Teenage Talent Ben Tudhope to be mentored by rugby union hero

“One of the areas I’m very excited about is Nick sharing his thoughts on the mechanisms of being a great athlete, how he coped with and managed competitions. He is an Australian sporting legend.”

Para snowboard Teenage Talent Ben Tudhope has been named one of five young Australian athletes to receive mentoring from the prestigious Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) Scholarship and Mentoring Programme.

The SAHOF project aims to preserve and celebrate the history of Australian Sport and to inspire the next generation of athletes to achieve at the highest level of their sport. Tudhope will enjoy personal one-on-one mentoring from inducted SAHOF member and former rugby union World Cup winner Nick Farr-Jones.

“One of the areas I’m very excited about is Nick sharing his thoughts on the mechanisms of being a great athlete, how he coped with and managed competitions. He is an Australian sporting legend,” said Ben Tudhope.

The 17-year-old from Sydney became Australia’s youngest Paralympian when he competed at Sochi 2014 and finished among the top 10 riders in the men’s snowboard cross. Next year he will arrive in PyeongChang as one of the Paralympic medal contenders.

“The most important thing for me is I truly love snowboarding. Snowboarding is part of my lifestyle and I love being on snow everyday – I don’t know where I would be without it,” said Tudhope.

The rider has met Nick Farr-Jones before since Tudhope studies at the same school as Farr-Jones youngest son Josh. The former rugby union player is looking forward to working together with the Para snowboarder.

“It is an absolute privilege to be asked to mentor Ben Tudhope. I’ve been hugely inspired by Ben’s achievements having been in the school winter programme for some years, but it is not so much his achievements at a tender age, but more about his attitude to pushing back against some physical impediments and having an attitude to achieve,” said Farr-Jones

The successful recipients of the scholarships will be presented by their respective mentors on 12 October at the SAHOF Induction and Awards Gala in Melbourne.

Besides one-on-one personal mentoring, recipients will also be awarded an AUD 5,000 (EUR 3,300) sporting expenses grant, as well as one international return economy flight.