Less than a month to go until The North Face® Freeski Open of NZ!
Lake Wanaka, New Zealand (5 August 2014) – With less than a month to go until the southern Kiwi contingent – including
one or two (or three or four) – Wells family members will also be in the running.
In the women’s Slopestyle field Sweden’s Emma Dahlström will be looking to improve on her fifth place finish from Sochi
with New Zealand’s Anna Willcox also challenging for a top result.
This year, several riders will take the opportunity to mix it up and take advantage of the multi-discipline nature of
the NZ Freeski Open. New Zealand’s own Janina Kuzma, who placed fifth in women’s Halfpipe at the Olympic Winter Games
and is a six time winner of the NZ Freeski Open Big Mountain, will showcase her talents across both events in 2014.
The North Face® Freeski Open is classified as a 3-star Freeride World Tour Qualifying event and attracts elite skiers
from around the world whose ultimate goal is to qualify for the prestigious Freeride World Tour (FWT). Amongst the top
ranked competitors will be hometown hero Sam Smoothy who placed second on this year’s FWT. Smoothy will be joined by
fellow Kiwi and FWT rider Charlie Lyons, who will certainly be on the hunt for some early season qualifying points.
Cardrona Alpine Resort will once again provide a world-class venue for the Park and Pipe events with recent snowfalls
meaning that construction of the halfpipe is well underway and the third jump on the slopestyle course will soon be
open.
The awe inspiring terrain of The Remarkables and Treble Cone will provide a suitable challenge for riders in the Big
Mountain qualifiers and finals, with both resorts having benefitted from recent snowfalls and cold conditions.
The North Face Freeski Open of New Zealand competition schedule is as follows:
• Wednesday 27 August – Park & Pipe bib collection and rider briefing. 3pm Noodle Bar, Cardrona Alpine Resort
• Thursday 28 August – Slopestyle qualifiers
• Friday 29 August – Slopestyle finals
• Saturday 30 August – Halfpipe qualifiers and finals
• Sunday 31 August – Park & Pipe weather day
• Sunday 31 August – Big Mountain bib collection and rider briefing. Time and venue TBC
• 1 – 7 September – Big Mountain qualifiers
• 2 – 8 September – Big Mountain finals
• 3 – 6 September – Weather days
For further information visit www.nzfreeskiopen.com and follow us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/TNF.Freeski.Open
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