Fordham followed it up with a 20th-place finish in the first-ever women’s 50km event at the Senior World Championships. Her achievements have not only made history but also ignited hope for the future of Australian skiing.

A Breakthrough at the U23 World Championships

Reflecting on her silver medal performance in Schillpario, Italy, Rosie credits her physical condition and the challenging conditions for her success.

“I think a combination of my shape and the conditions came together on the day allowing me to deliver. Before this race, I was the most nervous, but also the most hyped I’ve ever been. The conditions in Schillpario were tough. A lot of fresh snow was falling, and the waxing was not easy. My teammate had skied in the morning, and his skis were not good, which resulted in me panicking in the changing room after he told me when I arrived at the venue.”

Despite her nerves, Rosie focused on pushing over the top of every hill to maximize speed on the downhills. By the final lap, she knew she was doing something special.

“My teammate told me at the bottom of the last hill that I was on the podium, and that helped me to empty the tank. I was in disbelief and didn’t want to take any chances knowing how strong the rest of the field was.”

Winning a silver medal was a moment of validation for Rosie and the entire Australian cross-country ski community.

“It’s difficult to put into words how much this result means for me, my teammates, and the whole Australian XC community. The days following the race I felt so overwhelmed with the response from the greater ski community and the Australian public. This result unlocks the possibility for me and my teammates to dream big.”

Conquering the Senior World Championships 50km

Just weeks later, Rosie tackled the grueling 50km race at the Senior World Championships, finishing 20th – the best-ever result for an Australian in this event.

“That race was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Skiing 50km is no easy feat, but in those conditions, it was almost impossible. It felt pretty ridiculous to be at a world championship and having to double pole and herringbone in a skate race, but at the end of the day, you have to make the most of what’s thrown at you.”

Her strategy focused on patience and proper nutrition.

“I was very focused on being patient and fueling lots. I’d done a few local 50km races over the past couple of years and knew how important it was to eat lots and eat early. I was taking between 2 and 4 feeds every lap, which seems excessive, but I feel like it helped me a lot.”

This approach allowed her to make significant gains in the final 8km loop.

“I never felt stressed about losing ground over the first 20km and was banking on some of the others fading through the second half, which is exactly what happened.”

The Journey to Success

Rosie’s path to success has not been without challenges. After two summers spent recovering from shoulder surgeries, this past summer marked her first full training block in three years.

“I was able to string three decent months together in the summer with little disruptions. I went home and skied on snow for a month in July, which gave me time to focus on technique, which is my biggest weakness when it comes to ski racing.”

In addition to her ski training, Rosie competes in collegiate cross-country running from August to November, with her ski coaches and running coach working collaboratively to structure her training.

“It involves a decent amount of running and a fair bit of intensity to keep me in racing shape from August until March. My running racing got a lot faster too this year—I dropped 50 seconds from my 6k PB, which was a good indicator for what was to come in the ski season.”

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