Last week, Paralympian #188 Corey Peters MNZM called time on a glittering Para alpine skiing career. We pay tribute to the four-time Paralympic medallist through the reflections of three influential figures who know him well.
Dan Bogue – Coach to Corey Peters from 2022-2026
A perfectionist with an unwavering attention to detail, Corey Peters had all the qualities required to reach the pinnacle of sit-skiing, according to his coach, Dan Bogue.
Dan began working with Corey following his remarkable campaign at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, where the Kiwi claimed gold in the Men’s Downhill Sitting and silver in the Men’s Super-G Sitting. He was impressed from the outset.
“He works really hard on the small details,” Dan explains. “From the moment he gets into the rig and tucks and folds his straps away he likes to make sure
everything is perfect with his equipment. He follows the same routine every day and loves to get things 100 percent right.”
In speed events, where athletes can reach speeds of 120km/h, managing risk while navigating a course at maximum speed requires exceptional technical ability. Dan says Corey’s analytical approach and understanding of the sport set him apart.
His dedication was equally evident when adversity struck in 2023. A training crash in Chile left Corey with a dislocated shoulder and facing 12 months on the sidelines.
“It was a major setback,” Dan says. “He was a reigning Paralympic champion at that time, so didn’t have to prove anything to anyone. He had a young daughter, so could perhaps have thought about finishing up, but he worked really hard to come back. He did all the rehab, everything possible to get back on to snow.”
Corey duly returned to competition, securing World Cup podiums before recording three top-six finishes at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games.
For Dan, however, one of the most memorable moments of their time together came at a training camp in Chile in August last year.
“We were training with the Dutch boys, who are the best in the world,” Dan recalls. “He was in his element. Some days he was recording faster times than them, and you could see the fire starting to build. It was a great trip.”
As Corey embarks on retirement, Dan hopes he will remain connected to the sport, with his technical expertise potentially invaluable in helping develop the next generation of Kiwi Para alpine skiers.
Whatever the future holds, though, Dan believes Corey’s place in New Zealand snow sports history is secure.
“His sheer determination and dedication have been an inspiration to so many people. Just the way he goes about things has provided so much motivation to the wider snow sports community.”
Jane Stevens – Beijing 2022 and Milano Cortina 2026 NZ Paralympic Team Chef de Mission
A rare talent with extraordinary focus is how Jane Stevens will remember Corey.
Jane, now Snow Sports NZ’s Para High Performance Programme and Pathways Manager, first met Corey in 2012, shortly after he began his Para alpine skiing journey. Working as the organisation’s Adaptive Development Manager at the time, she quickly recognised his potential.
“I was extremely excited by Corey, who from the very early days set his sights on being the best that he could be,” says Jane. “It was obvious from the beginning that he was very coachable. His goal was to become a Paralympian. He was very self-driven.”
Jane’s role was to identify any gaps in Corey’s development and help him progress. Yet she soon realised he was already taking responsibility for his own improvement, spending hours studying videos of the world’s best sit-skiers.
“He was naturally very driven. He left no stone unturned in being the best he could be. He was 100 percent committed.”
One of Jane’s two standout memories came in the winter of 2013, as Corey pursued qualification for his first Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi 2014.
A World Cup speed event was organised at Mt Hutt to help him achieve that goal. With icy conditions providing an ideal test for the speed disciplines, Corey, who was coached for ten years from 2012-2022 by Ben Adams, claimed a breakthrough victory.
“I remember many of the best sit-skiers in the world came to that event,” Jane recalls. “That was the moment we knew Corey was a very special talent.”
Corey went on to claim silver in the Giant Slalom Sitting at Sochi 2014, followed by bronze in the Downhill Sitting at PyeongChang 2018. But it was Beijing 2022 that delivered the defining moment of his career, with gold in the Downhill Sitting and silver in the Super-G Sitting.
For Jane, the downhill gold remains particularly special.
“That gold medal run was the best downhill run I’ve seen by a sit-skier,” she says. “Knowing what had gone on behind the scenes regarding the innovation into the sit-ski, and then for Corey to ski at his very best and beyond, it was amazing.”
Now retired at 43 after a career spanning more than a decade on the international stage, Corey leaves a legacy that extends well beyond his medal tally.
“He has set a real benchmark for other emerging Kiwi speed skiers,” she says. “It is phenomenal what he has achieved on the world stage. He has created many special memories, not just for himself but for all his supporters.”
Adam Hall – Fellow NZ Paralympic Team member and long-time team-mate
Paralympian #158 Adam Hall PLY MNZM admits he will miss Corey’s presence on the circuit after the pair built a “brotherhood” spanning more than a decade together.
The world-class Para alpine skiers helped lead New Zealand to sustained success on the international stage, winning 10 Paralympic medals between them and claiming more than 40 World Cup podium finishes.
“We’ve gone on a journey together and helped bring about a golden age for our sport that will be hard to replicate,” says Adam. “We have become a tight team. We’ve spent a lot of time together as roommates in many countries, training and racing. He has become like a brother. It has been quite special.”
Adam first met Corey at an adaptive snow festival on the South Island in 2011. Corey was new to Para alpine skiing, but Adam was quickly impressed.
“We had a fun race down a boardercross track and I could see he was fully committed,” he says. “He was super keen to give the sport a nudge, and he threw everything at becoming the best athlete he could.”
Fiercely dedicated, Corey always impressed Adam with the way he approached the sport. Despite overcoming serious shoulder injuries at different points in his career, he remained relentless in his pursuit of excellence.
“He was always striving for perfection,” said Adam. “He liked everything to be as aligned as possible, which would allow him to perform to the best of his abilities. He always did his absolute best to represent New Zealand at the top level, and he has done his support network proud.”
Adam says the speed of Corey’s rise to the top was almost unprecedented. Just three years after taking up Para alpine skiing, Corey became a Paralympic Giant Slalom Sitting silver medallist. One year later, he was a world champion in both the Men’s Downhill Sitting and Men’s Super-G Sitting.
For Adam, however, there is one standout highlight from Corey’s glittering career.
“The downhill gold he won in Beijing was spectacular,” he says. “It was something he worked really hard for. It was very special.”
Personally, Adam will miss his regular interactions with Corey on the circuit. He will miss the banter, listening to podcasts together and, when travelling around Aotearoa New Zealand, tuning into The Rock radio station.
“Before Corey, New Zealand had never had a sit-skier go to the Paralympic Games, and through his achievements and consistent success on the world stage he leaves the sport with a huge legacy.
“He leaves sit-skiing in a much better place than when he arrived and, hopefully, he will be around in the future to help the next generation come through.”
