Former freestyle mogul skier and Olympian Michael Robertson shares his story

His great-grandfather was Sir Macpherson Robertson founder and owner of MacRobertson’s Steam Confectionery Works — a sweets company that was highly popular throughout the 20th century in Australia until it was bought by Cadbury.

While his great-grandfather’s business became known for creating Freddo Frog, Old Gold and Cherry Ripe, Robertson never ventured into the world of lolly making.

However, he could ski down a double black diamond run like a baker icing a cake.

Robertson, born in 1982, first picked up skis and goggles as a young tyke at Mt Hotham thanks to his father Peter, who he referred to as a “mad skier”.

When Peter died from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1993, a devastated Robertson lost his passion for the sport.

That was until a new freestyle mogul ski coach — the style of skiing Robertson’s father loved — arrived at Hotham.

Robertson found the sport as a way to remain connected to his father and quickly showed an innate ability on the slopes.

“All of a sudden I loved skiing again,” Robertson said.

“I saw my dad ski the most, so it was just something for me, obviously being 11 when my dad passed away, it was one of those things, monkey see monkey do.

“All kids idolise Mum and Dad, so for me, it wasn’t a natural progression, but it made me happy knowing that he was watching over.”

What followed was a slick slope into junior competitions, gyms, international tournaments and hours-upon-hours of time spent riding ski lifts.

By the time Robertson had finished his schooling in 2000, he was in and around the top five Australian freestyle mogul skiers.

A couple of years later, Robertson broke an Australian record.

“My second ever World Cup I finished sixth, which is the best ever result for an Australian in their second World Cup,” he said.

Following his achievement, Robertson had to make one of his toughest — of many — sacrifices after qualifying for finals at the World Cup.

“I was meant to give my sister away, but if I finished in the finals, I wouldn’t fly home (for the wedding),” he said.

“Any athlete at the highest level, they are making sacrifices the whole time.

“Your mates want to go to the bar and grab a drink (you have to say), ‘I can’t, have to gym, I have to go for a run, I have physio, I have to speak to the psychologist’.

“There is so much you miss out on.”

The sacrifices every athlete makes are to ensure they make it to the pinnacle of their sport, for Robertson that was the Winter Olympics.

After years of dedication, injuries, setbacks and success, Robertson qualified for his maiden Winter Olympic Games at Torino 2006, in Italy.

While it was a dream to reach his life’s ambition, the sport of freestyle mogul skiing can be fickle.

After completing his run, Robertson had the opportunity to challenge his score awarded by the judges and potentially book a spot in the next round.

However, he was advised against it by his team and finished 24th as his hopes for an Olympic medal were extinguished.

Robertson said it took time, but he has moved on from that nearly two-decades-old disappointment.

“On the day of the Olympics — it's a judged sport and when you are being judged, humans make mistakes,” he said.

“I guess you hold a lot of resentment towards those people, but it still doesn’t justify the fact you could have done something (by challenging).

“At the end of the day, I went to the Olympics and represented my country and did what I could do.

“I am part of this very special group of people (Olympians).

“No-one can ever take it away from you.”

Thanks to near-year-round training, Robertson spent most of his time honing his craft in dream destinations.

Places such as the Dolomites in Italy, Zermatt in Switzerland, Lake Placid on the east coast of the United States, Whistler in Canada and countries like Finland, Japan and Slovenia became his home away from home.

Robertson said on top of the high risk of injury that freestyle mogul skiing presented, at times during his training, he also had to deal with a living, breathing danger on the mountain.

“Whistler Blackcomb training was awesome, apart from when you are skiing in May and the bears are coming out,” he said.

“They are out on the slope and you see this big b*stard.

“I nearly skied into one.

“We have come skiing round a corner and there is this brown bear and I just think, ‘Oh, this is how it is going to end’.

“I was mid-air thinking, ‘This is how I am going to die’.”

Robertson retired from international competition in 2007 and quickly put competitive sport behind him as he focused on his next chapter in life: taking over his father’s Katunga Lucerne Mill business.

Similar to how he keeps his great-grandfather’s achievements on display around his home, Robertson’s children Eric and Sophia beam with pride over their father, the Olympian.

Robertson said now one of his favourite pastimes was to take his children skiing at Mt Hotham.

“I love skiing Hotham just because of the memories there and plus family and friends,” he said.

“Here I am only two-and-a-half to three hours away from Hotham where we still have our family’s place.

“Eric and Sophia, they will tell everyone (about me being an Olympian).

“Seeing how much joy and excitement and pride it brings to them, for me it was just what I wanted to do.”