At just 21 years old, Kirsty Muir has already carved out a name for herself in the world of freestyle skiing.
Winning silver at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics, representing Team GB in the big air and slopestyle events at the 2022 Winter Olympics and earning podium finishes at the 2023 Winter X Games, Kirsty continues to push boundaries in the sport she’s loved since childhood.
“I got into skiing when I was three and freestyle when I was six. I’ve basically been doing this my whole life,” Kirsty shares.
Dialling in from Innsbruck in Austria, Kirsty tells us how she is rarely in the same place for more than a few weeks, particularly in competition season. Skiing has taken her all over the world, but her journey began here in Scotland.
Dry slopes and big dreams
Growing up in Aberdeen, Kirsty’s introduction to skiing was a family affair.
“My dad has skied since he was a kid, and my mum learned in her 20s, so they were really keen to get me and my two siblings into it and ski as a family.”
Kirsty learned to ski on the Scottish mountains – namely the Lecht and Glenshee – and on the dry slope at home in Aberdeen. It was during Saturday kids club sessions at the dry slope that her passion for freestyle skiing became clear.
“At the end of the session, we’d go to the freestyle slope for 10 minutes, and the coaches could just see how much happier and more excited I was over there,” she recalls.
“They told my parents to take me to the freestyle night, and the rest is history, I guess.”
Reflecting on those early years, Kirsty credits coaches like Andy Begg and Zoe Silk for nurturing her talent.
“There was a really good community down at the dry slope, and although I was totally outnumbered by boys, people like Andy and Zoe never let me doubt myself.”
Books and boots
By age 10, Kirsty was travelling across Scotland and England for competitions. At 11, she competed abroad for the first time at the British Championships in Laax, Switzerland.
“When I was 13, I went out to Laax for a few weeks of the season,” she tells us.
“Then by the time I was 14, I was skiing as much as I possibly could.”
Managing school alongside her growing career required discipline, but Kirsty was determined to put the work in so that she could achieve her dreams on the slopes.
“I ended up splitting my Highers over two years to fit the Olympics in.
“I remember getting back and my headmaster saying, ‘Congrats, Kirsty, but go check your timetable to see when you can do your prelims,” she laughs.
Olympic dreams
Kirsty made her Olympic debut in 2022 as the youngest Briton at the Games.
“I had my first World Cup podium the previous year, which put me in a good spot for qualifying, so the whole run-up was really exciting,” she tells us.
Despite COVID restrictions making it a different and less interactive experience for athletes, Kirsty came away with a standout performance and memories for life.
“The big air at the Olympics was one of my best performances at that time, and finishing fifth place was something I’d have never considered possible going into the competition,” she expresses.
When asked about her career highlights, Kirsty shares that her proudest moment came the following year at the 2023 Winter X Games in Aspen, where she claimed bronze medals in both the big air and slopestyle events.
“The atmosphere was insane; it gives me goosebumps to think back to it.”
“I landed a trick I’d never tried on snow before. Then Megan Oldham landed the first-ever women’s triple. I remember just screaming on the sled back up because I was so excited.
“It felt like such a good moment for women’s skiing.”
For Kirsty, her community of female skiers, who continue to push boundaries, are what makes the sport so special.
“We’re just always so excited for each other when one of us lands something that’s not only progressive to themselves but to women’s skiing as a whole.
“Obviously, when you go to a competition, your goal is to win, but you’re just so excited for whoever does win because they’ve put on the best show of the day.
“We’re always pushing the sport and always supporting one another along the way.”
Although skiing can be seen as an individual sport, Kirsty assures us that she is never alone on the slopes.
Resilience through injury
In December 2023, Kirsty’s life was turned around when she tore her ACL. With a lingering shoulder issue also requiring surgery, she ended up going under the knife twice in the space of six weeks.
“It was out for such a long time,” she tells us.
“I literally haven’t been away from skiing for that length of time since I was a kid. It was a big challenge for me, both mentally and physically.”
Though Kirsty’s recovery was tough, a good support system meant that Kirsty was able to see it through and come back stronger.
“I think you really learn patience and a lot about yourself during rehab.
“It definitely made me appreciate just how much I value skiing and made me so determined to get back to it.”
Exploring Scotland on two wheels
Kirsty’s recovery also presented the opportunity for a new passion – mountain biking.
“It was something that I was allowed to do, and it is pretty close to skiing, so I figured that I’d give it a go.
“Now I just love it as a hobby and whenever I’m home, I try to get out on my bike”
Exploring trails around Aberdeen, Glenlivet, Fort William, and beyond, Kirsty expresses her love for discovering new corners of Scotland.
“It’s been nice to see more of home. I feel like it’s so easy to grow up in Scotland but not actually see so much of its beauty.
“The bike has given me some really cool new experiences.”
Returning to snow last November, Kirsty was back competing within two months.
“I definitely had doubts about whether I was strong enough and could still do everything, she expressed.
“But you just have to rely on muscle memory and the fact that you’ve done it before.”
In March, Kirsty won her first-ever World Cup.
“That reminded me that I’m not just back—I’m back stronger.”
Looking Ahead
With another Winter Olympics on the horizon, Kirsty is focused on learning new tricks and pushing her limits.
“Short term, it’s about having new stuff to show in competitions.
“Long term, I just want to keep having the best time and see where I can go with the sport.”
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