PXC Edge Past Issues

Welcome Archive!

Perisher X Country welcomes you to the second PXC EDGE edition. A little different to the PXC NEWS with this being a short, sharp injection of information relating to XC skiing and skiers, future and recent events, the latest in XC Skiing, promotional videos, stories or anything of interest to the XC skiing community.

Above 44k Alutaguse Marathon - Alan (Barney) Davis photographer, Adrian Blake Competing - Perisher X Country (PXC) is all about promoting the activity of Cross Country Skiing to a wider audience so that one of the best kept secrets around is not a secret anymore. Please encourage everyone to go to our website and subscribe to PXC EDGE.

XC skiers are a special breed who like a challenge, demonstrating their strength, fitness and skills on XC skiing trails all round the world - enjoying not only the beautiful sights of the various skiing areas but also loving the feeling of getting fitter and stronger as they do more skiing. Their is nothing like achieving the goals of whatever challenge was set. XC skiers are a fit and healthy lot. The Perisher XC Centre trails serve as a great training ground for those who are lucky enough to be able to travel north for an extra winter. 

Some of the following will be covered in more detail within the next PXC NEWS newsletter but as timing is important and that the editor cannot guarantee a date for the next PXC News newsletter it is worthwhile mentioning these important points now. The bulk of this newsletter will be spent reporting on all the fun and games that some of our skiers have been getting up to during the Northern winter, with some of the news being very recent with the Masters World Cup in Norway only just finishing. In this newsletter I will also report on other stories of Aussies exploits overseas during the last few months. A special thank you to all who have sent in their stories for PXC to put to print. 

Now for the house keeping

 - XC Ski Week - This year XC Ski Week is on from the 3rd to the 10th of August. If not already taken care off, get your accommodation bookings done to avoid missing out. The Clubs Competition is on again with $1000 and the Bronze Ski, up for grabs to the club with the most participants throughout the week. Last years winners "Cooma Ski Club" recently celebrated their winnings at Cliff Wallis, Tathra Hotel with over 45 Cooma club members taking part. By all reports everybody had a great time. Cliff is also the owner of the Sundeck Hotel.

As threatened by the PXC powers to be, a handicap system is now in place so that other clubs at the 2019 XC Ski Week have a fighting chance of winning the $1000 and the Bronze Ski. So book your accommodation and come join the fun.

- Ginzu Purchased -  To be used during the 2019 Australian winter season, SSA - Northern Cross Country have purchased the Ginzu (skidoo pulled grooming implement) and specially adapted skidoo from Hans Oversnow. This will provide greater flexibility when planning the Perisher XC Centre trail grooming. The Ginzu re-conditions the snow surface and can be used when conditions allow, with the goal being to improve the overall quality of the trails.This will mean that a greater amount of funds will be available for the contracted medium and larger snow groomers to be used.

Note: SSA - Northern Cross Country is an amalgamation of the XC committees of Snowsports NSW and ACT Snowsports.

- PXC AGM & Workshop - PXC will be having its annual get together on Sunday the 28th of April. The AGM is usually completed very quickly leaving considerable time to discuss a wide range of topics which go towards improving the promotion of XC skiing and improving the Perisher XC Centre - Trails and Nordic Shelter. The meeting will be held in Canberra with the venue yet to be finalised. More information to come soon via the next PXC NEWS newsletter

If you would like to attend please email Wayne Pethybridge at Info@perisherxcountry.org to register your interest/ indicate which day suits you. Wayne can also be contacted on 0431 285 566 - More information to come soon via the next PXC NEWS newsletter

- Working Bees - Already a huge amount of work has been carried out on the trails and the Nordic Shelter during the February and March Work Parties - more information to come soon via the next PXC NEWS newsletter. Thanks to both the Cooma Ski Club and Canberra Alpine Club for providing accommodation, and to the other clubs who provide financial support for the shelter. 

Please make a note of the remaining 2019 Perisher XC Work Party dates:
- April 6-7
- May 4-5
- June 1-2

Aussie Master Skiers - Masters World Cup - Beitostolen 6-15/3/2019

This year 12 Aussies competed in the Masters World Cup. It is fantastic to have such a large contingent of skiers from Oz taking part. To those who don't know much about the Masters skiing, any body can take part. There is no qualification standard that you have to pass. The minimum personal standard being that you can competently ski the course and distance. The age groups start from 30 years of age and are in 5 year age groups. The games are on yearly and are held in different locations in the northern hemisphere winter.

The 2019 World Masters Team consisted of Adrian Blake, Max Johnston, Andrew Walker, Friedl Bartsch, Zac Zaharias, David Simpson, Robert Eddy, Peter Lambert, Jane Scheer, Paul McDonald, Lindsay Bridgeford and Alan Davis (Barney). 

For those who do most of your skiing at Perisher and are about when XC Ski Week is on you will notice that nearly all the skiers are from NSW. Only Andrew Walker and Lindsay Bridgford are from further south. All had a very busy schedule with most taking part in 3 races plus the relays. The races consisted of a short, middle or distance in classical or freestyle technique. Distances depend on age group, but for the majority that was 10, 15 and 30 km.

To get a full run down on all the results go to https://www.beitoworldcup.com/

There are numerous highlights within the group starting with Freidl Bartsch, Jane Sheer and Lindsay Bridgford who constantly finished mid way or better in their races. What we all need to remember is that these competitions attract some of the fittest XC skiers in the world within their age groups, including ex-Olympic skiers. All Aussie team members skied well.

Another highlight was for the first time being able to field 2 relays teams, in the M6 & M7 class. In the M6 class we beat the Czech team. It is all in the results.

Next year there are two major competitions for the master skiers, the World Masters Games in Seefeld Austria in January and the Masters World Cup in early March in Cogne, Italy. If you would like to find out more, Zac Zaharias is the man to contact having participated in more Masters competitions than anyone else. For those who are interested contact Zac on  zaharias@iinet.net.au.

The Winter Ashes Competition - At the annual World Masters competitions there has always been fierce but friendly competition between the Aussies and the British. This year Friedl Bartsch had got together the winter version of the Ashes. Click here to see an image of the prize and a great story about the origins of this competition - Thanks Friedl.

One would assume the type of medically approved fluid that has been added to the Ashes hip flask, can assist with survival at temperatures below -15 degrees C, and is of suitable strength and non freezing characteristics. The good news is that we did indeed win the Ashes - well the winter version that is. 

Click here to see some of the photo's as taken by Alan (Barney) Davis and Adrian Blake of their travels and of the WMC 

Our Young Guns - Recent and Budding Olympic skiers, plus the top Aussie Junior Skiers 

Here is a quick note on what our top Aussie skiers have been doing over the Northern Winter. To find out more, click here - www.ausxc.com 

Our travelling XC skiers are to be admired as it is a huge challenge to be competitive against XC skiing nations which have thousands of racers and big budgets. Please support them wherever possible.

The two main events that both our senior and juniors skiers were aiming for was the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Seefeld, Austria which began on the 20th of February 2019, and the Junior/U23 Nordic Ski World Championships in Lahti, Finland which began on the 20th of January, 2019.

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships team consisted of 

Barbara Jezersek (Sydney, NSWIS)

Katerina Paul (Taggerty, Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club) 

Jessica Yeaton (Perth/Anchorage, APU)

Aimee Watson (Barooga, Cooma Ski Club/Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club)

Seve de Campo (Canberra, ACTAS)

Mark Pollock (Lavington, Wangaratta Ski Club)

Phillip Bellingham (Mt Beauty, Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club)

The highlight performance was Jessica Yeaton’s Australian best 22nd place in the 15km Skiathlon. Full Australian results below:

Results

Women 5km Classic Qualification Race
Katerina Paul – 3rd

Women Sprint Freestyle
Jessica Yeaton – 38th
Barbara Jezersek – 69th
Aimee Watson – 71st
Katerina Paul – 72nd
(note – 110 starters)

Men Sprint Freestyle
Phillip Bellingham – 65th
Seve de Campo – 79th
Mark Pollock – 90th
(note – 145 starters)

Women 15km Skiathlon
Jessica Yeaton – 22nd
Aimee Watson – 55th

Women 10km Classic
Jessica Yeaton – 39th
Aimee Watson – 69th

Men 15km Classic
Seve de Campo – 76th
Mark Pollock – 83rd

Women 30km Freestyle
Jessica Yeaton – 31st
Barbara Jezersek – 47th
Aimee Watson – 48th

No sense reinventing the wheel, click here to see a review of the championships and the skiers - Thanks to AUSXC.

The Junior/U23 Nordic Ski World Championships team consisted of

Junior Team

Emily Champion (Sydney, NSWXC)

Darcie Morton (Marlo)

Nicholas Blackwell (Mt Beauty, Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club)

Declan Burke (Jindabyne, NSWXC)

Tom Hoogenraad (Melbourne, Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club)

Bentley Walker-Broose (Cooma, NSWXC)

U23 Team

Katerina Paul (Taggerty, Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club)

Liam Burton (Jindabyne, Cooma Ski Club)

Seve de Campo (Canberra, ACTAS)

The highlight U23 performance was Kat Paul’s 32nd place in the Sprint, narrowly missing the top 30 and a run in the finals. On the junior side there were great personal efforts with all athletes competing at this level for the first time, and it was great to see a junior relay team representing Australia for the third year in a row.

Results

Women Junior Sprint Classic
Emily Champion – 65th

Men Junior Sprint Classic
Bentley Walker-Broose – 95th
Nicholas Blackwell – 97th

Women Junior 5km Freestyle
Darcie Morton – 76th

Men Junior 10km Freestyle
Bentley Walker-Broose – 89th
Tom Hoogenraad – 96th
Nicholas Blackwell – 97th

Men 4x5km Junior Relay
Hoogenraad-Burke-Blackwell-Walker-Broose – 19th

Women U23 Sprint Classic
Katerina Paul – 32nd

Men U23 Sprint Classic
Seve de Campo – 65th
Liam Burton – 68th

Women U23 10km Freestyle
Katerina Paul – 58th

Men U23 15km Freestyle
Liam Burton – 66th
Seve de Campo – 71th

Women U23 15km Classic
Katerina Paul – 55th

Men U23 30km Classic
Liam Burton – 61st
Seve de Campo – 63rd

Again click here to see a great story about the championships and our skiers - Thanks to AUSXC.

Firstly - Thanks to Mike Edmondson for the image of himself skiing the trails at Sun Peak BC 1/2019

Not all of our skiers leave for the northern hemisphere to engage in track racing. There are many more who go in World Loppet events or simply go touring/ free skiing

For many of the Aussies who travel across overseas, World Loppet events are as much about being part of a large group of like-minded people coming from all corners of the earth as opposed to being competitive. The key goal is to 1) get to the end, 2) enjoy the journey, 3) have a great experience and 4) make new friends.

Thanks to Martin Lindsay and David Michael, Nic Bendeli, Mike Edmondson and Deb Purss, Alan (Barney) Davis and Adrian Blake and finally Marg Hayes and Bruce Wharrie for sharing with us their stories

Martin Lindsay & David Michael have shared with me their Vassaloppet Chinese experience. Both Martin & David are long time Navy Ski Club skiers. If you don’t find Martin on skis he is probably sailing yachts both in Australian waters and abroad. Click here to read Martin’s story.

Nic Bendeli has gone in many World Loppets and is not shy of taking part in other adventures whether on foot or on skis. Nic has been working on a project which show cases Australians long history in World Loppet races, some 4 decades. This is in the form of a poster.. Click here to see a draft of Nic's poster. Nic is looking for past participants to send him their choice photo's so he can add them to this poster. His plan is to have the finished product displayed in the Nordic Shelter. This poster heavily portrays Bruce Wharrie, Marg Hayes, Nic and others who have got to the end of many upon many World Loppet events. Nic's email address is bendeli.anumc@gmail.com

Last heard, Nic was skiing in an event from one side of Finland ( Russian Border) to the other side (Swedish border). No doubt he has numerous other adventures planned before getting back to Canberra until May 2019.

Mike Edmondson and Deb Purss had a short 2.5 weeks trip to B.C. Canada, skiing mostly around Whistler and Sun Peaks. Mike mentioned that the skiing was pretty cold making taking photos quite difficult. They sent some neat ideas for Posters depicting health and other benefits of XC Skiing, Click here to check them out..  Mike also sent photos of his journeys, click here to see them - thanks Mike.

Alan (Barney) Davis found his way to Adrian Blakes home in Estonia from where he set about putting in some good training before competing in the World Masters Cup. Click here to see some of the photos as taken by Alan (Barney) Davis and Adrian of their travels and of the WMC 

Marg Hayes & Bruce Wharrie, this northern winter have chosen to replace their skis with push bikes. Marg reports that they have cycled some 7,400 kilometres so far from Northern England, the length of Britain, the Atlantic coast of France, across Spain on the Camino De Santiago Pilgrim route, down the coast of Portugal, back into Spain to the southern port of Tarifa across to Morocco for a loop of Morocco, before putting up their feet with a months holiday in Thailand. That is a huge effort. Marg & Bruce spend their time at both Falls Creek and Perisher XC trails.

For future editions of PXC EDGE if others have had O/S journeys that they would like to share with us all, please send to Wayne Pethybridge at info@perishxcountry.org