Winter Games NZ Secures Five-Year Funding Commitment

10th May 2023

Last modified on May 13th, 2023

Winter Games NZ has secured a five-year funding commitment from New Zealand Major Events to support the event annually through to 2027.

Winter Games NZ 2023 will host 14 traditional events across alpine, freeride and freestyle (park and pipe) disciplines between the 25th of August and 8th of September.

The Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) alpine skiing Giant Slalom, Slalom and Super G races will take place at Coronet Peak.

The North Face Frontier Freeride World Tour qualifying 2-star and 4-star events will be held across the Wakatipu Basin at The Remarkables ski area.

The world’s best freeski and snowboard athletes aged 14-18 will battle it out at Cardrona Alpine Resort for the prestigious FIS Junior World Champion titles in big air, halfpipe and slopestyle.

There’s the chance to secure a nation spot for the 2024 Youth Olympic Winter Games being held in Korea in January 2024.

Despite being juniors, the eligible athletes will include reigning junior and senior World Champions and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympians.

Cardrona, Image © PlanetSKI

“Securing a five-year funding commitment from central government allows us to plan our future with certainty,” said Winter Games NZ CEO, Marty Toomey.

“This funding support will allow us to showcase Aotearoa New Zealand to the world through epic content captured during the biggest snow sports programme we have ever delivered.”

Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds “Proudly Kiwi, Winter Games NZ is a homegrown event. It offers elite international sports competition across New Zealand’s Southern Lakes District in the northern hemisphere’s summer, Winter Games NZ is the largest annual snow sports event in the Southern Hemisphere. It attracts 500-600 athletes and generates strong international broadcast and media coverage.”

In addition to a stacked traditional schedule, Winter Games NZ will also hold the inaugural International Obsidian Challenge from 9th – 16th of September at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

The International Obsidian Challenge is an athlete focused team event and will see teams made up of the best freeski and snowboard athletes representing Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America, battle it out for bragging rights across custom built terrain park venues and extraordinary freeride terrain.