The Australian Cross Country Skiing High Performance Program is operated by Snow Australia (Snow AUS) in partnership with the Falls Creek ski resort. The teams within the program are made up from talented and hard-working athletes from all over the country. The key aims of the High Performance Program are to bring Australian athletes up to competitive international standards, ensure Australia is represented at all major international events, provide the athletes with world class coaching and waxing support, and ultimately to strive for medal winning performances.
Selection to the National Team is based on results in World Cup, FIS international competition, and selection races in Australia. Full details are available in the Selection section on this website.
International Program
Each year National Team athletes head overseas to train and compete, representing Australia at Continental Cup, World Cup, World Junior & U23 Championships, World University Winter Games and Winter Olympic Games. Official teams are sent to all of these events, supported by National Team coaches and other support staff.
In preparation for these international events the National Team sets up annual training bases in locations in Europe and North America. Davos in Switzerland is a regular destination, and preliminary plans are underway to establish a more permanent base there. In addition, a number of individual athletes are partnered with international programs to provide training and coaching support.
Domestic Program
During the Australian winter the home of the AUSXC Ski Team is the National Training Centre at Falls Creek, where athletes train together, work on technique and prepare for international competition under the guidance of National Team coaches.
In addition to on-snow training, dryland training camps are conducted regularly throughout the year. Annual physiological testing takes place at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Cross country skiers are renowned for having the high V02 capacities, and XC athlete Callum Watson holds the current AIS record.
Many National Team athletes are at school or at university, in between training camps they train together in different regional groups and also on training camps with the State junior teams. The High Performance Program is underpinned by strong Pathway Programs in Victoria, NSW and ACT, which feed into the national athlete pathway and are supported by strong local communities.