Winter made a late return to Southern Lakes mountains yesterday, with fresh snow providing a much needed boost for Queenstown's Coronet Peak, and Wanaka skifield operators reporting the new snow added to the already good coverage on the area's three skifields.
Torte Lyons does not look like your average ''horrible little bogan'', as her mother jokingly calls her.
Once again freestyle snowboarders and skiers will share an event with motocrossers, in a rugby field loaded with truckloads of snow hauled down from Queenstown's skifields.
Members of the Bilous family, of Hawea Flat, have been stalwart participants in the long-running World Heli Challenge, held annually in Wanaka's back country.
Five Upper Clutha primary schoolchildren will be ''buddied'' up with some of Wanaka's top snow sports athletes this winter as part of a programme aimed at promoting snow sports to youth.
A Sweden-New Zealand winter biathlon exchange programme was launched at Snow Farm on the Pisa Range this month, with the first of the foreign athletes involved already full of praise for New Zealand's snow conditions, facilities and weather.
The Remarkables held a pirate-themed day yesterday to celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day.
If you are female, then head to the mountain this Saturday.
Challenging snow conditions have been replaced by what was claimed to be the best snow in the South Island, though Treble Cone will not be extending its closing date past next Sunday.
Queenstown NZSki fields Coronet Peak and The Remarkables are scheduled to close on October 7, as is Cardrona in Wanaka, Mt Dobson near Fairlie and Ohau Snow Fields.
Proving that snow is for everyone, a growing programme at the Remarkables skifield is making it possible for disabled skiers and snowboarders to "come up here and do what everyone else does".
Strong winds at the Remarkables yesterday closed the skifield and delayed the big mountain final of the Freeski Open of New Zealand.
NZSKI lift operator Megan Burke is stocking up on eggs and spoons before Father's Day on Sunday.
The Waitaki Ski Club's Awakino Skifield has finally opened, and a club member says the skiing on opening weekend was "worth the wait".
Back for the fourth time on Southern snow this week was Gus Kenworthy of Telluride, Colorado.
The number of competitors in inter-university sporting events has been set back by the introduction of voluntary student association membership say organisers, who hope numbers will return to their former glory over time.
Skiing and snowboarding are not the only ways to enjoy winter snow in Central Otago.
Wanaka skifields will host a series of major snow sports events in the next few weeks.
Ask masters ski racers why they continue to race and it becomes clear they have a lifelong passion.
Skiers and boarders should stay within their abilities on the slopes to avoid injury and take regular ski lessons, according to an orthopaedic registrar who treats injured skiers and snowboarders.
At the end of a busy school week, 230 years 4 to 8 Arrowtown Primary School pupils descend on Coronet Peak for learning disguised as fun.
