Big Club Weekend coming up…

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

Ski de Femme — Saturday 10th August

Ski de Femme Registrations are open. Click [HERE]

Rocky Valley Rush Citizen Race (F) — Sunday 11th August

This event is an institution at Falls Creek having started in 1976. Starts in the Nordic Bowl at 10:30 am. There are two distances: RV Rush 15 km & the Sun Valley Ramble 7.5 km. It is a freestyle race. A great warm-up race for the Hoppet on Saturday 24th August.

For online entry and further details. Click [HERE]

Hoppet Helpers

Please consider making a contribution either on Friday 23rd August (set-up day) or Saturday 24th August (race day). If you are a competitor, you can still help after your race. One hour is greatly appreciated. Contact Jim Gargan (volunteer co-ordinator) to express your interest. Email <hoppet29@gmail.com>. For a list of jobs click [HERE].

Mt Hotham to Dinner Plain ‘Pub to Pub’ Race Results

This event was held on Saturday 3rd August. It is a very popular citizen race having been conducted since 1989. For the 2019 results click [HERE].

High Plains Festival — Sat 31st Aug & Sun 1st Sept.

This is being organised by the YMCA Falls Creek Cross Country. Saturday will involve Tours & Turns and Sunday Lessons & Workshops. Click [HERE] for more details and registration.

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Hoppet T-Shirt Archive – a request …

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

The 29thKangaroo Hoppet is only weeks away and the Race Office/Shop organiser would like to display some of the early T-shirts that were printed for competitors and volunteers.  

If you have any Hoppet T-shirts stored away, especially early ones from 1991 through to 2010, and would like to donate them to the archive of Hoppet T-shirts we would love to hear from you.

The Race Office does not have a sample of every T-shirt produced and would like to do this for Hoppet history.  If you have a T-shirt that could be added to this archive, please contact Trish Cross — mobile: 0422 049 207 to check if yours is one of the missing designs.

Please get behind this Hoppet initiative and see if we can come up with a complete 29 year set of T-shirts.

Hoppet Archive — Top left: Pre-Hoppet, top right: 2010, bottom left: 2016 and bottom right: 2015
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Hoppet Helpers & Hotham to Dinner Plain Race

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

Hoppet Volunteers Needed

Here is your opportunity to make a contribution to this great event.

Volunteers are needed on Friday 23rd August for Set-Up and on the day of the event Saturday 24th August. This is the 29th Hoppet since 1991.

Volunteers from the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club have played an integral role in the success of this event since its inception in 1991. The Hoppet events make a large contribution to the funding of BNSC. It allows BNSC to provide services such as:

  • The Clubhouse
  • Junior Joey, Junior Birkies and Junior Camp programs
  • International Coach each year for BNSC training and coaching programs not only for BNSC but for local School XC programs as well.
  • Training programs for BNSC members in training, instructing, coaching and administration
  • BNSC participation in Local, State and National XC bodies.
  • BNSC social activities

Please read through the list of jobs below. If you are able to volunteer some time for any of these jobs (or feel you need some more information before committing) please contact Jim Gargan (Volunteer Co-ordinator) via email at <hoppet29@gmail.com> ASAP.

Mt Hotham to Dinner Plain Race – 12 km (F)

This is also locally call the ‘Pub to Pub’ race. It is on this Saturday 3rd August, starting at 11:00 am from outside the Hotham General Store. Entry is $20.00 for adults and $5.00 for juniors (under 18 at 31 December 2019). Enter on-line [HERE]. For more race details click [HERE].

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Birkie News Update

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

Australian Senior XC Championships

Last weekend the club conducted the FIS# Australian Senior Sprint (C) and Distance (W10 km and M15 km – F) Championships at Falls Creek for Ski & Snowboard Australia. Note – #FIS stands for Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS; English: International Ski Federation. 

The club was successful on both days with Phil Bellingham taking out the double, winning the sprint and distance races. Congratulations Phil. Our ladies were impressive as well. In the sprint Katerina Paul was first, Casey Wright second and Ella Jackson third. In the distance race Casey Wright was first with Katerina Paul second.

The club’s volunteer workforce turned out in numbers thanks to our hard-working race secretary Ann Bellingham and her band of key helpers namely Ewan Silvester (volunteer co-ordinator), Ronice Goebel (chief of the race), Andrew Walker (chief of the course), Peter Smith on skidoo duties and of course the Alpine Timing team of Michal Trnka and his sidekick Bill Little. A big thank you to Ben Derrick and Finn Marsland who provide advice and assistance with the organisation and do a lot of hands-on work.

Results

Australian XC Ski Championships – Sprint – click HERE
Australian XC Ski Championships – Distance – click HERE
Left – Roger Blackwell (Chief of Start), Casey Wright in the gate and wand operator Tony Crapper
Distance race winner Casey Wright looking strong out of the start
Alpine Timing Team – Left Bill Little (Michal’s sidekick) and Michal Trnka
Left photo – Ronice Goebel & Michelle Donagan. Right photo – David Price & Chris Wright handing out anklebands and race bibs.

On-going Junior Programs — Click [HERE] and look under Programs > Junior Joeys > Junior Birkies.

On-going Adult Instruction Programs — Click [HERE]

Events coming up — Ski de Femme Sat 10th August & Rocky Valley Rush (F) Sun 11th August. Check out the details on the club’s website under Events.

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Mid-Season Dinner – a good night

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

On Thursday 25th July the club held its mid-season dinner at Roi’s Restaraunt in Tawonga. Forty-five people attended. The meal was terrific and the enthusiastic talk by Erin Yungblut our visiting overseas Canadian coach enjoyable. Erin thank you for the presentation.

Thanks also to the club for subsidising the meal (and to Roi and Sue for its preparation) and to our new social secretary Elaine Thomas for organising the dinner.

Erin sharing her experiences as a national level biathlete
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2019 Aust Open XC Championships – 27th-28th July Falls Creek

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier
  • Sprint (C) – Saturday 27th July.
  • Distance (F) – W10 km & M15 km — Sunday 28th July..
Click HERE to Enter

Entries close mid-night Wednesday 24rd July

Volunteers needed for Aust Senior Champs

The Championships are on 27th-28th July at Falls Creek. If you can assist on either day please contact the race secretary Ann Bellingham <racesecretary@birkebeiner.org.au> and offer your help. She would really appreciate it.

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Lost ski poles at Vic Juniors & Alpine Timing

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

Lost ski poles

One of our very keen juniors (Zoe Hocking) had her ski poles taken from outside the clubhouse following the Vic Junior Championships on the weekend. They are a Swix RC610 composite 145cm pole. Her name may be on them. Note: there were a longer pair of poles left there so another member may have accidentally taken Zoe’s by mistake.

Can birkie members please check their ski bags for the lost poles. Please contact Megan Hocking on mobile: 0433 626 527.

Results

Victorian Junior XC Ski Championships – Sprint – click HERE
Victorian Junior XC Ski Championships – Distance – click HERE

Alpine Timing – a local sports timing business

Long-time Birkebeiner Ski Club member (joined in 1992) Michal Trnka conducts his own sports timing business called Alpine Timing. He times all sports locally, regionally and interstate. We see Michal in action timing all our club events, national championship events we conduct and of course the big one, the Kangaroo Hoppet. He also does all the registrations for these events. The clubs electronic membership database is also looked after by Alpine Timing. Previous to starting this business Michal had his own IT business. Now he only has time for Alpine Timing. A feature of Michal’s timing is LIVE RESULTS. While an event is in progress log onto Alpine Timing <www.alpinetiming.com.au> and look under LIVE on your digital device to view the action.

This season he will also be timing the Victorian and Australian Inter-school Championships as well as the NSW Perisher Valley to Charlotte Pass KAC Race. Click [HERE] to learn more about Alpine Timing.

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Club News … extra

Posted on July 18, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

Clubhouse Exercise Equipment

Johanna Pihkanen reports that the club has purchased a Sporting Equipment Kit that is stored in the clubhouse.

There is a box of “goodies” under one of the couches consisting of a yoga mat, resistance bands, massage ball and a roller. We also have a balance board.

This equipment is for club members to use before skiing or racing to assist in the warm-up and for recovery. Hope people find the kit useful!

Volunteers needed for Aust Senior Champs

The Championships are on 27th-28th July at Falls Creek. If you can assist on either day please contact the race secretary Ann Bellingham <racesecretary@birkebeiner.org.au> and offer your help. She would really appreciate it.

Race Results

Snow Trek & Travel High Plains Tour – 13th-14th July. Click [HERE]

Excited Juniors – From left: Ashley Spittle, Xanthea Dewez & Anna Trnka

Online Race Entries

Click on the Club’s website link [HERE] to see all online race entry links (bottom right).

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Juniors – Low Fluoro Wax Protocol

Posted on July 18, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier

In the event you are preparing skis for the Victorian Junior XC Championships this weekend 20th-21st July please take note of the LOW FLUORO WAX PROTOCOL which was in place last year — Ronice Goebel (Vic Junior Squad Manager)

Coaches and the general community know this protocol and will support you.

Enter for Vic Juniors Online — Click [HERE]

Past race day action – Left: Anna Trnka & Esther Leccardi (nee Bottomley)
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2019 Aust Open XC Championships – 27th-28th July Falls Creek

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Paul L'Huillier
  • Sprint (C) – Saturday 27th July.
  • Distance (F) – W10 km & M15 km — Sunday 28th July.
  • Entries close Wednesday 24rd July.
Click HERE to Enter

Ski de Femme Registrations are open. Click [HERE]

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