Introduction For many athletes the Northern Hemisphere training and competition season has already begun. Australian athletes from all four disciplines will travel overseas to train and compete in events ranging from local races through to World Cup competitions and, this season in particular the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. The SSA website will track the progress of our aspiring Winter Olympic athletes as they compete in World Cup competitions aiming to reach the Olympic qualification standards. The FIS website provides up to date competition calendar and results for all disciplines. Make sure to visit www.fisski.com to find out when the next competitions are being held. We wish all our athletes safe training and competition over the next few months in the lead up to Torino.

Olympic Team qualification update Seven Australian athletes have already achieved the AOC minimum performance standard for selection to the 2006 Australian Winter Olympic Team. The following athletes have all achieved at least 1 result in the top 20% of a World Cup field in the previous or current World Cup season, which is the highest level of automatic qualification.   Athlete Discipline Qualifying Result Alisa Camplin Freestyle – Aerials 4th Mt Buller World Cup - Sep 3 2005 Jacqui Cooper Freestyle – Aerials 2nd Mt Buller World Cup - 4 Sep 2004 Lydia Ierodiaconou Freestyle – Aerials 1st Tremblant World Cup - 9 Jan 2005 Dale Begg-Smith Freestyle – Moguls 3rd Ruka World Championships - 19 Mar 2005 Torah Bright Snowboard 3rd Bardonecchia World Cup - 11 Feb 2005 Andrew Burton Snowboard 6th Valle Nevado World Cup - 18 Sep 2005 Holly Crawford Snowboard 3rd Valle Nevado World Cup - 17 Sep 2005 Athletes from all disciplines are required to meet the FIS participation standard, the SSA Nomination Criteria and finally the AOC selection criteria prior to being named to the team. For those interested in the various selection and nomination standards, all relevant documents can be found at: http://www.skiingaustralia.org.au/2006_Winter_Olympics.asp

High Performance Alpine Development Team Last year the Australian Sports Commission assisted SSA in conducting a review of Alpine Skiing activities in this country. The High Performance Alpine Development Team (HPAD) concept was the major recommendation to come out of the review process and following extensive consultation with technical and sport programming experts we are delighted to proceed with the pilot HPAD program. The pilot program recently received unanimous endorsement from all the Alpine Ski Racing clubs, who effectively underpin the HPAD program level. Considerable work has been undertaken over the past 12 months to put in place a program design and funding model which will enable sustainable program operation at this level for many years to come. We anticipate that in 2006/2007 (next Northern Winter) the program will be funded to a level that will cover all coaching costs, effectively removing the current necessity for athletes to subsidise these costs via program fees. The HPAD program will be operated by Mike Gould, who is regarded as one of the best Australian Alpine ski racing coaches. Mike brings with him a great deal of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm and is committed to your success and to the ongoing success of this program. Seven athletes have been selected to take part in the pilot program which will train and compete in Europe beginning in November. The aim of this program is to fill the program gap in the athlete pathway between the club level and the National Team. The athletes selected for this program are:   Demian Franzen (existing National Team) Bryce Stevens (existing National Team) Will Clifford Patrick Sweeney Scott Gange Thomas Mathias Hugh Stevens Christian Geiger

New National Junior Mogul Program Announced The SSA Freestyle Committee have selected athletes to a National Junior Moguls Squad that will be based in Niseko, Japan. Of great excitement, is the announcement that four time Olympian and World Cup Mogul medal winner Adrian Costa will be Program Manager and Coach. The team of seven will train for six weeks in Japan with the opportunity to compete in local races and FIS events. The National Junior Mogul squad is an underpinning program to the SSA/NSWIS Development Mogul Team. The eight member team includes:   David Graham Eliza Graham Hugh Norton Katie Blamey Sam Hall Nat Segal Lainie Plummer David Beaumont

Cross Country National Team Update The Cross Country National Team have left for Europe to begin their campaign for Olympic selection. The first World Cup in Dusseldorf, Germany is a sprint event and will be contested by Paul Murray, Esther Bottomley and Andrew Mock. Other athletes on the team will continue their preparations for the distance events later in the season.

Snowboard Half Pipe Team Update The Snowboard Halfpipe team has had a great start to the season with Holly Crawford finishing third in the opening World Cup in Chile. Holly is now the third halfpipe athlete to reach the Olympic Team nomination standard. Holly joins Torah Bright and Andrew Burton who have already achieved the AOC standard. The team will be travelling to Saas Fee, Switzerland to compete in the next World Cup event and then to Whistler, Canada in early December.

International Competition Licences (ICL) All athletes who are planning to compete internationally must have applied for an International Competition Licence. These licences are to be used by athletes while competing overseas to prove they are a member of their National Federation, Registered with FIS (if applicable) and have appropriate insurance to compete. International Competition Licence and Insurance application forms are available on the SSA website, www.skiingaustralia.org.au

FIS Newsflash Sölden (AUT) ready to get FIS Alpine Ski World Cup underway Düsseldorf to turn into snow paradise for Cross-Country World Cup opener Sölden (AUT) a perfect host for NOKIA FIS Snowboard World Cup competitions 13th edition of Forum Alpinum in Sölden (AUT) FIS and DSV publish special book on skiing and art Please click here to find the forty-fifth edition of the FIS Newsflash

Sports Shorts Alpine Final Australia and New Zealand Cup (ANC) Standings SSA Points Cross Country Australian Team Reports 2005/06 Freestyle Camplin Stuns Medics with initial recovery Camplin to have Allograft Surgery Snowboard Australian duo takes first step toward Olympic qualification World Cup Dates Australian gains new winter sport medallist