NSWIS ready for Australia’s first ever Asian Winter Games

For the first time ever Australian athletes will be competing in the Asian Winter Games when the Games are hosted in Sapporo this month.

In this history making Australian team will be four NSWIS athletes, all looking forward to representing their country between February 19 and 26.

Here is a little more about the Team NSWIS athletes we’ll be cheering on in Japan:

Jakara Anthony

Age: 18

Discipline: Freestyle Mogul Skiing

Hometown? I live in Barwon Heads, Victoria

When did you start skiing? I started skiing when I was 4 years old at Mt Buller

What is your biggest strength when it comes to your sport? I think one of my strengths is that I’m quite consistent with my skiing. I can always put down a run on a course and can adapt to new conditions relatively well.

What is your ambition for 2017? This year I want to get my skiing and jumping to a point where I can consistently make finals at World Cup level and even get it to the point where I would be in contention to make a super final.

What has been your biggest sporting achievement so far? My biggest sporting achievement so far was coming 11^th at the 2017 Calgary World Cup. This was my first World Cup finals and also my most recent result.

Who is your sporting hero and why? My sporting hero is Hannah Kearney. She is a retired mogul skier who was almost unbeatable. To this day she is still one of the best mogul skiers I’ve seen and I would love to be as good as her one day.

How does it feel to be part of the first Australian team to compete at an Asian Winter Games? It’s really exciting! This is going to be a really good event to compete in in the lead up to the Winter Olympic Games. It will have a very similar atmosphere to what I imagine the Olympics will be like.

Cooper Woods

Age: 16

Discipline: Freestyle Mogul Skiing

Hometown? Pambula Beach

When did you start skiing? I started skiing at the age of 11

What is your biggest strength? My biggest strength in my sport would be my jumping, with high difficulty tricks.

What is your ambition for 2017? To compete as best as I can and train as hard as I can and also have fun!

What has been your biggest sporting achievement so far? Qualifying for the Deer Valley World Cup and the Asian Winter Games.

Who is your sporting hero and why? Matt Graham because he shows amazing attitudes towards training and works hard to become the best.

How does it feel to be part of the first Australian team to compete at an Asian Winter Games? It’s such an amazing honour to represent Australia in our first Asian Winter Games. It’s so surreal and so exciting! Can’t wait, should be fun.

Jackson Bursill

Age: 23

Discipline: Cross Country Skiing

Where is your hometown? Sydney, NSW

When did you start skiing / snowboarding? Age 3 was my first experience on skis but I didn’t start cross country skiing until age 12.

What is your biggest strength when it comes to your sport? I’d like to think that I’ve got good race tactics in the head to head sprint races. Picking the best place to race from in the pack.

What is your ambition for 2017? To translate the gains I’ve made in training into results.

What has been your biggest sporting achievement so far? The biggest achievement would be representing Australia at the FIS Nordic World Championships in Sweden in 2015, racing in front of tens of thousands of people and giving it everything I had.

Who is your sporting hero and why? Roger Federer; all class. Plays with precision, skill and humility.  He’s also got a great sense of humour. There’s a lot any athlete can learn from the way he conducts himself. 

How does it feel to be part of the first Australian team to compete at an Asian Winter Games? It’s exciting to be part of Australia’s first team to compete in the AWGs. I can’t wait to get on the track and push my limits.

Holly Crawford

Age: 32

Discipline: Snowboard Halfpipe

Where is your hometown? Sydney

When did you start skiing / snowboarding? The mid 90’s

What is your biggest strength when it comes to your sport? Experience

What is your ambition for 2017? To enjoy what I do and Qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

What has been your biggest sporting achievement so far? Winning the World Championships in 2011 alongside NSWIS teammate Nate Johnstone.

Who is your sporting hero and why? Andrew Burton, cos he’s a legend!

How does it feel to be part of the first Australian team to compete at an Asian Winter Games? I’m always very proud to represent my country and look forward to supporting a largely Rookie team!

Sophie Ash

Age: 20

Discipline: Freestyle Skiing

Where is your hometown? Melbourne, Victoria.

When did you start skiing / snowboarding? I started skiing when I was 3 years old; my parents put me in Mt. Buller Ski School. It was in 2011 that I started mogul skiing.

What is your biggest strength when it comes to your sport? I consider my airs to be my strongest quality. Growing up, I did Gymnastics, Diving, Tumbling and trampolining. I found these sports helped me develop the aerial awareness I have today. I was the first female Australian mogul skier to do a Back full and a D-spin on snow and the first Australian to perform a back full in a mogul competition. I plan to do a D-spin and Back full in competition someday.

What is your ambition for 2017? My aim for this year is to work on my Back full and D-spin technique. I plan to compete these airs at a high level in competition.

What has been your biggest sporting achievement so far? My biggest Sporting achievement would have to be the 5^th place I got at the Calgary North American Cup Mogul event.

Who is your sporting hero and why? My sporting hero would have to be Elisa Kurylowicz. She was the first female to do a Backfull. I’m also trying to perfect this jump, her skill and determination to compete it when do one else did is just awesome.

How does it feel to be part of the first Australian team to compete at an Asian Winter Games? I feel very honoured to compete in the Asian Winter Games. It has always been my dream to represent Australia in a sport that I love.  It will be a good experience that will prepare me for future competitions.