Georgia Gunew launches from the start gate, carves down the mountain at close to 100km/h, guided by a voice in her ear.
Metres ahead of The University of Queensland student, her guide, sporting a bright pink vest calls out quick, precise instructions through a Bluetooth headset.
When to turn, when to hold, when to let go and run the line.
Gunew has Stargardt’s macular dystrophy, a genetic condition causing her eyesight to gradually worsen since she was a teenager.
Now, legally blind, the 22-year-old has learned to navigate every twist and change in terrain based not on sight but on total trust.
As she prepares for the 2026 Winter Paralympics, Gunew is carving out a place among Australia’s most promising para-skiers.
It’s a particularly unusual ambition for someone from sunny Queensland, but for her that’s part of the appeal.
Grandma knows best
Gunew’s entrance into para-alpine skiing came from a combination of curiosity and encouragement.
“I’d played field hockey through my teenage years and I was pretty competitive, but when I lost my vision at 15, hockey just wasn’t possible anymore,” she said.
“I’d never been super into track and field or swimming, which are some of the more well-known para sports.
“My grandma found an ad for para-skiing and said, ‘Why don’t you give this a go?’”
That’s when Gunew picked up the phone and called Snow Australia.
“I asked if I’d be eligible, and they said I should absolutely give it a go,” she said.
“I went down, jumped on skis with a guide for the first time and just absolutely fell in love with it.”
Skiing had been an occasional family holiday activity, nothing more than fun days on the snow at Perisher.
“At first, my parents thought it was a little insane that I’d go from playing hockey to losing my vision and skiing down mountains at full speed,” Gunew said.
“But they’ve always been so supportive. They took me to the snow when I was younger and even sent me to America for training between Year 11 and 12.
“I’m really lucky to have that backing.”
In 2022, that backing earnt her a spot on the Australian Para-Alpine Team.
From Brisbane heat to Alpine peaks
Away from the snow, animals loom large in Gunew’s life.
Horses have been a lifelong passion, and she is currently studying a Bachelor of Agricultural Business at UQ’s Gatton Campus.
“I’ve always loved animals, especially horses,” she said.
“Studying agriculture gives me something outside of skiing to focus on and it’s something I’d really like to build a career in after sport.
“I would love to run my own hobby farm with family.”
For now she’s chasing selection for a Winter Paralympic debut next year.
“Italy is actually my favourite country to compete in,” she said.
“We had a test event in Cortina, and even though I didn’t podium, I was super proud of how I skied.
“The course is tricky, but the mountains are stunning. I’m really happy that’s where the Games will be.”
She has already qualified in Slalom but is chasing qualifications in giant slalom (GS), and Super-G. Giant Slalom has wider gates to navigate than slalom, with Super-G having the widest gates and highest speeds of them all.
Dynamic duo in a solo sport
At the centre of Gunew’s skiing success is a partnership.
Her guide, Ethan Jackson, is not just a teammate but an extension of her on the mountain.
“I absolutely couldn’t do it without Ethan,” Gunew said.
“He trains just as hard as I do, if not harder.”
But how does their partnership work?
“People think we’re tied together, but we’re actually not touching at all,” she said.
“We ski as close as possible, a range of about 30m and we have Bluetooth comms in our helmets.
Milestones and momentum
Together they’ve taken on the toughest slopes in Europe and the results speak for themselves.
“One of my highlights was my first World Cup podium in Switzerland,” Gunew said.
“The hill was beautiful, the weather was perfect and standing on the podium was such an amazing way to finish the day.
“I actually managed to do it 2 years in a row at the same place, which was incredible.”
The pair has since collected more medals on the international circuit and consistently finished inside the top 10 across the slalom, Giant Slalom, and Super-G events.
The results earned Gunew consecutive Female Para-Alpine Athlete of the Year awards from Snow Australia.
Now, with the 2026 Winter Paralympics on the horizon, that momentum is building toward something bigger.
