Masters skiing champs return to Coronet Peak
The snow has fallen at the perfect time for the NZ Skiing Masters Championships.
Competitors head to Coronet Peak this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 3-4 August, for the first event of the calendar.
The events in the alpine master ski discipline comprise Super Giant slalom, Giant Slalom and Slalom. Racers compete for overall titles in Slalom and Giant Slalom, but the Super-G is just for bragging rights.
"The entries are still open but we should expect to see entries from defending champions in both the men's and women’s divisions," organiser and competitor Geoff Hunt says.
Individuals race in age class groups and overall with a handicap system to determine the overall champion in each discipline.
In the women’s Giant Slalom (the most prestigious event to win) Harriet Millar- Brown has been a step ahead of the other women in the open class, while Bonnie Teat has proved over the years to be almost unbeatable in the overall handicap. Millar-Brown will not be in NZ to defend her title but the other Queenstown Julie Gibbs and Val Millar will race for the overall handicap win.
On the men's side, three local competitors are likely to be in the running. Rowan McDonald, Jon Wardrop and Geoff Hunt himself will be racing for titles in all three disciplines.
The championships are held over four weekends, visiting Coronet Peak, Cardrona, Mt Hutt and Treble Cone. National titles in slalom and giant slalom will be awarded at the final event of the year at Treble Cone.
The four disciplines in ski racing are separated mainly by how close the gates are set and how fast you ski through them, Hunt says.
In slalom, the gates are placed much closer together, requiring quick and precise turns as the skier weaves through the course. This event demands a high level of technical skill, agility, and ability to make rapid adjustments.
On the other hand, giant slalom features gates that are set at a greater distance from each other compared to slalom. This event requires a combination of speed and technical ability, as skiers must make wider turns while maintaining control and precision.
Both slalom and giant slalom present their own set of challenges, and the level of difficulty can vary depending on the skier's strengths and preferences.
"Some may find the quick and intricate turns of slalom more challenging, while others may struggle with the higher speeds and longer turns of giant slalom. Ultimately, the toughness to master either event depends on the individual skier's skills and training."
Super-G has fewer gates and they are set further apart than in Giant Slalom.
