Rocky Valley Rush

2023 — Rocky Valley Rush/Sun Val Ramble
(22.5/15/7.5km) (F) 

Sunday 13th August starting at 10:30 am
in the Nordic Bowl at Falls Creek

The race has been cancelled – a lack of snow


Past Results


History of the Race

This race was started by Helen & Paul L’Huillier and Brian Woinarski (who were members of the Telemark Nordic Ski Club at the time) back in 1976 and was conducted by them again in 1977. It was conducted in the ‘classical style‘ in that the skating technique was as yet unknown.

From 1978 to the early 1980s the race was taken over by Chis Hellerud and Wally Wagner (VSA XC Committee) and gained sponsorship from Moloney’s Ski Hire of Falls Creek (where Gebi’s Ski Hire was previously located). The VSA XC Committee under the leadership of John Aitken continued the running of the race until 1987. The Telemark Nordic Ski Club took over the race in 1988. Telemark conducted the race on a regular basis for the following 16 years. The last race was conducted by Telemark NSC in 2004. Due to a lack of support within a dwindling Telemark NSC membership, the race was cancelled in 2005.

The race was changed from classical style to freestyle in the early 1990s. In 2015 it was conducted in both the classical style and freestyle.

Until it was cancelled in 2005, the ‘Rush’ was conducted on the weekend before the Kangaroo Hoppet. In 2008 the Birkebeiner Race Committee decided to conduct an event in its place on the weekend prior to the Hoppet. This race was called the Wallaby (15km) and Wombat (7.5km) and was planned to be held every second year as the National Championships were planned to be held on alternative years. Some members of the race committee wanted to see the tradition of the ‘Rush’ reinstated and hence the club has had the  Rocky Valley Rush (15km C/F) and the ‘Sun Valley Ramble (7.5km C/F) at Falls Creek placed back on the National Race Calendar. It is now held every year.

In 2015 the Telemark Nordic Ski Club decided to conduct the event again. It had sections for both the classical style and freestyle.

In 2017 the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club will conduct the event using both the classical style and the skating style.

Alice Hamilton – 2nd RV Rush (F) 2015

Alice Hamilton – 2nd RV Rush (F) 2015

Start 2015

Start 2015

2015 finish line action - Bob Cranage on the Mic.

2015 finish line action – Bob Cranage on the Mic.