Viewpoint

These ‘punishments’ ultimately evolved into an unexpected renaissance of prose, poetry and questionable ‘stage-worthy’ performances. We produced literary masterpieces of varying merit, while simultaneously learning that arriving late can have consequences that extend well beyond the stopwatch.

Nevertheless, the season is now ceremoniously concluded, and we can consign both the training sessions and their literary sentences to the historical archives.

This is a time to celebrate the achievements of our athletes, not just this season, but also the commitment of a number of our Year 12s, for whom this brings six years of dedication, determination, highs, lows, and, hopefully, a considerable collection of fond memories.

As a coach and coordinator, it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to witness the 2026 GPS Championship race.

It was particularly heartwarming to see our junior team perform so brilliantly, finishing third in the team results on the day. AJ Lukas led our team home with a third-place finish, followed by Maxwell Kinchela (15th), Hudson Blackburn (19th), Tobias O’Hea (23rd), Luca Howes (76th), Sachin Agnew (89th), and Ted Niland (99th).

There is plenty of young talent coming through the ranks, ready to represent their school proudly each Saturday on course.

Conversely, it is heartbreaking to be saying farewell to a number of Year 12s. They also managed to finish the season with an overall 3rd place team result. Many of whom I’ve had the pleasure to coach since they started here at the College.

Now, to stop me from getting too carried away and commandeering the whole Viewpoint with the sort of sentimental flap that I’m sure teenage boys would cringe to read, I have limited myself to something less than the script to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, but slightly more than a haiku.

Charlie Culbert

There once was a runner named Charlie,
Who raced every course hard and gnarly.
With a blister gone pop,
He refused just to stop,
Then was carried away rather smartly.

Harry “Heart of a Wolf” Fingleton

Harry is a runner with a heart that could,
Whose dad turned up more than he would.
He’ll bike, he’ll swim, and he’ll train,
A slight little hill brings him pain,
On the flat he moved as he should.

Jimmy O’Connor

There once was a runner named Jimmy,
Whose arms within cross country were considered pretty.
He lifts heavy in the gym,
In the mirror he admires each limb,
He hoped one day to beat Harry, he didn’t such a pity!

Lachy Maiers

Lachy, who many considered quite smart,
Who thought his technique would set him apart.
He’d question each stride,
Wanted a coach by his side,
Then when he missed a start and ran with his heart...

Tom Poynton

There once was a runner who defied the norm,
Who from AFL found his true form.
Though he’s sick quite a lot,
When he’s fit he can trot,
And his talent could muster a storm.

And so, goodnight, farewell,
To training, spikes and rain.
To tardiness and literary punishment,
We’ll not see you late again.

To Year 12, we say goodbye,
With memories we will adore.
The x-country season’s run its course,
But friendships will remain for sure.

Division 4

Albert Stokes and Teddy Longley combined in the Division 4 Alpine event, competing strongly against a very talented field and showing great composure throughout their runs. Max Draaisma also performed impressively in the Division 4 Snowboard Alpine and Snowboard X events. Max was never without a smile and was the College's lone snowboard representative.

All three students are to be commended for their positive attitudes and determination, particularly given the difficult snow conditions. Their willingness to embrace the challenge and compete with enthusiasm at their first State championships reflected the spirit of the Riverview Snowsports team.

Division 3

Division 3 was led by an outstanding performance from Ben Hodgkinson, who secured 5th place in Slopestyle before producing an excellent performance in the Moguls (in horrendous Alpine conditions) to claim a Bronze medal.

Ben then combined with Noah Byrne to secure Team Bronze in the Moguls, a fantastic achievement and a reflection of the strength and camaraderie within the team.

Will Longley competed at his first State Championships and performed admirably in both Slopestyle and Cross Country. Cross Country proved particularly demanding, requiring considerable endurance and determination, and Will should be proud of the way he embraced the challenge.

Tom Flitcroft also had a highly successful championships, qualifying individually for Alpine and, together with Ben Hodgkinson, earning the opportunity to represent Riverview at Nationals in Ski Cross.

Division 2

Division 2 produced another standout performance, with Bill O’Rourke claiming Bronze in the Moguls. This was an outstanding achievement, particularly given the strength of the field, with Bill competing against some highly experienced and accomplished moguls skiers.

With another year remaining in Division 2, Bill's performance provides plenty of encouragement for what lies ahead.

Bill, Charlie Salter and Richie de Angelis combined strongly to qualify for Nationals in both the Moguls and Alpine events. Charlie also qualified for the Ski Cross competition following a particularly challenging qualifying course that allowed competitors only one opportunity to secure their place.

The ability of our students to perform under this pressure was a fantastic reflection of their preparation, resilience and determination.

Division 1

Lachlan de Angelis proudly represented the College in both the Ski Cross and Alpine events. Competing against some of the best school-aged skiers in the country, Lachlan demonstrated tremendous class, composure and determination.

With another year remaining in Division 1, Lachlan can take plenty of confidence from his performances and the experience of competing at this level. He represented Riverview exceptionally well throughout the championships and should be very proud of his efforts.

The highlight of the championships was undoubtedly a very special achievement from our Snowsports Captain, Jarvis Smoker, who claimed Gold in the Multiclass Snowboard GS.

Jarvis has been a valued member of the Riverview Snowsports team since Year 7 and has represented the College with enthusiasm, humility and pride every time he has worn the blue jacket. His contribution to the team has extended well beyond his performances on the slopes, with his leadership and attitude providing an excellent example to the younger members of the squad.

In what was Jarvis's final race for Riverview, winning Gold was a fitting way to bring his competitive career with the College to a close.

Congratulations, Jarvis, and thank you for everything you have contributed to the Riverview Snowsports community.

A sincere thank you to all of the parents who made the commitment to travel and stay with their sons throughout the championships. Your support, encouragement and presence throughout the competition are greatly appreciated and play an important role in creating such a positive experience for our students.

The State Championships provided plenty of moments to celebrate, but perhaps more importantly, they gave our students opportunities to challenge themselves, learn from their experiences and compete alongside their teammates. Their resilience in difficult conditions, willingness to support one another and pride in representing the College were particularly pleasing to see.

We look forward to seeing many of you next week at the National Interschools Championships, where our students will have another opportunity to test themselves against the best in the country.

Congratulations to all of our competitors on a fantastic State Championships.