World ski-ing events for N.Z.

Press, 2 November 1989, Page 52

World ski-ing events for N.Z.

Most of the world’s top skiers could be in New Zealand in August next year to take part in this country’s first F.I.S. World Cup events, the Minister of Recreation and Sport, Mr Tapsell, said yesterday. Mount Hutt would be the venue for the events, men’s slalom and giant slalom. “I have been advised by the New Zealand Ski Association that New Zealand has been offered a World Cup event,” Mr Tapsell said in a statement. “It is likely that this will be held at Mount Hutt in Canterbury in the first week of August, 1990.” Mr Tapsell said up to 80 topranked world skiers could be seen here, making this the greatest alpine sports event held in New Zealand.

He said the offer followed substantial groundwork by the Hillary Commission’s Alpine Task

Force, which was set up to attract major alpine sports events to this country. The event would be an important link in New Zealand’s efforts to establish itself as the premier ski-ing destination of the Southern Hemisphere, Mr Tapsell said.

The financial side of this new event has still to be worked out. Mr Tapsell said he was confident that business interest would recognise the importance of the event and would be generous in their financial backing to ensure the event went ahead.

The president of the New Zealand Ski Association, Richard Johnson, said from Springfield last evening that the situation was very exciting. A World Cup had been offered to New Zealand by the International Ski Federation (F. 1.5. and as the organising body, the N.Z.S.A. would have to see if it was possible to stage the

event. Mr Johnson gave credit to the Alpine Task Force for its assistance in getting F.I.S. racing going again in New Zealand two years ago.

He said that the men’s slalom and giant slalom in New Zealand would be followed by similar events in Australia a week later. The F.I.S. was very keen that there were at least two events in two different countries when the World Cup circuit travelled to the Southern Hemisphere, Mr Johnson said. “It makes the effort worth while and covers any problems with weather and snow conditions. It almost guarantees getting one set of events off.”

Mr Johnson said he was confident the technical ability to run the World Cup existed here, especially at Mount Hutt, the only New Zealand ski area willing to stage the event.

He stressed that full commitment for a World Cup event would be required from Mount Hutt. “We need to have the whole staff behind the event right from John St Clair Brown (the company chairman) down to the people who do the carparking.” Mr Johnson said that the funding of the World Cup would be expensive, but with a possible television audience of 350 million it would be a great avenue for sponsors. The cost of holding a World Cup would include a proportion of the international air fares of the coaches and athhletes and paying for their accommodation and transport once in New Zealand. Another requirement is the ability to telecast the events live to the rest of the world. “We have to lift our game another notch,” Mr Johnson said. “It is a challenge we can achieve.”