The XC Files

XC - The Australian Cross Country Skiing Website

Winter Classic 1999
July 31/August 1

The Active for Life Winter Classic is a multi-sport event now into it's 16th year. Starting at Mt Hotham and finishing in Omeo, the Winter Classic has 7 legs over two days, combining cross country skiing, orienteering, mountain biking, white water kayaking, and road cycling.

Alina McMaster is a former Australian Cross Country Skiing Champion, now spending more time on the multi-sport event circui, but also working as a solicitor in Sydney, moving house, and preparing for a September wedding with fiance Tom Landon-Smith. Here is Alina's account of her race in the 1999 Winter Classic:

Started on Saturday in very blustery and blizzard conditions. The wind was fierce and the visability horendous. My fingers froze as I skied up the down hill slopes, and I only knew I was coming down the hill again cause I was moving without pushing! Snow wasn't too bad. Tracks were good around Wire Plain but the track from there to Dinner Plain was not groomed and had lots of sticks and crap. Cameron Morton won the ski (he was in a team event) and Tom (Landon-Smith) came in second. Then onto the run/orienteering section. Quite a bit of running in the snow - I got lost going to the second check point. Tom got lost as well - trying to do the same thing but I went off the map! So then I was no longer coming first - came into the end of the checkpoint about 5 minutes down. They stop the race now after the run and re-group for the cycle. I came in a bit too late to get ready in time to go off with the main bunch, so left in the next small bunch of 6! I did a good cycle. Tom had a shocker - even a girl beat him! I am hoping I beat him as well but haven't seen the stage results yet. Then the paddle to finish the day. I was in front at the end of the day by about 13 minutes. I think Tom was in third but futher behind than he would have liked to have been.

Day 2 and the weather was better - which is a good thing cause we started off with the white water paddle in the freezing water. Pinball was not too bad - a little technical and the river was a little low. I managed to take quite a chunk out of the nose of my boat. Some olympic paddler went passed me for a team - she looked unreal. She also passed Tom who started 15 minutes in front! Then into the run through the bush and the hills - quite a bit of walking to get to the top and then the mountain bike to finish. I won by about 30 minutes and Tom came in third and caught up quite a bit - was only 5 minutes behind 2nd. Russell Newman was first and Tom Crebbin (who is doing the Ecochallenge with us) was second. In 2nd place after me was Kim Major. The woman in 3rd was Vivian Prince who was in the 3rd placed NZ team with Steve Guerney in the Ecochallenge in Cairns.

RESULTS
(Sorry, times for ski leg only)

INDIVIDUAL MALE
1. Russell Newnham
2. Tom Crebbin - Ergonomics
3. Tom Landon Smith

INDIVIDUAL WOMEN
1. Alina McMaster
2. Kim Major
3. Vivienne Prince

OPEN TEAM
1. Stray Dogs
2. Z Boys
3. Canoes Plus Racing

VETERAN MEN
1. Leading Edge
2. Branks/Bridgart/Fernie
3. 4 Old Bastards

OPEN WOMEN
1. Canoes Plus Dynamic
2. OEG Girls
3. The Bilbys

SKI LEG
1. Cameron Morton (Stray Dogs) 61.18
2. Tom Landon Smith 66.00
3. Ian Franzke 67.57
4. Robert Curtis (Z Boys) 68.59
5. Russell Newnham 72.23
6. Tom Crebbin 73.24
7. Bob Flower (Leading Edge) 74.44
8. Tim Fryer (Canoes Plus Racing) 75.47
9. Charles Taylor 80.35
10. Alina McMaster 85.51

XC is the official website of the Skiing Australia Cross Country Committee. It is produced with the assistance of the Australian Sports Commission, and the Kangaroo Hoppet. The editor can be contacted via hoppet@netc.net.au.