Winter Olympian's wake-up call

Tim Cafe met Prime Minister John Key before the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Photo / www.timcafe.co.nz

An Olympic skiier says he can't explain his actions after being found guilty of taking a stranger's car in the early hours while drunk, driving it and then falling asleep in another car.

Last month in Queenstown, Tim Cafe, 22, got into a parked Subaru Legacy, which he was able to start with his key, and drove about 100 metres.

He then got into another vehicle, later telling police he thought the first car was his but he wanted to sleep in the second one.

The 22-year-old ski racer, whose name suppression was lifted on Monday, says he has no rational explanation for the early-hours incident on Frankton Rd.

"I was intoxicated, I wasn't thinking straight," he said

In the Queenstown District Court, Judge Dominic Flatley told him that he would be treated no differently to anyone else.

He remanded Cafe until August 23 to complete a drug and alcohol education programme, perform 50 hours of community work and prepare a report on what he had learnt so he could decide whether a discharge without conviction on the two dishonesty charges was appropriate.

Cafe, who competed in the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February, was fined $750 and disqualified for six months on the drink-driving charge.

"It's a real wake-up call that I need to start acting a bit more like an adult," Cafe said. "It doesn't change my goals in ski racing. If anything, it's fuelled me to try harder."

Cafe has started community service at Lakes District Hospital and has had an alcohol education session.

"I didn't treat alcohol well on that occasion so I've got something to learn."

The Queenstown resident, who was awarded a Bruce Grant Youth Trust special achiever grant of $14,025 last year, says he's sorry to the community, the car owners and his parents.

He hopes the incident won't affect sponsorship but admits it "won't make it any easier".

- MOUNTAIN SCENE