Feature
Before the podiums, the medals, or the world titles, there were simply winters.
Fin Melville Ives grew up on snow. Born in Dunedin and raised in Wānaka, the mountains were never a destination, they were home. His parents were snowboard instructors at Cardrona Alpine Resort, and by the time Fin and his twin brother Cam were three years old, skis were already part of daily life. “It was never really about becoming anything,” Fin says.
“We were just up there riding with friends and family, having fun, shredding.”
:no_upscale())
That sense of freedom has stayed with him. At four years old, Fin was invited to forerun the New Zealand Junior Nationals Halfpipe event, a moment that hinted at what was to come. A year later, he lined up in his first competition at the New Zealand Junior Freestyle Nationals.
From then on, winters followed a familiar rhythm, New Zealand snow at home, blending into Northern Hemisphere winters during the New Zealand summer. Melville Ives’ parents continued to travel back and forth chasing the seasons.
“I’ve been skiing overseas every year for as long as I can remember,” he says. “It’s just always been part of it.”
Growing up on the mountain meant growing up surrounded by community. Fin and Cam took different paths, Cam choosing snowboarding, Fin committing to freeskiing - a split Fin jokes worked out well.
“It’s probably a good thing we don’t do the same discipline,” he laughs. “Otherwise, Cam would just be coming second all the time.”
Despite competing in different events, the brothers train together and support one another, alongside a tight-knit crew they’ve grown up riding with at Cardrona. “It feels like one big family,” Fin says.
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
For a long time, the Olympics felt like something to watch, rather than something to chase. Shaun White winning gold left a lasting impression, but it was Nico Porteous’ bronze medal at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games that truly changed how Fin saw what was possible.
:no_upscale())
“Seeing someone from New Zealand do it made it feel real - like we could go to the Olympics too.”
Alongside Porteous, the Wells brothers became major inspirations, not just for what they achieved in competition, but for how they shaped the sport down in Wānaka.
Fin’s progression through the sport was steady and deliberate. In December 2022, he competed in his first FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Cup, finishing an impressive sixth and earning an invitation to the prestigious Winter X Games in Aspen the following year.
In 2024, he represented New Zealand at the Gangwon Youth Olympic Winter Games, part of a historic Kiwi cohort that delivered the country’s most successful Youth Olympic Winter Games ever. Fin claimed silver in the freeski halfpipe, and he felt wearing the fern alongside the Olympic rings was something special.
:no_upscale())
“Being in that environment, wearing the fern, it made me feel incredibly proud”
By the time the 2025 season arrived, Fin felt something shift. Now in his third World Cup season, things began to align - not just technically, but mentally.
“I started to really figure out how I want to approach my skiing and competitions, and what it all means to me,” he says. “This season it all came together, and it showed.”
That belief was reinforced in February at the Calgary Halfpipe World Cup, where Fin stood on a World Cup podium for the first time - and not just any podium, but on the top step, earning his maiden World Cup victory and becoming the youngest New Zealander ever to win a FIS Freeski World Cup event.
:no_upscale())
Then, in March at the 2025 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle & Freeski World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland, Fin took the biggest step of his career. At his debut World Championships, he put together one of the most explosive halfpipe runs in competition history - a near-perfect score that no one else could match and was crowned the 2025 FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Champion at just 18-years-old.
Not content to rest on those achievements, Fin carried his momentum into the 2025-26 World Cup season. At the season opener in China, he continued his strong form with another World Cup victory, finishing ahead of teammate Luke Harrold with solid, high scoring runs that included consistently difficult tricks and execution.
Behind these results was a shift in mindset. Fin reflects on earlier seasons filled with pressure and overthinking.
“I used to get so stressed and nervous,” he admits.
“This year I’ve just reminded myself not to take it too seriously and to have fun. To be happy to be there, stoked to be skiing, and just wanting to land my run.”
That change brought a new freedom to his skiing.
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
“When you’re having more fun, it reflects in how you ski”
:no_upscale())
:no_upscale())
For Fin, freeskiing has always been about more than results. It’s the creativity and culture that keep him grounded.
“Skiing and snowboarding are like blank canvases,” he says. “You’re the artist, trying to interpret it in your own unique way.”
He’s equally inspired by the strong filming culture within the sport and the many pathways' athletes take beyond competition, something that excites him about life after elite skiing.
“Filming is massive,” he says. “It really embodies the spirit of freeskiing, seeing how each athlete shows their own style.”
With the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games fast approaching, Fin is eager to bring this new mindset to the competition. He’s proud to represent New Zealand and genuinely excited just to be there.