For any athlete, going to the Olympics is a big deal. But imagine if you’re going to the Olympics, and you’re also writing history as the first ever representative from a certain country to make it there.
That's the scenario for alpine skier Alex Astridge, who is set to become the first man to represent the UAE at a Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina 2026 next month. Joined by fellow skier Piera Hudson, Astridge is excited about being part of this historic milestone for the Emirates, a place he has called home his entire life.
“It's unreal. I've always been lucky enough to be part of the ‘first’ of almost everything when it comes to alpine skiing in the UAE,” the 19-year-old told The National from his training base in Ponte di Legno. “So, the elite programme, which was after level four in Ski Dubai. And then when the race programme was introduced, I was the first athlete there. And when the Ski Dubai sponsorship programme was introduced, I was also the first athlete there.
“But this is the first time where I'm part of, I'd say, something more. This isn't just alpine skiing. This is the entirety of not just winter sports, but it's something for the country. I mean, it’s crazy. I'm doing this for my home.”
Born in Cambridge, UK, Astridge moved to Dubai with his family when he was six months old and was first introduced to skiing at the Ski Dubai facility at Mall of the Emirates when he was three. By the age of 10, he was offered a spot on Ski Dubai’s sponsorship programme, and by 15 a specific programme was set up for him to pave the way for his Olympic qualification after the UAE Winter Sports Federation became a full member of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).
“Everyone as a kid had an Olympic dream. I don't think that's a unique thing. But it was always a dream until I was 15. I never thought I'd actually be able to realise it and see it happen,” Astridge said.
“And then after the first ever FIS races in Dubai, I was approached by the UAE Winter Sports Federation. I foreran those races and the idea was presented of having a programme in place for me to get to the Olympics. That's where I felt like it was no longer a dream, but it was something that I was actively trying to do, which was cool.”
Two years ago, Astridge was part of the UAE’s first delegation to the Youth Winter Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea, where he finished in 38th place in the slalom competition. He was the UAE flag-bearer alongside snowboarder Amenah Al Muhairi, and it proved an important stepping stone for what was to come.
“That was crazy. I was 17 at the time and we were just thrown in there. It's designed to make you feel special, and I felt special,” recalled Astridge. “It was incredible. It was so different to how the sport usually is. And it almost gave you that sense of motivation to keep going. And like, this is the Youth Olympics, imagine what the Olympics are going to be like. It was surreal.
“I still remember not necessarily racing, but flag-bearing was crazy. Just walking and looking around and everyone cheering was pretty cool.”
A year later, he flew the flag for the UAE at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China, placing 17th among 59 competitors.
A month later, Astridge secured qualification for the 2026 Winter Olympics at a race in Italy. He has spent the last year preparing for these upcoming Games.
Astridge is studying international business management at Heriot-Watt University in Dubai and schedules his training and competitions around his school commitments. His pursuit of a career in competitive skiing has taken him all over the world, from South America to Europe to Asia – an aspect of the sport he does not take for granted, especially as a 19-year-old university student from Dubai.
“So when I was 15, and this was really presented to me, I actually had the opportunity to meet a decent amount of Olympic athletes and a World Cup athlete named Andreas Zampa. And the one thing I took away from meeting everyone was just to try not to regret anything and to appreciate everything that's happening,” he says.
“So I've really tried in every moment to just enjoy it because it's how many people can say that – I mean, we're training in Ushuaia [in Argentina], which is the furthest southern city in the world. I don't think many people can say they go there, let alone spend more than a month there. So I just tried to appreciate the craziness, I guess.”
Astridge specialises in slalom, which he describes as the most technical of the four disciplines in alpine skiing.
“And mobility-wise, you're moving the fastest,” he adds. “I mean, some of the World Cup guys can be going up to 15 metres per second in some sequences. So that's more than a gate every second. So you need to be pretty fast.
“It's a big rush. I mean, your feet are wrapping around gates where you're taking in some serious G's, I'd say, and you're this far away from the gate, you're incredibly precise. And I find it quite fun. It's almost like dancing, but not, I don't like dancing, but I like skiing.”
In skiing, the risk of injury is high and Astridge has had his fair share of physical issues. His toughest injury came at the end of 2022, when he crashed on a triple at Ski Dubai, straddling the middle gate, which resulted in tibial fractures, a dislocated kneecap, and pulled ligaments.
“That was pretty traumatising because with the fact that I started skiing when I was three years old, you tend to grow an ignorance to the danger because it's all you know. It's like walking down a set of stairs. You're not scared of walking down a set of stairs. You just know how to do it,” he said.
“And I suddenly realised for a moment I was quite traumatised because I realised how weak I could be and how dangerous it all really is. But I worked with it, and I think I almost accepted it. I mean, there's definitely still fear involved. If you're not scared, you're crazy. But if you're brave, you're not fearless, you're just doing it anyway.
“I'd say I definitely learnt from it and I know my limits a lot more now. That day I was definitely pushing way beyond those limits and now I know them and I know how I can push them further.”
Astridge estimates there are about 200 active alpine skiers at Ski Dubai - from six-year-olds to master skiers aged 50 and older. He says a major goal of his is to help “set pathways and standards” for the young skiers looking to compete at FIS events when they come of age.
He also has high ambitions for his personal career, assuring he has no intention of slowing down. “I'd say I'm quite early in my career, not necessarily by age, because in countries like Italy, you pretty much age out of qualifying for the national team when you turn 21. But I'm early due to injury and Covid, and I had a great opportunity to have Ski Dubai growing up. But [at] Ski Dubai, I wasn't the same level as other kids around me in the mountains,” he explains.
“So I want to keep going. That's the main thing. I want to be able to try everything, and I want to be able to reach my limit. I don't want to stop now and think back in 10 years and be like, ‘Damn, I really didn't get as far as I could have’.
“And then on the general community side of things, I'd really like to see some kids really step up and beat me. Someone comes into FIS, somebody grew up in Ski Dubai as well. There's some kids, they can be way better than me. They're really talented and they have the correct facilities now to really go that far. So yeah, that would be great.”
As for next month’s Olympics, Astridge doesn’t have any particular expectations but hopes to finish the race and wants to have pushed himself to his limits. He is grateful for the opportunity to represent the UAE, a country that is a true melting pot of cultures and nationalities.
“The UAE has this unique circumstance where there's hundreds of thousands of kids just like me who have grown up in the UAE their whole life, and it is their home. It's where they've done everything. They don't know anywhere else as their home. And it’s amazing that I'm part of this and I'm so honoured,” he says.
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games will take place in Italy from February 6 to 22, with men’s slalom action scheduled for February 16.
