These are fun races which are great preparation for later races in the season, including Junior and Senior Championships, the Kangaroo Hoppet, and School competitions. The races are run by Howmans Gap Allstars Ski Club Inc on behalf of Ski Cross Country Victoria.
The Snow Trek & Travel High Plains Tour is a freestyle (skate or classic) race with 4 course distance on offer being 2.5 km, 5 km, 10 km, and new for 2016, a 1 km fun event to encourage participation by skiers of any age to have a try of going around an easy race course (children 10 years of age and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.) HGA races are well known for lots of spot prizes as well as age category prizes. Snow Trek & Travel in Wodonga is the place to go to purchase you ski and outdoor equipment. Another attraction this year is that by participating you will be helping to test improved electronic timing for this year’s Kangaroo Hoppet.
The YMCA Howmans Gap Victorian Relays of 2.5kms and 5kms are open to any three person teams (one classic and 2 freestyle skiers). It is fun to ski in a team, encourage your team mates and challenge other teams. Skiers do not need to be members of an organisation, but teams with members all of the same club, school or university are encouraged. Championships can only be awarded to teams who are all of the same sex and all team members being eligible for their respective age category. Race Sponsors YMCA Howmans Gap this year are providing a major prize as a spot prize to be randomly drawn for one night's accommodation for 2 people at Howmans Gap. Staying at Homans Gap provides both meals and accommodation as well as a great location and facilities, like a wax shelter in which you can prepare your skis.
All the races are scheduled to start at 11am , with the exception of Saturday’s 1km fun event which will start at 12 noon, and it will only cost $5 to enter. Race entry fees for all the other races are also low cost and are still the same entry fees as they were in 2012. Entries will be taken in the Windy Corner Day Shelter between 9 and 10am on race day, but anyone racing in the Snow Trek & Travel High Plains Tour are encouraged to please pre-register online at High Plains Tour Entries up to 8.00pm on Friday 8/7/16. After pre-registering online, on the morning of the race you will need to sign the individual pre-printed entry form that will be waiting for you, and pay your entry fees to complete your race entry.
The Snow Trek & Travel High Plains Tour is a Skike Australia 2016 Victorian Ski Chase event, which means participation in the race can enable skiers to be in the major prize draw of a set of v07 PLUS skikes, as well as Rochford wines and cash prizes for juniors, if they register for the Ski Chase, which is free. The Skike Australia 2016 Victorian Ski Chase is run by Ski Cross Country Victoria and its purpose is to encourage participation in, and grow cross country ski racing. Details at http://www.skike.com.au/victorian-ski-chase.htmlPlease, as Molly would say, “do yourself a favour” and support the races this coming weekend, and the race sponsors http://www.crosscountryskier.com.au/ and http://www.camps.ymca.org.au/locate/howmans-gap.html