New chapter for Phil Bellingham after an extraordinary elite career

Jun 25, 2026

CALLING TIME: Four-time Winter Olympian Phil Bellingham has retired from international competition, but will still spend a lot of time on snow this season as a full-time ski patroller. PHOTO: Courtesy Snow Australia

Mt Beauty local and Falls Creek identity Phil Bellingham has officially retired ation.
While stepping away from the elite levels of the sport signals a change of pace, it doesn’t mean a change of scenery as he’s going back to full-time ski patrolling this season.
After a rewarding and history-making snowsport career, he is giving himself time to consider his long-term future.
“I’ve been sitting on a few ideas, then I’ll pull the trigger on the next chapter,” he said.
The four-time Olympian and the first Australian male to compete in Ski-Mountaineering at an Olympics called time on an historic career after competing at Milano Cortina.
Even with all the places the sport has taken him - from World Cup events to Olympic start lines, Phil said growing up at the base of Falls Creek in Mount Beauty shaped him into the person and athlete he has become, and he remembers those times fondly.
“My parents were ski instructors on the weekend… (so) we were always skiing,” he said.
“We had school ski programs and we lived so close to the snow, it was so accessible.”
As Phil got older, his racing improved, ambition grew and success followed.
After competing at the Junior World Championships, he began to realise that representing Australia might not be a one-off experience.
He headed overseas at the end of a gap year for a season competing, and it didn’t take long before he was hooked.
A 17 year career followed, spanning four Olympic Winter Games across two snowsports - cross country skiing and Ski Mountaineering (SkiMo).
Phil said it wasn’t until Beijing 2022 that he felt fully prepared and confident in what was required.
“In 2018, I was fairly naive and new, I didn’t really know what I was doing,” he said.
“After another eight years (in XC skiing), I was more well rounded in my training.
“I knew what I needed to do, I knew what weaknesses I had to work on.”
The technical components of cross country skiing, he said, are often the biggest determinant of success.
“If you can’t get the technique right or efficient, you are never going to excel,” Phil said.
After the 2022 Olympics, Phil was seriously considering retirement.
But the inclusion of Ski Mountaineering at the Olympics and a conversation with cross country skiing program director, Finn Marsland, opened the door to one final challenge.
“I had been watching the space evolve,” he said.
“It was a fresh new look on an old way of life.
“The transition worked, I committed to the three year plan and ended up qualifying for the Games.”
By qualifying, he became the first Australian athlete to compete in two different sports in Winter Olympic history.
He credits his longevity in snowsports to having balance off the mountain.
“I learnt early on that I needed other things in my life,” Phil said.
“Having interest outside of sport allowed me to keep going.”