President’s Message

Dear All,

Welcome to the winter edition of Cold Facts.  So far we have been lucky with good early falls of snow.  ‘The Link’ and ‘Interceptor’ were again in operation for the school holidays, which negated the need for the shuttle bus and ski tube to transfer skiers to Perisher and Blue Cow.  Most lifts are now operating throughout the resort and while the cover was a bit thin in parts towards the end of last week, more falls are expected as this edition of Cold Facts goes to print.  The replacement of the duplex with the new 8-seater chairlift in Perisher Valley has really improved lifting capacity and opened up the slopes for skiers there.  We welcomed some new kids to the development program and hopefully some of these will commit and progress to the advanced squads.  Congratulations to all seven youngsters who competed in the Perisher Cup and acquitted themselves well against some of Australia ’s best as reported further on in this edition.  Thanks to Mike Edmondson, who gave up 3 afternoons to come up and train our advanced squad in cross-country technique as he has done now for several years.  This has paid off for at least one, with Lauren Dimilia coming 5th overall in the divisional Interschool competition and being invited to join the NSW training team.  All in all, during the school holidays, we had some great skiing from all our youngsters and it is really gratifying to see how they have developed under the club programs.

 John Pihlman, as most are aware, is back again cooking up some great meals.  His new partner Beata (pronounced Bayer for short) is settling in well and providing really good support for John.  This was obviously not lost on John as the partnership has been further secured by the announcement of their engagement on Thursday 17 July. In true Illawarra spirit, we made sure the event was celebrated starting after dinner with champagne and a fine rendition of “For They Are Jolly Good Fellows” and finishing up late that evening little worse for wear.  We wish them both well for the future.

 We have managed to maintain last year’s good standard of cask wine and notice that more of it is being consumed as a result.  Not that this is a bad thing as wine is known to have definite medicinal benefits and we do promote a healthy membership at Illawarra.  However, the wine is provided for dinner only and we ask that in order to help us maintain adequate stocks for the whole season, that the wine does not become an integral part of the after dinner proceedings.

Hut Captain’s please note that we rely on your reports to maintain a state of awareness and preparedness for events that may have a negative impact on the lodge functions. Please do your best to ensure that reports are filled out at the end of your stay and given to John P.  The replacement hut captain should be made aware of any matter of significance that might affect lodge functions.  While we are on the subject, the drinks fridge in the Lounge room did function normally after some adjustment and a can of Aerogard has been ordered to remove the current warning on the outside. Notwithstanding this, it is old and may be unreliable and so we warn people using the fridge that it is probably best not to put your whole load in until such time as we get a suitable and more reliable replacement.

 We have now set up a ‘For Sale’ section on the club website.  There is plenty of room to advertise, so please take the opportunity to clean out some of your obsolete gear and maybe help someone else get set up or just get some cash towards new gear for yourself.  People wishing to sell or buy gear can now do this by referring directly to the website or by contacting Phil Warren directly on 0402 280227.

 While we have good preliminary bookings, there are still vacancies available and healthy occupancy is the best way to maintain economic viability of the lodge.  So if you are thinking of heading down, contact Karen Irvine or her able bodied assistant, Fiona Montgomery on 02 9908 1464.

Best wishes for the rest of the snow season.

Stephen Ainge

From the Booking Officer

It's now almost half-way through the season, and bookings are fairly solid right through to late September, which is fantastic.  There are a few beds available here and there, so if you have a couple of days to spare (particularly mid-week), and the snow is looking good or John's cooking is calling, give me a call or check the website and see what's available.  

I've had a couple of queries about "spare" bunks in the lodge when the lodge is meant to be full.  Now that we have double bunks plus the single upper bunks in a lot of the rooms, there is more flexibility in the room allocation.  If two people are happy to share a double bed, we can allocate three people (usually 2 adults and a child) to a room which is nominally a two-bunk room, which leaves a spare bunk in another room.  However, we are restricted not by the number of bunks but by our licence conditions, which specify no more than 32 guests on any given night.  So even though some bunks may not be slept in, if there are 32 people in the lodge it is full. The only exception to this is that children under 5 don't get counted in the numbers, so occasionally we have 33 or even 34 people booked in, but that's getting very sardine-like.

 If you would like to try booking over the web but aren't sure of your ID and password, drop me an email and I'll send back your details for next time.

 I was pleased to hear that some time-honoured traditions such as Moriarty are being maintained, and a whole new generation is learning how to whack other people on the head with a rolled-up newspaper. My spies tell me that during the school holidays two of the combatants had agreed to only tap each other lightly (definitely not in keeping with the spirit of the game), so while they were both blindfolded a provocateur stepped in and gave one of them a resounding wallop, and after that there wasn't any holding back.

 Please enjoy the rest of the season, and travel safely.

Karen Irvine

From the Club Captain

Race Update - July 2003

This will be short as not a lot has happened at this stage of the season.

During the two weeks of the school holidays we had a number of new children join in a basic race selection program conducted through the Smiggins Ski School . The children were found to be all around the same standard and from this exercise we will select a number to take part in a more extensive program at Blue Cow in 2004. I will be talking to these families during the season.  My thanks go to the families involved.

 Our Advanced group took to the hills at Blue Cow under the guidance of Heidi Ainge and I believe had a successful week which included some of our racers taking part in Interschool races at both Blue Cow and Thredbo. A number took part in the "Perisher Blue Children's Cup 2003" with great results from all our races, I'll will say no more as Jarvis Fletcher witnessed the race and will add to my notes with some of the results.

 I am finding the legal paperwork associated with the seasons racing is becoming overwhelming and as from 2004 it will be the responsibility of each member to contact me and let me know what race events they will be taking part in during the season and I will send them the necessary forms. It will mean NO FORMS, NO RACE.  These forms will need to be completed some two weeks before each event and that will be the cut off point for all entries. I will get back to you with more on this in early 2004.

Remember our Bowl Aug 2, Senior Interclub Aug 9, IAC Champs Aug 30, Junior Interclub Sept 13. 

 See you all at the Lodge.

Tim Lee

Junior Race Training Week

The second week of the school holidays began with a welcome snowfall to commence a great week of skiing and camaraderie.  Over half of those at the lodge were between the ages of 12 and 17, and it was excellent to see the friendships continue to grow between these children who will no doubt be good friends and ski together for many years to come.

 The major news of the week was the announcement that John and Beata became engaged and we all wish them a long and happy future together.  They are doing a great job as the management team and we look forward to many more delicious meals during the season.

Tony Di Milia did a sterling job as Hut Captain and kept everyone humoured at the same time.  It was good to see the Flannerys down at this time of year, even though George’s mate Andrew once preferred to sleep on the toilet than in his bed J. Michael’s rum must have been good, ay boys?  Other newcomers to this week were the Milners and Latters, who with the Harvey children, had lessons to trial for opportunities in the junior training team next year.

 Mike Edmondson once again put in the time and effort for three afternoons to train our juniors in cross country techniques.  Thanks Mike.  His many years of help are definitely paying off, as Lauren Di Milia and her school cross country team won first place in the Interschools Southern Division races at Perisher during the week.

 The main alpine training however was conducted at Blue Cow by Heidi Ainge of the Race Dept for our top seven junior racers.  On the final Sunday of the week everyone except Annika Sturday raced in the Perisher Blue Children’s Cup at Guthega.  The Perisher Blue Children’s Cup saw over 150 of NSW best junior racers assemble to compete, including nine Illawarra Alpine Club members. Annika raced at Thredbo in the Interschools Sydney Zone and placed a very creditable 6th overall female against many three years her senior.  Well done Annika.

 It was very pleasing to see that each and every one of Illawarra’s entrants did a great job to complete both runs and record good times, whilst many others around them could not even finish the course.  The results of our competitors are shown below in order of best combined times for the two runs, including their position in the various age groups. 

 Perisher Blue Children’s Cup Results

Lucy Ainge           45.92s - 1st U14 F 1st overall female & 2nd overall (M+F)

An incredible result, well done Lucy !!!

Heidi Ainge           50.38  - 1st Open Female     7th overall female

Gavan Fletcher     52.16  - 1st J2 Male                10th overall male

Andrew Dengate  53.78  - 5th J1 Male

Lyndsey Ainge    61.79  - 7th J1 Female             2nd Most Consistent J1 Female

Alexis Dengate     62.26  - 2nd U12 Female         Fantastic result - look out girls!

Brittany Ainge      62.63  - 18th U14 Female

Lauren Dimilia       64.55  - 8th J1 Female             3rd Most Consistent J1 Female

Carrin Dimilia        66.90  - 9th U12 Female

These are very commendable results considering the class of racers who competed from both the Perisher Blue and Thredbo Ski Racing Clubs.  Congratulations to you all and best of luck in the remainder of races you will be competing in for the rest of the season.  We’re all proud of you.

Jarvis Fletcher

End of Season Function

Still waiting for a reply from Snow Country as to their decision on a combined party. Spoke with Steve Matthews July 13th and he hasn't got back to me yet.  The date and venue will still be the same.  October 11^th, Nth Wollongong Surf Club.  Same venue as last year.  Cost is not yet decided and no theme either due to the above mentioned.  That should be in place by  next issue.

Phil Warren

Other News

Our talented members

Club Member Jennifer Condon who is in her second year of a Bachelor of Music Studies (Piano) at the Sydney Conservatorium has been chosen as the Conductor for the Sydney University Madrigal Society's production of the opera "Tales of Hoffman".  The performances are at the Seymour Centre at Sydney University on 19th and 20th of September.  Earlier this year she was the Assistant Conductor for the Melbourne City Opera Company's "La Boheme".  Jennifer studies conducting with Maestro Vladimir Vais in Melbourne in addition to her Conservatorium studies.

Margaret Fletcher

Congratulations to Bill Lovegrove and Helen Garnett, recently appointed as Vice-Chancellors of the University of Southern Queensland and Charles Darwin University , respectively. A reliable source informs me that it is their intention to channel much of their university’s future research into studies to increase winter snowfalls. Is this a bold move by Illawarra Alpine Club to take over the full resources of their Sports Science Departments, to enhance the performances of our Club Racers?  I am sure that all Club members would like to wish them every success in their new positions.

Leon Kane-Maguire

Shuttle service

Unfortunately Mick is NOT operating out of Sponars, as reported in last issue of COLD FACTS, but is still operating his shuttle service only from Sawpit this year

 This means you can still drive all the way into Smiggins/Perisher and have your car looked after for you for either the week or even the weekend.

 Please contact Mick on his mobile (0412 045 894) for latest service options and charges.

Editor

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Stranded

One day this guy, who has been stranded on a desert island all alone for ten years, sees an unusual speck on the horizon.

 "It's certainly not a ship," he thinks to himself. As the speck gets closer and closer, he begins to rule out the possibilities of a small boat, then even a raft.

 Suddenly this drop-dead gorgeous brunette woman wearing a wet suit and scuba gear emerges from the surf.  She approaches the stunned guy and says to him,

 "Tell me, how long has it been since you've had a cigarette?"

 "Ten years" replies the stunned man.

 With that, she reaches over and unzips a waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a pack of fresh cigarettes. He takes one, lights it and takes a long drag and says, "Man oh man! Is that ever good!"

 "And how long has it been since you've had a sip of bourbon?" she asks him.

 Trembling, the castaway replies: "Ten years!"

 She reaches over, unzips her waterproof pocket on her right sleeve pulls out a flask and hands it to him. He opens the flask, takes a long swig and says, "Wow, that's absolutely fantastic!"

 At this point, she starts slowly unzipping the long zipper that runs down the front of her wet suit, looks at him seductively and asks, "And how long has it been since you've played around?"

 With tears in his eyes the guy falls to his knees and says, "Oh sweet Jesus! Don't tell me you've got golf clubs in there too!"