Queenstown welcomes world's top skiers
14 Jul 2010
Coronet Peak, in Queenstown, will again become the hub of international race training this month as it welcomes back some of the world’s best ski racers.
Stars of the Vancouver Winter Olympics and other world cup medalists, as well as team members from America and Europe, will base themselves in Queenstown for the winter.
The skiers say 'The Peak' is their ideal southern hemisphere training destination.
Olympic stars
Olympic gold medalists, Lindsey Vonn (USA), Bode Miller (USA), Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway), and Viktoria Rebensburg and Maria Riesch from Germany, are among the skiers booked to train in the Rocky Gully Race Arena at Coronet Peak.
Other Olympic and World Cup medalists Andrew Weibrecht (USA), Eric Guay (CAN), Julia Mancuso (USA), Kjetil Jansrud (Norway) and Tina Maze (SLO) are also among those set to begin preparations for the competitive season.
The podium dominating teams, USA, Canada, Swiss, Germany and Norway have all confirmed they’ll also be heading to Queenstown for southern hemisphere 2010 training.
Amazing facility
US Ski Team head coach Sasha Rearick described Coronet Peak as "an amazing facility", and said life in Queenstown for the athletes was "fantastic".
"Coronet Peak rocks for race training! It has everything we need ... You can get world class training in the morning then go downtown and continue with dry land training or play a game of golf, tennis ... some of the athletes are into photography - you don't get that in too many places," said Rearick.
Queenstown in winter
Coronet Peak's race and events head, Richard Murphy, said the athletes are expected to be based in Queenstown from the last week of July through until September.
"There is massive excitement surrounding the teams' arrivals this season.
After the great successes of some of our returnees at the Vancouver Olympics, we are really looking forward to hosting our FIS ski races and training camps that are key to these teams and athletes' early season preparation," Murphy said.
Southern Hemisphere training
Coronet Peak has been the main southern hemisphere training centre for the US Alpine Ski Team for the past 18 years, and continues to be the main training destination for many other alpine nations' athletes and teams.
Murphy said the training camps were crucial for the individual athletes and for team planning.
While Coronet Peak would be treated mainly as a training destination, some of the elite athletes will also compete in races while they are in New Zealand.
"They will use these to get back in the 'start gate' and enter 'race mode' once again after some time off from rigorous World Cup and Europa Cup race schedules in North America and Europe," said Murphy.
He said Coronet Peak was favoured by the athletes for its consistent snowmaking, ability to inject all training hills, quick turnaround for athletes on Rock Gully T Bar and the Coronet Express, its rolling terrain and reliable weather patterns.
New Zealand alpine team
Murphy said it was also important to note the impact the visiting teams had on New Zealand's winter athletes.
"Coronet Peak is also the main training ground of our NZ National Alpine team and it gives them the opportunity to race and train with the world's best," he said.
The New Zealand team was currently training hard on perfect conditions under the reigns of national team coach Nils Coberger in Rocky Gully, and were looking forward to the international skiers’ arrival, said Murphy.
Races to be held at Coronet Peak this winter include the Japanese FIS Cup, New Zealand Nationals and the Australia New Zealand Cup.
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