Winter Games NZ 2023 – Five Days to Go!

The 2023 edition of the Winter Games NZ kicks off in five days with the Opening Ceremony being held in Wānaka on Friday the 25th of August.

Winter Games NZ invites the community to join us at the Opening Ceremony being held at Pembroke Park from 4.30pm, to witness athletes representing over 30 nations at the FIS Park and Pipe Junior World Championships taking part in the Parade of nations.

The sports action will kick off on the 27th of August at Cardrona Alpine Resort, with the FIS Park and Pipe Junior World Championships freeski slopestyle qualifiers, followed by the snowboard slopestyle qualifiers on the 28th, and the hotly contested slopestyle finals on the 29th. With the Junior World Champion title on the line, expect to see some heavy hitting riding from the competitors.

Meanwhile, over the Crown Range at Queenstown’s Coronet Peak, the FIS Australia New Zealand Cup Alpine Ski Racing programme gets underway on the 28th of August, starting with two Giant Slalom races on consecutive days. Queenstown alpine ski racing superstar Alice Robinson is set to compete in both Giant Slalom races and is sure to draw an enthusiastic local crowd. Two Slalom races follow on the 31st August and 1st September at Coronet Peak.

On the 2nd of September we head over to The Remarkables Ski Area, where The North Face Frontier weather window opens. The two best days out of seven will be selected for hosting the 2* and the 4* competition days. The 2023 North Face Frontier boasts the biggest start list we have ever seen, with an incredible number of up and coming Kiwi athletes competing in the 2* event and a roster of international talent in the 4* event.

Wrapping up the 2023 Winter Games NZ programme is the inaugural International Obsidian Challenge, where the best of the best from all four corners of the globe will be competing in a unique team format competition. Expect to see the likes of Nico Porteous, NZ (2022 Beijing Freeski Halfpipe Olympic Gold medallist), Mia Brookes, GBR (2023 Snowboard Slopestyle World Champion) and Alex Hall, USA (2022 Beijing Freeski Slopestyle Olympic Gold medallist) representing their respective teams.

Winter Games NZ CEO Marty Toomey said “After months of preparation we are looking forward to getting the Games underway. We expect to see some mind blowing performances from some of the worlds best snow sports athletes and look forward to seeing what the best emerging talent can bring to the party.”

For those wanting to watch the Winter Games NZ action on snow there are spectator maps located on the Winter Games NZ website – www.wintergamesnz.kiwi. There are options for spectators who are skiing or snowboarding and for those who are on foot.

If you can’t make it to the slopes, we will have Live Streams available on the Winter Games NZ website for the Alpine Ski Racing and the FIS Park and Pipe Junior World Championships Finals.

Over 450 athletes from 30+ nations will be competing at the Winter Games NZ 2023.

Athlete Entry numbers per event as of 20/08/23