2018 speaker Sami Kennedy-Sim

Sami made the switch from Alpine Skiing to Ski Cross in 2008 – progressing through the international events until 2011 when she made her first top-ten in a World Cup and in the same year married Australian Cross Country skiing athlete and 2010 Olympian - Ben Sim.
 
In April 2013, Kennedy-Sim suffered an infarct stroke (cerebral infarction). Luckily the stroke was relatively minor and after five days in hospital and subsequent private treatment, she was able to return to light training a couple of months later and eventually return to full training.
Early 2014 marked many milestones including a then personal best fourth place in the Val Thorens, France World Cup along with qualifying to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia
 
Encouraging results throughout her career culminated in February, 2017 at Idre Fjall, Sweden when she stood on the World Cup podium for the first time collecting a silver medal. Sami Kennedy-Sim went on to record three more top-ten results (10th, 7th, 5th) before competing in the 2017 World Championships, placing 12th.
In her career to date since 2008, Kennedy-Sim has contested 83 World Cups – making the top twelve 23 times, (14 of which have been since 2015).