Nico Porteous splits with coach of 15 years

Kiwi free-skier and Winter Olympic champion Nico Porteous has split with his coach of 15 years Tommy Pyatt.

After plenty of highs, including X-Games gold, World Championship status and of course, Olympic glory, the pair are parting ways, with Pyatt taking up an offer with China's Halfpipe team.

"It's been a huge loss losing Tommy," Porteous told 1News.

"He coached me for 15 years which is pretty crazy - it was definitely a change which was unexpected but also, at the same time, he got a good job offer and he needs to put himself first.

"He's given so much for [brother and fellow Olympian] Miguel and my career - I'm stoked for him."

Following Porteous' breakthrough gold in the men's halfpipe at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, Pyatt was approached by China with a job offer.

It took a whole year to process the idea, Pyatt told 1News

"Nico was so supportive - we'd reached a goal we'd set each other and there was nothing left to prove."

Pyatt took up the role in November as China's head halfpipe coach.

"It was just time to try something new and just keep the excitement going after 15 years dong the same thing."

China finished with 15 medals at the 2022 Winter Olympic games, their scale and funding a whole different level to New Zealand.

"They're very different - it's like living in an Olympic village all year round with an endless feed of athletes," Pyatt said.

Porteous and Pyatt first teamed up in Wanaka when Porteous was aged six.

From their they went on a journey of a lifetime. At the 2018 Winter Olympics they made history with Porteous winning bronze in the men's halfpipe final, becoming the first male New Zealander to win a medal at the event.

Porteous was only 16 years and 91 days old , making him the country's youngest Olympic Games medallist.

Two years later Porteous won X-Games gold in the superpipe and the following year he defended his title.

That same year at the 2022 Winter Olympics they won gold in the men's halfpipe event.

When Pyatt was asked how he'd sum up their 15 years together he replied: "like a dry run of parenting!"

"Nico has grown so much from six years old to 21, obviously. He's got to the point where he's teaching me life philosophies which is awesome.

"The way he thinks about how he wants to be a good athlete and how he wants to be a good human is really admirable and there's a lot you can learn from him."

Nico has recruited a new coach, former NZ Winter Olympian Byron Wells. The pair will cross paths with Pyatt at this weekend's X-Games in Aspen, Colorado.

"We're still friends," said Pyatt. "We're still from the town of Wanaka and we will still go for a bike ride together."

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January 24, 2024