Sixty women receive training in Snow Girls programme
WOMEN all ages and walks of life will gather at Snow Farm today for the final day of the 2022 Snow Girls programme.
The programme has seen more than 60 women partaking in the biweekly sessions facilitated by local instructors.
Last year the first crosscountry qualification was introduced into the New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance (NZSIA) with Snow Girls instructors — Hil Kiesow, Anita Hallberg and Mary Lee — being among the first in the country to go through this qualification.
Snow Farm instructor Hil Kiesow said prior to Covid19, Snow Girls was more of a social group where women were given pointers.
‘‘When Covid hit we got a lot more organised, so Mary, Anita and I went and got our certificate [crosscountry instructors qualification]. So now we’ve got a great combination of pretty knowledgeable instructors with a big part of it [Snow Girls] being the social side of it and having fun together,’’ Ms Kiesow said.
Snow Farm founder and instructor Mary Lee said while origins of the first Snow Girls programme began when Snow Farm first started, Covid19 presented an opportunity to redesign the programme.
Prior to the redesign, Snow Girls was offered sporadically throughout the season.
‘‘We’ve now got an all season programme, so the girls can come two days a week or they can just come for a short introduction, to see if they like it.’’
A lot of women had become friends through the programme, Ms Lee said.
‘‘One of the ladies just said to me she doesn’t know what she is going to do when we finish because she’s enjoyed the company, as well as the exercise. It’s been a fun programme.’’
In each session, the qualified instructors provided tips to the group, as well as the opportunity for individual feedback.
Ms Lee said she was excited for the Snow Girls programme to return for winter 2023.
‘‘This will definitely be back next year. This will be our third year of this format, so I’m sure the women will give us feedback on what they would like changed. One of the things I wanted was coming out to the huts this year. It’s been really successful,’’ she said.
The Snow Girls programme cost $100 per person, for the full season.
The resort is the only nonprofit ski area in the Southern Lakes region.
Snow Farm is owned and operated by the Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust (PACT).
In October, the ski area will be required to leave its current base building and hand the premises back to the building owners and neighbouring business Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground.
In order to build a new base area more than $1.7 million will be needed, and Snow Farm is seeking financial help from funding partners and charitable foundations.
Snow Farm NZ Ltd received $225,000 towards the build of stage one of their new base lodge in August.
The build needs to be complete by next season when their lease with Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground is up.