For the past 31 years, about 100 Queenstown skiers have converged on Coronet Peak each Tuesday for a fiercely contested local race series - before going back to work.
Volkl Skis New Zealand distributor Geoff McKeown, whose company sponsors the Winter Classic Series, described it as a "local in-house business race" where businesses sponsored a group of four to six skiers "to have fun and ski under their name" over eight races.
"If there's such thing as a recreational competition, that's at the high end of it," Mr McKeown said.
Some weeks, racers competed in a dual slalom, during other weeks they competed in a two-run giant slalom.
"What you get is a mix of local recreation skiers, ski school instructors, race department employees, coaches and, of course, what we all peg ourselves against, international skiers that are in it for the fun.
"There's a core group of locals who try and poach other fast locals for their team and every time a new international skier of repute comes to town, all the teams are trying to grab them."
Attendance at the social prizegiving each week was testament to the racers' dedication and enjoyment.
Mr McKeown said the race format was unique to Queenstown, and said other ski areas had tried to follow suit, but had not had the success of Coronet Peak.
"Without their [Coronet Peak's] enthusiasm for the event, it would not be what it is."
The other half of the equation was the attitude of the racers regarding race outcomes and snow conditions.
"We all have the same attitude: any day up the mountain is a good day up the mountain."
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