weekend9 March 2025; Sarah Healy [...]

Patrick McMillan

BIOGRAPHY Patrick McMillan competed for Ireland at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics in the men’s giant slalom, becoming only the second Irish athlete to compete in the discipline. Patrick's first sport was rugby and he was part of the Leinster set up as an underage player before he turned his talents to snowsports. OTHER SNOWSPORTS [...]

Simon Linschied

BIOGRAPHY WINTER OLYMPICS NEWS MAESTRO ANDREA BOCELLI TO PERFORM AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES MILANO CORTINA 2026Maestro Andrea Bocelli, one of the most recognizable voices on the international artistic scene and a symbol of Italian excellence around the world, will perform at the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic [...]

Patrick-Paul Schwarzacher-Joyce

BIOGRAPHY Two time Olympian, Patrick-Paul Schwarzacher-Joyce was the first skier to represent Ireland at the Olympics. WINTER OLYMPICS NEWS MAESTRO ANDREA BOCELLI TO PERFORM AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES MILANO CORTINA 2026Maestro Andrea Bocelli, one of the most recognizable voices on the international artistic scene and a symbol of Italian excellence [...]

Jeff Pamplin

BIOGRAPHY OTHER SNOWSPORTS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: title=SEE+ALL+ATHLETES&style=outline-custom&outline_custom_color=%2300ed00&outline_custom_hover_background=%23ffffff&outline_custom_hover_text=%23001136&shape=square&css=.vc_custom_1677079573058%7Bmargin-top%3A+10px+%21important%3Bmargin-left%3A+0px+%21important%3B%7D&link=url%3A%252Fathletes-list%252F&el_class=see-all-athletes }} Tamsen McGarryPaul O’ConnorKirsty McGarryThomas FoleyRory MorrishShane O’ConnorPJ BarronClaire BerginFlorence BellConor LyneJan RossiterThomas Maloney WestgaardTess ArbezSeamus O’ConnorJack GowerBrendan Newby SNOWSPORTS NEWS Top Results from the Weekend9 March 2025; Sarah Healy of Ireland celebrates winning gold in the women's 3000m final on day four of the European Athletics Indoor Championships [...]

Tamsen McGarry

BIOGRAPHY Tamsen McGarry made history as Ireland’s first female Winter Olympian, competing in alpine skiing at the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games. She was the flag bearer for Team Ireland in the opening ceremony of the Games. Tamsen's younger sister Kirsty is also a Team Ireland winter Olympian. WINTER OLYMPICS NEWS MAESTRO ANDREA [...]

Paul O’Connor

Kirsty McGarry

Thomas Foley

Rory Morrish

BIOGRAPHY Rory Morrish represented Ireland in cross-country skiing at the Torino 2006 Winter Olympic Games and carried the Irish flag at the Closing Ceremony. Morrish made his entrance to snowsports via ski orienteering and was the first Irish athlete ever to compete in a World Cup in that sport. He went on to compete for [...]

Shane O’Connor

BIOGRAPHY Shane O’Connor represented Ireland in slalom skiing at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Born in Dublin, he competed as an athlete with the Ski Club of Ireland and enjoyed a long international career at the highest level of alpine skiing. O’Connor represented Ireland at five FIS Alpine World Ski Championships: Morioka, Japan (1993); St. Moritz, Switzerland (2003); [...]

PJ Barron

Claire Bergin

BIOGRAPHY Claire Bergin has represented Ireland at both Summer and Winter Olympic Games. She competed as brakewoman in the two-women bobsleigh at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, finishing 17th with pilot Aoife Hoey, becoming the first Irish women to race in Olympic bobsleigh. Bergin was also part of Ireland’s women’s 4×400m relay squad that qualified [...]

Florence Bell

BIOGRAPHY ATHLETICS NEWS MARK ENGLISH LOWERS OWN IRISH INDOOR 600M RECORD IN LIGHTING SEASON OPENERMark English (Finn Valley AC) opened his 2026 season in style tonight, breaking his own national indoor 600m record in Dublin. The Donegal doctor returned to action for the first time since racing in the semi-final of the Men’s 800m at [...]

Conor Lyne

BIOGRAPHY OTHER ATHLETICS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: title=SEE+ALL+ATHLETES&style=outline-custom&outline_custom_color=%2300ed00&outline_custom_hover_background=%23ffffff&outline_custom_hover_text=%23001136&shape=square&css=.vc_custom_1720710760433%7Bmargin-top%3A+10px+%21important%3Bmargin-left%3A+0px+%21important%3B%7D&link=url%3A%252Fathletes%252F&el_class=see-all-athletes }} Erin RiordanMax McCuskerConor FergusonTom FannonGrace DavisonVictoria CattersonEllen WalsheDaniel WiffenDanielle HillFinn McGeeverShane RyanMona McSharryDarragh GreeneBrendan HylandJack McMillan ATHLETICS NEWS MARK ENGLISH LOWERS OWN IRISH INDOOR 600M RECORD IN LIGHTING SEASON OPENERMark English (Finn Valley AC) opened his 2026 season in style tonight, breaking his own national indoor 600m record [...]

Jan Rossiter

BIOGRAPHY OTHER SNOWSPORTS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: title=SEE+ALL+ATHLETES&style=outline-custom&outline_custom_color=%2300ed00&outline_custom_hover_background=%23ffffff&outline_custom_hover_text=%23001136&shape=square&css=.vc_custom_1677079573058%7Bmargin-top%3A+10px+%21important%3Bmargin-left%3A+0px+%21important%3B%7D&link=url%3A%252Fathletes-list%252F&el_class=see-all-athletes }} Thomas Maloney WestgaardTess ArbezSeamus O’ConnorJack GowerBrendan Newby SNOWSPORTS NEWS Top Results from the Weekend9 March 2025; Sarah Healy of Ireland celebrates winning gold in the women's 3000m final on day four of the European Athletics Indoor Championships 2025 at the Omnisport Apeldoorn in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Photo by Sam [...]

Thomas Maloney Westgaard

BIOGRAPHY Two time Olympian, Thomas Maloney Westgaard grew up on the tiny Norweigan island of Leka (600 inhabitants), represents Ireland thanks to his mother. Celia Maloney from Dunmore Co Galway, moved to Norway 35 years ago after meeting her Norwegian husband on a sun holiday in the Canaries. OTHER SNOWSPORTS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: title=SEE+ALL+ATHLETES&style=outline-custom&outline_custom_color=%2300ed00&outline_custom_hover_background=%23ffffff&outline_custom_hover_text=%23001136&shape=square&css=.vc_custom_1677079573058%7Bmargin-top%3A+10px+%21important%3Bmargin-left%3A+0px+%21important%3B%7D&link=url%3A%252Fathletes-list%252F&el_class=see-all-athletes }} Tess [...]

Tess Arbez

BIOGRAPHY French-Irish skier, Tess Arbez was only 20 when she made her Olympic debut in PyeongChang in 2018. She went on to make history when she became the first Irishwoman to compete in a speed race at the Olympics at Beijing 2022. Tess's maternal grandfather was born in Carlow and lived in Blackrock in Dublin [...]

Seamus O’Connor

BIOGRAPHY Raised in California, with paternal grandparents from Drogheda and Dublin, Seamus O'Connor made history in Sochi 2014 years ago when he wasn’t just Ireland’s first Olympic snowboarder but also, aged 16, the youngest snowboard competitor, finishing 15th in the halfpipe and 17th in slopestyle. Despite a bad knee injury in 2016 that lost him a full [...]

Jack Gower

BIOGRAPHY Jack Gower competes in Super-G and giant slalom. He won the World Junior giant slalom title at age 16 while representing Great Britain. In 2021, he switched allegiance to Ireland, enabling him to establish a new coaching and training setup ahead of Olympic qualification. Gower has been ranked as high as 38th in the [...]

Brendan Newby

BIOGRAPHY Brendan 'Bubba' Newby was born in Cork when his father Van, a professor of economics, spent two years teaching in UCC. He has represented Ireland in halfpipe at two Olympic Games and at the World Championships. OTHER SNOWSPORTS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: title=SEE+ALL+ATHLETES&style=outline-custom&outline_custom_color=%2300ed00&outline_custom_hover_background=%23ffffff&outline_custom_hover_text=%23001136&shape=square&css=.vc_custom_1677079573058%7Bmargin-top%3A+10px+%21important%3Bmargin-left%3A+0px+%21important%3B%7D&link=url%3A%252Fathletes-list%252F&el_class=see-all-athletes }} SNOWSPORTS NEWS Top Results from the Weekend9 March 2025; Sarah Healy of [...]