NZSkier.com - Magazine, Video, Web

12th April 2010

Lake Wanaka ski fields take centre stage to host an exciting calendar of international and national ski and snowboard events this winter season.

Young snowboarders and skiers from across the world will descend on Wanaka in August (19-31) for the 2010 FIS Snowboard & Freestyle Junior World Championships. This is the first time a FIS World Championship will be staged in New Zealand, and also marks the first time snowboarding and freestyle skiing will share the same stage in a World Championship, the event is to be staged at all three Wanaka ski fields.

Cardrona Alpine Resort will again host the Burton New Zealand Open (10-14 August) attracting the best names in the snowboarding world to battle it out on the slopestyle course and in the halfpipe. The halfpipe action continues for the FIS Halfpipe World Cup on 5 September, also at Cardrona, following a highly successful event last year.

As well as the major international competitions Wanakas mountains will host a variety of national and local competitions for snow sports athletes of all ages and abilities. The Cardrona Kids Cup, a fun slopestyle event, kicks off the local events calendar on 10 July followed by the Junior Slopestyle competition at Snow Park NZ. The NZ University Snow Games is set to take place at the end of August bringing students from across the country in to the region.

The mature skiers will take to the slopes (Cardrona and Treble Cone) for the Ski Masters 5-9 September for Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super G events. The more daring athletes should mark the Racers Edge Big Air competition in their diary. Taking place on selected Fridays throughout the season, this event promises some spectacular action on Treble Cones newly built jump.

The less mainstream snow sports dont miss out this season. The challenging sport of telemarking will grace the fields of Treble Cone for the Telemarker Takeover (25 September) while Snow Farm NZ will host a biathlon series, cross country sprint and long distance races as well as a winter triathlon.

James Helmore, General Manager of Lake Wanaka Tourism welcomes the diverse range of events and snow sports athletes to the area, Lake Wanakas ski areas are making their mark as premier event hosts, attracting international and national events to the region, he said. Staging a variety of events in Wanaka provides a fantastic opportunity for our domestic athletes to compete against some of the worlds best and for spectators to catch some of the action and enjoy the world-class facilities.

For further information visit www.lakewanaka.co.nz.