Press release
30 May 2002
Snow creates frenzy of activity on Snowco (www.snow.co.nz)
Early dumps of snow have couldn’t have come at a better time with the new season opening this week at Mount Hutt,
Coronet Peak and Manganui Ski Field on Mt Egmont. In eager anticipation of the new season NZ’s top site for the latest
snow reports across the country has been rampaged by over 10,000 skiers and snowboarders per day keen take advantage of
the early snow. Unique visits to Snowco are up by 70% compared with the same time last year.
Developers of the site, IMS Ltd, attribute the explosion to the likelihood of excellent ski conditions expected this
weekend, Snowco’s revamped site and extended features including new webcams, heliski reports and the introduction of the
Parks and Pipes feature.
“It has taken a few years to develop Snowco to what it is today – the best award winning site for all snow sport
information, with all the ski areas submitting daily reports,” said David Scott, Founder of IMS and former Olympics
skier representing New Zealand. “It’s been well worth the effort. Every year the number of visitors exceed our
expectations.”
Snowco was awarded NZ’s Best Sports and Recreation Website 2001 (NetGuide), 2000 ANZ Interactive Awards – Sports & Leisure Category, and winners of the Golden Web Awards 2000 & 2001.
“With regularly updated information on 28 ski areas throughout the country – including club fields, and our webcams
providing visual images of the fields almost hourly - skiers and snowboarders can see for themselves what the snow
conditions are really like,” he said.
Snowco has grown to become the first cyber port of call for people wanting to know anything and everything about snow
sports in New Zealand. With increasing enthusiasm for the site IMS is working with numerous industry partners to enhance
the site further. Ski areas are providing increasing and more regular information, the MetSevice will soon have a direct
feed to the site, and there has been a flurry of promotional activity from snow sport suppliers to attract Snowco
viewers.
The site offers in-depth information on ski field services and runs, ski pass specials, snow depth and condition,
weather reports, road access, which lifts are open and closed, details of the last snow fall, promotions and lots more.
In the past people had complained about stretched truths and optimism from the ski areas. “With our live webcam images
on the field, people can work out what the conditions are really like and decide for themselves whether to take the trip
up or not,” said David. “Our webcam images offer the best quality available on the Net because we know how to install
them properly to operate hostile conditions.”
About IMS
Internet Management Solutions (IMS) is a multi-award winning web design company established 6 years ago in 1996. The
company publishes the popular ‘Snowco’ and ‘nzXsports.com’ websites and was awarded NZ’s Best Sports and Recreation
Website 2001 (NetGuide), 2000 ANZ Interactive Awards – Sports & Leisure Category, and winners of the Golden Web Awards 2000 & 2001.
The winter sports website www.snow.co.nz is officially recognised by the New Zealand Snowsports Council, New Zealand
Mountain Safety Council and New Zealand Tourism's Winter Tourism Marketing Network. One of its many popular features
includes 24 live webcam images of ski areas around New Zealand. A further 20 web cameras are soon to be installed at
popular adventure sport and "New Zealand Icon" locations.
ENDS