National XC Teams united on Aussie snow for first time since 2019

The Australian Cross Country Ski Team have ramped up their 2022 domestic season, with their first national on-snow training camp at Falls Creek.

Twenty-six junior and senior athletes, plus coaches, came together in late June to make the most of the phenomenal weather conditions at the Victorian ski resort, in the first full cross country program camp since before the COVID pandemic.

The training camp was a success with the help of NSW/ACT coach Alexei Sotskov, Victorian junior coach Robbie Catto-Smith, XC director Finn Marsland and former national team athlete turned coach Paul Kovacs. Plus the latest addition to the XC coaching staff, Kate Mulcahy, all the way from California, who is out for the season as the Falls Creek National Training Centre coach. 

“It was fantastic to finally bring together most of our senior and junior skiers for a week of organised training,” coach Sotskov said.

“The focus of the camp was to set a tone for the Australian on-snow training, define new developments in the sport and in the technical aspect of the movements.

“We also managed to run a time trial race to allow athletes to have an understanding of their level of preparedness for the FIS and national-level races.

“This camp gave us coaches an additional assurance that the team is on track to have a productive training and racing season,” he said.

Training sessions for the week included level 3 intervals, short double pole and free skate time trials, long distance training and technique work.

Off-snow activities included physical screening with national team physio Tim Retchford, discussions on training theory and international planning, as well as a scavenger hunt on snow and evening trivia.

Back for her first Australian winter since 2019, XC athlete Katerina Paul said it was fantastic to come together with her teammates for base level testing and team bonding.

“Training camps are an essential part of being an athlete, it was great to train together under a variety of talented coaching staff to work on technique and fitness,” Paul said. 

“Most importantly, it is a chance for all the athletes to strengthen the bond as a team and motivate each other.”

“It was exciting to see so many talented athletes together working hard and pushing each other to better themselves,” added coach Kovacs.

“It’s great to be back on snow and we’re seeing lots of good work put in.”

The XC athletes are currently working towards the Australian Open Cross Country Sprint and Distance championships to be held at Falls Creek on 30-31 July.