LEUT Red McClintock in action at Mt Buller.

Photo: CPL Damian Shovell

LCDR Brad Vizard shows his winning style in the Long Giant Slalom.

Photo: CPL Damian Shovell

LEUT Lisa Hickman contemplates the Long Giant Slalom in the snowboarding minutes before competing.

Photo: CPL Damian Shovell

By CPL Damian Shovell

Navy’s reign of supremacy in the snow continued earlier this month at the Manugistics ADF Interservices Alpine Snowsports Championships at Mount Buller, Victoria.

Navy took a clean sweep of the ski events and LCDR Brad Vizard stamped his authority on the sport by taking out the title of ADF Men’s Champion.

Following the Navy competition the previous week, the best from Army, Navy and Air Force took part in Giant Slalom (GS), Long Giant Slalom (LGS), Slalom and Snowboarder Cross competitions.

Navy’s win can undoubtedly be credited to brilliant performances from LCDR Brad Vizard who won all three skiing events convincingly, though Army’s CAPT Mike Atkinson gave close competition coming in second in all ski events.

Navy and Air force failed to field a female team in the ski events, however, sole female Navy individual entrant LEUT Lisa Hickman in the snowboarder team carried the flag for Navy women.

She provided solid competition but failed to match Army’s CPL Amy Hall who took out the title of ADF Women’s Champion.

The snowboarders competed in all events except Slalom, competing in the specialist Snowboarder Cross instead, where SMN Stuart Smith did well to place second behind Army’s CPL Lincoln Quillian.

Other new talent included snowboarder SMN Dan McLean who won the Giant Slalom and placed third in the Snowboarder Cross.

Mt Buller provided some of the best snow cover in years for the event, however, competitors had to battle freezing temperatures and very low visibility.

Joining the ADF competition was the Disabled Winter Sport Australia fielding a team of 10 racers including Para-Olympians Cameron Rahles-Rahbula and Michael Milton.

Cameron, the current world champion after winning gold in the Super G and Downhill and silver in Slalom at the World Championships in Austria last June, said racing with the ADF competition provided an excellent training opportunity.

“It’s a great opportunity for us, ...to be able to link into the services who have put on this great race - it’s awesome,” he said. The next big event on the calendar is the 2006 Para-Olympics in Italy, which Cameron already has in his sights.

“We’ll have races overseas in the national team in the World Cup, but the big goal is 2006 and all these guys that are coming along will hopefully be able to join.”

ADF Winners: ADF Men’s Champion: LCDR Brad Vizard Navy Men’s Champion: LCDR Brad Vizard Army Men’s Champion: CAPT Mike Atkinson RAAF

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