Cliff Wallis, owner of the Sundeck Hotel, has been running the Sundeck Cup for (including this year) for 14 years with the main aim being to raise money for the Australian XC Team. All funds raised from race entries go towards this fund. Sundeck matches this amount plus supplies a lovely lunch and drinks for all the competitors.
Over the years approx. $40,000 has been raised through entry fees - therefore in excess of $80,000 has been raised.
The event came about because Cliff was looking for a handicap race which was aiming for a mass finish rather than a mass start. It was also at the same time that the fund to raise money for the Australian XC Team started. A letter in the SMH a few years ago suggesting that the Sydney Hobart yacht race would be more interesting if run the same way.
The handicapping has been refined over the years to the point where we now think it is right – totally based on self assessment. Over the years it has been won by a variety of skiers, from novices to speedsters. Anyone can win – is there any other XC race you can say that?
The hardest job of the day is arranging the handicap for each entrant. Peter Cunningham is the lucky man with this task. Extra donations/ bribes ??? may or may not help your starting handicap but it will certainly go towards getting a greater amount of funds raised.
All great sporting events have a jacket for the winner and the Sundeck Cup is no different.
Once you have the jacket you have free meals & drinks at either the Sundeck Hotel or Cliff’s Tathra Hotel, right up to the next Sundeck Cup.
Only 70 people can enter, so enter on-line (click here) to raise money for the National XC Team and have a fun time on the track and back at the Sundeck Hotel for presentation lunch.