Ski de Femme Continues to Introduce New Skiers to XC

The annual Ski de Femme was hosted at Falls Creek on August 8th. This beloved event has been a hit for many years, attracting beginners and veterans alike from all around the country to get out and experience the beautiful cross country skiing Australia has on offer.

Led by deeply valued cross country community member, Ronice Goebel, this event encouraged women to get involved in the sport and try something new or further develop their skills. Experienced volunteer coaches worked with women of all ages and abilities, sharing their extensive knowledge and love of the sport.

It was a beautiful day and, after the fun ski lessons, these ladies enjoyed some snacks out in the Nordic Bowl, celebrating the strong community of female skiers we have here in Australia.

Volunteer coach Hannah Gray asked first time cross country skier, Eloise Happe, about her thoughts on the event:

How would you describe the day in 3 words?

“It was engaging, fun and interesting.”

Had you tried xc before? And how did you find it?

“I had never done xc skiing before but did have downhill experience which gave me more confidence ad comfort on skis regardless. I did find it challenging and fun in a good way. The differences between xc and downhill really stood out to me such as the lack of edges and less supporting boots. I believe its relatively easy to pick up if you are confident and prepared to fall over on skis a few times.”

What was your favourite part of the day?

“I really liked it when Marg (my coach) took us on a tour on one of the xc tracks and I got to see a really different part of falls creek compared to the downhill area. It was good to put my skiing into practice.”

What did you learn?

“I did classic so I realised it was a lot less strenuous than it looked and there were many women doing it and were all able to do it regardless of fitness levels. Also regardless of gear and grip on rental skis you are still definitely able to do it.”

Would you do the ski de femme again or recommend to others?

“I would definitely recommend to others to give it a go. It makes xc skiing very accessible to a lot of people and I would do it again and give it another shot.”

We would like to extend a massive thank you to all the volunteers who made this event possible. And to all the participants, we hope to see you out on the trails again soon!