NZsnowboard.com

3rd July 2007

Family fun, freestyle tricks and international-standard jazz wrapped up the final weekend of the Lindauer Queenstown Winter Festival.

The weekend got off to a flying start for 45 of New Zealand?s top snowsports athletes in the SkiDealsNZ.com Rail Jam at Coronet Peak on Friday night (June 29), heralding the first weekend of night skiing.

A custom-built three-hit rail had been installed directly in front of the Coronet Peak sundeck and competitors and audience enjoyed pumping sounds from a DJ.



The first male snowboarder was Nick Brown, and first female snowboarder was
Femke Henriques. First male skier was Hamish McDougall, and first female skier was Janina Kuzma. All won SkiDealsNZ.com holiday packages to the value of $750, plus $250 cash.

Hundreds of youngsters, parents and family pooches turned out for fun in the sun at the Remarkables Park Family Fun Day on Saturday (June 30).

Ronald McDonald revved up the youngsters with some family entertainment before they dived into the snow for the ASB Snow Dig and got creative with carrots and fruit in the Wakatipu New World Snow Man Making competition.

The Warehouse Wonderdogs saw all ages, sizes and types of family pets strut their stuff on stage, some more obedient than others. A judging panel including TV vet Geoff Woodhouse awarded the Best Dressed title to Melissa, Peter and Michael with dogs Pippa and Emma, the Best Groomed to Tina Forbes with Jemma, the Best Trick award went to Clare Waddick with Minnie, Best Behaved to Abbey Gould with Benson, and Jordan Vandemade won the Owner and Dog Lookalike title. All received $50 vouchers from The Warehouse.

Connor Kennedy was first placed boy in the H&J Fancy Dress Competition as ?Where?s Wally?, with Keiren Skelton second and Ben Stevens third.

First girl was Grace Kennedy as Angelina Ballerina, while Katie Stevens was second and Brooklyn Crew third.

Festival Director Simon Green, winding up ahead of this afternoon?s (Sunday) Trust Power Queenstown Rotary Duck Race and the Lindauer Top Bloke Finale, said the festival had been ?trying and tiring but not without some good highlights.?

?There?s no doubt it has been a very challenging festival, but the level to which the entire team has risen to the challenge leaves me extremely confident in their ability to carry the festival forward into the future,? he said.

The Lindauer Queenstown Winter Festival is the Southern Hemisphere's ultimate winter celebration and ran from June 22 to July 1.



For further media information or images please contact:
Mary Todd
Media Liaison
Phone: (03) 441 2458 or 027 477 9394
Email: mary@winterfestival.co.nz