The Sunshine Coast is more renowned for producing surfers than skiers, but a Buddina teenager is emerging as one of the nation’s brightest young snow sport prospects.
Tom Ackhurst won multiple events at the recent Northern NSW & QLD Interschools Snowsport Championships at Thredbo.
The Pacific Lutheran College student was among just a handful of students from the Sunshine Coast to compete at the event and he captured victories in moguls, ski cross and alpine divisions.
The 14-year-old first took to the slopes when he was three and hasn’t looked back.
“I love skiing, just the thrill of being on skis while going down a mountain,” he said.
“My favourite event is probably the ski cross.”
Tom has his sights on making it to the sport’s biggest stage.
“I wouldn’t mind being in the Winter Olympics, but I’ll just keep doing inter-school events for now and we’ll see how it goes,” he said.
That Tom has been able to win national titles, despite living near the beach, is remarkable.
He keeps fit by running regularly and gets on the snow when he can.
“We (family) have a little place in Whistler, Canada, which we go to for the end-of-school holidays,” he said.
“It’s got much better snow there.”
Tom’s mother Jodie said snow sports were “great for kids”
“It helps them build confidence and is an energy outlet,” she said.
“And the way that interschool events are set-up is inclusive, to encourage kids at all levels to participate. It’s a lovely environment.”
Jodie said skiing was a family affair.
“We’re a big skiing family … it’s been a big part of our lives,” she said.
“Tom started skiing from a young age. As soon as we could get him on skis we did.”
Tom was born in New Zealand and the family lived in the United States, Singapore and New South Wales, before relocating to the Sunshine Coast almost four years ago.
Skiing holidays have been mixed throughout.
“We skied a lot in Europe when he was young and we have gone to Whistler once a year, where he has done ski camps,” Jodie said.
“We got him lessons early, not to be a great racer, just to love skiing.”
COVID put a temporary halt to their skiing holidays, but Tom picked up where he left off, at the recent interschools event.
“He hadn’t skied for two years but a lot of it is balance, staying fit and eating healthy and he’s pretty good at that,” Jodie said.
When they lived in New South Wales, Tom trained with roller blades on grassy hills during summer, with the snow sport squad from The King’s School in Sydney.
Jodie said she was delighted to see her son enjoying the sport.
“It’s not about winning races,” she said.
“We’re just stoked he loves skiing.
“It’s important to just love the sport you do.
“Don’t think about medals, just do your best.
“We’ve pushed that from the start.”
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Pacific Lutheran College Head of Sport, Cameron West-McInnes, said Tom’s efforts motivated others.
“Tom’s tremendous achievements, winning not one but three gold medals at the Northern New South Wales and Queensland Interschools Snowsport Championships, has inspired many within The Pacific Lutheran College community,” he said.
“Tom is a highly engaged student in both theory and practical elements of sport and physical education at Pacific.
“We wish him much success in his future endeavours within snow sports.”
