Ski boots and snow suits are not typical midsummer attire, but for the Wanaka-based staff at Snow Sports New Zealand (SSNZ), it seemed a fitting way to celebrate the one-year countdown to the Winter Olympics.
Wrapped up in their winter wardrobe, SSNZ staff, family and friends gathered for a photo shoot on the Wanaka lakefront yesterday morning, to generate some excitement around next Thursday, February 7 - one year to the day until the games begin in Sochi, Russia.
SSNZ chief executive Marty Toomey said the year ahead was crucial for the winter athletes, as the qualifying period for the Olympics, which began in July 2012, was now in full swing. More than 30 New Zealanders are chasing Olympic spots at present, competing across free-ski and snowboard park and pipe, skeleton racing, long track speed skating, alpine and adaptive disciplines.
Most of the athletes base themselves in the Queenstown Lakes district during the southern hemisphere winter. The inclusion of half pipe and slopestyle skiing, and slopestyle snowboard events in next year's Olympics was of major benefit for SSNZ, as its park and pipe programme had the best medal prospects, he said.
This year's Winter Games, held largely in the Queenstown Lakes district from August 11 to 25, will be an important qualifying opportunity for the athletes. Mr Toomey said it was also a great opportunity for New Zealanders to see the top Winter Olympic hopefuls in action, with about 1000 elite athletes from 50 different countries competing.
SSNZ logistics manager Nic Cavanagh said a ''dummy'' Winter Olympics in Sochi next week would give the athletes their first look at the facilities and courses where they would compete if their qualifying bid was successful.
