Australian Government, Department of Defence

Air Force won almost half the trophies at the Inter-Service Nordic Skiing and Biathlon Championship at Victoria’s Mt Hotham late last month.

Both the men’s and women’s teams won the Track Trophy, which included a 10km freestyle ski, relay race and a 15km classic ski.

The women’s team also won the biathlon and patrol events, while Air Force missed out marginally to Army for the overall trophy.

Competitor SQNLDR Anthony Wood said the regular overnight snow falls and sunny days made for great conditions.

“The last two years have been particularly bad, so this year was good,” SQNLDR Wood said.

This year’s patrol competition, redesigned to incorporate more military skills to reflect our Northern Hemisphere counterparts, was hotly contested.

“The result was based on the time taken to ski; a minute added per shot you missed during the shooting, then you had time taken off for each of the items that you observed (and recorded),” SQNLDR Wood said. “It was probably one of the best races we had.”

Although most of the events centred around Australia’s only biathlon range at Whiskey Flats, the relay race was held at Mt Hotham village.

“Last year there was no snow where we normally ran the relay, so we had to move it up to the village,” SQNLDR Wood said.

“It went off really well because everyone came out of the lodges and all the civvies were watching us race and they all really got into it. So we decided to run it this year up in the village.”

One of Hotham’s visitors enjoying the race, Stephanie Giffard from the Yarra Valley, described the event as great entertainment.

“It makes you realise how fit [ADF members] are,” Ms Giffard said.

To add a bit of fun to the relay, skiers dressed up for the crowd, with CPL Adrian Moore baring his padded red muscles as Mr Incredible. Team cook LAC Luke Mumberson also took to the slopes in his cook outfit.

“The relay was still a serious race but there was no reason why we couldn’t have fun at the same time,” SQNLDR Wood said.

He said there was a good mix of new and experienced cross-country skiers this year.

“It’s surprising that some people who have never been on skis before pick it up like that. To come out with the results we did was excellent.”

For more information, visit http://intranet.defence.gov.au/RaafWeb/sites/ADFNBA/ or call SQNLDR Anthony Wood on (02) 4587 3831