Cross-country skiing : Rosie Fordham makes history for her country
On Saturday 8 February, Rosie Fordham wrote a wonderful page in the history of Australian Nordic skiing at the World Junior and U23 Cross-Country Ski Championships in Schilpario (Italy). Second in the 10-kilometreindividual skate, the 22-year-old cross-country skier won a superb silver medal. It was a first for Australia at international level.
And yet the young woman is no stranger to the international circuits. Indeed, since the start of the winter, the Australian has been competing in the World Cup, having discovered this level of competition on 26 January 2024 on the slopes of Goms (Switzerland). To date, her best result is 33rd place in the individual skate event in Lillehammer (Norway) on 6 December.
A few weeks later, in Lombardy, the rider who lives in Sidney when she moves to her native country arrived with big ambitions. Aware that she had made progress in this race format, she was hoping to shine: “Before the race, I was optimistic and I was aiming for a top 10. I’ve had some very good results in individual skateboarding this season. I saw that the course was hilly and that suits me well”, she tells Nordic Magazine.
“I felt much better than usual”.Rosie Fordham to Nordic Magazine
However, Rosie Fordham didn’t get carried away. Two days earlier, on the classic mass-start, she had broken down after having been in the leading group for a few kilometres. I knew it would be easy to explode on this course because that’s what I did on the last lap of the 20 kilometre race, where I had trouble getting up the last few bumps,” she admits. So I opted for a slightly more cautious start than usual. When I started the second lap, I was feeling much better than usual.
It was a strategy that paid off , because as the hectometres ticked by, the Australian got closer to a historic performance. “I heard that I had a good lead, so I started to realise that I could do something big. On the third lap, I heard all the guys on my team and I realised that I was still in the lead and probably in the top 5,” she says. When I got to the bottom of the climb, my team-mate told me that I was on the podium and that all I had to do was get over that climb and cross the line.
This time, the student atAbbotsleigh Highschool didn’t crack. I don ‘t think I realised I’d come second until they put the medal around my neck and I couldn’t hold back the tears on the podium,” she admits with emotion.
“We work so hard every day with very limited access to snow”.Rosie Fordham to Nordic Magazine
In the finish area, time suddenly seemed to stand still as scenes of jubilation unfolded in the Australian camp. “This medal means a lot to me and to my country. We work so hard every day with very limited access to snow. We have far fewer resources than the big teams and we have to spend the whole European winter living out of our suitcases and away from our families,” conceded the new vice-world champion. The whole cross-country skiing community in Australia supports us and is proud of everything we do. It means a lot to be able to bring home a medal from the world championships for everyone.
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