NZSnowboard.com - The home of New Zealand Snowboarding

25th September 2009

New Zealands top junior freeskiers and snowboarders will kick their school holidays off in style, when Cardrona Alpine Resort hosts the Junior Freeski and Snowboarding Nationals next week.

Rebecca Sinclair competing in last years Junior Nationals Halfpipe. Credit Kirsty Williams

More than 200 competitors have registered to compete over four days, beginning Tuesday, 29 September.

Freeskiers have the opportunity to compete in any or all of the five freeski disciplines including Skiercross, Big Mountain, Slopestyle, Halfpipe, and Parallel Giant Slalom (PGS), while Snowboarders choose from Gravity Cross, Giant Slalom (GS), Slopestyle, Halfpipe and PGS disciplines. 

The competition gets underway on Tuesday with the Big Mountain qualifiers, Skiercross and Snowboard GS Events, and continues on Wednesday with the Freeski Big Mountain competition, Slopestyle qualifications, and the Snowboard Gravity Cross competition.

Thursday opens with the ski Halfpipe followed by ski PGS, While snowboarders face the challenging slopestyle course.

The event concludes Friday with the ski Slopestyle, the snowboard Halfpipe and PGS competitions.

Qualifying rounds for both Slopestyle and Big Mountain disciplines have been introduced to cater for the increasing demand in entries. 30 percent of the registered athletes will become pre-qualified, opening up 85 additional entries.
We introduced the qualifying round for the slopestyle and big mountain to allow for extra entries, and weve already filled those spots, said Freeski and Snowboard Operations Manager, Tania Pilkinton. Its fantastic to see the sport growing so rapidly and we are considering options to allow for even more entry spots for next year.

Junior Nationals have gained a reputation as a traditional end-of-season event that brings out the countrys top junior riders. Competitors must have been born in 1990 or later to enter.

Online entry is now closed. For more information, visit www.snowsports.co.nz. Media wishing to attend the event, contact kristy@snowsports.co.nz.

Snow Sports New Zealand is the official governing body and National Sports Organisation representing all snow sports in New Zealand. Cross Country Association New Zealand is a member of Snow Sports New Zealand.

Event Schedule:
Tue 29/9         
Freeski Skiercross
Freeski Big Mountain (qualifiers)
Snowboard GS

Wed 30/09        
Freeski Big Mountain
Snowboard Cross
Freeski and Snowboard Slopestyle (qualifiers)

Thur 1/10        
Freeski Halfpipe
Snowboard Slopestyle
Freeski PGS

Fri     2/10        
Freeski Slopestyle
Snowboard Halfpipe
Snowboard PGS

Sat 3/10         Contingency Day










LINK:   www.snowsports.co.nz










Media contact:
Kristy Quin - Snow Sports New Zealand
Ph:   +64 3 443 4085 ext. 3
kristy@snowsports.co.nz