Australian Junior Cross Country Ski Championships 2022

Over 50 of the best up and coming junior cross country skiers competed in the National championship races at Falls Creek over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th September. The weather was brilliant and the track setting and courses were top notch. Freestyle sprints were contested on Saturday and classic distance races on Sunday.

The sprint races began with a time trial, followed by quarter finals, semi-finals and finals depending on the number of entrants. In the Open Junior class there were close battles for the podium places. Maddie Hooker from Falls Creek won the U20 women’s final, ahead of Heli Laajoki from Canberra and Olivia Schubert from Melbourne. In the men’s final Jayden Spring from Melbourne won out ahead of 2020 Youth Winter Olympian John Mordes from Melbourne and Noah Bradford from Sydney.

The distance races were held using an individual start, where skiers start every 30 seconds and all skiers race against the clock. The women’s 5km was won by 2020 Youth Winter Olympian Zana Evans from Jindabyne ahead of Maddie Hooker and Heli Laajoki. The men’s 7.5km saw a tight race between Noah Bradford and John Mordes, with Bradford pulling away at the end for the win and Boris Stanish from Mt Buller taking the bronze.

L-R Maddie Hooker, Zana Evans, Heli Laajoki	L-R John Mordes, Noah Bradford, Boris Stanish

Thanks to all the competitors and families for their participation and to the many who volunteered to enable the races to be held the weekend. This signals the last of the cross country skiing competitions to be held at Falls Creek for 2022. Thanks must go also to our many sponsors who help to make the racing season viable and to the Falls Creek groomers who keep our cross country trails in fabulous condition for all to enjoy.

Ann Bellingham, Race Secretary, Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club.

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