For the first time since 2011, Sydney Uni has won the 2015 Snow Uni Games Overall Champion title.
Held in Thredbo, 23-27 August, USYD finished up with an impressive medal haul of 8 gold, 5 silver and 9 Bronze.
Sydney Uni women alone clinched a solid 5 of our gold medals to claim the Sports craft Cup as Overall Women’s Champions, with Alex Pilat awarded the Female Freestyle champion.
In 2015 a new system of awarding the combined teams trophy was put in place, with the University that won the most gold medals for both men and women being able to claim the overall champion.
The Games kicked off on Sunday night with Freestyle and Snowboard rails on Friday flat.
In freestyle women, Emily Jackson and Kate Walsh made the Final top six, finishing 4th and 6th respectively. Meanwhile, EAP athlete James Matheson took fourth place to finish 0.4 points off a bronze medal in the men’s division.
Charlie Phillips claimed USYD’s first Gold medal on the snowboard slopes. Coming into the top six seeded first, with a sloppy second run, he had done enough in his first to claim gold by .05. Honorable mentions to Lindsay Alexander and Will Townsend for making the final top six. The women’s snowboarders also held strong, with Amy Gojnich taking a respectable 10th.
Monday morning action started with Giant Slalom. In Alpine women, Alex Pilat won gold, Phoebe Wood bronze and Alexandra banks rounded out the top ten. There was a clean sweep for Alpine men, with Tom Lewis securing gold, Xander Jackman with Silver and his brother Nick taking bronze. USYD had six of the top ten finishes in the event which was the most dominant display of any event by a single university. Ex Team Captain, Alex Podgorski, took 4th, Max Lloyd 7th and current team Captain, Martin Schuitema, finished 8th. Snowboard continued with Andrew Richardson claiming the bronze medal.
Monday evening saw cross country on Friday flat. For our individual women, Jillian Coleburn picked up bronze, and Beatrice Study claimed 9th . The relay team also made the podium with a bronze. Individually Sydney Uni men did not place in the top ten, however the relay team picked up 5th place.
Tuesday belonged to the skiers with Alpine Slalom and Moguls. USYD has a strong showing, with Tom Lewis taking the Silver, Nick Jackman bronze, Alex Podgorski 5th, Max Lloyd 6th and Jim Liddle 10th. Our women also proved dangerous, with Alex Pilat taking Gold, Alexandra Banks 5th, Jessie Burns 7th and Josephine Dooley 10th.
In Moguls, EAP athelete James Matheson was the highest ranked student finishing 5th. While EAP athlete Maddi Himbury took gold from UNSW who placed Students from 2nd to 5th.
Wednesday was all about Border and Skier Cross. Amy Gojnich was our highest placed student with 9th for Boarder Cross women. In the men’s, Will Townsend took out silver and Richard Anderson 4th.
Skier Cross women representatives, Phoebe wood, Emma Sykes and Saskia Hartog claimed 2nd, 5th and 10th respectively. A solid effort for skier cross men too as Jim Liddle took bronze, behind two Olympians, and Alex Podgorski getting 10th.
With three Gold medals needed from the final eight events to guarantee Sydney Uni the title, Thursday was the day to bring everything, and we our athletes did not disappoint. Kicking off with Super G and Slopestyle, Phoebe Wood took Gold, Alex Pilat bronze, Jessie burns 9th and Alexandra Banks 10th. Another strong showing for the men, Tom Lewis won bronze, Alex Podgorski 4th, Max Lloyd 6th, Jim Liddle 7th and Aonghus Stevens 10th. Snowboarders, Amy Gojnich and Alice Hewitt clinched silver and 10th respectively in the Super G Women, while Andrew Richardson took Gold and Lindsay Alexander 9th for men.
The closing afternoon was not short of success, with Genevieve Martin taking Bronze in Freestyle Slopestyle and James Allworth placed 4th for men. Meanwhile, Snowboard Slopestyle men’s Charlie Philips claimed gold with Sam Hodson 7th, Lindsay Alexander 8th and Will Townsend 10th.
Congratulations to everyone who made this outstanding result possible.
