Craig Murray

Hometown: Christchurch, New Zealand | Active: 2016-present | Known for: Natural Selection Ski 2025, FWT wins at Kicking Horse and Fieberbrunn | Disciplines: freeride, backcountry

A ski plane banked between sharp Alaskan peaks in April 2025 before dropping toward the glacier below the Natural Selection Ski camp. Craig Murray walked into a temporary settlement of tents and snow structures holding about 25 people, with the competition face rising above camp. The scale was roughly twice what he was accustomed to: steep terrain, large features and long lines stacked directly overhead. From the glacier, he could study the face before skiing began, looking for transitions between natural takeoffs, exposed pitches and landing zones. The camp sat underneath the venue while the field prepared to use the mountain through the event format.

Canterbury 2016: Murray reaches the junior title

Murray came out of the Canterbury club-field scene and won the Junior Freeride World Tour title in 2016. In 2017 he added 4-star Freeride World Qualifier victories at Obergurgl-Hochgurgl and Hochfügen. Those results preceded his move onto the Freeride World Tour in 2018, giving the New Zealander a competition route from junior freeride through the European qualifier circuit to the senior tour.

Vallnord and Verbier 2018: two podiums

During the 2017/18 Freeride World Tour, Murray finished second at Vallnord-Arcalís on Basser Negre, a 470-metre face at 2,687 metres where changing snow conditions left room for different riding styles. At Xtreme Verbier he again finished second, behind Mickaël Bimboes and ahead of Markus Eder. On the Bec des Rosses, Murray used a 360 off the top, entered a steep left couloir and added another 360 off the main air.

Kicking Horse 2019: tricks on Ozone

The 2018/19 Freeride World Tour opened with Murray fifth at Hakuba Japan. At Kicking Horse Golden BC, the Ozone face dropped 324 metres at 44 degrees, and Murray linked a 360, a backflip and a committed bottom air to take first place. Markus Eder finished second and Logan Pehota third. Murray closed that 2018/19 season seventh in the FWT overall ranking.

Fieberbrunn 2020: Murray wins on Wildseeloder

In the 2019/20 Freeride World Tour, Murray placed fourth at Kicking Horse Golden BC before returning to Fieberbrunn. Fresh snow and clear weather covered Wildseeloder, a 583-metre face reaching 48 degrees. Murray used a 360 in the steep upper terrain and a long flatspin 360 before the Häusl Cliff to win Fieberbrunn. When the season ended early after the Verbier final was cancelled, he finished fourth in the FWT overall ranking.

Baqueira 2022: Murray returns to FWT

Murray missed the 2021 Freeride World Tour because global travel restrictions kept the New Zealand riders away, then returned on a wildcard. During the 2021/22 Baqueira Beret Pro, challenging weather followed a deep regional snowpack; Murray finished third behind Max Palm and Abel Moga. At Xtreme Verbier he placed seventh on the Bec des Rosses, and the season ended with Murray ninth in the FWT overall ranking.

Matchstick 2022-2025: Murray builds a filmography

Murray's first season filming with Matchstick Productions produced a full Alaska segment in Anywhere From Here (2022), a three-minute-fifty cut that brought an iF3 Skier of the Year nomination. In Terra Incognita (2023), produced by Craig Murray and directed by Finlay Woods, Murray and Ben Richards travelled into New Zealand's Southern Alps to ski remote big lines. The project put Murray in a producer role while keeping him in front of the camera.

After the Snowfall (Matchstick Productions, 2025) gave Murray a full backcountry segment with Dennis Ranalter, Logan Pehota and Mark Abma; his skiing in the film won the 2025 iF3 Standout Male Skier of the Year award. Other qualifying work includes Highway 73: The Great Alpine Highway (MFC NZ, 2022), which he co-directed and skied in, and Calm Beneath Castles (Matchstick Productions, 2024), with a full backcountry segment alongside Mark Abma and Sam Kuch.

Gritt 2024: nine events and two grants

Murray helped found Gritt in 2018 with his brother and friends to create routes into skiing, biking and climbing through coaching, mentoring, safety education and financial support. In 2024, Gritt ran nine events, awarded two $500 grants to alumni heading to the Freeride Junior World Championships and piloted a mentoring program. Murray is Gritt's founder and director alongside his freeride career.

Alaska 2025: Murray wins Natural Selection

At the first Natural Selection Ski freeride event in Alaska during the 2024/25 season, Murray advanced through the knockout format and met Sam Kuch in the men's final. Murray's final run combined 360s and a backflip, giving him first place ahead of Kuch, with Markus Eder third. Competition day mixed sun crust on solar aspects with soft, cold smoke on shaded slopes, forcing line choices across the Priority 1 face.

Alaska 2026: Murray attempts a 1080

On 24 March 2026, Natural Selection Ski returned to Alaska's Chugach backcountry near Girdwood after avalanche conditions forced a venue change one day before competition. Murray was the first skier of the day to attempt a 1080 and scored 89 in his heat; Markus Eder's 94 advanced instead, leaving Murray outside the men's final.

Main competition results

Selection of his strongest results. Not a complete competition record.

Selected filmography

Selection of his main film projects. Not a complete filmography.