Air Force has beaten Army and Navy to win the annual interservice Nordic skiing and biathlon competition, Exercise Coolshot 2025, repeating the breakthrough victory of 2023.
Held at the Whiskey Flat Biathlon Range near Mt Hotham from August 10 to 22, the event attracted about 100 competitors from the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force, and the British Army.
Comprising 17 world-class athletes and Olympic hopefuls, the British were dominant across the board, despite not knowing what to expect from Australian conditions.
"I hadn't really known there was snow here in Australia until recently," Officer Cadet William Mead said.
"Skiing alongside the Australians always puts a smile on my face; we've got a pretty friendly rivalry."
A week of training and team selection was followed by a gruelling five days of racing.
Biathlon involves cross-country skiing around a 2km loop while carrying a rifle, pausing to shoot at five 50m targets. Missed shots result in either a 30-second time penalty or an additional 100m penalty loop.
Nordic skiing is a cross-country event over long distances and undulating terrain.
Air Force team manager Squadron Leader Carl Trindorfer was his team's best-placed male biathlete, and ADF open women's champion Leading Aircraftwoman Sasha Kroopin again won the women's RAAF and interservice awards.
"It was a pleasure being the Air Force team manager this year and I am proud the team was able to come away with the champion's trophy," Squadron Leader Trindorfer said.
'The highlight was competing against the British Army, they've had many opportunities to train and have world-class skiers and shooters, so beating some of them was a great achievement.'
The team was a split of experienced and novice skiers across two disciplines: cross-country skiing and shooting.
The novice skiers met the challenge with the level of effort and enthusiasm expected from aviators, Squadron Leader Trindorfer said, and Super Sprint was the highlight.
"Being the shortest biathlon format, even the smallest mistakes can cost you the race," he said.
Squadron Leader Trindorfer said competing against the British Army was also a highlight as it gave a look at the performance of elite athletes.
Leading Aircraftwoman Kroopin agreed.
"Their results have set a goal for everyone looking to compete again next year," she said.
Other highlights included Air Force's clean sweep of the relay, and Leading Aircraftwoman Kroopin's victory over the British skiers in the 11.25km-long course classic race.
Navy Lieutenant Christopher Sullivan took out ADF open men's champion.
"I've been skiing for 10 years and have been ADF champion before, it was good to get it back after an Army skier won it last year," Lieutenant Sullivan said.
"The highlight was competing against the British Army, they've had many opportunities to train and have world-class skiers and shooters, so beating some of them was a great achievement."
Despite coming third, the Australian Army team remained optimistic.
Captains Stuart Bruce and Mary Jacobs won the ADF novice male and female awards for first- and second-year competitors.
President Army Nordic Skiing Association Lieutenant Colonel Richard Varvel said it was a great result for the newcomers and despite the overall result, the future looked bright.
"There's no other Defence sport that as closely resembles the battlefield. It is quite literally fire and movement," Lieutenant Colonel Varvel said.
'Exercise Coolshot was definitely a lot more physically exerting and challenging than I expected, but was also one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in Defence.'
Air Force novice Leading Aircraftman Owen Griffiths had never skied before Exercise Coolshot.
"We had experienced biathlon coaches and skiing instructors that helped gain basic skiing and biathlon shooting skills to participate in the event," Leading Aircraftman Griffiths said.
"By the end of the exercise I could ski up and down hills at a competitive speed and shoot reasonably well - in fact I won the Air Force Novice Top Shot award."
Leading Aircraftman Griffiths said ADF Biathlon and the Air Force Biathlon team in particular had a great culture of friendship, and resilience building and striving to better yourself.
"Whether we were on the slopes trying to improve our skiing or back at the lodge learning how to wax skis or conduct rifle drills, everyone in the team is looking to help each other and share knowledge and experience," he said.
"Exercise Coolshot was definitely a lot more physically exerting and challenging than I expected, but was also one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in Defence."
The exercise culminated with the 31st annual Kangaroo Hoppet race, a 42km ski marathon from Falls Creek across the Bogong High Plains.
The Hoppet forms part of the World Hoppet series - a group of 19 recognised international ski marathons across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Oceania.
Air Force was also victorious for the second year running in the interservice 'Kinetix Cup', with the fastest aggregate times across the various Hoppet races.
