There from Masters start, 23 years ago

Twenty-three years after Queenstown's Fraser Skinner (58) first helped start the New Zealand Ski Masters, 2011 may be the first year the veteran skier and organiser does not compete.

A regular contender in the Coronet Peak competition's downhill race - coming second on handicap last year - Skinner was unsure if he would be able to fit it in alongside organisational duties during the August 12-13 event.

"I have not yet made that decision this year, but it's not easy trying to do both and when you're going down [downhill racing] at 100kmh, you have to have your wits about you."

Skinner started skiing at the age of 12, but did not get into the sport seriously until he moved to Queenstown in 1971, where he eventually became co-ordinator of the ski school at Coronet Peak.

Now working as a consultant for Harcourts, he has been heavily involved in the ski scene since he made the move - and was also a founder of the Winter Classic series.

As a reflection of his involvement, Skinner was this week announced as a nominee for the Snow Sports New Zealand Volunteer of the Year award, with winners announced at the annual awards dinner this Saturday, July 30, at the Venue in Wanaka.

However, if he does not get up the mountain as much as he used to, he puts it down not to age but, like many, to work commitments.

"I actually haven't been up this year, just with work and everything on, but it will happen and when I've skied so much in the past ... it's not a major"

Despite having not made it this season so far, Skinner generally gets up for Coronet's First Tracks in the morning before work, and says age is not a concern when it comes to skiing.

"The enjoyment factor doesn't go away. There's nothing like getting up there with a few friends ... I will ski as long as I can stand up."

Skinner is obviously not the only person in this situation, with a proliferation of Masters events emerging since the New Zealand masters was founded.

Masters events are held at Mt Hutt - with masters racing next weekend - as well as Treble Cone, Cardrona and occasionally in the North Island.

He said there was a good mix of competitors, with some people new to ski racing, and others former national team and Olympic team racers.

Although the upper echelon is very competitive, he encouraged skiers above the age of 30 who think they might like to compete to have a go, regardless of any racing background.

This season Skinner has his hands full involved on the organisational side of events such as the Winter Games New Zealand, for which he will commentate on the alpine ski racing.

Even if he does not make it on to the snow, he can at least still see it from his house across from Coronet Peak - a spot he spied as ski school co-ordinator in 1980.

"I can lie in bed and look at the mountain," Skinner says, with a laugh.

 

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