Australians Tackle Each Other To Win Vintage $5k Ski Race

Ian Greenwood
·1 min read

The dog days of skiing were the wild west. We're talking no helmets, 200 cm straight skis, and hectic ski races that'd make the liability department of any modern ski resort have a conniption.

This video, which documents a brutal no holds barred mogul race in Perisher, Australia, is a hilarious example of the types of events that flew in the past but certainly wouldn't be permitted now.

Hilarious.

This video covers a now-defunct event held at Perisher called the "Dash For Cash." The rules, or lack thereof, are straightforward: you run up a hill, ski a mogul field, and then run up another hill—first person to the $5000 wins.

The nixing of the "Dash For Cash" makes sense when you look at it from Perisher's perspective. Encouraging a crowd of skilled amateurs to ski as fast as humanly possible is the perfect recipe for serious wipeouts, and in today's liability-waver-laden world, serious wipeouts mean one thing to ski resorts: potential lawsuits.

I get dumping the "Dash For Cash." I really do. However, part of me would love to see the return of this wild event. It was hectic, definitely dangerous, and an example of pure skiing history.

Sanitizing the skiing experience by eliminating somewhat-questionable events, while reasonable, also dulls the wacky, anything-goes attitude that initially made snow sports so special.

Perisher Resort Stats/Info:

Vertical: 1,165 ft.

Skiable Terrain: 3,076 ac.

Average Snowfall: N/A

Lifts: 47 (including surface lifts)

Trails: N/A

Snowmaking: YES

Night Skiing: YES

Mega-Pass: Epic

Don't miss another headline from POWDER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing.

We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging ski-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on POWDER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality ski videos.