The friendly six-a-side cricket, football and touch rugby competition in Pembroke Park was organised by representatives from Snow Park, Cardrona, Treble Cone and local business Mint Bar - which provided a free meal for the workers. The event attracted about 200 employees from the three skifields.
Treble Cone rentals supervisor Tim Dormer said the Brown Hill Cup was the first, and hopefully last, combined event of its kind Wanaka skifields organised for their staff in response to a lack of snow. It was a way for staff from all the skifields to support each other through the financial strain of not working, he said.
Mr Dormer sympathised with the "roll-on effect" the skifields' delayed opening was having on local businesses, with no wages for workers meaning less income for businesses.
Mint Bar assistant manager Rozel Taylor said rather than "sitting around whingeing" about the situation, she had decided to "do something about it", so the hundreds of skifield workers in Wanaka for the season would stay in town and "have fun".
Cardrona employee Tanya Boiteau, of Canada, said her financial situation was "tight".
"If you're from overseas you don't get any of the [Work and Income benefits] so any foreigners are struggling to get by right now."
Snow Park worker Keira Washtell, of the United Kingdom, said she only had a week or two of savings left before she would be out of money, while Treble Cone staff member Jakcom Nean, of Australia, was down to his last $80.
Australian Matty Cook, back for a third summer at Treble Cone, said he and his friends were "living off each other" until their first pay packet came in.
He was determined to stick it out in Wanaka despite the tough times.
"We're all a bunch of snowbums. We're here for the snow. It doesn't matter how bad things get. I'd prefer to starve than not ride for the winter," Mr Cook said.
