The New South Wales Institute of Sport/ Ski & Snowboard Australia Continental Cup mogul ski team has commenced its on snow phase of the 2005 domestic winter season, A new team was selected in May including a number of returning scholarship holders from last year along with a several new faces added. Returning is Andrew Sirianni and Robert Lovick from Mt Buller, Philippa O’Donnell from Mt Hotham, Davina Williams, Sam Hall and Ramone Cooper from Perisher Blue and new team members David Graham and Emma Chapman- Davies from the Perisher Blue Winter Sports Club mogul team who have successfully made the transition to the next level.

For the past 2 months the team has been working hard on individual dryland training programs provided by sports scientist Alex Moore from the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation as well as mental preparation skill’s from Sports Psychologist Mark Gribble from the New South Wales Institute of Sport in Sydney.

Perisher Blue ski resort will this season, play host to some of the best mogul skiers in the world when training commences on the new FIS homologated world cup moguls course “Toppa’s Dream” this winter.

Teams from Sweden, Finland, Japan and Great Britain including athletes from the US and Canada will be honing their skills on Australia’s newest world cup moguls course in preparation for the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy 2006

Over 35 world cup athletes will be training at Perisher during the months of July, August and September including Finland’s legendary Janne Lahtela (gold medalist, Salt Lake City 2002), Sami Mustonen (Bronze Nagano 1998- 2005 World Championships silver medalist), Mikko Ronkainen (4th world cup grand prix 2005, 2 World Championship gold medals in 2001 + 2003), Japan’s Tae Satoya (Gold- Nagano Olympic games 1998- Bronze medalist Deer Valley Olympic games 2002), Aiko Uemura (7th women’s world cup grand prix 2005- 4th singles, 3rd Duals world championships 2005)

Canadians Jennifer Heil (1st women’s world cup grand prix champion 2005- 1st duals, 5th singles women’s world championships 2005), and PA Rousseau (10TH men’s world cup grand prix 2005) and from the USA Toby Dawson (5th singles, 1st duals world championships 2005- 7th men’s world cup grand prix 2005, 2nd world cup overall 2004) and Travis Mayer (5th Men’s world cup grand prix 2005- Silver medallist 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games).

Our own OWIA and NSWIS- SSA mogul teams including world number 2 Dale Begg Smith will also take to the snow throughout the winter ensuring the standard on show is at a level never before seen in Australia. Make sure you get to Perisher Blue and see how the best mogul skiers in the world train….you will not be disappointed!

You can cheer on the Australian athletes and watch them compete head to head against these champions during the Land Rover freestyle continental cup mogul competition in Perisher Blue on August 19 and 20 on Toppa's dream!