Skiing History

The Birkebeiner Story

Our club name "Birkebeiner" originates from the 13th century in Norway and refers to a group of warriors who tied birch bark around their legs for warmth and protection, hence the name "birch leggers" or "birch bark leggers".

Please refer to the Files Available for Download below for the full Birkebeiner story.

The Australian Birkebeiner History

In 1979 the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club decided to hold their own version of the famous Birkebeiner race and the 25km Australian Birkebeiner was held with some 80 participants, all carrying a 5kg pack (the pack symbolised the weight of Prince Haakon part of the original Birkeberiner legend). The course started and finished at the alpine ski village of Falls Creek, and took participants out into the wilderness area of the adjacent Bogong High Plains.

The Club ran this event for ten years to 1988.

Course setting for the 1980 Australian Birkebeiner

Lauri Jortikka (Vic) won the first race and who virtually led from the gun. In 17th place was the first woman, Robyn Rodd (Vic). A total of 83 skiers finished the course. The course was 25 km long and skied in the classical style, with skiers carrying a 5 kg pack representing the crown prince. The course started on the east side of the Dam Wall and went via Watchbed Creek to Fitzgeralds Hut, Edmondson’s Hut, Heathy Spur, and back to the Dam Wall to finish in the Nordic Bowl.

You can find out more about the Australian Birkebeiner - including the history, track setting and results in the Files available for Download below.

Australian Birkebeiner History
Birkebeiner Race Results 1979 to 1986
Birkebeiner Race Results 1987-1989
International Ski Marathon-Australian Birkebeiner-Birkie Lite Race Results 1990

The Kangaroo Hoppet Story

In a decision that seemed very simple at the time, it was decided that since the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club was running the best ski race in Australia - the Australian Birkebeiner - there was no reason why it should not become part of the https://www.worldloppet.com/ series of marathon ski races that a small but growing number of Australians had travelled overseas to take part in. The first 1991 International Kangaroo Hoppet Worldloppet Ski Race originated from the Australian Birkebeiner run originally by the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club.

You can learn about the origins of the race in interview conducted on the origins of the Kangaroo Hoppet following Hoppet #20 in 2010 — Interviewer Paul Gray and interviewees Allan Marsland & Paul L’Huillier (10 minutes).

Find out more about the Kangaroo Hoppet story in the Files available for Download below.

The Alpine Crossing - Victoria

The winter crossing between Mountain Creek Campground, up Mt Bogong (1,986m), across the Bogong High Plains to the Mt Hotham Loch Carpark has been attempted by a number of skiers over the years. Skiers have to climb approximately 2,620m and descend approximately 1,420m over the approximately 55km distance.

The first crossing was by Charlie Derrick from Wangaratta Ski Club who died in the attempt and the fastest crossing of 5 hours and 53 minutes was by Audun Enderstad, US Olympian, in 1985.

Find out more about the attempts on the The Alpine Crossing in the Files available for Download below.

Perisher Valley to Kiandra Crossing - NSW

On 6th September 1985, David Hislop (NSW) shattered the Perisher Valley to Kiandra crossing record held for 21 years by Finnish skier Robbie Kilpinen. Kilpinen’s time for the 80 km journey, set in August 1964, was 8 hours 11 minutes. Hislop skiing solo over some of Australia’s toughest and wildest terrain completed the distance in 6 hours and 18 minutes. What made the achievement even more remarkable was that he had attempted the trip two days earlier, only to get lost after nine hours of skiing.

On 1st September 2020 Anthony Evans and Chris Darlington skied the Perisher Valley to Kiandra crossing in 6 hours 55 minutes covering 81km.

Find out more about the attempts on the Perisher Valley to Kiandra Crossing in the Files available for Download below.

Specific Cross Country Skiing History

There are a number of documents in the Files available for Download below about Cross Country Skiing History

Development of Cross Country Skiing Track-Setting/Grooming in Australia (late 1960’s – 2018). It covers the equipment and machinery used, who operated and developed it, and the resorts where it was used.
History of Cross Country Skiing in Australia 1975 and earlier by Ross Martin
History of Cross Country Skiing in Australia 1976 - 1993 by Paul L'Huillier
History of Cross Country Skiing in Australia 1993 - 2004 by Finn Marsland
Specifi Cross Country Skiing History - including the Telemark Nordic Ski Club and an article about 25 Years of Nordic Skiing in Australia

History of Ski Skating

For decades, the skating techniques lay forgotten or ignored by racers, but in the 1970s, they were reintroduced by Pauli Siitonen (FIN). Few sports have changed as rapidly and dramatically as did cross-country skiing in the 1980s. Cross-country competitors had universally raced with the ancient diagonal stride for over a hundred years, alternately kicking and gliding. The sport was engulfed in controversy over the new technique.

Find out more about the development and History of Ski Skating in various articles published in the Files available for Download below.

Winter Olympians – recipients of the Snow Australia Medal

1952 Oslo, Norway (our first XC Winter Olympians)
Bruce Haslingden & Cedric Sloane

1960 Squaw Valley, USA
Dick Walpole & Hal Nerdal

1968 Grenoble, France
Ross Martin

1980 Lake Placid, USA
Colleen Bolton (Please refer to the Files Available for Download below for extra information on Colleen Bolton.)

1980 (Geilo, Norway ) & 1984 (Innsbruck Austria) Para Olympics
Peter Rickards (1980), Kyrra Grunnsund (1980) & Rodney Mill (1984)

1984 Sarajevo Yugoslavia & 1988 Calgary Canada
Chris Allan (1984), David Hislop (1984, 1988) & Chris Heberle* (1988)

1992 Albertville France
Paul Gray* (1992 & 1998) & Anthony Evans (1992, 1994 & 1998)

1994 Lillehammer Norway
M ark Gray*

2006 Torino Italy
Paul Murray (2006 & 2010)*

Paul Murray, Paul & Mark Gray at the 2022 Kangaroo Hoppet also made headlines in the Snow Australia News on 4 Nov 2022 - 'Birkebeiner Skiers presented with the Snow Australia Medal at the Kangaroo Hoppet'

* Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club member

Paul Gray, Paul Murray and Mark Gray at the medal presentation at the 2022 Kangaroo Hoppet.

General Skiing History of Australia

Explore articles on the mountains of south-eastern Australia on Australian Mountains - The website is comprehensive and includes the history of huts and buildings (including ski lodges), historical articles (1. Timber Tramlines, 2. The Re-Discovery of Moroka Gorge, 3. Snowy Mountains Main Range Development, Walking Notes, and Main Articles), and more. The site is a work in progress and is maintained by David Sisson.

Read many more interesting articles about the General Skiing History in Australia in the Files available for Download below.

The Origins of Skiing

Find out more about The Origins of Skiing and the below topics in the Files available for Download below.

The use of skis throughout history in Transport, Hunting & Warfare.
Skiing in Norway dates back at least to the Stone Age. Who was the first person to don skis in Australia? When – 1861 is a popular starting date - Aussie or a Norwegian.
Did you know the Fédération Internationale de Ski et de Snowboard (FIS) was 100 years old in 2024, and when it started, it was all about Nordic skiing?

Video History of Skiing in Australia

The Roof of Australia (9.35 mins) - The snowfields of the Australian Alps are larger than those in Switzerland and provide winter holidays for many Australians. Others work and live with their families above the snow line, where life is much like in other towns but with an added excitement.

Snow Australia 150 year history (7.42 mins) - Australia has a rich and exciting skiing history and is one of the oldest skiing nations on the planet. Follow the journey from 1861 until today, and you will be amazed.

Snow on Mt Buffalo 1938 (6.48 min) - A group of tourists learning to ski at Mt. Buffalo. After arriving by bus, an instructor arrives, and the lesson commences. A group of novice skiers follows their instructor in some cross-country and downhill skiing.