The New South Wales provincial government in Australia has said it will invest $5 million Australian dollars in a new year round freestyle training centre, complete with year-round dry slopes, ramps and a modern slope-hugging big air bag.

The new National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC) in Jindabyne, close to the ski resorts of perisher and Thredbo, will help the country’s freestyle snowsports stars train in the run up to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and beyond.

Following the announcement by the NSW Minister for Sport, John Sidoti, SSA CEO Michael Kennedy confirmed the establishment of a NSTC as critical to the sustained success of Australia’s athletes in an increasingly competitive international sporting environment.

“The NSTC will have a profound impact on Australian athletes’ capacity to maintain and enhance their international competitiveness. The NSTC will also serve as a permanent administration base for SSA’s Northern activities which includes programs for the entire athlete pathway,” said Kennedy.

The airbag technology will allow Slope Style and Big Air competitors to perfect their tricks and land safely, greatly reducing the risk of injury.

A number of similar year round freestyle training facilities already exists in countries including Austria and Japan and more are being built in Belgium and the French Pyrenees.