Before his Olympic debut in 1952, Cedric Sloane attended the Geelong College (between 1928 and 1934), the Ormond College and the University of Melbourne. Between 1941 and 1945 he served in World War II for the RAAF, posted in Canada, England and India.

Sloane shares with Bruce Haslingden the title of first Australian Cross-Country skiing Olympian. At the Oslo Olympic Winter Games, aged 36, he competed in the 18km and in the 50km Cross-Country skiing events. His best result is a 75th place in the 18km race, crossing the line  just behind his team-mate Haslingden, while neither of them managed to finish the longer distance event.