One step at a time ... Kangaroo Hoppet racers near Falls Creek.
I am slipping and sliding along a well-groomed cross-country trail near Rocky Valley Dam at Falls Creek, while young children and veterans glide past.
I've got the knee reconstruction to prove that I'm not much of a downhill skier and I'm far worse on cross-country skis.
It's sheer hard work and I have to stop every 10 minutes to rest.
This is Kangaroo Hoppet country, where at the end of the month more than 1200 cross-country skiers worldwide will front up for Australia's only internationally recognised ski race.
Elite athletes will attend, while others make it a family affair and settle for a personal best.
The race may not stop the nation but is an opportunity to get on the slopes or at least ring the cowbells from the sidelines.
What is it?
The 19th annual Kangaroo Hoppet is Australia's premier long-distance cross-country race and the opening race of the Worldloppet series of 15 international ski marathons held in Austria, Italy, Germany, Japan, Canada, the US, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, France, Norway, Estonia, the Czech Republic and Poland.
Founded in 1978, the Worldloppet Ski Federation is an international sports federation of cross-country skiing marathons.
Why do it?
Worldloppet aims to bring together cross-country skiers of all nationalities, ages and abilities to share their common love of skiing.
It is an opportunity to ski the Bogong High Plains on a well-groomed trail with six food stations, whether it takes two or six hours.
Early days
The first seven Worldloppet races were in Europe and North America in 1979 and the series has grown over the last 30 years to include events in 15 nations across four continents. It was the idea of US cross-country skier and entrepreneur Tom Kelly. The first Kangaroo Hoppet was in 1991.
The event
More than 20 nations will be represented in the race this year.
The Kangaroo Hoppet is 42 kilometres; there are also shorter options – the 21-kilometre Australian Birkebeiner and the seven-kilometre Joey Hoppet events – starting after the main event.
9.30am, August 29 at the Falls Creek Nordic Bowl.
The 42-kilometre course is a figure of eight with the start/finish area also being the halfway mark. A three-hour cut off time will apply to the first 21 kilometres of the 42-kilometre course.
Until August 28, it is $85 for adults to enter the Hoppet, $55 for the Birkebeiner and $30 for the Joey Hoppet. Prices increase on the day by $5 to $10.
YMCA Windy Corner Cross-Country Ski Centre. Adult ski hire is $40 a day or $105 for seven days, child ski hire $27 a day or $73 for seven days.
Group lessons, including ski hire and trail fees are $85 for an adult; $70 a child.
Phone 5758 3408, see camps.ymca.org.au.
Contenders
International Thomas Diezig from Switzerland is the best ranked skier in the field. He finished the 2009 Engadin Ski Marathon in 1 hour 39, in 17th place, but just 41 seconds behind the winner in a field of 12,000 skiers.
Australians Ben Sim from Cooma, the Australian distance champion and one of Australia's leading cross-country contenders for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He has had three Hoppet victories in four years. Also watch for Callum Watson from Jindabyne and his sister Aimee Watson, the top-ranked female Australian distance skier.
Sue Wallace travelled courtesy of North East Victoria Tourism.
FAST FACTS
Altezza 1570, new, luxury, self-contained, two- and four-bedroom apartments sleeping up to 12. Two-bedroom apartment that sleeps six $1820 in peak season. See altezza1570.com. At Huski, there are 14 luxury apartments and studios, a great food-produce store and spa. Two-bedroom apartment that sleeps six $2280. See huski.com.au.
Ski season bus service between Melbourne and Falls Creek, see www.fallscreekcoachservice.com.au.
Kangaroo Hoppet, phone 5754 1045, see hoppet.com.au; fallscreek.com.au.
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