Meet Briony Johnston, a freeride snowboarder and Terrain Parks Supervisor at Mt Hotham

Snowboard freeride athlete and Terrain Park Manager Briony Johnston knows what it takes to operate at the edge. Whether she’s dropping into a competition line on the Freeride World Tour or shaping the terrain that future riders will test themselves on, Briony has built her career around pushing limits. 

Earlier this year, Briony became Australia’s first female Terrain Park Manager, a milestone that reflects years of dedication spent mastering her craft alongside the team at Mount Hotham. From welding and fabricating features to shaping snow parks in sub-zero conditions, her role demands the same determination, precision and resilience that she brings to professional snowboarding.

Since joining the Freeride World Tour in 2018, Briony has carved out a reputation as one of Australia’s most committed and fearless riders. But her journey extends beyond competition she represents a new generation of athletes who don’t just use their equipment, they build, maintain and understand the environments where they perform. 

Balancing elite sport with a hands-on career in the trades requires strength, adaptability and a willingness to embrace the hard days. It’s a mindset built on showing up, putting in the work and finding a way forward whatever the conditions. 

We caught up with Briony ahead of another huge domestic season to talk about life behind the scenes of snow park construction, competing at the highest level, breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated industries, and what “Nothing’s Tougher” means to her.

What does a typical day look like for you when you're building in the snow parks? 

"A typical day for me normally starts bright and early. I get myself into the workshop. It can involve the team making features, then going back into the workshop and doing maintenance on features that need to be fixed. The groomers and operators start at 6 a.m. most of the time, so I generally jump in the machines with them and start shaping from there. It can be a few hours, or it can be a whole-night job. We're trying to get parks built from nothing into a full line, top to bottom."

Has being a woman in trades and action sports presented unique challenges?

"Looking back, when I started there was no one in my position above me to look up to, and I was kind of creating this path myself. Now, the message I can pass on is that it's an extremely amazing thing to be another female in the industry and to show others they can take that leap and work in these spaces." 

What does 'Nothing's Tougher' mean to you personally? 

"There's no easy way to do it. You have to do the hard work. You have to do the long days. You have to do the long seasons."

What's tougher - snowboarding at a professional level or building the features yourself? 

"The competitive side of my life is extremely challenging. Most of the time, I'm in a new place and on unknown territory. When I'm standing in a start gate, half the time I can't even see ten metres in front of me. It can be frightening and terrifying, but you still have to take the line and trust yourself."

What role does CrossFit or training play in your work and snowboarding? 

My training is extremely important to me, and it's non-negotiable. It keeps me more flexible and strong overall. When things get tough and my body starts to get tired, I know I can push through because I'm strong and I've trained hard. Nothing's Tougher.