It was a Mission Impossible, a strategy steeped in stealth, but somehow, Torah Bright’s parents, Marion and Peter managed to keep their presence in Canada a secret until their daughter took to the pipe.

While the worlds’ media formed a scrum surrounding Bright, Australia’s first halfpipe medallist, Mrs Bright was holding a mini media conference of her own. Standing in the stands, she and her husband were surrounded by excited Australian supporters who were previously oblivious to the fact they had the parents of Australia’s newest golden girl in their midst.

Fans waved inflated kangaroos, flags and banners while Mrs Bright related how their plan was almost busted when Torah overheard their voices a few days earlier during a phone call to a friend.

“I thought the phone was turned off,” a glowing Mrs Bright said. “She heard us because then she came to the house where we all were and she even came into the bedroom, so we hid in the cupboard. She said ‘I’m sure mum’s here I heard her voice.” But they made up all sorts of fantastic stories and covered it over.”

There was another close call when Torah herself came to the bottom of the stands after the first qualifying round.

“She was within feet of us here, when she came to talk to everybody after the first episode and we had to really hide ourselves and get coats over us”.

Torah finally spotted them in the stands after the second qualifying run.

“My parents actually surprised me,” she said immediately just after the competition. “I can’t wait to run to the grandstands and see them.”

With her impending United States wedding to fellow snowboarder Jake Welch, Torah had urged her parents to visit North America for just one of the events.

“I told them I would rather they just come over for my wedding in Salt Lake City in June,” a clearly delighted Torah said. "I should have know they were going to come!"

Mrs Bright said despite Torah’s protests, they wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to see their daughter compete in the Olympics.

“We thought, okay, we don’t want to put any spokes in the works, we don’t want her to get stressed. So we said, ‘Okay Torah, we won’t come”. But of course we always were.”

Mike Ferguson, from Freshwater was one of the vocal Aussies in the stands and says he was on tenterhooks after Torah fell during the first finals run.    

“The atmosphere was magic, it was so tense after the first run, but everyone got right behind her, it was fantastic,” he said.

Karen Gray from Sydney, holding an inflatable kangaroo, said roo had predicted Australia’s gold. “Skippy told me she would win; he went tsk, tsk, tsk, Torah!”

Originally from Melbourne now a Vancouver resident, Lisa Higginbottom was glad to see so much green and gold far from home.  

“It’s amazing, it’s so nice to see everyone out here, so many Aussies here and so many flags, it’s great. There was little of pockets of us everywhere, we were moving around the stands and finding other groups”.

She also hopes it will do big things for the profile of the sport.

“It makes you feel excited and I’m so glad it was on the halfpipe as it’s such a budding sport.”

While enjoying the celebration of their daughters’ success, Mr and Mrs Bright remembered the other Australian competitors and hope they find similar success in the next few days.

“I hope all the other Australian athletes do just as well!” Mrs Bright stated.

Flip Byrnes
AOC - Cypress Mountain