Making the top 50!!

Hi All,

Just thought I would put out a little blog to wrap up the last couple of races of the season and let you all know that as of October 1st I just snuck in to the top 50 in the world based on my FIS points! Pretty stoked on that news and think it is a great way to get the confidence up heading into the Northern Hemisphere Season! Feels like I'm actually improving and all the hard work might be paying off!

After New Zealand I came back for a few days of classes before heading off for a bit of a road trip that encompassed the Hotham Beer Battered Rider Cross and the Australian University Championships (at Thredbo) with my great friend Courtney Date.

Hotham has a great series of 'local' races and park competitions which all comers can enter for a very small fee and guaranteed lots of fun. Courtney and I took the opportunity for more race practice and had a wonderful day in the sun racing with kids, athletes and also the odd parent that didn't want to stand around watching. I also got to try out my fantastic new Anakie Outerwear - I loved it, very comfortable and the colours can't but make you happy!

Loving my new Outerwear!

It was great to see Courtney so pumped to qualify first in time trials - he usually has to contend with a few Olympians. Thus the red (fastest qualifier) bib was worn with much excitement.

Courtney getting excited before he is handed his Red Bib!

We both managed to take home our respective divisions and win some great prizes from Hotham, including new goggles (POC), socks, and best of all after a long morning racing, some fish and chips!

Podium shots - Winners are Grinners!

The remnants of the Fish and Chips!

After cleaning up the flat at Hotham one last time we hit the road for Thredbo. Just a note for future reference the drive from Hotham to Thredob via Omeo is not that long but it is on a winding dirt road. Attempt only in dry weather! Luckily my Peugeot, which had just clocked 200,000km, pushed on and we made it after a minor incident with a rabbit.

Thredbo was host to the Australian University Championships which is always a fun filled event where competitors from all over Australia of all skill levels take part in all sorts of events and evening's of dressing up. The Melbourne team was rather small this year as the cost of attending the event in NSW is prohibitive for many people, plus it meant missing yet another week of Uni! I had an okay championships but was definitely not on my 'A-Game' as it turned out and had to be pleased with good results in non-preferred events. My results were as follows:
Slopestyle - 1st place
Snowboard-Cross - 3rd place & some bruised ribs
Rails - 4th place
Giant Slalom - 9th place (though I should have been disqualified)

I also took party in Cross Country and was really please to win the Relay for the 4th year in a row!! Though I must admit that I have definitely been the beneficiary of many a good team member as I have been solidly the slowest in the team every year!

Melbourne was pleased to come second to the much larger team from the University of Sydney, however, we will be looking to get back that trophy next year. It was wonderful to see so many of our competitors really go for it (though some a bit more at night than on the slopes!).

Here are some photos of the event...

Alex, Janice and I supporting Team Melbourne at the Moguls.

Rail Jam - look a the concentration.

After winning the Slopestyle I'm thinking of becoming a park rat - this is off the smaller first jump!

Alex and Alex Cross Country Champions (and Ollie collecting our team mate Camilla's medal).

Celebrating the end of the Championships with Courtney and Katya at the Formal Dinner.

I thought at the end of AUC's that my season might be over but stay tuned for photos/video of my recent trip to Feathertop for some turns this weekend.

Smiling at the good memories made at some fantastic spring events!