FEATURE

Top Result for NZ Ski Racers in ANC Series

By Snow Sports NZ

The New Zealand Men’s Alpine Ski Team faced a top class field on their home ground of Coronet Peak today for the final races in the Australia New Zealand Continental Cup Series.
 
The series has included four Giant Slalom (GS) and four Slalom races held at Coronet Peak as well as Perisher resort in Australia. Today’s racing was for the men’s field only and included two GS races which had to be rescheduled due to poor snow conditions firstly in Perisher and then at Coronet Peak on Monday this week.
 
The women’s ANC series concluded yesterday (Tuesday) with Piera Hudson (Hawke’s Bay/ Wanaka) coming away with the coveted yellow bibs for the Giant Slalom, Slalom and overall.
 
The yellow bib is awarded to the top performing female and male competitors from the ANC series races held in Australia and New Zealand. The yellow bib allows the holder a top 31 start position on the Europa Cup and NorAm circuit for the northern hemisphere season.
 
“The ANC series couldn't have gone better for me this season!” explains Piera. “There were some really difficult conditions to ski in at both Mt Perisher and Coronet Peak but I put down some solid runs throughout the series and am really happy that I was able to come away with the GS, SL and Overall ANC Title and I'm looking forward to making the most of the yellow bib in Europa Cups and Norams in the Northern Hemisphere season.”
 
Piera claimed a first and a second place in Slalom and a first and a second in GS at Perisher between 22 and 25 August. In the Coronet Peak races held from 29 August – 1 September she placed 10^th and 17^th respectively in the Slalom and 11^th and 14th respectively in the Giant Slalom.
 
Slovakia’s Adam Zampa won both GS races at Coronet Peak today, claiming the men’s Giant Slalom ANC title as well as the overall title.
 
Willis Feasey (Twizel) was the top performing New Zealander in today’s GS races against the strong international field. Willis placed third in both races, earning a career best 10 point result.
 
“I’ve had a couple of DNFs over the last couple of GS races so I held back to start with,” he explains. However, with the first run under his belt he could up the ante. “I realised I was in a good position to score and I had to lay one down.”
 
Adam Barwood (Queenstown) was the best of the Kiwis in the overall series. He finished 5^th and 15^th in today’s GS, 4^th and 13^th in the Slalom and 8^th in the GS in Perisher, and 13^th and 16^th in the Slalom, and 23^rd in the GS at Coronet Peak earlier in the week.
 
Full results: http://data.fis-ski.com/alpine-skiing/results.html