Easter Update

Crowd numbers were up and it appears records were broken in Thredbo as they were in Rusutsu, but not necessarily the same kind ;-)

Whilst the crowds in Thredbo raced around the slopes in search of eggs - both of the chocolate and $s kind, the crowds raced down the slopes of Rusutsu - straight down - in the Challenge Cup. Our intrepid Thredbo-ite representatives, Peter and Andrea, entered the race in a casual manner in the snowboard divisions against some serious contenders. Some turned up with speed helmets and race suits and 2 meter long race boards and were waxing there gear at the top of the run.

Just prior to Easter, Merritts Chair received a replacement hand-me-down cable
the near-new cable that was on Ramshead Chair

Easter Saturday morning with long queues for foot passengers (on right) and
a long queue for mountain bikes (on left) that went back past the Ski Patrol office to Snowgums chair

The scene was set at Rusutsu for the Challenge Cup

Andrea and Peter in their baggy gear at the top of the straight-line course

There were serious competitors and not so serious

After the race was the banquet (BBQ)
Is that meant to be still moving?

A happy scene before the cooking begins

Then it gets really serious as Peter takes control ;-)

Peter has a reputation with BBQs ;-)

Andrea receiving her prize for fastest woman boarder CONGRATULATIONS Andrea
Peter took out 3rd fastest male boarder - not bad for a couple of international ring-ins :-)

Before you rush off to compete in next year's Challenge Cup in Rusutsu, consider that Peter won bread rolls for 3rd and Andrea won two lift tickets for next winter for 1st place, although the lucky dip, which Peter added to his haul, was a night for two in the Rusutsu Hotel.

In the same vein as my post-Easter grump I see more have picked up on the issue of sleep deprived senators deciding the fate of how we vote in future elections.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/03/17/senate-voting-reforms_n_9492736.html
href=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/03/18/why-our-senators-should-stop-debating-and-get-some-sleep