Aussie Freeriders Locking in Solid Results

March 26th, 2026
Michaela Davis-Meehan on her way to second place in Verbier last year which secured her second on the world ranking for 2025. Can she go one better tis weekend? Photo: Daher/ FWT

Mountainwatch |News

While all the attention over the past six week has been on the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Australia’s freeriders have had some solid results in various Freeride competitions.

Michaela Davis-Meehan, the only athlete Australian on the Freeride World Tour, is ranked fourth as the tour heads to the final event in Verbier this weekend. The Xtreme Verbier has been confirmed for this Saturday on Verbier’s Bec des Rosses, regarded as the most intimidating venue on the Freeride World Tour.

Michaela has been pushing it with some aggressive riding this and although out of the running for this year’s FWT World Title, she is keen for a big finish and a move up the rankings.

Zanna Farrell, won her first Challenger event in Monterosa yesterday,

Zanna Farrell has also been charging on the Challenger Tour, the Thredbo skier winning in Monterosa, Italy yesterday. Zanna has made a name for herself over the past few years for her speed and go-for-it attitude. In Monterosa she skied one of the most exposed lines seen in the women’s field, to earn 91.00 points and take the win and you watch her winning run here.

Yesterday’s win came on the back of a third place  last week in Obertauern, Austria and Zanna is now in 6th place on the Challenger rankings, 1200 point behind the current leader, France’s Mia McNab.  The top two skiers will qualify for the 2027 Freeride World Tour and with final rankings decided by each athletes’ top three results, and with only one event left, Zanna has a chance of qualifying.

Lulu Laird on her way to a win in Nendaz earlier the month.

Staying with women ski, Hotham skier Lulu Laird is having a smoking year on the qualifying tour with multiple podiums including three first places. She is currently ranked first on the Europe/Asia/Oceania rankings and has locked in a spot on next season’s Challenger tour.

Snowboarders Briony Johnston and Vaughn Hardwick both finished fifth in the Monterosa Challenger. Briony has now had three top five finishes, her best result a third in Kitzsteinhorn, Austria a couple of weeks ago and is currently fifth on the Europe/Oceania Challenger rankings. Vaughn is currently ranked 9th.

Vaughan Hardwick, Zanna Farrell, Michaela Davis-Meehan and Briony Johnston –  Team Australia at the first FIS Freeride World Championships in Andorra back in January. Will they be in the Australian Olympic team in 2023? Photo: Bernard/FWT

Freeride is now a recognised FIS discipline and it is expected its inclusion in the next Winter Olympics will be announced in June.