Hoppet 2020 – Do It Your Way
The ski event version of the Kangaroo Hoppet has been cancelled for 2020 due to the Coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic. However, the event organisers are keen to keep people active and engaged and have created a virtual event that is available to everyone.
The Kangaroo Hoppet 2020 – Do It your Way, is just that. You can do it your way! Between the dates of Aug 10-23 you can complete any of the 7km, 21km or 42km distances doing any activity you like. Your activity type, and time if you choose to submit one, will be included in the online participant board.
Entries open on 1 July at www.hoppet.com.au
How it works….Entries cost $10 and you will be mailed a special souvenir Buff, with an option to purchase a Kangaroo Hoppet – I did it my way t-shirt, and you will receive a downloadable event number. Participants can then choose to complete their nominated distancing doing whatever activity they desire and fill in the completed event for the activity to be registered. To see how people from around the world are participating, there will also be options to upload photos of your activity.
The event organisers are expecting entries from around the world as people from many different nations will be able to participate in the great event from their own homes.
Event Director, Ben Derrick, said the Organising Committee really wanted to keep our great community involved in the event, even though the COVID19 restrictions made it impossible to run on the day. “Like all event organisers, it was a very difficult decision to cancel the normal event for 2020. However, the opportunity to keep people active during the restrictions was a very strong driver for us to explore options for creating something that our community can be involved in. the great aspect of the 2020 event is that so many people can do it. You don’t have to ski so we are anticipating that many people will jump on a bike, or go for a run/walk or do whatever they can to complete the distance. There is some great collateral to mark the event that all participants will receive.”
Interest has been strong from far away places around the world. Derrick continued that there are even entrants that are planning to ski in Europe. “We know of a group in Finland that are going to ski the 42km in the ski tunnel in Voukatti in northern Finland. They said they will then recover in their saunas! It will be a great way to bring an active community together at a time when we cannot travel”.
The Organising Committee is very grateful with the ongoing support for our long time sponsors AGL, and Falls creek and we are pleased to welcome Mt Beauty & District Community Bank who has come on board with a special grant to support this event. Andrew Randell, Chairman Mount Beauty & District Community said, “ The Kangaroo Hoppet is a very important event for Mount Beauty and Falls Creek and our community bank is delighted to be able to make a major and continuing contribution to this unique ski race.”
Derrick said that to have sponsors that are so important in our community as supporters of our community event is very important and makes the event even more special.
Registration for the virtual event opened on 1 July and already entries have exceeded the expectations of event organisers with over half entries so far coming from overseas nations.