Skifield’s 75th anniversary marked in style
AFTER rain waylaid some celebrations, Coronet Peak was a hive of activity yesterday, as the skifield made double time on its 75th anniversary festivities.
The morning began at high speed with the straight skis race.
The race, set up as a panel slalom, in which all skis were from before 1995, got away just before 11am with about 10 competitors racing for $1000 cash.
Claiming victory, in a time of 18.12 seconds, was Italy’s Luca Clemente, who had borrowed a ‘‘lucky pair’’ of straight skis from a colleague.
Compared with modern skis, straight skis made turning harder.
‘‘You need better technique and a lot more action of your body to [use straight skis],’’ Mr Clemente said.
Also requiring excellent technique was the Dash for Cash, held yesterday for the first time since 1994.
The event was held in memory of Bruce Grant, an Olympic skier and repeat winner of the event in the early 1990s.
Mr Grant died in 1995 after he reached the summit of K2 in the Himalayas.
Competitors undertook a gruelling challenge which started on foot. They then crawled under a cargo net, got into some skis, raced downhill, scrambled over tussock, skied down the finishing chute, removed skis, then ran back up the jump where $5000 in prize money waited to be claimed.
Women’s winner SwissNew Zealander Celine Arnold took some convincing to sign up but from the beginning held an impressive lead to take her slice of the prize easily.
‘‘It was tiring, super exciting, really nervous at the start, my legs were shaking . . .
‘‘I like winning. I don’t mind losing but I like to give it my best,’’ Ms Arnold said.
Men’s winner Willis Feasy, a former New Zealand Olympic ski racer, had a bit more of a fight on his hands against Max Vaughton.
The pair were neck and neck, with Mr Feasy managing to just get his hand over the line first.
‘‘That was hard work, lots of running.
‘‘My legs just kind of went on me . . . I just ended up diving for the line’’, he said.
Proceeds from entry fees were donated to the Bruce Grant Youth Trust, to support young achievers in the Wakatipu.
The long lunch in the base building attracted some distinguished guests, including Coronet Peak skifield pioneer Sir Henry Wigley’s children Annabel Elworthy, Jo Watson, Sally Middleton and Brian Wigley.