Snowboard Community Update - July 2024

James Johstone with teammate Mia Clift. Photo courtesy Chris Hocking

The July edition of the Snowboard Community Update has a special guest providing the introduction. NSWIS SBX Team member James Johnstone provides the community with an update of what he has been up to and what is coming up in the world of Snowboard racing.

Dear Snowboard Community,

It’s James Johnstone here and I’m currently in Jindabyne at our NSWIS training camp for Snowboard Cross. After returning from 5 months in Europe at the end of April, I've just had 8 weeks at home in Sydney, strength and condition training with Chris Brander at the NSWIS gym at Homebush. It was great to be home for more than a few days to spend time with my family and friends and go and watch some AFL, Go Dogs!

I'm now based at the Sport and Rec in Jindabyne, living in the athlete accommodation right next to the National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC). It’s fantastic that the new facility is now 100% complete and we are making the most of the incredible facilities on offer at the NSTC.

I'm a very keen cyclist so have brought my Mountain bike down and plan to get out on the trails when time and the weather allows; cycling is a huge part of my strength and aerobic training regime which does break up the snow and gym training and riding around the Lake here is really special.

We've had a few morning sessions on snow so far and it was great to see everyone out and about, especially the Turn and Burn groups and the PWSC riders. The conditions up on the hill are great! 

Last week I went on a quick trip to Adelaide to the opening of the South Australian Sports Institute’s Australian Centre for Sports Aerodynamics. My coach Jackson Holtham and I spent a day working in the wind tunnel which was really exciting and informative. This facility really is a ‘game changer’ for Aussie sport. Check it out here.

The next 3 months will be 2 training blocks in Jindabyne for about 4 weeks each where we ride both Thredbo and Perisher, with 4 weeks at Hotham for the Australian/New Zealand Cup races, Futures, and further training on course.  I do love Hotham having started snowboarding there when I was 7.  We will be based in Bright this year for the month which is different to previous years at Dinner Plain. There is some great road cycling in the area so I’m looking forward to that.

SBX Futures this year is at Hotham on August 12 & 13 and registrations are now open. I'll be helping with Futures and really hope to see you there - click here to register. The Futures will lead into the SBX races at Hotham including the first leg of the FIS JNR SBX Series on August 14. Being my first season out of the Juniors, it will be great helping younger riders get a feel for four person racing and see what they can bring. The ANC races will wrap up a really busy week at Hotham.

Entries are now open for the Hotham races, click here to enter.

I’ll be around during the Snow Australia Interschools regional competitions so please say hi if you are here racing or spectating and best of luck to the 1000’s of kids competing.

See you on the snow.

James Johnstone
NSWIS SBX Athlete

Open the Update here

In the July edition:

• Special introduction from James Johnstone
• Registrations OPen for Hotham SBX Futures and Race Week
• Snowboard Futures
• Wonderful Week Kickstarts Interschools 2024
• SBX JNR Series is back for 2024
• Snowsports Fuel Schools with Ali Miles