Bosch digs deep for third attempt at Olympic qualification for South Africa
May 28, 2025·Snowboard Park & Pipe)
Third time could prove lucky for Swedish-born snowboarder Anthon Bosch as he works to qualify for the next Olympic Winter Games and represent South Africa.
Bosch decided to represent the birth country of his late grandfather in 2016, and since then the rider has been determined to be the first South African snowboarder to compete at the Olympic Winter Games.
The 29-year-old is already the first professional snowboarder to represent South Africa.
“It’s a unique experience competing for South Africa, especially since I am the only one,” said Bosch.
For Bosch, representing South Africa in snowboarding is not just about honouring his late grandfather.
“Sport changed my world, so I want to show kids all around that they can be very impactful,” said Bosch.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s snowboarding, skateboarding or surfing. There’s not as much snow in South Africa, but I hope I can inspire at least one kid to do more sports, and that (sport) is a great way to get out of dysfunctional environments.”
From Swedn to South Africa
Bosch – who was born in Stockholm and grew up in Gothenburg on Sweden’s west coast – has fond memories of the time he spent with his grandfather.
“My grandfather was my best friend as a kid and I looked up to him. He was a political activist during apartheid and he went into exile in Sweden and he wasn't able to return to South Africa until 1994 when Nelson Mandela took over.
“I spent my childhood with him, both in Sweden and South Africa, and when he passed away when I was 16, I decided to switch nations from Sweden to South Africa to honour him and to show that everything is possible.”
The link to Mandela doesn’t end there as Mandla Mandela, the grandson of the former president of South Africa, helped Bosch receive dual citizenship in 2016.
Bosch hopes sharing his experiences as a professional snowboarder with the wider community in South Africa will highlight how sport can change lives.
“Even though I might not have coaches or wax specialists, everything is still possible and I’m blessed enough to be able to do it,” he said.
“When I’m back in Cape Town, where my family lives, I spend a lot of time with the kids there. The least I can do is just hang out and just open their eyes a little bit more. It’s hard when those kids can only focus from one meal to another meal. When that’s the priority, it’s hard to actually dream on top of that.
“But it just takes one person to inspire a couple more people, and then those people can hopefully inspire more people.”
Like many snowboarders of his generation, Bosch also takes inspiration from competing on the same World Cup circuit as 24-time X Games medallist and three-time Olympic medallist Mark McMorris (CAN).
“He was a big inspiration when I was growing up,” said Bosch.
“It’s still pretty strange for me because back when I was younger, I was really starstruck around him. I for sure put him on a pedestal, like he wasn’t human, he’s a superhuman (laughs).
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him and what he’s done.”
Olympic Winter Games qualification
After deciding to represent South Africa in 2016, injury ruled Bosch out of pursuing qualification for the PyeongChang 2018 Games, and he did not qualify for the Beijing 2022 Games.
For snowboarders, the qualification period for Milano Cortina 2026 runs from 1 July 2024 until 18 January 2026. With the 2024/25 FIS World Cup season and Engadin 2025 FIS Snowboard World Championships now over, Olympic qualification now hinges on the first half of the 2025/2026 season.
Bosch said the 2024/25 season and recent World Championships have highlighted what he wants to improve during the off-season.
“This season I finally got my level up so I can actually compete with other guys. But I’ve only just got to the level there, so I’m not consistent enough,” said Bosch.
“It’s been hard, it’s been a lot of competitions with no landed runs, but I’m still so blessed that I still get to do this and I’m not going to give up.
“We still have another season. I’m going to try to work my ass off and give it really everything I can because we can only do our best.”
Bosch admitted that trying to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games has been challenging on many fronts.
“It’s been mentally really hard, but I keep reminding myself that every day I wake up and I get to do what I really love, and at the end of the day that’s what matters.
Road to Milano Cortina 2026
The 29-year-old is looking forward to warmer weather and time off in South Africa where he can swap his snowboard for a surfboard.
“My most favourite thing to do outside of snowboarding is surfing,” said Bosch.
“Surfing with friends and just being in the water where I don’t have any pressure to do good, I can just enjoy every single moment without being competitive.”
Bosch will also be meditating and working on his psychological well-being so he can start the 2025/26 season in the right frame of mind.
“I would probably try to be more confident,” he said.
“I think it’s a mental sport and I think if you’re not confident enough, you’re not going to be able to give it your best shot. So I wish I had believed in myself more (last season).
“The fear thing is real and it can be harder for you if you crash more on specific tricks or features. Then it gets even harder to get out of the fear and to win over your fear.
“We’re complicated as humans, but I try. As soon as fear pops up in my head, I try to recognise it instead of ignoring it, like a lid on a bottle that will eventually explode. So I try to feel everything and what your brain has to say is important. You can be kind to it, give it facts, and then attack the fear.”
The 2025/25 FIS Snowboard Park & Pipe World Cup season begins with big air in Secret Garden (CHN) on 28 November.
