Nico is an Olympic gold and bronze medallist, an X Games gold medallist in freeski halfpipe and the 2021 freeski halfpipe World Champion. He made history at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, becoming NZ's youngest Olympic medalist (16 years old) and again at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games becoming New Zealand's first male to win a Winter Olympic gold medal.
Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Freeski halfpipe Gold medalist, 2024 X Games silver medalist in freeski SuperPipe, 2022 X Games gold medalist in freeski SuperPipe, 2021 X Games gold medalist in freeski halfpipe, 2021 World Championships freeski halfpipe gold medalist, 2019 X Games bronze medal in freeski halfpipe; 2018 Olympic bronze medal in freeski halfpipe; 2018 Junior World Champion freeski halfpipe. World Cup silver medal, Secret Garden, China, December 2018; Youngest person in the world to land a triple cork 1440, first person in the world to land back to back 1620's in the halfpipe in competition.
Nico began skiing at the age of four on a family holiday to France. With Mum, Dad and older brother Miguel already keen skiers, Nico was determined not to miss out. With a solid skill base from race training under his belt, Nico made the switch to freeskiing at the age of nine and quickly began chalking up a string of top level results.
By thirteen Nico had joined his brother Miguel chasing back to back winters, training and competing in Breckenridge in the USA and Cardrona Alpine Resort in NZ, balancing his sports commitments with school work. As one of the youngest skiers on the circuit he earned the nickname Nipsy but also the respect of the freeski elite. Invitations to attend firstly as a forerunner and then as a bona fide competitor saw Nico showcasing his skills at the likes of X Games, Air+Style and the Jon Olsson Invitational.
The 2015-2016 season saw Nico claim wins in freeski halfpipe at the Copper Mountain Rev Tour and the Calgary NorAM, earning him the overall title in FIS Freeski Halfpipe NorAM for the season.
In 2016, at the age of fourteen, Nico became the first Kiwi and youngest person in the world to land a triple cork 1440.
Nico was named to the NZ team to compete in freeski halfpipe at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang and went on to earn a bronze medal. Back home in New Zealand in August he was crowned Junior World Champion in freeski halfpipe.
The 2018-2019 season got off to a dream start when Nico claimed the first World Cup medal of his career, a silver, competing in Secret Garden, China, which will be the venue for the 2022 Olympic Games. In January 2019 Nico landed a bronze medal at X Games Aspen. He finished in second place on the 2018-2019 Freeski Halfpipe World Cup tour rankings, it was the best result for an NZ male in the FIS Freeski rankings.
During the 2020 season Nico finished in third place in the men's Modified Superpipe event at the Dew Tour. He was also a member of Team Atomic who won the Freeski team Challenge at the 2020 Dew Tour.
At the 2021 X Games Aspen Nico won the gold medal with a historic run that contained a trick and a trick combo that has never been landed before in competition. He landed a right 1620 and then combined it with the left 1620, a run that Nico had been working on for over 18 months. This was also New Zealand's first X Games gold medal in Freeski SuperPipe.
He continued his success this season to become the Freeski Halfpipe World Champion, the first time a Kiwi has held this prestigious title.
He is the 2022 X Games Aspen Freeski SuperPipe gold medalist and the current Freeski Halfpipe Olympic Champion, winning the gold medal at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
After taking a break from competition in 2023, Nico returned to competition in 2024 and claimed the silver medal at the 2024 Aspen X Games.
In the 2022 New Years Honours list Nico became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Nico is also a keen ice hockey fan and avid supporter of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Check out more of Nico's FIS results here or follow him on social media.
