Scotty James

Scott James, born on July 6, 1994, is an Australian snowboarder, five-time Olympian, and children's book author. He is Australia's most decorated Winter Olympian, having won a bronze medal in the halfpipe at the 2018 Winter Olympics, followed by halfpipe silver medals at both the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics. At the 2018 Games in PyeongChang, he also served as the flag bearer for Australia.

James grew up in Warrandyte, Victoria, and attended secondary school at Southwood Boys Grammar. He began snowboarding at three years old using a $10 display board purchased from a shop in Vancouver. He started competing at age six and began traveling for international competitions at age ten, accompanied by his mother, who homeschooled him on the road. Recognized early as a snowboarding prodigy, James eventually transitioned from racing into halfpipe and slopestyle events.

James made his international debut at age 14 at the 2008 Europa Cup in Saas Fee, Switzerland. In 2010, after teammate Nathan Johnstone suffered an injury, James secured a 15th-place finish at a World Cup event in Stoneham, Canada, to earn eligibility for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. At 15 years old, he became Australia's youngest male Olympian in 50 years and the youngest male competitor at the Vancouver Games. Despite fracturing his right wrist during training, he competed and finished in 21st place.

From 2011 to 2012, James achieved top-ten World Cup results across halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air events. During the 2013–14 season, he won his first World Cup medal, a bronze in halfpipe, and claimed the World Cup Title in Halfpipe, becoming the top-ranked halfpipe rider in the world at age 19. He later won his first Olympic medal, a bronze, at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, followed by silver medals at the 2022 Beijing Games and the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he scored 93.50 in the final.

In December 2022, James earned a score of 99.00 at the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, marking the second-highest score in International Ski and Snowboard Federation history and his highest personal score in a halfpipe event. He won his fifth career X Games halfpipe gold medal in Aspen in 2023, and finished fifth at the 2023 World Championships in Bakuriani. Beyond competition, James became an influencer for cryptocurrency exchange OKX in October 2022 and published two children's books: Mooki vs the Big Scary in 2024 and its sequel, Mooki vs the Terrible Toys.

James was awarded the Victorian Institute of Sport's Award of Excellence in 2018, becoming the first snowboarder to receive the honor. In his personal life, James converted to Judaism and married Chloe Stroll in May 2023, with whom he welcomed a child in October 2024. The couple resides in Monaco.