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Mixed weather and results for NSW XC skiers at Nationals

The Australian Open and Junior Championship were held at Perisher last weekend with mixed results for local NSW skiers.  Racing conditions were remarkably good for the freestyle events on Saturday, however strong winds and rain on Sunday made race conditions challenging for both officials and race competitors. The international contingent of skiers who had entered the National  races provided strong and exciting racing on both days with over 70 skiers entering the races on both days.

Saturday’s races produced great results for NSWIS skiers Ben Sim from Cooma and Alex Almoukov from Berridale,  with Sim continuing his great form to be the first Australian home in the Men’s 10km Freestyle event, with Alex Almoukov being the 2^nd Australian and first U20 home. Lucy Glanville from Sydney continued her good form for the season being the first U16 and Junior female home in the Women’s 5km freestyle.

On Sunday, in gale force wind and driving rain, NSWIS skier Aimee Watson had a welcome return to form to win the Australian 10km Classic National title. Chris Darlington from Jindabyne was the best performing NSW male skier, finishing 2^nd behind shadow Victorian Olympian, Paul Murray. 

In the younger ranks, NSW Team and Squad skiers dominated the results thanks to some solid coaching and training by NSW State coaches Nick Almoukov and Cameron Morton during the season. The U12 boys results were dominated by local Jindabyne skier, Liam Burton who was successful in winning both the freestyle and classic event for his age group. U14 skier Maddi Davis, continued her impressive racing debut finishing 2^nd and 3^rd across the weekend. Sydney based U16 skier Jackson Bursill successfully skied to 2^nd place on both days with Sydney based skier Grace Franki dominating the Women’s U12 event, winning by a clear margin on both days. Jindabyne U12 skier Nelle Forster-Berghuis continued her solid form during the season finishing 2^nd behind Franki on both days and at only 9 years of age has a few more years yet in the U12 division.

Racing for NSW senior skiers moves to NZ this week for the continuation of the Continental Cup series of races with both Sim and Watson, together with Watson’s younger bother, Callum all hoping for some good results amongst some tough competition from overseas Swiss and Japanese skiers. The last race of the season will be the Kangaroo Hoppet at Falls Creek in 2 weeks time with the majority of the senior and junior NSW team heading south to compete in ’s major international race.