Louis's Story
Fast Facts
Sport: Alpine Skiing
Events: Slalom, Giant Slalom
Olympic History: Beijing 2022
Highlights: 23rd in Giant Slalom at Beijing 2022, 7x podium finishes and 18x top-10 placings in the 2021 season
Coaches: Martin Fahrner and Patrick Renner
Year Born: 1998
State Born: Victoria
About Louis
Born and raised in Melbourne, Louis Muhlen‑Schulte grew up on the slopes of Mount Hotham and quickly found his way into alpine racing. He came through the Mount Hotham Racing Squad, later representing Montana State University in the United States, and still calls Melbourne home.
Louis’s early pathway included a notable detour: at the Lillehammer Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2016 he won a bronze medal in ski cross, a result that underlined both his speed and adaptability before he committed fully to the technical alpine disciplines of slalom and giant slalom.
Seeking higher‑level opportunities, he accepted a place in the United States Ski Team high‑performance programme in late 2017 and completed his schooling years split between Sugar Bowl Academy and college life in Montana. While studying business management at Montana State University he raced the National Collegiate Athletic Association circuit, earning second‑team All‑America honours with seventh in slalom at the 2019 NCAA Championships and placing tenth in giant slalom at the 2020 edition.
By 2021 Louis had built consistent form, putting together a season that featured seven podiums and 18 top‑ten finishes across Federation of International Skiing events. That base set him up for his Olympic debut the following northern winter.
At Beijing 2022 he started both technical events and produced a career‑shaping performance in the men’s giant slalom. In heavy snowfall and low visibility, he placed 23rd, equalling Australia’s best result in the event and confirming his potential at championship level.
Momentum carried into the World Cup the next season. On 1 March 2024 at Aspen, Louis finished 27th in the giant slalom to become the first Australian male to score World Cup points in that discipline, adding four points to his name. He backed this up with a 32nd in the second Aspen race the next day.
Louis made his World Championships debut at Courchevel–Meribel in 2023 and returned to the pinnacle event in Saalbach in 2025. In Austria he delivered Australia’s best performance of the fortnight with 31st in the giant slalom.
Back in the southern winter of 2025 he converted form into wins on home‑hemisphere snow. He claimed Australian New Zealand Cup victories in slalom at Mount Hutt and in giant slalom at Thredbo, and added further podium finishes across the series, results that reflect an athlete increasingly competitive on multiple fronts.
Away from the start gate, Louis describes a childhood steeped in the Hotham community. He attended Harrietville Primary School and later Melbourne Grammar School. When not on the road he enjoys surfing, and in recent years has balanced European and North American training blocks with his university commitments.
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