2023 Merino Muster at Snow Farm this weekend
New Zealand’s Worldloppet International Cross Country Race programme is set to get underway on Saturday, 2 September, at the Snow Farm above the Cardrona Valley.
The main race, one of 20 in the Worldloppet International series, attracts a sizable field of International competitors and consists of 42km of racing over Snow Farm terrain.
This year's field has competitors from 17 different countries, including a 21-member Estonian team, and three-time Olympic medallist, Jessie Diggins (USA), who is has been training at the Snow Farm with her team mates for the past few weeks. Diggs has won the ladies 42km race on previous occasions at Snow Farm.
Diggins is also the first ever distance world champion from the USA when she eclipsed the European competition at this year’s FIS World Championships, a huge coup for a non-European skier.
The other race distances are 21km, 14km, 7km and 1km for the youngest competitors, aged under 10 years old.
The event is the pinnacle of the Snow Farm season, and is as much about recreational skiers as competitive racers. Fancy dress is always encouraged and Rt. Hon Helen Clark famously would combine a picnic as part of her race.
"It is a celebration of the simple joy that Cross-country skiing at the Snow Farm is all about", Snow Farm's John Burridge says.
Registration Information:
Entries remain open on the website www.merinomuster.com until Thursday, 30 August, at midnight or manually at the Lake Wānaka Centre on Thursday, 30 August between 4-6pm and Friday, 1 September between 3-6pm.
Bib collection can also be made at these times at the Wanaka centre. Bib collection will not be possible at the Snow Farm on race day due to the limited facilities until the new Day Lodge is built. Call the website phone number if these collection times are not suitable as our preference is not to issue bibs at the Snow Farm due to the limited facilities.
As usual all those juniors in the Snow Farm school programmes are given a complimentary entry in the 7km but this season due to the uncertain snow conditions earlier in the season any junior skiers that have learnt to Cross-Country ski with their school are eligible for a complimentary entry in this race. Just make sure to order and pay for rental gear as soon as possible as there is a limited supply.
