From the HGA organising committee:
This weekend at Falls Creek 2 enjoyable days of Cross Country ski racing are planned with the Snow Trek & Travel High Plains Tour on Saturday 13 July and the YMCA Howmans Gap Victorian Relays on Sunday 14 July.
These are fun races which are great preparation for later races in the season, including Junior and Senior Championships, the Kangaroo Hoppet, and School competitions. The races are run by Howmans Gap Allstars Ski Club Inc on behalf of Ski Cross Country Victoria.
The Snow Trek & Travel High Plains Tour is a freestyle (skate or classic) race with 4 course distance on offer being 2.5 km, 5 km, 10 km, and a 1 km fun event to encourage participation by skiers of any age to have a try of going around an easy race course (children 10 years of age and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.) HGA races are well known for lots of spot prizes as well as age category prizes.
The YMCA Howmans Gap Victorian Relays of 2.5kms and 5kms are open to any three person teams (one classic and 2 freestyle skiers). It is fun to ski in a team, encourage your team mates and challenge other teams. There is no age, club membership nor single sex requirement (except if you want to be eligible for a Championship certificate). The fastest all female and fastest all male teams will be the perpetual trophy winners and they will not have to be members of the same club.
NEW IN 2019 skiers representing schools are being encouraged to participate in both the “Tour” and the Relay events. The races can be used as “trials” for team selection and, help prepare for school’s competitions later in the season. Both children and adults representing a school will be recognised in a separate results list.
For Masters skiers a 65 and over age category has also been added this year to both the “Tour” and the “Relays”
Everyone who enters, pays the entry fee and completes a race will be eligible to win one of the many spot prizes.
Staying at YMCA Homans Gap can provide both meals and accommodation as well as a great location and facilities, like a wax shelter in which you can prepare your skis. Equipment can be hired or purchased at YMCA Falls Creek Cross Country. Snow Trek & Travel in Wodonga is the place to go to purchase your ski and outdoor equipment.
All the races are scheduled to start at 11am, with the exception of Saturday’s 1km fun event which will start at 12 noon. It will only cost $5 to enter the 1km event. Race entry fees for all the other races are also low cost and are still the same entry fees as they were in 2012. Entries will be taken in the Windy Corner Day Shelter between 9 and 10am on race day, but anyone racing in the Snow Trek & Travel High Plains Tour is encouraged to please pre-register online at http://www.dbstrategies.com.au/hga_races/ up to 8.00pm this Friday 12/7/19. After pre-registering online, on the morning of the race you will need to sign the individual pre-printed entry form that will be waiting for you, and pay your entry fees to complete your race entry.
Please support the races this coming weekend (and the race sponsors http://www.crosscountryskier.com.au/ http://www.camps.ymca.org.au/locate/howmans-gap.html and https://www.facebook.com/fallscreekXC/)
With thanks,
Len Budge
HGA Inc Race Secretary
Ph 0417352845
2018 Race Winners – Hannah Price and Mark Pollock