Lake Wanaka, New Zealand – Snow Park New Zealand opened its Triple Line at noon today, featuring a combination of 35-foot, 40-foot and 60-foot foot jumps and more than 30 other features in and around its slopestyle course in preparation for upcoming international slopestyle events.
Snow Park NZ is the first Southern Lakes ski area to open world-class freestyle features following intensive early-season snowmaking and a recent series of storms that dumped more than a meter of snow on the terrain park.
“Our grooming team have been working tirelessly to get these jumps ready and we’re looking forward to adding more features to the course over the next week,” said Snow Park NZ Slopes Manager, John Melville.
Team Rider Jay Walsh, 18, of Wanaka, was one of the first to test the Triple Line this morning.
“I was stoked to get the call early this morning that the triple line was open and ready to ride,” said Walsh, who earned himself a wild card entry into this year’s Burton Open at the Burton’s Junior slopestyle event held at Snow Park NZ last weekend. “I’m looking forward to an epic season. It’s been awesome so far.”
Snow Park NZ will this season also host world-class slopestyle events on the Triple Line, including The North Face Freeski Open, the Billabong Bro Down and the 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games Slopestyle.
Snow Park NZ’s Triple Line course may be New Zealand’s most photographed and filmed freestyle terrain, featuring in numerous magazine covers and video segments over the years.
Ski and snowboard slopestyle were both recently confirmed as new Olympic sports in 2014, which means Snow Park NZ will also be a centrepiece for training for top Olympic and Winter X-Games prospects.
“Our slopes, grooming and snowmaking crew led by John Melville and Jamie Kennerley have been working night and day to make this happen. We’re proud to now have open what we believe is the world’s best terrain park with dozens of unique features and fantastic early season conditions,” said Snow Park NZ General Manager Robin Sadowski-Synnott.
Snow Park NZ will see the return of its Junior Slopestyle event this Thursday and Friday on mini slopestlye course in front of the Woolshed Restaurant and Bar as well as opening New Zealand’s only quarterpipe in advance of the Electric Quarterpipe Battle scheduled for July 30.