Thirty-four percent of girls and women in snowsports don’t think they’re treated fairly, 37 percent don’t feel safe to speak up and present different ideas, and 33 percent don’t feel supported to grow and thrive in snowsports.

Those are some of the results of the Maunga Wāhine Female Snow Sports Athlete Survey, which Snow Sports New Zealand (SSNZ) says shows there is “still much to do before girls and women feel equally included, valued and supported as snow sports competitors”.

The survey - part of Maunga Wāhine, which aims to make sure competitive snow sports is a place where girls and women feel welcome and valued - was open to all women and girls over the age of 12 who have competed in snow sports in the past, or are still competing.

Fifty-five percent of respondents over the age of 16 reported having encountered specific barriers or obstacles that make it harder for them to thrive in competitive snow sports than men and boys.

That number increased to 70 percent among the youngest respondents (ages 12-15).

Barriers and obstacles mentioned ranged from having smaller trophies, less investment, fewer opportunities and fewer role models right through to receiving less attention, support and understanding from coaches.

Eighty percent of respondents experienced or witnessed negative attitudes and prejudices being expressed around gender; 47 percent reported experiencing or witnessing bullying, harassment or abuse from professional adults in the industry; and 41 percent reported experiencing or witnessing that treatment from peers.

Read the full survey report here.

SSNZ thanked the 111 respondents who “shared their insights and experiences with such clarity and honesty”.

It has inspired a range of actions. The organisation plans to introduce a Maunga Wāhine Award to the Snow Sports NZ Awards to recognise and spotlight female contribution to Snow Sports; develop a range of female-athlete focused resources and present them in workshops; and take further steps to raise awareness of the experience women and girls have in snow sports.

“These are just our first moves,” SSNZ said. “We’ll continue to develop our plan as we learn more.”

In light of the results SSNZ has decided to bring forward the launch of its female snow sports coaches survey.

“We want to better understand the experience women have of coaching snow sports so we can use that insight to further inform the work of Maunga Wāhine, just as the athlete survey has done.”

The survey is open now to all women who have coached snowsports in New Zealand.

PHOTO: Winter Games/Ross Mackay