The 2008/09 season was one of Australia’s best, with three snowboard athletes on the podium.

Damon Hayler won his first snowboard cross World Cup gold medal, claiming victory in Bad Gastein, Austria, while Holly Crawford took silver in halfpipe at the World Championships then followed that up with World Cup silver in the final event of the season.

Fellow halfpipe athlete Nate Johnstone also earned two silver medals, finishing the year in second place on the World Cup standings, while SSA rider Ben Mates rode to the first podium placing of his career.

But they were not the only snowboard athletes up near the top of the result sheets.

Hayler’s SBX team-mate Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin finished one place off the podium on two occasions, and alpine snowboard rider Joh Shaw ended her season ranked tenth in the world on the back of two fourth placings, a fifth and two other top ten results.