The Kangaroo Hoppet is a long distance cross-country skiing race in Australia. It is held annually in Falls Creek, Victoria, on the fourth Saturday of August. The race debuted in 1979 and became part of Worldloppet in 1991.

Kangaroo Hoppet
Competitors massing for the start of the 2005 Kangaroo Hoppet
StatusActive
GenreSporting event
Date(s)August
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Falls Creek, Victoria
CountryAustralia
Inaugurated1979 (1979)

The event consists of three races:

  • The Kangaroo Hoppet – a 42 km race which, for the purposes of the Worldloppet, counts as a main race;
  • The Australian Birkebeiner – a 21 km race which, for the purposes of Worldloppet, counts as a short race;
  • The Joey Hoppet – a 7 km race which does not count as either a main race or a short race.

History

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Skiers in the Sun Valley loop of the Hoppet

The Kangaroo Hoppet has its origins in the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club's 21 km Australian Birkebeiner, first held in 1979 in Falls Creek. The race was based on the original Norwegian Birkebeiner. In 1989, the organisation extended the race to a 42 km race and added the 21 km race and 7 km race (originally known as the Birkebeiner Lite). The Worldloppet was then petitioned in 1990 to allow a race in the southern hemisphere, and as part of its petition the race format was changed to a freestyle event. The first race as part of the Worldloppet circuit was held in 1991.[1]

In 2024, the Kangaroo Hoppet joined Ski Classics as part of their Challenger series of cross country races,[2][3] although the race itself was cancelled a few days before it was due to take place.[4]

Cancelled events

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The race has been cancelled four times in recent years.

  • 2020: Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic (Virtual Event only).[5]
  • 2021: Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic (Virtual Event only).[6]
  • 2023: Cancelled due to lack of snow.[7]
  • 2024: Cancelled due to lack of snow.[4]

Winners

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Year Kangaroo Hoppet Australian Birkebeiner Joey Hoppet
2024 N/A N/A N/A
2023 N/A N/A N/A
2022   Peter Wolter (USA)   Noah Bradford (AUS)   Jayden Spring (AUS)
2021 N/A N/A N/A
2020 N/A N/A N/A
2019   Valerio Leccardi (SUI)   Bentley Walker-Broose (AUS)   John Mordes (AUS)
2018   Valerio Leccardi (SUI)   Nic Blackwell  (AUS)   Hugo Hinckfuss (AUS)
2017   Miles Havlick (USA)   Steve de Campo (AUS)   Fedele de Campo (AUS)
2016   Matt Gelso (USA)   Liam Burton (AUS)   Bentley Walker-Broose (AUS)
2015   Valerio Leccardi (SUI)   Damon Morton (AUS)   Jarrah Forrer (AUS)
2014   Valerio Leccardi (SUI)   Damon Morton (AUS)   Matthew Bull (AUS)
2013   Alexander Legkov (RUS)   Ilia Chernousov (RUS)   Alexey Chernousov (RUS)
2012   Alexander Legkov (RUS)   Paul Kovacs (AUS)   Hamish Roberts (AUS)
2011   Petr Novak (CZE)   Phillip Bellingham (AUS)   Damon Morton (AUS)
2010   Valerio Leccardi (SUI)   Mark Raymond (AUS)   Alistair Tutt (AUS)
2009   Ben Sim (AUS)   Nick Grimmer (AUS)   Alistair Tutt (AUS)
2008   Ben Sim (AUS)   Callum Watson (AUS)   Dyllan Harmer (AUS)
2007   Thomas Freimuth (GER)   Alex Almoukov (AUS)   Mark Pollock (AUS)
2006   Ben Sim (AUS)   Neil Van der Ploeg (AUS)   Mark Hogg (NZL)
2005   Ben Sim (AUS)   Ben Koons (NZL)   Callum Watson (AUS)
2004   Ben Derrick (AUS)   Mark Van der Ploeg (AUS)   Simon Flowers (AUS)
2003   Ben Derrick (AUS)   Ben Sim (AUS)   Neil Van der Ploeg (AUS)
2002   Stanislav Řezáč (CZE)   Dan Van der Ploeg (AUS)   Lachlan Rodd (AUS)
2001   Ben Derrick (AUS)   Ben Sim (Australia)   Andrew Cirosta (AUS)
2000   Ben Derrick (AUS)   Dan Van der Ploeg (AUS)   Nicholas Grimmer (AUS)
1999   Vitaly Tchernov (RUS)   Dan Van der Ploeg (AUS)   Peter Malcolm (AUS)
1998   Ales Vanek (CZE)   Sam Lee (NZL)   Daniel Sarri (AUS)
1997   Paul Gray (AUS)   Byung Joo Park (KOR)   Michael Evans (AUS)
1996   Johann Mühlegg (GER)   Michael Brennan (AUS)   Paul Murray (AUS)
1995   Andre Jungen (SUI)   Sean Donohue (AUS)   Andrew Slocombe (AUS)
1994   Peter Schlickenrieder (GER)   Sean Donohue (AUS)   Thomas Rassuchine (USA)
1993   Anders Aukland (NOR)   Paul Gray (AUS)   Tim Retchford (AUS)
1992   Gudmund Skjeldal (NOR)   Park Byung Chil (KOR)   Kim Woo Soup (KOR)
1991   John Aalberg (USA)   Park Byung Chil (KOR)   Tim Retchford (AUS)

Women

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Year Kangaroo Hoppet Australian Birkebeiner Joey Hoppet
2024 N/A N/A N/A
2023 N/A N/A N/A
2022   Jessie Diggins (USA)   Phoebe Cridland (AUS)   Damika Morton (AUS)
2021 N/A N/A N/A
2020 N/A N/A N/A
2019   Iris Pressey (FRA)   Ella Jackson (AUS)   Zane Evens (AUS)
2018   Barbara Jezersek (AUS)   Darcie Morton (AUS)   Zane Evens (AUS)
2017   Barbara Jezersek (AUS)   Darcie Morton (AUS)   Zane Evens (AUS)
2016   Deedra Irwin (USA)   Ella Jackson (AUS)   Maysen Duffy (AUS)
2015   Maria Graefnings (SWE)   Katerina Paul (AUS)   Darcie Morton (AUS)
2014   Valentina Shevchenko (UKR)   Casey Wright (AUS)   Gabrielle Hawkins (AUS)
2013   Marina Czernousova (RUS)   Lauren Fritz (USA)   Chisa Obayashi (JPN)
2012   Maria Graefnings (SWE)   Anna Trnka (AUS)   Jillian Colebourn (AUS)
2011   Esther Bottomley (AUS)   Anna Trnka (AUS)   Xanthea Dewez (AUS)
2010   Esther Bottomley (AUS)   Lucy Granville (AUS)   Gabriella Cigana (AUS)
2009   Katherine Calder (NZL)   Lucy Granville (AUS)   Anna Trnka (AUS)
2008   Evelyn Dong (USA)   Chloe McConville (AUS)   Lucy Glanville (AUS)
2007   Katherine Calder (NZL)   Aimee Watson (AUS)   Georgia Merritt (AUS)
2006   Natascia Leonardi-Cortesi (SUI)   Alexa Truzian (USA)   D'Arcy Baxter (AUS)
2005   Clare-Louise Brumley (AUS)   Sally Cunningham (AUS)   Jaffa Withers (AUS)
2004   Clare-Louise Brumley (AUS)   Esther Bottomley (AUS)   Chloe McConville (AUS)
2003   Belinda Phillips (AUS)   Katherine Calder (NZL)   Aimee Watson (AUS)
2002   Belinda Phillips (AUS)   Katherine Calder (NZL)   Sally Cunningham (AUS)
2001   Belinda Phillips (AUS)   Rhiannon Palmer (AUS)   Esther Bottomley (AUS)
2000   Camille Melvey (AUS)   Sandra Paul (AUS)   Esther Bottomley (AUS)
1999   Jannike Oeyen (NOR)   Deb Godsmark (AUS)   Esther Bottomley (AUS)
1998   Nadia Simak (RUS)   Natasha Coleman (AUS)   Katherine Calder (NZL)
1997   Camille Melvey (AUS)   Myung Jung Koon (KOR)   Natasha Coleman (AUS)
1996   Hanne Lahtinen (FIN)   Belinda Phillips (AUS)   Kate Spiller (AUS)
1995   Maria Theurl (AUT)   Jenny Griffiths (AUS)   Jessica Hart (AUS)
1994   Antonina Ordina (SWE)   Xeniya Maltseva (RUS)   Lynette Deschler (USA)
1993   Elena Peretyagina (RUS)   Sandra Paul (AUS)   Larissa Trease (AUS)
1992   Beatrice Grunenfelder (SUI)   Yoon Wha Ja (KOR)   Cho Eun Sook (KOR)
1991   Betsy Youngman (USA)   Miffy Cross (AUS)   Kate L'Huillier (AUS)

References

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  1. ^ "Kangaroo Hoppet: History". hoppet.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Kangaroo Hoppet – The First Ski Classics Challengers Event in Australia". SkiClassics.com. 28 April 2024. Archived from the original on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Kangaroo Hoppet Joins Ski Classics". Snow Australia. 3 July 2024. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b "The Kangaroo Hoppet is Cancelled". SkiClassics.com. 15 August 2024. Archived from the original on 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Hoppet 2020 Results". hoppet.com.au. 18 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Hoppet 2021 Results". hoppet.com.au. 18 December 2023.
  7. ^ "2023 Event Cancelled". hoppet.com.au. 5 February 2024.
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