NZ’s Piera Hudson Back On Top Form With A Win At FIS Australia New Zealand Cup Slalom Race

30th August 2024

The fast-paced action of the Winter Games NZ alpine ski racing programme continued at Coronet Peak today with the first of two FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Slalom races.

Spectators passing over the top of the course on the Coronet Express chairlift were treated to prime viewing, including a winning performance by New Zealand’s Piera Hudson.

A large field of 86 men and 39 women representing 16 different nations tackled two runs set on the ProAm slope.

“A lot of international teams have travelled to New Zealand to train this season and are using the ANC races as a pre-World Cup test and to benchmark themselves ahead of the northern hemisphere season,” explained Winter Games NZ Alpine Manager Hannah Hazeldine.

The women were first on course this morning with Hudson, starting in bib 11, laying down a fantastic first run which initially had her sitting in second place just 0.05 seconds behind Switzerland’s Janine Maechler.

Pushing hard on the second run, Hudson managed to jump into the lead with Maechler dropping back into fifth place on combined run times.

Emotional on seeing the result at the finish line, Hudson explained, “This time last year I was in hospital for a second knee surgery. A year later it just feels really good to put it together and finally start to get my confidence back and some self-belief.”

Austria’s Franziska Gritsch picked up the pace on run two to finish in second place 0.09s behind Hudson while Great Britain’s Reece Bell skied an exceptionally fast second run which saw her jump from eighth after run one into third place on combined times for a place on the podium.

It still turned out to be a good day for the Maechler family with Janine’s older brother Reto claiming the win in the men’s field. Trailing compatriot Joel Luetolf by 0.10s after run one and with experienced World Cup racer Sam Maes (BEL) sitting just 0.46s off the lead in third place Maechler knew it would be all go on run two.

Conditions on course became challenging as a very cold wind whipped across the course drying out the top layer of snow and making the surface grippy with almost half the men’s field recording DNFs in run one.

Undaunted, Maechler put the hammer down and recorded the fastest time on run two to leapfrog into first place. Luetolf finished his day in second place 0.23s behind Maechler, with Maes finishing in third place.

“I’m feeling great, the second run was really tough with the snow conditions but I’m really happy with the result because there are a lot of really good racers here,” said Maechler. “I had a tough season last year but now with this race I’m feeling good."

The Winter Games NZ alpine action continues tomorrow with the second FIS ANC Slalom race.

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