Weather challenges NSW Sprints but benefits ACT Distance Championships

Perisher presented two very different weather days for the running of the 2023 NSW Sprints Freestyle Championships and ACT Classical Distance Championships on July 15-16 – and fortunately for the classical skiers on waxable skis, Sunday produced better conditions.

Saturday, for the sprints, was “gale-force” windy, with a wind chill factor of minus 10, making for some challenging, icy skiing (on snow which later turned to slush) for the 33 participants – but at least the sun was shining and nobody had to worry about which grip wax to use on skate skis.

Sunday presented as a still, bluebird day, without an overnight freeze affecting the grooming and track setting.  Firm but dryer snow made for some fast times and better grip among the 30 skiers, who ranged from young juniors to seniors, with four masters also having a hit out.

Fedele de Campo won the men’s open overall Sprint championship, beating out Noah Bradford and Vincent de Souza on Saturday. De Campo had qualified fastest in the Sprint time trial in 2.20.6, ahead of Bradford (2.23.2) and De Souza (2.30.8). On Sunday de Campo was also the victor in the distance race, over Bradford and European visitor Christophe Gasche, with De Souza fourth.

Sunday's podium for the Men. L-R Noah Bradford, Fedele de Campo, Christophe Gasch (SUI). Photo by Kaz Forman.

Women’s overall Sprint champion was Emily Champion ahead of Heli Laajoki and Rhiannon Castle, with Laajoki also taking the women’s junior sprint title ahead of Castle and Sean’Hope Craig. Champion had qualified fastest in 2.43.84, with Isabella Moon second in the qualifying time trial in 3.02.7, Castle third in 3.02.8 and Laajoki fourth in 3.06.2. Champion took the hat trick the following day, winning the 10km open women’s classic distance championship gold medal in 29.45.7. Laajoki took silver and Alexi Cross the bronze.

Women's Open distance champion Emily Champion and Junior distance champion Heli Laajoki. Photos by Kaz Forman.

In the younger age categories in the sprints on Saturday, Max Morgan, Tyler Bradford and Dash Bouvier took gold, silver and bronze in the men’s junior overall, while Alberto Allan, Ben Wichgers and Ethan Zhang made up the podium in men’s under 14 and Eric Murtagh-Herlihy earned gold in the men’s under 12.

Isabelle Bugg was the gold medalist and Rose Murtagh-Herlihy silver in the women’s under 16, while Hanna Wichgers, Aurora Zhang and Jacqueline Bugg made up the podium in the women’s under 14 event.

Other champions and medalists in the distance race on Sunday included Rose Murtagh-Herlihy and Isabelle Bugg in the 5km women’s under 16, Hanna Wichgers, Aurora Zhang and Jacquie Bugg in the 3.5km women’s under 14;  Alberto Allan, Ben Wichgers and Ethan Zhang in the 5km men’s under 14.

Kirsten Sharp took the title in the 7km women’s masters race, while Gary McGregor was the gold medalist with Greg Sharp silver and Adrian Blake bronze in the 7km men’s masters event.

U14 Podium, L-R Ben Wichgers, Alberto Allan, Ethan Zhang. Photo by Kaz Forman.

Full results are available on the Alpine Timing site and Perisher XC sites. Racing continues at Perisher next weekend with the Cooma Open.

This article was provided by Kaz Forman, who has a regular column in the Monaro Post. See here the most recent column on Harriet Greville.