Perisher and OWIA partnership fires up Olympic hopes with two new state-of-the-art snow guns at Blue Cow
Perisher Ski Resort and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) are thrilled to announce significant investment into the mogul skiing program at Blue Cow this season, which will provide the best possible training environment for Australia's top mogul skiers as they prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
As part of this partnership, OWIA funding has boosted snowmaking capabilities on Perisher’s world-class mogul course ‘Toppa’s Dream’ on the Ridge Quad Chair at Blue Cow through the donation of two new snow guns. This brings the total to five snow guns on the mogul course, ensuring optimal snow conditions for training.
“We’re incredibly proud of Perisher’s role in supporting the full snowsports pathway - from grassroots participation to Australia’s elite skiers and snowboarders,” said Nathan Butterworth, Vice President & General Manager of Perisher. “We’re grateful to OWIA for this collaboration, which is a testament to the dedication of our teams who go above and beyond for athletes - whether it’s putting energy into coaching, grooming the course after hours or opening lifts early for athlete training. With the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon, there’s no better time to invest in our athletes and the world-class facilities that help them succeed.”
The Australian mogul team, which includes the country's best-performed skiers internationally, will benefit from this enhanced training setup, which complements Perisher’s ongoing investments into this course and into its snowsports programs.
Led by defending Olympic Champion Jakara Anthony, 2018 Olympic Silver medallist Matt Graham, and current World Cup mogul skiing rookie of the year Charlotte Wilson, the Australian mogul team will commence training on the Toppa’s Dream mogul course during the second half of July, continuing through to mid-September.
Perisher guests will have the chance to watch Australia’s Olympic medal hopes in action from the bottom of the Ridge Chairlift. The athletes are excited to share their 2026 Olympic journey and will be riding the Ridge chairlift with the public during training.
Jakara Anthony expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "The additional guns are a big help. Toppa’s at Perisher is a great course, and I look forward to training this winter getting ready for the World Cup season."
Matt Graham added, "I have been skiing at Perisher all my life, and the mogul course this season will be the best ever with the new guns and the great start to the winter so far. The skiing and snowboarding public should come to Blue Cow to see us training!"
OWIA CEO Geoff Lipshut commented, "Thanks to Perisher for really helping our best mogul skiers to have the best possible preparation for the Olympic Games in Italy next February. The additional guns on the course and Perisher’s expert cooperation in preparing the slope is a big difference maker for our athletes."
For further information or interviews with the athletes or OWIA, please contact:
Hamish Cox
For further information or interviews with Perisher, please contact:
Dani Wright
Senior Manager – Communications
Vail Resorts Australia
