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21st May 2009

 The Wakatipu Ski Club Annual trade-in ski sale event is for one day, the biggest snow sports shop in New Zealand. 

With local and international shoppers attending, thousands of skis, snowboards, boots, poles, jackets, gloves, hats, goggles and all other gear required for the pursuit of snowsport will change hands.  Catering for toddlers on skis through to advanced boarders and skiers.

This years sale will offer second hand goods brought in to the Queenstown Event Centre on the day as well as brand new surplus last season stock, ex rental, and demo equipment from local ski shops.  A silent auction offers the opportunity to bid for ski passes from all the major south Island ski fields and an off-field helicopter experience with Over-The-Top Helicopters.  Great spot prizes to be won.

Ski Club volunteers prepare the goods for sale and more than 2,000 people are expected through the doors during the event, which, at over 30 years old, is one of Queenstowns longest running fundraising events.  The first ski sale run by the Wakatipu Ski Club was in 1977.  It was an auction held in the old supper room of the Queenstown Memorial Hall.

The fundraiser is a huge effort for the club, but provides the majority of funding required for facility maintenance and expansion as well as subsidised ski/board lessons for club members, making skiing affordable for local families that work and support the tourist industry here in Queenstown.  Club president Derek Brown says:

The Wakatipu Ski Club has been home to generations of local skiing families. It has been in existence since 1949 and continues to keep families skiing together by offering affordable ski lessons and comfortable base facilities at Coronet Peak.  As well as raising funds for the club, the sale provides people with a rare opportunity to outfit themselves and their families with affordable equipment and with the ability to recycle surplus equipment.

A reflection of its home valley, the club has faced huge growth with membership now standing at around 800 having doubled over the last five years.  We aim to encourage local participation in winter-sport, especially in 2009.  The region will host the Winter Games NZ, effectively an Oceania winter olympics in the lead up to the 2010 Olympic Games.






LINK:   www.wsc.co.nz/ski-sale