&lt;!--

D([&quot;mb&quot;,&quot; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

of Wanaka, claimed the winning title at the NZ Free Ski Open Volkl Big Mountain

event at Treble Cone’s Motatapu Chutes today.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font sizeu003d&quot;3&quot; faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font sizeu003d&quot;3&quot; faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial&quot;&gt;Australia&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;font faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-family:Arial&quot;&gt;’s Janina Kuzma won

the women’s event, continuing her successful form after gaining second

place at the Open’s K2 Halfpipe event last week.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Open big mountain champion Geoff Small, who was placed second – despite

Small pulling off the most impressive move of the day. Acland impressed judges

by displaying both strength and speed in an exposed line.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

incredibly fluid and clean. He skied a very technically demanding first half of

his line, followed by some very fast and fluid skiing, with large, floating

airs over more flowing terrain. In short, it was a very aesthetic line,”

head judge Nick Mills said.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

female competitors, Mills said. “Janina skied strongly over some steep

snow-covered rock buttresses without any hesitation, showing enormous strength

and aggression.”&quot;,1]

);

World number five big mountain skier Hamish Acland,

of Wanaka, claimed the winning title at the NZ Free Ski Open Volkl Big Mountain

event at Treble Cone’s Motatapu Chutes today.Australia's Janina Kuzma won the women's event, continuing her successful form after gaining second place at the Open's K2 Halfpipe event last week. 

Acland (26), beat fellow Kiwi and former NZ Free Ski

Open big mountain champion Geoff Small, who was placed second – despite

Small pulling off the most impressive move of the day. Acland impressed judges

by displaying both strength and speed in an exposed line.

“His run was a very complete run - it was

incredibly fluid and clean. He skied a very technically demanding first half of

his line, followed by some very fast and fluid skiing, with large, floating

airs over more flowing terrain. In short, it was a very aesthetic line,”

head judge Nick Mills said.

Kuzma took the most dangerous line out of all the

female competitors, Mills said. “Janina skied strongly over some steep

snow-covered rock buttresses without any hesitation, showing enormous strength

and aggression.”&lt;!--

D([&quot;mb&quot;,&quot;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

men) on the difficulty of the run they picked, their control, fluidity, form

and technique, and aggression during the execution of their run. The Motatapu

Chutes are extremely complex, comprising chutes, towers and ridges, with runs

up to 300m long. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

competitors take on the gut-wrenching drops from the adjacent face.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

competition depended heavily on weather conditions, which were such that skiers

were only able to complete one run, instead of having the prelims, followed by

the finals today. Unfortunately, the weather this week has also been unsuitable

for the Expression Session at Treble Cone, which was to replace the heli-access

event this year.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

today’s event was a spectacular finish to the competition, which began

last week with the K2 Halfpipe and Slopestyle events at Snow Park NZ.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;font sizeu003d&quot;3&quot; faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&quot;,1]

);

//--&gt;

Judges assessed all 41 competitors (11 women and 30

men) on the difficulty of the run they picked, their control, fluidity, form

and technique, and aggression during the execution of their run. The Motatapu

Chutes are extremely complex, comprising chutes, towers and ridges, with runs

up to 300m long.

Spectators were able to enjoy watching the

competitors take on the gut-wrenching drops from the adjacent face.

Because of the extreme nature of the event, the

competition depended heavily on weather conditions, which were such that skiers

were only able to complete one run, instead of having the prelims, followed by

the finals today. Unfortunately, the weather this week has also been unsuitable

for the Expression Session at Treble Cone, which was to replace the heli-access

event this year.

NZ Free Ski Open event director Gerald Davies said

today’s event was a spectacular finish to the competition, which began

last week with the K2 Halfpipe and Slopestyle events at Snow Park NZ.

&lt;!--

D([&quot;mb&quot;,&quot;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial&quot;&gt;“We couldn’t have asked for better conditions

today. The Motatapu Chutes were in ideal condition for these athletes and the

weather was perfect. The competitors really made the most of the terrain and we

saw some amazing riding.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

by the number of spectators watching from Sundance Ridge today, Volkl sales

representative Charles Cochrane said. “Treble Cone has some of the best

free riding available and with a prime location like the Motatapu Chutes. Not

only were the riders stoked, the spectators had huge smiles on their faces as

well. All in all, everyone was loving it.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p styleu003d&quot;text-align:justify&quot;&gt;&lt;font sizeu003d&quot;3&quot; faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial&quot;&gt;The NZ Free Ski Open

concludes this Friday, August 25, with the inaugural BASE Downtown Rail Jam,

which takes place in the Bullock Bar car park at 7pm. The invitational competition

features 10 elite free skiers and snowboarders (yet to be named), who will take

on the massive BASE rail (with snow thanks to Snow Park NZ) and perform their

slides, rotations and big air in front of a panel of judges, all vying for the

$2000 cash prize. Live music and MCs will also be there to help make this a

great event for the public.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p styleu003d&quot;text-align:justify&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font sizeu003d&quot;3&quot; faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&quot;,1]

);

//--&gt;“We couldn’t have asked for better conditions

today. The Motatapu Chutes were in ideal condition for these athletes and the

weather was perfect. The competitors really made the most of the terrain and we

saw some amazing riding.”

Big mountain skiing has grown significantly, judging

by the number of spectators watching from Sundance Ridge today, Volkl sales

representative Charles Cochrane said. “Treble Cone has some of the best

free riding available and with a prime location like the Motatapu Chutes. Not

only were the riders stoked, the spectators had huge smiles on their faces as

well. All in all, everyone was loving it.”

The NZ Free Ski Open

concludes this Friday, August 25, with the inaugural BASE Downtown Rail Jam,

which takes place in the Bullock Bar car park at 7pm. The invitational competition

features 10 elite free skiers and snowboarders (yet to be named), who will take

on the massive BASE rail (with snow thanks to Snow Park NZ) and perform their

slides, rotations and big air in front of a panel of judges, all vying for the

$2000 cash prize. Live music and MCs will also be there to help make this a

great event for the public.

- via press release

&lt;!--

D([&quot;mb&quot;,&quot;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold&quot;&gt;Results:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p styleu003d&quot;text-align:justify&quot;&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;font sizeu003d&quot;3&quot; faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold&quot;&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p alignu003d&quot;center&quot; styleu003d&quot;text-align:center&quot;&gt;&lt;font sizeu003d&quot;3&quot; faceu003d&quot;Arial&quot;&gt;&lt;span langu003d&quot;EN-GB&quot; styleu003d&quot;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial&quot;&gt;-ends-&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/font&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p alignu003d&quot;center&quot; styleu003d&quot;text-align:center&quot;&gt;&quot;,1]

);

//--&gt;Results:

Womens:

1. Janina Kuzma (AUST)

2. Kate McDougall (NZ)

3. Jacobina Home (SCOT)

Mens:

1. Hamish Acland (NZ)

2. Geoff Small (NZ)

3. Alastair Eason (NZ)

Hamish must have picked up some sweet core shots on this line. (p: Camilla Stoddart/NZ Freeski Open)

After taking second place in the NZ Open halfpipe, Janina Kuzma shows she can ski more than just a transition. (p: Camilla Stoddart/NZ Freeski Open)

Charlie Lyons, givin' er like it's Christmas morning. (p: Camilla Stoddart/NZ Freeski Open)

Hamish Acland wins NZ Freeski Open Big Mountain event

Comments

A quick word on blocking ads

How to disable ad-blocker for Newschoolers

Comments