2023 Snowsports Handbook

Welcome to the 2023 Loreto Toorak Snowsports Season

The Loreto Toorak Snowsports program is a fantastic opportunity to compete and enjoy alpine sports. It is not offered as a means to learn to ski, but a chance to compete and improve technique. The Program is open to any student of an intermediate level or above, must already be able to ride a chair lift, and be able to turn and stop competently. Competitors must participate in at least two events at the Victorian Interschools Championships (such as Grand Slalom, Cross Country, Ski/board cross or Moguls.

The 2023 season commences with our Training Weekend at Mt Buller in July and Optional Training Weekend in August. Students will then compete in the Victorian Interschools Championships at Mt Buller from 21-27 August. Teams and individuals who qualify can also compete at the Australian Interschools Championships at Mt Buller from 5-10 September.

Parents are an integral part of the Snowsports program as each family is required to organise accommodation and supervision for their children over the training weekends and for the Interschools events.

Snowsports Contacts

Head of Snowsports: Annie Carrie

Email: annie.carrie@loretotoorak.vic.edu.au

Calendar of Events, Training and other Activities

The provisional timetable for the Victorian and Australian Interschools Championships are included in this booklet under their respective sections. Updates and changes will be communicated via MyLoreto and email as they become available.

Team Selection

The Victorian Interschools Championships and the Australian Interschools Championships include both individual and team events. All competitors compete individually, and individual results are aggregated to determine team results.

The School will enter teams in all possible events at the Victorian Interschools Championships. To ensure the best possible teams represent the School, selection will be undertaken by the Head of Snowsports and Snowsports Staff (in conjunction with race coaches assisting at the training weekends).

Team selection will be based on performances at the two training weekends, results during the 2022 Snowsports season, and other 2023 season race results (if applicable).

If any teams qualify for the Australian Interschools Championships, the best individual results in the Victorian Interschools Championships will determine the makeup of these teams.

Uniform and Equipment

Uniform

Students participating in Snowsports activities must provide or hire their own equipment and take it to the mountain with them. The School is unable to provide equipment.

Loreto Toorak Snowsports activities are ‘snow-safe’ events. Students participating in Alpine, Snowboarding or Moguls events are required to always wear a helmet. Snowsports staff will refuse participation to students without a helmet.

A Loreto Snowsports jacket will be provided to each student in the Snowsports team. The student will use the jacket for the season and must return it to the School in good condition following completion of their season. Parents and students will be required to complete a contract for the use of the jacket for the season and there will be a replacement cost if returned in an unsuitable condition. Note that students are unable to purchase jackets from the school.

The following School uniform items are required for the Interschools Championships:

• School Vest

• School Tracksuit

It is compulsory when representing the School at Presentations and on the podium that all students must wear School tracksuit pants with the Snowsports jacket.

Equipment

All students are required to have their own equipment for each of the disciplines.

Alpine

• Skis, poles and ski boots

• Helmet compulsory for all students

• Googles

• Warm waterproof gloves

• Waterproof warm jacket and pants

• Thermals

• Lycra suit or Alpine racing suit optional for Giant Slalom (not permitted for ski cross or moguls)

Snowboard

• Snowboard

• Snowboard boots suitable for bindings on Snowboard

• Helmet – compulsory for all students

• Goggles

• Warm waterproof gloves

• Wrist guards (these are highly recommended as one of the most common injuries for snowboarding is fractured wrists)

• Waterproof warm jacket and pants

• Thermals

• Lycra suit or Alpine racing suits are optional for Giant Slalom (not permitted for Snowboard Cross)

Cross-Country

• Cross-Country classic skis for Classic event

• Skating skis for advanced skiers in relay event

• Cross-Country poles and boots

• Well-secured hat or beanie and sunglasses

• Waterproof gloves

Training Weekend

22 - 23 JULY 2023, MT BULLER

There will be a training weekend held on 22-23 July at Mt Buller. This will be an opportunity for students to develop their skills and race technique with professional coaching provided.

This is an important weekend and all students must attend to be selected into a team for the Victorian Interschools Championships.

The School will provide coaching and supervision during training sessions. However, transport, accommodation and supervision outside specified training times must be arranged separately by families.

Sessions for the training weekend are as follows:

Saturday 22 July 9:00am - midday

Saturday 22 July 1:30pm – 4:30pm

Alpine race coaching including use of a racecourse. Will include time trials to assess current standard of students.

Alpine race coaching

Sunday 23 July

9:00am – midday

Sunday 23 July

11:00am-1:00pm

Alpine race coaching (Div 1, 2, and 3)

Alpine race coaching (Div 4, 5 and 6)

Optional Training Weekend

5 - 6 AUGUST 2023, MT BULLER

There will be an optional Training weekend offered on 5-6 August for students wishing to gain additional race training in preparation for the Interschools competition. Sessions for the training weekend are as follows:

Saturday 5 August 9:00am – midday

Saturday 5 August 1:30pm – 4:30pm

Sunday 6 August

9:00am – midday

Alpine race coaching

Alpine race coaching

Alpine race coaching

Victorian Interschools Championships

21 - 27 AUGUST 2023, MT BULLER

The Interschools Snowsports Championships will be held at Mt Buller from 21-27 August. The championships consist of the following 9 disciplines with points awarded for individual and team performances:

• Alpine Giant Slalom – Skiers are timed on a modified giant slalom course

• Ski Cross

Skiers are timed on a specifically designed course with banked turns and rollers

• Ski Slopestyle – Skiers are scored on a variety of obstacles including jumps, rails and/or other terrain park features (Division 1-3 only)

• Snowboard Slopestyle – Snowboarders are scored on a variety of obstacles including jumps, rails and/or other terrain park features (division 1-3 only)

• Moguls – Skiers are scored on a bumps/jumps course

• Snowboard GS – Boarders are timed on a modified giant slalom course

• Snowboard Cross – Boarders are timed on a specifically designed course with banked turns and rollers

• Cross-Country Classical – Raced classic cross-country skis, with a mass start

• Cross-Country Relay – 3-Person Relay team only event

The Interschools races are conducted under divisions according to school year levels:

Division 1 Years 11 and 12

Division 2 Years 9 and 10

Division 3 Years 7 and 8

Division 4 Years 5 and 6

Division 5 Years 3 and 4

Division 6 Years 1, 2 and Preparatory (alpine giant slalom and ski cross only)

2023 Victorian Interschools Overall Provisional Timetable

Monday,

Thursday,

Saturday,

Alpine Giant Slalom

1 Boys Snowboard Giant Slalom

Australian Interschools Championships

5 - 10 SEPTEMBER 2023, MT BULLER

The Australian Interschools Championships will be held at Mt Buller. Participation is available to students who progress from the Victorian Interschools Championships. In 2022, the top six teams and top ten individuals as placed at the Victorian Interschools Championships qualified for the Australian Interschools Championships.

2023 Australian Interschools Overall Provisional Timetable

Alpine Giant Slalom Division 5 Boys & Girls

Ski Cross Division 6 Boys & Girls

Tuesday, 5 September 2023

Snowboard Giant Slalom Division 3, 4 & 5 Boys & Girls

Snowboard Cross Division 3 & 4 Boys Division 4 Girls

Alpine Giant Slalom Division 3 & 6 Boys & Girls Ski Cross Division 4 & 5 Boys & Girls

Wednesday, 6 September 2023

Snowboard Giant Slalom Division 2 Boys & Girls

Moguls Division 4 & 5 Boys & Girls

Alpine Giant Slalom Division 4 Boys & Girls

Snowboard Cross Division 2 & 5 Boys Division 2, 3 & 5 Girls

Thursday, 7 September 2023

Friday, 8 September 2023

Saturday, 9 September 2023

Moguls Division 3 Boys & Girls

Snowboard Slopestyle Division 1, 2 & 3 Boys & Girls

Ski Slopestyle Division 1 Boys & Girls

Alpine Giant Slalom Division 1 Boys & Girls Alpine / Snowboard GS Multiclass Snowboard Giant Slalom Division 1 Boys & Girls Ski Cross Division 2 & 3 Boys & Girls

Ski Slopestyle Division 2 & 3 Boys & Girls

Moguls (twilight) Division 2 Boys & Girls

Alpine Giant Slalom Division 2 Boys & Girls

Sunday, 10 September 2023

Snowboard Cross Division 1 Boys & Girls

Ski Cross Division 1 Boys & Girls

Snowsports Disciplines

Giant Slalom

Giant slalom (GS) is an alpine skiing / snowboarding event which involves racing between sets of poles ("gates") spaced at intervals in the fastest time possible. The students start in a race hut and they must race around each gate and through the finish line. Students will be disqualified if they do not round each gate.

In Snowboard GS, the gates are tall on one side and small on the other side. Competitors should always go around the small side of the gate.

At the Victorian Interschools and the Australian Interschools Championships the competition consists of two-timed runs. The second run is usually conducted in reverse order of the first run. The team result will be determined by the sum of the fastest three times in the first run and the fastest three times in the second run. For the calculation of individual results, the individual’s time is the sum of the two valid runs.

The GS course will open for inspection 30 minutes prior to the race start of the first event of the day. Course inspection may be carried out by SIDE SLIPPING through the course, competitors skiing/boarding down the course during course inspection will be disqualified. Competitors must correctly wear and display race bibs in order to complete course inspection.

If students encounter interference or a slower competitor ahead of them during a race, they should not overtake them. They should withdraw to the side of the run, ski/snowboard down to the officials at the bottom and request a re-run. If a competitor skis/boards through the finish line a re-run will not be granted under any circumstances.

If a competitor falls, she should exit to the side of the course as soon as possible. If a skier/snowboarder is disqualified in the first run, she should still compete in the second run as the second time may be counted for the team result.

Ski/Board Cross

Ski/board cross is a race which incorporates terrain features such as jumps, banks, rolls, waves, tabletops, and high banked turns. In senior competition the event involves more than one competitor racing down the course at the same time, however, for interschools competition it is a time-trial event. Students will find the course fun and challenging at the same time.

The course will also have gate flags and competitors must pass through all gates or will be disqualified.

Each competitor will have one qualifying run. The team results will be determined by the sum of the two fastest times in the first run.

Following the completion of the qualifying run the fastest individuals will then proceed to have a second run in order to determine the overall individual results. The final result for the top competitors will be determined by the fastest recorded time from the second run only. Should one or more competitor/s from the finals fail to finish or be disqualified, they will assume last place of the final 16.

If a competitor falls, she should exit to the side of the course as soon as possible to avoid interfering with next competitor’s run.

Moguls

Mogul skiing is a competition consisting of timed runs of free skiing on a steep, heavily moguled course, stressing technical turns, aerial maneouvers and speed.

Moguls are a series of bumps formed when skiers push snow into mounds as they do sharp turns. This tends to happen naturally as skiers use the slope, but they can also be constructed artificially. Once formed, a naturally occurring mogul tends to grow as skiers follow similar paths around it, further deepening the surrounding grooves known as troughs. The term "mogul" is from the Bavarian/Austrian German word Mugel, meaning "mound, hillock".

At the Victorian Interschools and the Australian Interschools Championships the Mogul course will be set for the girls depending on the division and the level of the competition. Included in the course will be a jump whereby competitors can also display an element of

freestyle in their skiing. To achieve the best possible score, students should find a balance between speed and turns. The jump should be well within the individual’s ability.

The course is open for inspection and practice runs are available until ten minutes prior to the start time of the first race. Students will be able to get access to at least two or three practice runs providing they have their bibs clearly displayed.

Once the course is closed, each competitor will have one run. The team result will be determined by the sum of the highest score in the qualifying run. The top competitors progress to an individual final, run in reverse order. Only the second scored run will count for top individual places.

Each skier’s run will be judged by a minimum of three judges, with each judge giving a score out of ten. Girls will be judged on their turns; two ‘Turn’ judges x 20 points = 40 points and an ‘Air’ judge who will reward up to 20 points for a jump. Maximum total score is 60 points.

Turn judges will determine the quality and quantity of turns made down the fall line of the mogul slope. Scores are based on the following criteria: aggression/control, fall line, carving, absorption/extension, upper body. The ‘Air’ Judge will score the jump based on form and difficulty using the following criteria: amplitude, landing, execution, and jump category.

Slopestyle

Slopestyle is a winter sport in which students ski/snowboard down a course including a variety of obstacles including rails, jumps and other terrain park features. Points are scored for amplitude, originality and quality of tricks.

At the Victorian Interschools and the Australian Interschools Championships Skiers slopestyle is only available for Division 1, 2 and 3 competitors.

The Interschools Slopestyle courses consist of two tabletop jumps with varying levels of take-off difficulty provided on each jump. Two boxes/jib features will also be installed on the course with easier and more challenging entries onto the boxes provided.

Each competitor will have at least one training run on the course. During the allocated training time competitors may have as many training runs that the training time permits

under the starters directions. Each competitor will have two competition runs with the best of the two runs counting toward individual and team results.

Slopestyle events are judged events with no timing component. Each competitor’s run will be judged by a minimum of three judges. One head judge and two additional judges, who will each give a score out of 100 (known as an overall impression score). The final score will be the average of the three scores.

Cross - Country Classic Event

Cross-Country skiing events are a timed race over a course with all competitors starting at the same time. The classic event requires skiing using the classical technique (the diagonal technique, the double poling techniques, herring bone techniques without a gliding phase, downhill techniques and turning techniques). Single- or double-sided skating is not allowed. Competitors may be disqualified for not using the Classical technique.

Event distances are a maximum of 2.5km for classic events. Indicative division distances are as follows:

• Division 1 to 3: approximately 1.5 - 2.5km

• Division 4 and 5 Classic: approximately 1.0km

The team results are determined by placing (not times). A skier’s placing in the race becomes her points. The team with the lowest aggregate points is the winner. Three valid placings must be recorded in order to qualify for a team result.

Some points to remember when you are competing:

• It is important to consume plenty of fluids before and after the race

• The race is extremely physical and challenging but it is also fun

• Try double poling at the beginning of the race up to the point that is indicated. A mass start often sees girls falling over, just get up and keep going

• No one is allowed to assist you if you fall over at any time

• Make sure you do not skate or you will be disqualified

• If you wish to overtake someone you may call TRACK and the competitor should move aside.

Cross -Country Relay Event

The Cross-Country relay event follows the principles of a skating race and individuals are allowed to use this technique along with Skating skis to compete in this team event. However, if students only have the skills or equipment to follow the Classic principles this is also permitted on race day.

Each team is made up of three individuals: an A, B and C member who each complete the course. Changeover of skiers is accomplished only within the marked changeover zone and by body-to-body (not equipment) contact. The arriving competitor achieves the exchange, with a tap of the hand on any part of the next competitor’s body while both competitors are in the relay exchange zone.

The relay is a fun challenging team event; the students and parents love the excitement of competing together for the School team.