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SSA Northern Cross Country Committee end of Season Update

Published Mon 23 Sep 2019

Congratulations and thank you to the XC volunteers, athletes and coaches for their efforts and achievements during the past winter. For some of you this might be the first winter that you have been part of our programs and activities. Others of you might be seasoned veterans of taking children to training venues and events. I thought this is a good time to further explain the recent changes in governance structure and the roles of the people that help run our sport, the people who work on events, programs, publicity and the infrastructure – all essential components for the sport and recreational activity of cross country skiing.

Prior to 2018, NSW Snowsports was the SSO (the recognised state sporting organisation) for snowsports in NSW and Snowsports ACT was the SSO in the ACT. Both groups had their own discipline programs to administer, with funding for activities, programs and administration being provided by the relevant State governments, participants and fundraising. In XC there was a joint NSW/ACT management committee looking after the Nordic Shelter, XC trail management and, to a degree, event management. Athlete development was managed by each state.

The Northern Cross Country Committee (NXC) was established during 2018. This came about through the unification process that took place with NSW Snowsports and Snowsports ACT effectively coming under the banner of Ski and Snowboard Australia as the Northern Management Committee (NMC) of SSA. The name NXC was a way forward at the time but we may choose to be known as something else. We will be ultimately guided through this process by SSA - logos, badging, etc. will become clear in the fullness of time.

The old State bodies no longer exist. The discipline committees (Alpine, Freestyle, Snowboard, Cross Country) now report firstly to the Northern Management Committee (NMC) and ultimately to SSA. The National Discipline Committees provide guidelines for various parts of our sport including the athlete pathway, event structure and rules that govern our sport (for Cross Country this is Ski and Snowboard Australia Cross Country Committee – SSAXCC). NXC has the additional responsibility of providing our own facilities and infrastructure (the Nordic Shelter and XC trail management).

The NXC has 9 members: Peter Cunningham, Geraldine Blanch, Leanne Laajoki, Wayne Pethybridge, Margaret Mahoney, Anne Hemmings, Nerida Holdaway, Leslie Ludwig and myself as Chairman – Peter Ward. Finn Marsland (National Program Director for XC) attends as an observer, Steve Cooper and Daniel Bosco attend to provide advice and guidance through the first couple of years of unification. Daniel is the Chair of the NMC, Steve is the Chair of NSW Interschools and both are board members of SSA.

  • Peter Cunningham – past chair of SSAXCC, past Chair of ACT XC, National Race Secretary, FIS level TD and involved in all aspects of XC management for the past 24 yrs.
  • Geraldine Blanch – volunteer manager of the Nordic Shelter for the past 3 yrs, winter XC trail grooming co-ordinator and reporter, member of the NXC athlete management group, local co-ordinator of the full on-snow winter program, co-ordinator of the Charlotte Pass Camp
  • Leanne Laajoki – Chair of the SSAXCC Sport Development Committee, convenor of the ACT athlete training program.
  • Wayne Pethybridge – Chairman of Perisher Cross Country (PXC). Wayne is the mover and shaker behind promotion of all aspects of XC, including the PXC website, the XC Week promotion material, activities to encourage recreational participation and co-ordination of summer work parties in Perisher.
  • Margaret Mahoney – has recently taken over the Chair role for the Nordic Shelter Management Group. The NSMG has about 10 members from NSW and ACT who are responsible for running and maintaining the building each year. Running costs for the shelter are at least $20,000/yr which is raised each year through various means.
  • Anne Hemmings – co-coordinator with Ned of the Sydney-based dry land training program and summer camps. She is a member of the NXC Athlete Management Group and is involved with the on-snow training program, event management and the new timing system.
  • Nerida Holdaway – all as above with Anne and especially the new timing system. Ned is also a member of the SSAXCC Sports Development sub committee.
  • Leslie Ludwig – involved in admin of XC for the past 25 years, member of NMC, past Finance Director of NSW Snowsports and stays involved in financial advice and auditing of the NMC accounts, member of the Nordic Shelter management group and of the NXC athlete management group with particular involvement in the on-snow winter programs.
  • Peter Ward – Interim Chair of NXC, past chair of the NSW XCC for 20+ years, member of SSAXCC (Rules), Chairman of Events Management for NXC, FIS level TD, member of the NXC athlete management group and Nordic Shelter management.

There are still changes to come and decisions to be made. In the coming weeks and months, we, as a group (and I mean all those who have an interest in any of the many aspects of XC skiing) will have opportunities to have input in the way our sport is managed. Our athlete programs have continued to run as before, but we may choose to explore ways of uniting the regional programs in some way. Events, Nordic Shelter, PXC and Infrastructure will continue to be managed, as always, depending on input from the XC community.

Best Regards,

Peter Ward

Chair SSA Northern XC Committee

0409 338 978

nswxc1@gmail.com

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