PXC News Past Issues

Perisher X Country NEWS, 23/11/2018, Newsletter 06

Now long overdue for a wrap up of the 2018 winter season. I hope you can still remember all the good skiing that was had. Maybe for you this was not that long ago considering how good the Spring skiing has been.  Interestingly enough as this newsletter is being sent off there is more snow in the mountains.

As far as what happened at the Perisher XC Centre, this 6th edition of PXC News is covering all the good stuff that was done with a view to the future.

PXC PXC News

Welcome Archive!

Perisher X Country welcomes you to our sixth and last PXC NEWS for 2018. This newsletter is focused on what is happening within PXC, with special reference to the volunteers and to those who have a keen interest in helping grow the sport of cross country skiing.

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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 NEWS.

Winter of 2018 - Wrap Up

In this edition of PXC NEWS a summary of what’s to come is as follows:

  1. Chairman's Report
  2. Going Forward
  3. Summer XC Work Parties - Discover how you can get involved
  4. Snowsports (NSW & ACT) Merge With Ski and Snowboard Australia

1. Chairman's Report

The winter of 2018 has been a very busy one with plenty of skiable snow from the beginning of the season to the end, making it possible to run all scheduled events. There was a heightened level of activity with the Nordic Shelter as the base, all made possible by the efforts of the Nordic Shelter Managers and supporting others, with the various fundraising efforts raising $1000s towards the up-keep of the Nordic Shelter. 

There remains the ongoing challenge to work towards improving the quality of the winter grooming. Summer grooming activities on the trails plays a significant part in helping to achieve our winter grooming goals. 

The other area that needs to be worked on is in getting better signage within Perisher Valley so that the location of the Perisher XC Centre is not an unknown with vast majority who visit the Valley. 

The winter of 2018 was a definite step up for PXC in regard to running promotions and helping to create more interest and excitement around X-C skiing. This was largely due to a small band of warriors within PXC and the support of our sponsors and service providers. The following is a list of new and continuing initiatives that took place during the 2018 winter:

·        The production of the first ever PXC NEWS and PXC EDGE newsletters (they don't just pop up without a lot of behind the scenes work).

·        Wilderness Sports/ KAC/ PXC Come & Try weekly instruction for Club residents and Valley locals.

·        XC Ski Week – The new “Clubs Competition” and the chance to win the prestigious and beautiful Bronze Ski !

·        Oversnow transport home for exhausted and well-fed skiers after the Night Relays.

·        The first running of the PXC Cup, which included the making of the first PXC Mug.

·        Printing and distribution of DL, A4 & A3 printed material to promote XC Ski Week in 2018 & 2019

·        Design and production of PXC items, - drink bottles, maps & hats.

·        Improved FaceBook activity.

·        Website development and improvement.

·        The “We Love Our Tap Water” initiative. The soft drink machine was removed and the sale of bottled water discontinued. Re-usable drink bottles were provided for sale and skiers were encouraged to drink the safe, chemical-free and delicious cold water from the Nordic Shelter taps. 

XC Ski Week continues to be a great overall event with plenty of room for growth. Some of the above promotions had a significant effect, which was great to see. 

Helping to fund and promote these activities, our direct sponsors and service providers all helped in their own way to achieve the above.

·        Wilderness Sports - thanks Bruce Easton & crew

·        Rhythm Snowsports - thanks Mick Klima & staff

·        Lake Crackenback R & S - thanks to Bruce Marshall

·        Jindabyne Yoga Shala – thanks to Jane Corben

·        Foodworks - Perisher

·        Your Workwear Cooma - thanks to David Cigana

·        Sundeck Hotel - thanks to Cliffy & crew

·        Amer Sports - Salomon - thanks Robert Lloyd

 

And thanks to our service providers

·        Simon Blazey of Rockerfella Industries (our Graphic Designer)

·        Tim Forrest of Toledoh Enterprises P/L (our website/ newsletter programmer)

·        Blizzard Printing - Jindabyne

Most important – many thanks to National Parks and Wildlife Services, and in particular the support that is received from Kosciuszko National Park staff. Cross country skiing is the ideal winter version of walking and all Perisher Range cross country skiers are healthier and happy for that support.

Wayne Pethybridge

2. Going Forward

A significant issue remains in finding new blood to help promote XC skiing further. Increased skier numbers create a greater chance of finding new people to volunteer their time to further the growth of XC skiing. There is a dedicated band of long term volunteers busily running events and programs to develop young and talented XC skiers. Promotional efforts and the running of the sport are equally as important, but more help is needed, year-round! 

An opportunity for participation that you might never have thought of are the summer XC Work Parties. PXC is equally involved in promoting XC Skiing/The Perisher XC Centre and in improving the skiing trails by carrying out substantial summer trail grooming activities in conjunction with NPWS. This work then translates into having a better winter skiing experience in a wider variety of snow conditions. Get involved in the Summer Work Party efforts and whilst doing good things, have some fun as well. More details about the Summer XC Work Parties will be covered in this newsletter. 

To run PXC there is a huge number of small, and sometimes large, tasks to be done. To go forward we need more people to help do some of these tasks. To get involved in making PXC even more effective, please contact us on info@perisherxcountry.org and address it to the Chairman - Wayne Pethybridge. From here your offer of help can be matched to your likes, skills and motivations. 

A PXC AGM is tentatively scheduled for March 2019. Typically, the AGM does not take long leaving plenty of time to workshop plans towards another winter. Details will be published in the new year.

Wayne Pethybridge

 

3. Summer XC Work Parties

Official work parties begin in the first weekend in February 2nd & 3rd and are held typically in the first weekend of each month, up to June. The dates for the rest of the months are 2nd & 3rd of March, 6th & 7th of April, 4th & 5th or 11th & 12th of May and finally the 1st & 2nd of June. PXC News bulletins will go out specially to advertise each of the work parties, but if you have any questions please call Peter Ward on 0409 338 978

The work parties concentrate on improving and maintaining of both the ski trails and the Nordic Shelter. The summer grooming of the trails involves pole/ trail re-locations, signage improvements, rock removal, drainage reticulation and ski fence installations along with trail clearing with these areas being the main scope of work. The Nordic Shelter always has maintenance to be done and on a regular basis new projects are completed as well. Amongst other things, last year the old toilets were re-tiled. 

So there is always plenty to be done. Having said this it is also a great weekend to catch up with others and if you like to fit in some walking running or cycling in the Snowy Mountains. On the Saturday night there is always a dinner party which is held at the CAC Perisher lodge, unless the lodge is being occupied by others. CAC has been a great sponsor of the Nordic Skiing community allowing those who take part in the working parties to stay free of charge. If interested in coming to a work party, please call Peter Ward or email (Peter.leslie0@gmail.com) and let him know that you are coming and call Peter Cunningham on 0477 356 835 or email him on peter.petercunningham@gmail.com to let him know that you want to stay at the CAC lodge.

If you enjoy your skiing make it a point to come on one of the weekends. Have a full and fun weekend.

 

4. Snowsports (NSW & ACT) Merge With Ski and Snowboard Australia

On the 1st of November 2018, NSW Snowsports and Snowsports ACT merged with Ski and Snowboard Australia (SSA). The NSW and ACT region is now known as SSA Northern.

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