Who is Ollie Martin? Everything you need to know about the US snowboarding star

Ollie Martin has quickly emerged as one of the brightest young talents in American snowboarding. At just 17, the Colorado native is competing in the men’s big air final at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno on February 7, making him the only American rider to reach the final at the Milano Cortina Games.

A senior at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy, Martin arrives on the Olympic stage with a résumé that already places him among the sport’s elite.

Record-breaking progression on snow

Ollie Martin is widely recognized for redefining what’s possible in competitive snowboarding. According to U.S. Ski & Snowboard, he is the youngest rider in history to land a 2160 and the only snowboarder to successfully stomp both a frontside and backside 2160.

His breakout continued in 2025, when he became the youngest male rider to win a World Cup slopestyle event at the Calgary Snow Rodeo and earned bronze medals in both slopestyle and big air at the World Championships in Engadin.

Even established stars have taken notice. “Ollie’s his own beast and I look up to him,” Red Gerard told NBC Olympics. “I look at what Ollie does, and I’m like, ‘Yo, how do I do that? That’s insane.’”

Deep Olympic roots and family support

Martin’s journey is backed by a family steeped in winter sports. He grew up in Wolcott, Colorado, alongside his older brother Kade Martin, a halfpipe rookie on the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. Both brothers developed through Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, training regularly together at Vail and Copper Mountain.

The family’s Olympic legacy stretches back more than six decades. Ollie Martin’s great-uncle Chuck Ferries was a two-time Olympic alpine skier and one of America’s most decorated racers of the 1960s, while his great-aunt Barbara Ferries Henderson competed at the 1964 Winter Olympics and medaled at the World Championships.

Mental edge and Olympic mindset

Beyond raw ability, Martin is known for his unique approach to preparation. At a press conference in Livigno on February 4, he explained how a miniature snowboard figurine has helped him visualize tricks.

“My mom made me bring it,” Martin said. “Honestly that toy was really helpful for me… Sounds silly, but it was actually really helpful.”

As he balances big air finals with an upcoming slopestyle qualification on February 16, Ollie Martin’s Olympic debut already signals the arrival of a new force in U.S. snowboarding.