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More than 330 lawyers hit the slopes at Thredbo in the NSW Snowy Mountains for the annual LAWSKI races in August.

The ski and board race, now in its 30th year, attracts some of the biggest names in the NSW legal community from law firm partners to Supreme Court judges, politicians and even former Olympians.

Governor Margaret Beazley AO QC, the former President of the NSW Court of Appeal and herself an avid skier, was unable to attend this year but provided a video message for the dinner and charity auction on the Saturday night. Independent MP and barrister Zali Steggall, a former downhill racer and Australia’s first medallist in a winter Olympics, is a former patron and committee member of the event after winning for many years.

The weekend of events included ski and snowboard races as well as social dinners and drinks, raising just shy of $17,000 for LAWSKI’s 2019 charity, the Arts Law Centre and various Indigenous artists who provided their works for auction.

Whereas previous years have seen the events run a little “under the weather”, this year the racers were blessed with bluebird conditions for four days between 1-4 August. Teams from top-tier firms Clayton Utz and Ashurst took out first and second in the team Cup, narrowly out-skiing Mills Oakley in third.

Skiers lined up on hill ready to race
The winning Clayton Utz LAWSKI team.

Ashurst partner Georgia Quick claimed the prize for the fastest female skier down the mountain. The aptly named Quick is one of LAWSKI’s long-standing members and was thrilled to break a 21-year winning drought – her last individual victory being in 1998.

“I was a grad when I last won. There have been plenty of seconds and thirds in between thanks to Zali Steggall and Melysha Turnbull [a long-time committee member of LAWSKI and renowned bullet on skis],” Quick commented. “I really should retire now but it’s such a fun event.”

Christopher Chow, Managing Director of Chris Chow Creative Lawyers in Sydney, also claimed what has proven to be an elusive victory in the men’s race. After 10 years of competing in LAWSKI, Chow took his place on the top of the podium in a racing tuxedo, putting an end to his decade-long run of silvers and bronzes.

Caroline Faeh from Moulis Legal was the fastest snowboarder on the mountain, edging out all other competitors, including the fastest male snowboarder, Clayton Utz paralegal Ethan Tindall.

Andrew Wallis, a finance, projects and construction partner at Mills Oakley, claimed the lauded “Over the ski hill” prize for the fastest competitor over 50 years old.

View the full list of winners below.

Happy racers at LAWSKI 2019 weekend in Thredbo.

2019 LAWSKI Champions

LAWSKI Cup Team Champions:

  1. Clayton Utz A
  2. Ashurst A
  3. Mills Oakley A

Composite Team Champions:

  1. Team Chow A
  2. The Snow Leopards A
  3. Team Marshall A

Male Ski Champions:

  1. Christopher Chow
  2. Joshua Knuckey
  3. Sam Allan

Female Ski Champions:

  1. Georgia Quick
  2. Shannon Cuthbertson
  3. Brittany Bennett

Male Snowboard Champions:

  1. Ethan Tindall
  2. Gavin Rakoczy
  3. Thomas Morton

Female Snowboard Champions:

  1. Caroline Faeh
  2. Krissy Tomas
  3. Meaghan Bowden

Fastest Small Non-Composite Team: 

Hicksons A

“Over the Ski Hill” (fastest lawyer over the age of 50)

Andrew Wallis (Mills Oakley)