Interschools Championships wrap in Thredbo and Falls Creek

This week marked the successful conclusion of two Interschools Championships events, held in Thredbo and Falls Creek.

At Thredbo, the Subaru Sydney Interschools Championships wrapped up on Friday after four exhilarating days of competition. A total of 1,100 students from 107 schools took part across five snowsport disciplines, with over 2,000 entries received. The event closed under perfect race conditions—clear blue skies and no wind.

A special thank you to elite athletes Sammie Gaul, Daisy Thomas, Ben Tudhope, Maya Billingham, and Abi Harrigan for presenting medals to podium winners throughout the week.

We also extend our appreciation to the volunteer course officials, school coordinators, families, and the Thredbo Race Department and Resort Management, whose contributions helped deliver a professional and memorable event.

Warwick Payne, school coordinator from Shore School, had 60 students compete in this week's event. Reflecting on the competition, he expressed his joy in watching first-time participants succeed.

“They were absolutely thrilled to achieve success in their Division 6 events,” he said. “Many came into the competition with little knowledge of competitive snow sports, and now they’re eager to keep competing after experiencing what Interschools is all about.”

He added, “One of my students, who usually specialises in slopestyle, took part in alpine, ski cross, and moguls as part of a team and had a fantastic time. Another student, who took a break last year, returned to competition this year and had an incredible experience as well.”

Meanwhile, Falls Creek played host to the South Australia and Tasmania Interschools Championships, welcoming 54 students from 20 schools. Despite being a more intimate gathering, the competition unfolded on high-quality courses prepared by the Falls Creek Race Department. Students embraced the chance to represent their schools and experience snowsports racing.

David de Lacy, school coordinator from St Peter’s College in Adelaide, reflected:

“We were happy with how it went. It’s an opportunity for students to learn about racing and enjoy competing with their mates—from beginners getting a taste of competitive snowsports to more proficient athletes being challenged.”

He also noted growing interest from Adelaide schools in incorporating the event into future snow excursions—a promising sign for continued development.

Looking ahead, the Interschools series heads to Perisher for the Subaru ACT-Southern NSW Championships, running from 22-25 July. With 1,200 students from 142 schools registered, it’s set to be the largest event in the series so far this season.