More than 150 junior skiers from across the world spent the weekend racing at Coronet Peak.
The annual National Junior School Ski champs attracted primary school-aged racers (years 1-8) from as far afield as Canada, Germany and the US.
It's the first competitive races of the 2024 season, and Queenstown Alpine Ski Team deputy chair Lindsay Love believes the weekend was a great opportunity for athletes and volunteers to shake off the rust.
"Having the last two weeks of school holidays has been able to get them really well prepared."
"They've been up here most every single day, just getting the snow back under them. And it's really good for them to have the opportunity to get some race time in."
The championships are largely a team event, focusing on the performance of a whole school team, rather than individuals. However international entrants still competed as individuals, many spending up to two months here during their longer school holidays to gain race experience.
About 60 athletes from the Queenstown Alpine Ski Team took part in the weekend. They've spent the last fortnight here, training five days a week.
New Zealand under 14 skier Bastian Laing from Auckland featured in the top times on both days. The 13-year-old is proud of his results given the tough competition, and now looking ahead to his next races.
"The national points race at Mt Hutt, competing against many of my peers who are really good."
Coronet Peak is set to host the National Championships and Coronet Cup in mid-August, where skiers from across the country will try to prove themselves ahead of the NZ Winter Games.
Bastian Laing won first place in the Men's Year 7-8 category in both the Dual & Giant Slalom, followed closely by 11-year-old Austrian Benedikt Huser in both events.
Meanwhile, Auckland 12-year-old Alexia Liu took out the Women’s Year 7-8 category in both events, with Queenstown’s 12-year-old Lily Smith coming in second in the two events.
- By Olivia Judd and Rhyva van Onselen, , made with the support of NZ On Air
