Skiers magnificent in their madness

By KATHERINE HOBY

The men and women who compete in the New Zealand Freeskiing Challenge have to risk big to win big.

Taking risks is all part of freeskiing - but they must be calculated risks.

Thirty-five competitors - skiers from overseas and around New Zealand - put their bodies on the line for the two-day event, in the Southern Alps near Queenstown.

Day one was spent in the challenging Arcadia chutes of Cardrona, while day two - yesterday - was in the treacherous Elevator chutes above Lake Alta at the Remarkables.

Cardrona Ski Area marketing manager Nigel Kerr said those who had the most success in the competition were those who "chose the hardest line and did it with all the skill and aggression they could muster."

"Some competitors had aggression in much larger doses than skill," he added. "For some it paid off and for others, they crashed out big time."

The competitors completed two runs each day and their combined score for the four runs was tallied.

More than half the field were from overseas.

Mr Kerr said Cardrona had 30cm fresh snow over the weekend, boosting the snow base to between 80cm and 150cm. The surrounding fields, including the Remarkables, were thought to have had similar falls.

"It was cold, clear and calm for the Arcadia session," he said. "The new snow was squeaky and fresh and it was an awesome day. This kind of event is always as much or more fun for spectators."

The Freeskiing Challenge, in its 10th year, attracted 31 men and four women competitors. The top prize is a mixture of cash and ski product to the combined value of about $5000.

The homefield advantage seemed to work for New Zealand competitors.

At the end of the first day, Todd Windle, based in Canterbury, and Hamish Acland, based in Wanaka, were battling it out at the top of the men's points table. Bridget Rayward of Wanaka led the women's event.

Windle was the eventual winner, with Acland second and Nigel Mckissock, of Wanaka, third.

Marja Persson of Sweden won the women's event.

Closer to home, the Turoa and Whakapapa fields, on Mt Ruapehu, received a generous amount of the coveted white gold. Turoa's marketing manager, Vanessa Thomas, said the field had 50cm of new snow through Friday and Saturday. The upper slopes looked healthy with a base of 183cm.

More snow was forecast yesterday and today.

Whakapapa marketing manager Mike Smith said about 35cm of new snow had fallen over the weekend, leaving Whakapapa with a base of about 150cm.

"There's a bit more white stuff forecast yet to come too," he said.

"Bring it on."