If you love skiing and follow skiing as a hobby, you probably heard the name David Wise, a famous skier worldwide and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.
He carries his Olympic gold medal in his pocket when he flies, which has happened on over a hundred flights.
The American skier has played freestyle skiing for almost a decade now. Since the start of his professional career, Wise has been in his prime winning golds in Winter X Games.
Currently, he plays for the Freeski Pro Halfpipe Club under the coaching of Mike Jankowski and has been playing superbly in the Winter X Games. However, he missed the X Games podium twice, that is, in the years 2020 and 2021.
Before further details about Skier’s life, let’s know some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | David Wise |
| Birth Date | June 30, 1990 |
| Birth Place | Reno, Nevada |
| Nick Name | David |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | Truckee Meadows Community College |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Father’s Name | Thomas Wise |
| Mother’s Name | Not known |
| Siblings | Two; Christy Wise and Jessica Wise |
| Age | 34 Years Old |
| Height | 6 feet |
| Weight | 75 kg |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | Freestyle Skier |
| Current Club | Freeski Pro Halfpipe |
| Active Years | 2011-present |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Alexandra Wise |
| Kids | 2; Nayeli and Malachi |
| Net Worth | Approx. $5 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter, Youtube |
| Merch of Winter Olympics 2022 | USA Scarf |
| Last Update | March 2025 |
David Wise | Early Life, Family, and Education
On June 30, 1990, the American skier was born to a winter sports enthusiast’s family.
The 34-year-old grew up in the Nevada town of Reno and started skiing at the age of 3 with his two sisters, Christy and Jessica, and his Father, Thomas.
Christy Wise also represented the United States of America in Para Alpine Skiing. Later, Chirsty’s leg was amputated above the knee after a boating accident in 2015.
His town was not far from California’s popular ski resorts. Hence he started learning skiing at an early age and developed a love of jumping, be it on the trampoline in the back of his garden or on the Sierra Nevada slopes.
He did his schooling in Wooster High School, located in his hometown, and later graduated from Truckee Meadows Community College.
David Wise | Height and Weight
The Nevadian is 6ft tall (about 183 cm) and weighs about 86 kg, approximately 190 lbs.
He has an athletic build and focuses on his exercise routine hard to maintain his body and keep himself healthy. Similarly, he also focuses on his diet, and much more importantly, he is into meditation to keep himself calm under pressure.
In his recent interview ahead of the Beijing Olympics, he said, “It’s important to take time and have solitude and remind yourself why you’re out there and that we’re out there to enjoy the body that we’ve been given and do the best we absolutely can.”
David Wise | Freestyle Skier
Early Career
The Nevada town native started freestyle skiing and joined his first local freestyle ski team in 2011. Later, he trained under Clay Beck’s direction and competed in moguls, aerials, big air, and slopestyle skiing.
Later, he discovered the halfpipe event on TV at the X Games and eventually gravitated toward the event. Subsequently, he began to compete at the junior level.
Superpipe Event
Before discovering the halfpipe event, he competed in the Superpipe events. He started competing in the superpipe event in 2012.
In 2012, he participated in Winter X Games for the superpipe event, won his first gold medal and gold medal for the next year, 2012 as well, and won his third consecutive gold at X Games VIII for the superpipe event.
In 2018, David won his fourth gold medal in the superpipe event at the X Games. However, he lost in the final and won a silver medal in the 2019 X Games.
He similarly placed 7th and 5th in 2020 and 2021, respectively, in the X Games. He broke his long miss to the podium, winning a bronze medal in the 2022 X Games ski superpipe event.
Halfpipe Event
Wise became interested in the halfpipe event at a very young age and participated in the World Championship for the first time in the year 2009 for the halfpipe event.
Likewise, he participated in the years 2011 and 2013 and even won gold in the 2013 Voss World Championships in the Halfpipe event.
Subsequently, he continued to participate in the World Championship after 2013 and made an appearance in the years 2017, 2019, and 2021; unfortunately, he didn’t win any medals.
Olympics
Davis participated in the Olympic Games for the first time in 2014 and represented the U.S. in the Halfpipe event.
The Halfpipe event was introduced as one of the events of the Olympics in the same year, and he went on to win the gold medal in the halfpipe event, becoming the first-ever winner of the event in history.
In the next Olympics, Wise once again represented the U.S. in the Olympics held in Pyeongchang in 2018 with hopes of defending his Olympic title.
However, his start to the final competition was not what he expected. He placed in the fifth drop-in position for the finals, failing to complete each of his first two runs due to a binding malfunction.
But in the surprising turn of events, his third and final run went outstandingly well. So much so that he scored 97.20 and even won the gold medal, becoming the only player to win the Olympic gold medal in Olympics history consecutively two times.
Wise is again set to participate in the 2022 Olympics for the halfpipe event that will run from February 17 to February 19 in Beijing.
To find the full schedule for the Olympic Games, click here.
David Wise | Injury
2016 was challenging for Wise, as he dislocated his shoulder at the Mammoth Mountain World Cup.
The same year, he also suffered from a concussion and back injury, so he missed many important matches.
In 2019, Wise broke his femur while skiing in Austria, and hence he missed the remainder of the season and suffered from a severe case of singles that materialized on his face, on his left eye in September 2021.
In addition, Wise has had recurring neck problems throughout his ski career.
Awards And Achievements
Below mentioned are some of the awards and achievements of David Wise.
- Two-time Crystal Globe, Halfpipe World Cup winner for the years 2011, 2014
- Four-time World Champion in the years 2009, 2011, 2013, 2017
- Three-time National Champion in the years 2008, 2009, 2011
- Two-time Olympic Champion in the year 2014, 2018
- Best Male Action Sports Athlete (X Games) in the year 2018
David Wise | Relationship
The Olympian found the love of his life, Alexandra. They got married in 2011 and are parents of two children, a daughter Nayeli and a son Malachi.
Talking about his inspiration in the field, he considers Freestyle skier CR Johnson of the USA as his idol, who was the pioneer in the freeskiing movement.
In addition, he believes, “Dream big. Go out there and try. If you fail, that’s fine. Pick another thing and move on. But don’t go out there and not try.”
Wise follows a ritual of listening to music when he is having a terrible day and when he needs to get in the zone before games.
David Wise | Net Worth
The Nevada native’s net worth is under review. However, it is estimated to be $1 million to $5 million.
Most of his earnings come from his wins in major skiing events. Despite having many ups and downs throughout his career, he has collected a significant net worth from his 7 years of a successful career.
Wise actively promotes Sky Tavern organization, an organization involved in promoting skiing. He is a direct beneficiary of the junior ski program. In addition, he has been a massive supporter of the growth and expansion of the program.
David Wise | Social Media Presence
The freestyle skier is very much into social media. He has an Instagram account, a Twitter account, and a youtube channel.
His Instagram account has more than 43.3k followers and about 1.2k posts in his statement; most of his posts are about his family, friends and content related to skiing.
He is fond of traveling, which can be seen through his posts. Besides traveling, his hobbies include biking, playing volleyball, and softball.
In the summer, he plays volleyball on the beaches of Tahoe and plays in a men’s league slow-pitch softball team.
David Wise is also on Twitter with 12.9k followers. The star skier regularly tweets and replies. Many sports news channels and his colleagues follow him, including celebrities like John Cena.
Similarly, the skier is also very active on Youtube and has a youtube channel where he posts videos about his ski career and life. He has about 2.65k subscribers on his channel and recently posted Vlogs about Beijing Olympics 2022 on the track.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Did David Wise make the Olympic team?
Yes, Wise participated in the Olympics for the first time in 2014, where he won a gold medal. Since then, he has won another gold medal in the 2018 Olympics and is currently participating in the 2022 Olympics.
When did David Wise start skiing?
David Wise started skiing at the age of three with his two sisters, Christy and Jessica, and his Father, Thomas. In 2011, he joined his first freestyle ski team.
Is David Wise married?
Yes, Wise married his girlfriend Alexandra Wise, and both are parents of two children, Nayeli and Malachi.
