Elite Snowsport Action in New Zealand

31st August 2024

Last modified on September 2nd, 2024

It’s the FIS Snowboard Park & Pipe World Cup event this weekend at Cardrona on the South Island that is part of the 2024 Winter Games NZ.

This week marks five years since the FIS Snowboard World Cup was last  Cardrona for big air action, while it has been seven years since the last slopestyle World Cup competition at the venue.

Cardrona, Image © PlanetSKI

The weather is described as ‘challenging’ by the organisers but it is hoped the event can take place.

In competition for the women is reigning World Champion and X Games winner Mia Brookes of Great Britain, Austria’s Anna Gasser, and Kokomo Murase, Reira Iwabuchi and Mari Fukada of the strong Japanese team.

For the men there’s Marcus Kleveland and Mons Roisland of Norway, the USA’s Red Gerard and Dusty Henricksen, China’s Su Yiming, Taiga Hasegawa, Ryoma Kimata and Hiroaki Kunitake of Japan, Canada’s Cameron Spalding and Korean triple threat Chaeung Lee.

After Cardrona, the slopestyle season takes a break of nearly four and a half months.

It heads to Laax in Switzerland 15-18 January 2025, then over to North America.

Buttermilk Resort in Aspen 30 January to 06 February and Calgary, Canada, from 19-23 February.

The series concludes in Livigno, Italy, for what will be the test event competition for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games halfpipe event next winter.

Cardrona, New Zealand. Image © PlanetSKI.

There are a handful of elite athletes from other snowsport disciplines in New Zealand.

Marcel Hirscher, the Austrian skiing legend who is now skiing for Holland, is at the Roundhill ski area.

Hirscher’s routine revolves around early morning starts, strict training schedules and careful load management after five years away from the sport.

The Norwegian World Cup technical squad, including the likes of Timon Haugan, Atle Lie McGrath, Alexander Steen Olsen, Rasmus Windingstad and Sebastian Foss-Solevaag are also in New Zealand.

There are also World Cup hopefuls from Brazil and Andorra.

South Island, New Zealand. Image © PlanetSKI

Back in Europe the French alpine ski racer, Alexis Pinturault, is currently training in Cervinia, Italy.

 He tore his ACL last season and has undergone surgery on his knee.

He is now preparing for the coming World Cup season and hopes to be in the start gate in Soelde in Austria for the first races at the end of October.

“Seven months after my operation, I’m thrilled to finally put my skis back on,” he said.

“Just being at the top of the slopes again, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, was a reward in itself.”

While recovering, Pinturault said, he experienced “doubt” and “pain.”

Cervinia, Pinturault will visit Ushuaia, Argentina, to undergo pre-season training.

Other snowsport athletes are currently in Ushuaia.

The Swiss slalom racers, Croatian men and women, Slovenian women, and teams from Austria and Germany have all made their way to this remote location.

With its unique landscape and reliable snow conditions, Ushuaia offers these athletes an ideal environment to fine-tune their skills before the start of the World Cup season.

The Canadian men’s alpine ski speed team is training in Chile.

Here at PlanetSKI we’ll be updating on the results from the FIS Snowboard Park & Pipe World Cup  at Cardrona.

Do check back…