SLOPESTYLE COURSE IN TOP SHAPE FOR NZ FREE SKI OPEN

 

Internationally-renowned

terrain park designers at Snow Park NZ have been perfecting their slopestyle

course in the lead up to next week’s NZ Free Ski Open.

 

Under the

guidance and expertise of three of the world’s top park designers - Frank

Wells, Jeremiah Pebley and Jeremy Carpenter, all of US consultancy company Snow Park

Technologies – Snow Park NZ’s slopestyle course, which has been

altered since last weeks’ Burton NZ Open, will be a technical course to

test even the most skilled free skiers.

 

The course

begins with a quarterpipe-style drop-in, down to a custom Snow Park NZ stair

feature, then to a gap-to-snow box, before moving to a 14m jump, followed by an

18m jump. Skiers complete the course by hitting a flat-down rail and a jump-to-down

box, which is the latest craze in free skiing slopestyle and promises

spectacular tricks, such as 900 and 1080 rotations.

 

Wells, who is

Snow Park NZ’s slopes manager, said snow-making conditions have been excellent

over the last few days, which has enabled the park designers to put more snow

into the features. Extra snow has also helped the 150m halfpipe to be groomed

to perfection.  “I think the skiers will be really excited about the

course,” Wells said.

 

The K2

Halfpipe event signals the beginning of the NZ Free Ski Open on August 15,

followed by the slopestyle on August 16. The Volkl Big Mountain prelims take place at Treble

Cone on Friday August 18 with the finals on the first following fine weather

day, between August 20 and 25.