Mt Buller Olympic Training Centre

Mt Buller announced yesterday that it will host an official Olympic Training Centre, making Mt Buller Victoria’s home for the development of future Olympic and World Champions in Aerial and Mogul Skiing.

Following several months of planning and negotiations, a landmark partnership has been reached between the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, Ski & Snowboard Australia, Buller Ski Lifts, and the Mt Buller & Mt Stirling Resort Management Board.

The partnership will see Mt Buller athlete training programs recognised by the Australian Olympic Committee as an official Olympic Training Centre, and the only resort in Australia where Olympic athletes can live on mountain and train both day and night.

Rino and Diana Grollo with Geoff Henke OA, are joined by representatives of the signing parties (c) Mt Buller

Formal contracts will be finalised in the coming months, and the Centre is expected to be up and running in time for Winter 2018. It will include on-mountain accommodation for 20 athletes, an indoor acrobatic facility, upgraded aerials site, dedicated moguls course, additional snow making, and lights so athletes can train into the night.

Geoffrey Henke AO, Chair, Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, said “Winter sports have had remarkable success over the past decade, and now sit only behind Swimming and Sailing on current Olympic Sport high performance rankings. We are delighted to announce this partnership with Mt Buller to help more Australians reach the pinnacle of winter sport success for years to come”.

Dean Gosper, Chair, Ski & Snowboard Australia said “Mt Buller has always been an important partner for our sport and in particular Aerial Skiing. We are delighted to partner with the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia and Mt Buller to extend their athlete training programs. We also welcome the long term vision of Mt Buller in supporting winter sport and are pleased to be extending the rights to host the Victorian Interschools at Mt Buller”.

Rino Grollo, Chair, Grollo Group explained “Diana and our family have been partners with the Winter Olympic movement since Lillehammer in 1994. Buller Ski Lifts has been a partner of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia since its inception in 1997, and we are very proud of the success that our winter athletes have enjoyed in the past and look forward to sharing the future successes that this new partnership will enable”.

Laurie Blampied, General Manager, Buller Ski Lifts added “As part of this historic agreement, Buller Ski Lifts will be upgrading the snowmaking facilities on the Chamois Run and installing lights so that athletes can train day and night. We’re also extending our arrangement to keep the tremendously successful Victorian Interschools Snowsports Championships at Mt Buller for at least another five years”.

Andy Evans, Director, Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management Board said “This is wonderful news for athletes, parents, children and visitors to Mt Buller. Young skiers will be able to watch their heroes train right beside the Village Square, then follow their dreams from ski school to the Victorian Interschools, involvement in Mt Buller Sports Clubs, and then on to an elite training program – all right here at Mt Buller. And the FIS dual moguls course will also be open to all skiers when it’s not required for training”.  

Producing more Australian Olympic, World Championship, and World Cup Champions than any other resort, Mt Buller has a long and proud history with Aerial and Mogul Skiing. Mt Buller has been the base for the Australian Aerial Skiing team since1995, placed athletes on the National Moguls team for 25 years, and successfully hosted 40 World Cup competitions from 1997 – 2006.

The Olympic Training Centre will cement Mt Buller as the Victorian home of Aerial and Mogul Skiing for the next 20 years.