New Coach for Falls Creek National Training Centre

John Max Ertner has been appointed as the Falls Creek National Training Centre Coach for 2023. A former member of the Danish ski team, Ertner has held many coaching roles in Norway, Switzerland and Sweden over the past 30 years, including five years as assistant coach with the Norwegian National Team.

Falls Creek has been the official National Training Centre and home of the Australian XC Team since 2004. From 2017 to 2021 the AUSXC National Team coach Valerio Leccardi doubled up as the Falls Creek NTC coach, while Kate Mulcahy from the USA filled the role in 2022. Based in Mt Beauty and leading daily training sessions at Falls Creek, Ertner will be in Australia from mid-June through to the end of September.

"My main goal as a coach is that my athletes eventually become their own coaches, if you know what I mean," said Ertner via email from Norway, where he visits regularly. "It's important to me that we focus on development, not on results, and the simple things such as the way to structure your day, focussing when you train and resting when you are not. This seems easy, but is still one of the main challenges for most athletes."

Ertner will start his time in Australia at National Team training camps at the AIS mid-June and at Falls Creek at the end of June. He will also coach at the VICXC training camp in the first week of July, and will work together with VICXC coaches Anna Trnka and Robbie Catto-Smith to provide support at championships races during the winter.