# Kangaroo Hoppet

The Kangaroo Hoppet is a long distance cross-country skiing race in Australia. It is held annually in Falls Creek, Victoria, on the fourth Saturday of August. The race debuted in 1979 and became part of Worldloppet in 1991.
The event consists of three races:
* The Kangaroo Hoppet – a 42 km race which, for the purposes of the Worldloppet, counts as a main race;
* The Australian Birkebeiner – a 21 km race which, for the purposes of Worldloppet, counts as a short race;
* The Joey Hoppet – a 7 km race which does not count as either a main race or a short race.

## History

The Kangaroo Hoppet has its origins in the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club's 21 km Australian Birkebeiner, first held in 1979 in Falls Creek. The race was based on the original Norwegian Birkebeiner. In 1989, the organisation extended the race to a 42 km race and added the 21 km race and 7 km race (originally known as the Birkebeiner Lite). The Worldloppet was then petitioned in 1990 to allow a race in the southern hemisphere, and as part of its petition the race format was changed to a freestyle event. The first race as part of the Worldloppet circuit was held in 1991.
In 2024, the Kangaroo Hoppet joined Ski Classics as part of their Challenger series of cross country races, although the race itself was cancelled a few days before it was due to take place.

## Cancelled events

The race has been cancelled four times in recent years.
* 2020: Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic (Virtual Event only).
* 2021: Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic (Virtual Event only).
* 2023: Cancelled due to lack of snow.
* 2024: Cancelled due to lack of snow.

## Winners
### Men

| Year | Kangaroo Hoppet | Australian Birkebeiner | Joey Hoppet |
| 2024 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2022 | Peter Wolter (USA) | Noah Bradford (AUS) | Jayden Spring (AUS) |
| 2021 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Valerio Leccardi (SUI) | Bentley Walker-Broose (AUS) | John Mordes (AUS) |
| 2018 | Valerio Leccardi (SUI) | Nic Blackwell (AUS) | Hugo Hinckfuss (AUS) |
| 2017 | Miles Havlick (USA) | Steve de Campo (AUS) | Fedele de Campo (AUS) |
| 2016 | Matt Gelso (USA) | Liam Burton (AUS) | Bentley Walker-Broose (AUS) |
| 2015 | Valerio Leccardi (SUI) | Damon Morton (AUS) | Jarrah Forrer (AUS) |
| 2014 | Valerio Leccardi (SUI) | Damon Morton (AUS) | Matthew Bull (AUS) |
| 2013 | Alexander Legkov (RUS) | Ilia Chernousov (RUS) | Alexey Chernousov (RUS) |
| 2012 | Alexander Legkov (RUS) | Paul Kovacs (AUS) | Hamish Roberts (AUS) |
| 2011 | Petr Novak (CZE) | Phillip Bellingham (AUS) | Damon Morton (AUS) |
| 2010 | Valerio Leccardi (SUI) | Mark Raymond (AUS) | Alistair Tutt (AUS) |
| 2009 | Ben Sim (AUS) | Nick Grimmer (AUS) | Alistair Tutt (AUS) |
| 2008 | Ben Sim (AUS) | Callum Watson (AUS) | Dyllan Harmer (AUS) |
| 2007 | Thomas Freimuth (GER) | Alex Almoukov (AUS) | Mark Pollock (AUS) |
| 2006 | Ben Sim (AUS) | Neil Van der Ploeg (AUS) | Mark Hogg (NZL) |
| 2005 | Ben Sim (AUS) | Ben Koons (NZL) | Callum Watson (AUS) |
| 2004 | Ben Derrick (AUS) | Mark Van der Ploeg (AUS) | Simon Flowers (AUS) |
| 2003 | Ben Derrick (AUS) | Ben Sim (AUS) | Neil Van der Ploeg (AUS) |
| 2002 | Stanislav Řezáč (CZE) | Dan Van der Ploeg (AUS) | Lachlan Rodd (AUS) |
| 2001 | Ben Derrick (AUS) | Ben Sim (Australia) | Andrew Cirosta (AUS) |
| 2000 | Ben Derrick (AUS) | Dan Van der Ploeg (AUS) | Nicholas Grimmer (AUS) |
| 1999 | Vitaly Tchernov (RUS) | Dan Van der Ploeg (AUS) | Peter Malcolm (AUS) |
| 1998 | Ales Vanek (CZE) | Sam Lee (NZL) | Daniel Sarri (AUS) |
| 1997 | Paul Gray (AUS) | Byung Joo Park (KOR) | Michael Evans (AUS) |
| 1996 | Johann Mühlegg (GER) | Michael Brennan (AUS) | Paul Murray (AUS) |
| 1995 | Andre Jungen (SUI) | Sean Donohue (AUS) | Andrew Slocombe (AUS) |
| 1994 | Peter Schlickenrieder (GER) | Sean Donohue (AUS) | Thomas Rassuchine (USA) |
| 1993 | Anders Aukland (NOR) | Paul Gray (AUS) | Tim Retchford (AUS) |
| 1992 | Gudmund Skjeldal (NOR) | Park Byung Chil (KOR) | Kim Woo Soup (KOR) |
| 1991 | John Aalberg (USA) | Park Byung Chil (KOR) | Tim Retchford (AUS) |

### Women

| Year | Kangaroo Hoppet | Australian Birkebeiner | Joey Hoppet |
| 2024 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2022 | Jessie Diggins (USA) | Phoebe Cridland (AUS) | Damika Morton (AUS) |
| 2021 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2019 | Iris Pressey (FRA) | Ella Jackson (AUS) | Zane Evens (AUS) |
| 2018 | Barbara Jezersek (AUS) | Darcie Morton (AUS) | Zane Evens (AUS) |
| 2017 | Barbara Jezersek (AUS) | Darcie Morton (AUS) | Zane Evens (AUS) |
| 2016 | Deedra Irwin (USA) | Ella Jackson (AUS) | Maysen Duffy (AUS) |
| 2015 | Maria Graefnings (SWE) | Katerina Paul (AUS) | Darcie Morton (AUS) |
| 2014 | Valentina Shevchenko (UKR) | Casey Wright (AUS) | Gabrielle Hawkins (AUS) |
| 2013 | Marina Czernousova (RUS) | Lauren Fritz (USA) | Chisa Obayashi (JPN) |
| 2012 | Maria Graefnings (SWE) | Anna Trnka (AUS) | Jillian Colebourn (AUS) |
| 2011 | Esther Bottomley (AUS) | Anna Trnka (AUS) | Xanthea Dewez (AUS) |
| 2010 | Esther Bottomley (AUS) | Lucy Granville (AUS) | Gabriella Cigana (AUS) |
| 2009 | Katherine Calder (NZL) | Lucy Granville (AUS) | Anna Trnka (AUS) |
| 2008 | Evelyn Dong (USA) | Chloe McConville (AUS) | Lucy Glanville (AUS) |
| 2007 | Katherine Calder (NZL) | Aimee Watson (AUS) | Georgia Merritt (AUS) |
| 2006 | Natascia Leonardi-Cortesi (SUI) | Alexa Truzian (USA) | D'Arcy Baxter (AUS) |
| 2005 | Clare-Louise Brumley (AUS) | Sally Cunningham (AUS) | Jaffa Withers (AUS) |
| 2004 | Clare-Louise Brumley (AUS) | Esther Bottomley (AUS) | Chloe McConville (AUS) |
| 2003 | Belinda Phillips (AUS) | Katherine Calder (NZL) | Aimee Watson (AUS) |
| 2002 | Belinda Phillips (AUS) | Katherine Calder (NZL) | Sally Cunningham (AUS) |
| 2001 | Belinda Phillips (AUS) | Rhiannon Palmer (AUS) | Esther Bottomley (AUS) |
| 2000 | Camille Melvey (AUS) | Sandra Paul (AUS) | Esther Bottomley (AUS) |
| 1999 | Jannike Oeyen (NOR) | Deb Godsmark (AUS) | Esther Bottomley (AUS) |
| 1998 | Nadia Simak (RUS) | Natasha Coleman (AUS) | Katherine Calder (NZL) |
| 1997 | Camille Melvey (AUS) | Myung Jung Koon (KOR) | Natasha Coleman (AUS) |
| 1996 | Hanne Lahtinen (FIN) | Belinda Phillips (AUS) | Kate Spiller (AUS) |
| 1995 | Maria Theurl (AUT) | Jenny Griffiths (AUS) | Jessica Hart (AUS) |
| 1994 | Antonina Ordina (SWE) | Xeniya Maltseva (RUS) | Lynette Deschler (USA) |
| 1993 | Elena Peretyagina (RUS) | Sandra Paul (AUS) | Larissa Trease (AUS) |
| 1992 | Beatrice Grunenfelder (SUI) | Yoon Wha Ja (KOR) | Cho Eun Sook (KOR) |
| 1991 | Betsy Youngman (USA) | Miffy Cross (AUS) | Kate L'Huillier (AUS) |