LILLEHAMMER: A host of young ski and snowboard athletes have been put to the test on and off the slopes as part of Ski and Snowboard Australia’s Futures Programs in recent weeks.
The athletes have been participating in training camps, facing off in competitions and completing skills tests in order to push them to the next level.
While the programs will help develop the athletes for the long term, athletes have the added motivation that their progress may help their bid to win selection to the Australia Team for the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
“The programs we have put in place have really helped bring through a higher calibre of athlete,” National Pathway & Talent Manager Ramone Cooper said.
“The athletes get a chance to work with senior coaches and athletes which assists their development and allows everyone to gain a better understanding of their talent.”
The programs have obviously been working wonders with some strong results from the future stars of Australia’s winter sports. To be eligible for selection for Lillehammer 2016 athletes must be born in 1998 or 1999.
Kathryn Parker dominated the recent Alpine race series at Mt. Hotham as she finished as the top junior athlete in both the slalom and giant slalom events.
Parker also performed strongly in the women’s ski cross event finishing second only to Vancouver and Sochi Olympian Katya Crema.
Louis Mulhen impressed in the men’s competitions as he topped the junior ranks in both the slalom and giant slalom events.
He backed up to finish fifth in the ski cross as Douglas Crawford was the highest ranked youngster in the ski cross racing. In an event won by Olympian Anton Grimus, young guns Liam Michael (sixth) and Wim Roney (eighth) both made the small final.
Mollie Fernandez was on song in the women’s snowboard cross competition finishing third in the opening event before making the semi-final in the second as Sochi 2014 Olympian Belle Brockhoff claimed victories in both.
Alex Dickson scored the best result across the two men’s snowboard cross series making the quarter-finals of both events, before finishing ninth and 14th respectively. Harrison Morrissey was the best placed youngster in the second event after claiming 12th but he could only manage 25th in the opener. Dual Olympian Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin won both events.
Selectors for the 2016 Australian Youth Olympic Team are currently analysing the competition and testing results from these competitions and Futures Program camps.
Events have concluded in cross country racing which will also determine selection for Lillehammer 2016. Biathlon events wrap up with the Australian Championships on 16 August.
Australia has been allocated a small number of quota places for the second Winter Youth Olympic Games and expect to secure more spots when the final entry quotas are finalised by the international federations in the respective disciplines. Once this happens selections will be confirmed.
Australia expects to send around 19 athletes to Lillehammer 2016 across alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing, figure skating, freestyle skiing, ice hockey (skills challenge), luge, short track skating and snowboard.
Two-time Olympic aerial skiing medallist Alisa Camplin will be the Chef de Mission of the Lillehammer Team, as she was for Innsbruck 2012. The Games open in Norway on 12 February 2016.
Matt Bartolo
Olympics.com.au
