Sochi Olympians Sami Kennedy-Sim and Alex ’Chumpy’ Pullin both secured double victories in pristine conditions at the Australian New Zealand Cup events at Mount Hotham last weekend.

After wins at the first two Ski Cross Australia NZ Cup races at Mount Buller in early July, Kennedy-Sim matched that result in Hotham for a clean sweep of the series.

With the World Cup season kicking off in December, the 29-year-old is using this season to iron out any kinks in her performance to ensure she is in an optimal state during the Olympic qualification period.

“I was using the Hotham ANC race to try and apply the technical changes I have made in training, into the race environment,” the Sydney-sider said.

“Some things worked and others did not - the best training for racing is racing!”

In both races at Hotham, Nikol Kucherova of the Czech Republic won silver, and USA’s Mazie Harden rounded out the podium in third.

Lily Speiser was the next best placed Aussie, finishing sixth in Race 1 and fifth in Race 2.

In the men’s Ski Cross events, New Zealander Jamie Prebble took out Race 1, followed by USA’s Tyler Wallasch and Brant Crossan in second and third. Robbie Marrison was the first placed Aussie in fifth place.

Race 2 saw Wallasch increase his standing to take home gold, followed by fellow American Erik Sparkowski and Australia’s Doug Crawford in third.

The weekend’s competition wraps up the Southern Hemisphere season for Kennedy-Sim.

“I now enter a big strength and conditioning block, and then depart for Europe at the end of the month to train alongside the Canadian team.

“World Cup season kicks off early December so I am looking forward to that,” she said.

In the men’s Snowboard Cross events, Chumpy added his two gold medals to his gold and bronze from the first Australia NZ Cup races in July.

Fellow PyeongChang 2018 hopefuls Matt Thomas and Adam Lambert rounded out the podium respectively in both races.

In the women’s events, the field opened up with top riders Belle Brockhoff and Georgia Baff sidelined due to injury.
17-year-old Emily Boyce took out both races, followed by Christina Taylor in second and Georgia Crisp in third.

Pullin and his fellow PyeongChang 2018 hopefuls will now join Australian teammate Jarryd Hughes in Argentina for the first World Cup event from 8-10 September.

Georgia Thompson
olympics.com.au

Triple World Cup gold medallist Belle Brockhoff is back on her snowboard at Mt Buller doing what she loves best after her awaited return-to-snow came to fruition today.

Anyone who follows Belle on twitter or Instagram will know how excited the world number three is to be back on snow following a knee surgery in January, which cut her season short before the World Championships and final World Cup.
 
“I see snowboarding days approaching! ,” an excited Brockhoff said in the countdown to today’s return.

“I’ve never been sent home for injury before and it’s been five months off snow. Longest time ever,” Brockhoff told OWIA.   

“This is the first time on snow since my crash at the world champs in Spain in March this year. I’m so excited.”

The Sochi Olympian was in the hunt to take last season’s world number one spot when she crashed at the World Championships in March, leaving the coveted Crystal Globe to her competitors.

Immediate surgery to her right knee required a full ACL reconstruction with the hamstring then a dedicated five months rehabilitation.

“It is what it is and you try your best,” a philosophical Brockhoff said. “I’ve had knee issues for a few years but I’m really happy now.”

“I’m making sure that I’m over prepared – making sure I have more icing on the cake. I told everyone on the day I had the injury that I would come back stronger.”
 
“Every weak point on my body is being worked on and mentally I feel stronger now too,” she added.
 
Brockhoff is more than satisfied with where she is currently at and has added meditation into her schedule.
 
“I’ve been right into meditation during the last few months. Tom Hammond (OWIA psychologist) has helped me fine-tune it.”
 
The 2016/17 season was a personal best for Australia’s queen of Snowboard Cross, starting out with two Europa Cup victories then capturing two World Cup golds (Austria and Bulgaria) and a silver in Germany before her crash in January.

Despite not being able to compete in the final World Cup, Brockhoff scored enough points to be awarded the World number three spot.  

“Looking back, it was a personal best and with a knee injury. Snowboard Cross is incredibly hard and I’m really excited being World number three and making history doing so back-to-back.”

“Last season was a learning curve for me. I had the leader jersey for most of the season, which was really awesome. My main rival grabbed it off me at the last World Cup but it’s still nice coming into the Games with a target on your back.”

Ashley Merkur, OWIA Medical Services & Rehabilitation Manager says Brockhoff is on track.

“Belle has been meticulous in her rehab so far and has moved onto the next phase now by returning to snow. She will continue to steadily progress her training over the next couple of months,” Merkur advises.

Making Australian sporting history is high on Brockhoff’s agenda.

She is aiming for her first 2017/18 First World Cup at Montafon, Austrai in mid-December and a good run-up to PyeongChang.

“When I ride my best on the day I can come away with a medal,” she said. “It’s not easy either. All the competitors will be training their arses off too.”

 “You see the same people, same routine, but we get two training days instead and a lot more media.”

“There’s a lot of waiting between features in the PyeongChang course, which doesn’t work well with the winds there and causes a lot of drafting and waiting.”

“’Conditions affect the strategy. If it’s a big head wind, it’s a bit tricky – you’ve got to plan it right.”

“I’m not one to stay in the start gate. I like to rev up and go. I’m not going to rely on others to do the work for me while I sit behind (drafting).”

The Olympic Village atmosphere is one she is looking forward to, having experienced it at Sochi where she came away with an eighth place.  

“You get to know your Australian team. It’s actually really cool.”

“The World Cups are like a big family on tour and we just see our own team but when we go to the Games we get to see the other sports.”

Brockhoff has already created Australian Snowboard Cross history but she has a lot more in store.

“I have another ten years in me after this Olympics and I want to bring the younger generation of snowboard cross riders with me. What I do will filter down to the younger riders,” she said.   

“I want them to try and beat me and I will do everything I  an for them to overtake me. I want the girls to beat me because it only betters me. There are no secrets and I don’t hide anything. I won’t hold anything back from the younger generation because I want them to have the information.”

“It’s important because one day (not any time soon) when I retire from the sport, who is going to keep it going for the females?”  

Brockhoff’s credits the driving desire to encourage other Australians to join her on the podium to her mother, Kristine.
“Mum has brought me up to help others. Sharing is caring. That not only makes you a better person but a better athlete,” Brockhoff said.  
 
There’s been no lazing around between rehab sessions over the past five months. Belle has also been busy expanding her unisex clothing brand Yuzoko, which is the combination of two Japanese words meaning ‘snow’ and ‘family’.

 “I’ve always loved to go to Japan snowboarding and I liked the sound of the two words together,” she explained.

The online clothing brand was founded in 2016 and launched in April 2017 and includes long sleeve shirts, tank tops and T-shirts.  

“We wanted high-quality products that endure, look good and have a design simplicity. Yuzoko.com is about good fabric with not overly complicated design that can take a lot of washing, gym work outs and be really tough.”  

“I’m learning how to market, seeing what works what doesn’t.”
 

Australia’s ski fields have taken on a glow this week as the snow continues to dump and our winter athletes revel in the improved training conditions.  

Snowboard Cross World Cup medallist and Sochi Olympian Jarryd Hughes has been training in Thredbo and took to social media saying the latest falls have produced “possibly some of the best snow I have ever had in Australia.”

The 22-year-old Sydney-sider is ramping up his training ahead of the first World Cup this season in Argentina in early September.

“I’m pretty excited about the coming season – actually very excited to be healthy. That’s a big plus for me,” Hughes said.
“This is my first season without knee surgery – yahoo.”

Hughes has had five surgeries on his left knee in previous seasons, but this year is different.

“I’ve spent hours this winter getting fit in the gym. Up to eighteen sessions a week and working with ex Waratah Hall of Famer Tom Carter.”

“I came out of last season with a not-so-great World Championship result that I was not really happy about. The World Cup silver (in Feldberg, Germany in February 2017) was great, but you’re never going to be happy with second. I want to be first – that’s why I train so hard.”

Hughes’ off season has included training Waratah and Wallaby Rugby Union players and picking up some cross-training tips from Olympic Kayakers – a sport Hughes has enjoyed this year.

“I’ve been focussing on my sport full-time this year and knuckling down and been very fortunate that I get to work with many Olympians,” he said. “Sport is sport and I enjoy different sports. It’s all about how you deal with the pressure.”

Snowboard Cross is all about racing. Four people against each other vying for the top two places to eventually advance to a four-man final where anything can happen.

On his favoured NSW snowfields, Hughes has made the best of improved conditions.

“Getting in training runs with other riders such as Josh Miller, Adam Lambert and Adam Dickson is good. I’m making sure I rehab correctly and that I’m not missing a step.”

Hughes credits his father and coaches for his success to date.

"Dad tries to make as many World Cups as he can. he's a big part of the team and a big reason why I've been able to gather the success that I have."

Along with coaches Rob Fagan, John Shelley and Ross Dunlop, Hughes is confident.

“We do as much as we can and train to make sure those instincts (on race day) are correct.”

“The moment my hands get on that start gate, my instincts kick in.”

By Belinda Noonan
OWIA