At the last three Winter Olympics, Australian athletes have combined to win just a single gold medal.

One snowboarder, Scotty James, came agonizingly close to adding to that total.

At the 2022 Beijing Games, James was atop the leaderboard in the men’s snowboard halfpipe final with one rider left to go: Japan’s Ayumu Hirano.

Hirano had already landed the vaunted triple cork in his previous run, but the judges hadn’t scored his run high enough to overtake James. So he tried again, this time doing a cleaner version of that same run, and earned a massive score that gave him the win and knocked James down to silver-medal position.

Although he didn’t leave Beijing with the win, it was yet another improvement for James, who had earned bronze in 2018 after not making the final as a teenager in 2010 or 2014.

The upcoming 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will provide another chance for James to bring Australia a gold medal. The confident, charismatic and competitive James has always been an extremely skilled technical rider, but the triple cork was the main ingredient separating his run from Hirano’s last time.

James now has that trick in his arsenal. He’s been able to win contests over the last few seasons without it, thanks in part to his unparalleled switch backside skills, but now the sheer technicality of his runs has made him even more difficult to beat.

Of course, Hirano and a few of his Japanese compatriots will be up to the challenge. But with the retired Shaun White now out of the spotlight, it could be James’ turn to take center stage in one of the marquee events of the Winter Olympics.

Get to know the Australian halfpipe star below with some quick hits about his life and career thus far.

Where is Scotty James from?

Scotty James was born in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, but now lives with his family in Monaco.

How old is Scotty James?

James is 31 years old and was born on July 6, 1994.

When did Scotty James start snowboarding?

Although he grew up in a warm-weather part of Australia, James inherited a love for snowboarding from his father. He received his first snowboard, a miniature model that his dad had spotted in a ski shop in Canada, when he was just 3 years old. The board was being used as a doormat, and the shop offered to sell it to James’ dad for just $10.

What events does Scotty James compete in?

Although James competed in both halfpipe and slopestyle early in his career, James now focuses exclusively on halfpipe. The last slopestyle contest he entered was in 2016.

What Olympics has Scotty James competed in?

James made his Olympic debut at age 15 when he qualified for the 2010 Vancouver Games. He went on to compete at Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022, and is on track to make his fifth Olympic appearance at Milan Cortina 2026. In addition to competing in halfpipe at all four of his Olympic Games thus far, James also competed in slopestyle in 2014.

How many Olympic medals has Scotty James won?

James has two medals thus far, both in halfpipe — a silver from Beijing 2022 and a bronze from PyeongChang 2018. He did not make the Olympic final in either halfpipe or slopestyle at his first two Winter Games appearances.

What makes Scotty James one of the best halfpipe snowboarders in the world?

For years, James has placed an emphasis on incorporating switch backside tricks, such as the switch backside double cork 1260 and switch McTwist, into his runs. In snowboard contests, judges like to see riders execute tricks in all four directions — frontside, backside, switch frontside (also known as “cab”) and switch backside — but switch backside is considered the most difficult rotation, and some halfpipe riders exclude those tricks from their runs altogether. Incorporating switch backside tricks has resulted in James having unique and highly technical halfpipe runs throughout his career, and the addition of the cab triple cork 1440, which he debuted last season, has put him on par with the other elite snowboarders in the men’s halfpipe field.

What has Scotty James won outside of the Olympics?

James has won an X Games halfpipe medal for 10 consecutive years, with seven of those medals being gold, and he currently holds a four-year win streak at X Games heading into the 2025-26 season. In FIS competitions, James is a three-time World Cup season champion and has won four gold medals at the world championships (2015, 2017, 2019, 2025). His career also includes victories at events such as the Burton U.S. Open, Dew Tour and Laax Open.

What records or milestones has Scotty James set?

At the 2010 Vancouver Games, James (age 15) became Australia’s youngest man Winter Olympian ever, a distinction he still holds. In competition, James has won four gold medals at the FIS World Championships, more than any other halfpipe snowboarder. In fact, on the men’s side, no other rider has more than one gold medal from worlds. Already tied with White for the most X Games men’s snowboard halfpipe medals (10), James is one win away from matching White’s record for most golds in that event.

How has Scotty James performed in recent seasons?

Since the last Winter Olympics, James has continued to be one the top halfpipe snowboarders, winning just over half the events he’s entered to date. After debuting a cab triple cork 1440, James notched victories at the Laax Open, X Games and 2025 World Championships — arguably the three biggest events on the schedule — last season.

What tricks is Scotty James known for?

The switch backside double cork 1260 has been a hallmark of James’ halfpipe runs for years and is undoubtedly his signature trick. The switch McTwist and cab triple cork 1440 are more recent additions that also help him stand apart from the rest of the field.

What is Scotty James’ medal outlook for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics?

The current Olympic cycle has mostly seen James trading wins with a talented trio of Japanese riders (Ayumu Hirano, Ruka Hirano, Yuto Totsuka). With the triple cork now in his arsenal, however, James’ Olympic odds have gotten a massive boost. Given his wins at three of last season’s biggest events, it’s fair to consider James the favorite in men’s snowboard halfpipe, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see any of the current “Big Four” leave Livigno with the gold medal.

Scotty James (middle) topped the podium ahead of Ruka Hirano (2nd, left) and Yuto Totsuka (3rd, right) at the 2025 World Championships.

FIS Park & Pipe

What are some fun facts about Scotty James?

• During contests, James is known for wearing red mittens designed to look like boxing gloves. It was a tradition started by the highly competitive Aussie in 2017 to help fire him up for contests. The gloves are also a nod to the ones worn by the boxing kangaroo, a national symbol of Australia often depicted on flags at sporting events in that country.
• James deals with a condition that causes his knee to dislocate easily at times
• In 2024, James released a series of children’s books: “MOOKi vs. The Big Scary” and its sequel “MOOKi vs. The Terrible Toys.” The titular character, depicted in red boxing gloves, was inspired by James’ childhood nickname.

Who is Scotty James married to?

James is married to Chloe Stroll, the daughter of Formula 1 team owner Lawrence Stroll. The couple was introduced by Chloe’s brother, F1 driver Lance Stroll, and got married in 2023. In October 2024, they announced the birth of their first child, a boy named Leo Harry James.

How many followers does Scotty James have on Instagram?

James currently has over 532,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts a lot of behind-the-scenes content from his life and international snowboard adventures.

Has Scotty James been featured in popular media?

James has been profiled in numerous magazines, and a documentary entitled “Pipe Dream” is currently in the works that’s expected to detail his career, his personal life, and his preparation for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

What are Scotty James’ hobbies outside snowboarding?

Outside snowboarding, James has several business ventures and an interest in aviation. He’s been working toward getting a pilot’s license over the last decade and has stated that one of his goals is to become a commercial pilot.

Learn more about the snowboarders and freeskiers set to compete at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.