Olympians line up for ANC finals at Hotham

World Cup spots are on the line this week for Australia’s ski cross and snowboard cross athletes as they compete in the Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Finals at Mt Hotham.

Off the back of her most successful World Cup season to date, Victoria’s Belle Brockhoff will be looking to continue her ANC dominance in the snowboard cross.

“Its always exciting coming to the ANC races because you’re riding with all your team mates and upcoming athletes in the sport in Australia,” Brockhoff said.

“It’s really cool coming back each year to see how much they have improved and you can always count on everyone with big smiles and having a good time. Its one of my favourite time of year! 

Since 2012, Brockhoff has continuously topped of the ANC podium and will be looking to take out the title and use the races as a hit-out before the next World Cup season.

“I’m really happy with what I achieved during the last season,” Brockhoff said. “It was goals I set for myself along with the advice of my coaches to achieve this year. I feel I’m on track with the larger goals I have and I am really excited for this coming tour.”

Brockhoff’s Olympic teammates Cam Bolton and Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin will go head-to head in the men’s events. Since first competing in 2008, Pullin has won the ANC nine times and the dual Olympian will be looking to add more titles to his impressive resume. Both Pullin and Bolton will be challenged by some rising young stars keen to make their claim.

Twenty-one-year-old Matthew Thomas already has four ANC podiums to his name and will be chasing gold. Thomas won back-to-back team gold medals at the Junior World Championships and made his World Cup debut last season. Adam and Alex Dickson will also be pushing for a top three placing, as will Adam Lambert.

In the ski cross, Anton Grimus and Sami Kennedy-Sim will lead the charge for Australia. The 2014 Sochi Olympians are going from strength to strength on the international circuit and will be looking to gain important racing experience at home before heading overseas again next season.

Kennedy-Sim will face competition from fellow Australians Yolanda Fulton-Richmond and Lilly Speiser as well as international skiers from Japan and the USA. Grimus will be up against 24 tough competitors with both youth and experience, hailing from Australia, Japan and the USA.

Spectators will be treated to twice the amount of action this week, with additional races to replace events cancelled at Perisher and Thredbo earlier in the season. The events are the finals so the ANC Champions will also be crowned.

The schedules of events:

August 30 - Training

August 31 - SBX ANC Race (from Thredbo); SX ANC Race (from Perisher)

September 1 - SBX & SX ANC Finals

September 2 - Weather Day

More information and entry details available via www.hotham.com.au