Hey, Arabella. What’s life looking like these days — where do we find you and how was the season?
I’m in New Zealand right now after my third straight northern winter in Banff. It was probably the best one yet, honestly. Record-breaking snowfall, so many powder days, views that still don’t feel real — and all of it shared with good people. Coming from a background of skiing in New Zealand, the scale of the Rockies still gets me every time, no matter how many times I come back.
Once the season winds down in Banff, I make my way back home to New Zealand to resume my studies at the University of Canterbury — now just waiting for the Southern Hemisphere season to start. And when it does, I’ll be getting up to Mt Hutt whenever I can for some freeskiing.
New Zealand ain’t a bad place to call home. Did you grow up skiing there? What was your local hill?
Yeah, I grew up skiing in New Zealand from the age of 3. Every year my family would head down to Wānaka for two weeks at Treble Cone — this year will be my eighteenth consecutive season there. It’s an awesome mountain, with great variety of terrain. It’s actually where I did my CSIA Level 3 certification last winter. Going back to TC after my Nonstop course was a pretty special feeling. Terrain I’d previously found difficult or a bit sketchy had become stuff I was actually seeking out.
You did our ski instructor course in Banff a couple of seasons ago now. Any standout memories or moments that have stuck with you?
Honestly, pretty much all of it. There was a lot of fun, a fair amount of chaos, and a lot of learning packed into that season. But what made it really special was the people — sharing that kind of adventure with like-minded riders, many of whom I’m still close with now despite living on opposite sides of the planet.
There’s actually quite a few of us former Nonstop riders still in town. I was on the same course as Riley, who you featured in this series, and now we’re both working together. So that’s pretty cool.
It’s awesome to see loads of you out there! On that then, you landed a job in Banff working for SkiBig3 after Nonstop, and pushed on to your Level 3 too — what drove that, and what was that step up like?
I’ve always been pretty driven once I commit to something, and skiing was no different. Throughout my teens it became something I really wanted to get technically good at. So when I confirmed I was heading back to Banff to instruct with SkiBig3, I set myself the goal of going for the Level 3 exam at the end of it.
The jump in standard was confronting — both the skiing technique and the teaching component — but not out of reach. Having New Zealand winters in between Canadian seasons helped a lot, keeping me on snow and progressing year-round.
I loved the process, though. There’s real depth to it — how you can manipulate ski performance across different terrain, the way each run on the same pitch compounds into something that starts feeling controlled. That stuff kept me engaged all the way through.
And with your Level 3, this past winter you were coaching for Nonstop, on the same program you did. That’s a pretty fast turnaround to get on that roster. What’s it like being on the other side of it?
Really rewarding. You get to look back at your own progression and also be part of that process for others — watching riders improve, have breakthroughs, make memories. And just connecting with the Nonstop crew. That’s been the highlight of my instructor career so far.
I also think there’s something genuinely useful about still having fresh memories of being a trainee. I remember what it felt like to be on that side of it, and I think that shapes how I coach — keeping it effective but making sure everyone’s still having a wicked time.
What’s the thing you find yourself saying to riders on course that you wish someone had said to you when you were starting out?
Two things, really. First — stay open to changing your technique, even if you’ve been skiing a certain way for years. Be willing to start from zero and rebuild. The sooner you commit to that, the faster the progression comes, and the sooner you’re skiing the terrain you actually want to be on.
Second, and it sounds simple: show up to every coaching day. I made that a personal challenge during my own Nonstop course. Turns out there was no better way to spend my time.
What’s next?
I just want to keep progressing — as a skier and as a coach. Alongside finishing my university degree, I’m working towards my CSIA Level 4. This coming season I’ll also be sitting my Trainer Exam, which will let me run CSIA Level 1 exams and officially pass new instructors on that first step. Plenty to keep me busy.
Thanks Arabella, good luck with it all. Have a great winter in NZ, and we’ll see you back in Banff next season.
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