Two Winmalee High School students were selected to compete in the NSW State Championships in Snowboard Cross after very little training.
Ryan Mulvaney (18) and Sam Patterson (17) travelled to Thredbo to take part in the event on August 23 after qualifying three weeks earlier at a regional competition which several Winmalee High students attended.
In snowboard cross, competitors race down a course between flags, with narrow turns, various types of jumps, and steep and flat sections designed to challenge the rider’s ability to stay in control while maintaining maximum speed.
At the state championships Sam placed 21st and Ryan was disqualified after an early mishap.
“I stacked it. Straight out of the gates and getting ready to race I caught the edge and fell on my face. I had to climb up the hill,” Ryan said.
“Me and Sam didn’t get any practice. Our first run was our race.
“Other schools buy lessons on how to go quicker and go down every weekend. We just show up and race.”
He said he enjoyed school trips to the snow to have fun skiing and get away from everything for a little while.
Ryan said he’d been skiing his whole life and started snowboarding three years ago.
After sitting his HSC he would like to take a gap year and make the most of the snow season in Canada and England.
