Kangaroo Hoppet 2007

August 29, 2007

Blue skies and practically no wind characterized the situation at the opening of the 2007-2008 Worldloppet season at Falls Creek on August 25. Three events took place, Kangaroo Hoppet (42 km), Australian Birkebeiner (21 km) and Joey Hoppet (7 km). This was the 17th edition of the race. It is to be noted that Kangaroo Hoppet has never been cancelled, one of only three Worldloppet races together with Keskinada Loppet and Sapporo Ski Marathon that can boast this happy score.

During the preceding week the track was usually icy and super-fast in the morning, becoming sloppy in the afternoon with temperatures approaching 10°C. The night before the race it had not been cold enough and the snow was soft, making the skiing on the race day more and more heavy with the progression of time. Most citizen skiers needed one hour more than in 2005 on exactly the same course.

Although the snow was abundant, one section of the second loop of the eight-figure that the race normally follows posed problems and the organizers adopted the solution of two identical 21 km laps. After the start in the Nordic Bowl the track made a 7 km loop in Sun Valley, crossed the dam wall and went up along the Rocky Valley dam until Watchbed Creek where the famous Paralyzer begins. This is a long climb to the Bogong High Plains on which there are some descents and a climb that seems steep to citizen skiers. The descent back to the dam wall is the famous Blade Runner zigzagging between eucalyptus trees. The sloppy snow made the second lap much slower than the first, but the Blade Runner was easier to negotiate than when the snow is icy and fast. We heard some skiers say that they wished there had been more wind to cool them down. Australian Birkebeiner was one 21 km lap and Joey Hoppet contained only the Sun Valley loop.

There were skiers from 21 foreign countries. It seems that the most numerous groups came from Finland (more than 30) and Estonia (23). These groups spent a couple of weeks in Australia before and/or after the race.

Elisabeth Renaud from France made her 14th Worldloppet race and qualified for the new distinction of Global Worldloppet Skier.

Kangaroo Hoppet had 356 finishers, 273 men and 83 women.

Australian Birkebeiner had 327 finishers, 164 men and 163 women.

Joey Hoppet had 337 finishers, 143 men and 194 women.

The female participation was surprisingly high: 23% in Kangaroo Hoppet, 50% in Australian Birkebeiner and 58% in Joey Hoppet. These are record numbers, practically twice the numbers in any other Worldloppet race.

A nice reception for Worldloppet passport holders was organized at Howmans Gap. It was offered by Kangaroo Hoppet and Howmans Gap, some private persons donated wine bottles.

We give hereafter some results of IAWLS members, or their family members.

Kangaroo Hoppet   (winner’s time 1.46.57)

• McLennan Robyn          AUS     5.22.24
• Shipperlee Naomi          AUS     5.22.24
• Palliser Robert               CAN     3.02.08
• Mäkinen Tarja               FIN    5.44.37
• Luce Joseph               FRA      5.51.06
• Sasaki Muneo               JPN 4.17.46
• Jasiewicz Jan                 SUI       4.16.59
• Berggren Tommy           SWE     2.48.54
• O’Connell James           USA     5.05.43

Australian Birkebeiner   (winner’s time 53.53)

• Miller John                    AUS     2.36.12
• Nguyen Nhan                AUS     3.06.51

Joey Hoppet (winner’s time 17.22)

• Cranage Norma                 AUS 1.35.44
• Currie Robert (80 years) AUS 2.02.59
• Jortikka Anneli                  AUS 46.43
• Jortikka Mika                   AUS 45.54
• Joanblanq Xavier              FRA   32.26
• Joanblanq Patrick             FRA   53.22
• Smoreda Jolanta               POL   34.31

This page was last revised on January 19, 2008