Seanie Craig is Snow Australia’s Female Spirit of Interschools Award Winner for 2024

The highlight of her race calendar, Interschools is the event that Sean’Hope “Seanie” Craig looks forward to the most. 

“Interschools epitomises all my favourite things about sport,” Seanie said. “Kids from all over the country come together and get involved in snowsports. 

“On the cross-country side of the hill we get so many people giving it a go for the first time and the more elite ski for their schools and support their friends.” 

Seannie’s electric and sparkling energy materialises itself in glitter, which Seanie is known to spread wherever she goes on snow. 

“Interschools brings the whole community together; it is the only event on the Australian race calendar in which we have relays and team events and you can see smiles on every face you come across,” she said. 

“I love to see the Div 1 competitors don costumes for their final year and every second racer gets in the spirit with racing glitter.

In her last year of Interschools Seanie is proud to win this award, and reflects fondly on her time competing and how the event helped her fall in love with the sport. 

“I couldn’t be more proud to win this award,” she said.

“As I have said, Interchools is my favourite event which I look forward to all year and encourage all young cross-country skiers to get involved in. 

“I fell in love with the sport through interschools, I had the opportunity to give it a go and continue to compete in other events, being inspired by the amazing senior athletes. 

“I aim to make it possible for more young athletes to engage in cross-country skiing and have as much fun as I did so it is very touching to see this recognised.

“Whilst I am proud of my achievements and moments on the podium, it’s more that I am grateful for all the opportunities snowsports and interschools has provided me, opportunities to make friends, travel overseas and be my best self.”

Moving away from competing at Interschools, it is the strong community that Seanie will miss the most, alongside the healthy on-snow rivalries, both of which she will carry forward with her. 

“What I will miss the most is the people, the atmosphere and the (mostly) healthy competition,” she said. 

“I have met so many amazing people through my time competing at Interschools, considering a lot of them like family now, and will always be nostalgic about the times we spent getting to know each other at Interschools. 

“Whilst I am going to miss Interschools immeasurably, I try to channel the Interschools spirit into all my skiing so that I can carry those memories and that sense of camaraderie with me wherever I go. 

“Whether it’s the thrill of pushing myself to my limits, or the support and encouragement from teammates and competitors alike, the essence of Interschools will always be a part of my skiing journey.”

However, Seanie might not have spent her last time at Interschools yet, getting to help volunteer alongside her mother Jules earlier this year, she hopes to be back in the future. 

“I loved volunteering to marshal the younger divisions,” she said. 

“It was amazing to see the nerves and excitement of the kids on the start line and then see them give everything that they had on the course. 

“I would love to come back and volunteer at Interschools again and have been completing some coaching with NSWACT XC that I am really enjoying.

“One of the biggest lessons I learnt this year was the joy of volunteering.

“I found that volunteering at Interschools gave me just as much enjoyment as competing in the event.”

Snow Australia would like to congratulate Seanie on receiving the Spirit of Interschools Award in the 2024 Snow Australia Community Sport Awards, wishing her all the best in her future on and off the snow.