In the barren paddocks of the Cardrona Valley, a sporting revolution has quietly taken shape.
What was once just farmland on the side of a hill has been transformed into one of New Zealand’s most ambitious training facilities, a $2.3 million dry slope and big air jump that Snow Sports NZ is calling a “game changer.”
And the timing could not be better. Now, with just less than 150 days until the Winter Olympics in Milan, where New Zealand’s athletes are targeting a record medal haul.
Snow Sports NZ high-performance boss Luke Hetzel remains confident. Asked how he rates the country’s chances this time around, his answer is immediate, “better! better!”
New Zealand is already riding an unprecedented wave of winter sports success.
From Luca Harrington’s breakout freeski season to Alice Robinson’s historic alpine wins, Kiwi athletes have been delivering podiums like never before, with 38 this northern hemisphere season alone and 15 of them gold.
Add in world champions such as Finley Melville Ives in the freeski halfpipe and the continued brilliance of snowboard superstar Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, and expectations for Milan are sky-high. Hetzel said the momentum was the product of years of work.
“We put in a lot of time and effort three and a half years ago. We’re really focused on the things we need to elevate and improve, and that’s what we’re seeing now.
"A lot of the athletes are either tracking towards success in the next cycle or have the potential to medal in this cycle. We could have a blinder and have a massive number, but I think if we get four-plus we’ll be pretty excited.”
Carved into the side of a steep hill in the Cardrona Valley, the new dry slope looks like a giant green mat, almost like a massive playground slide.
But this is no child's play. It is built from thousands of interlocking tiles known as gnocchi brush, designed to let skis and snowboards carve in and grip giving athletes the traction they need to launch into jumps. It allows athletes to keep perfecting their tricks, spins, flips and grabs, all year round, even in the middle of summer.
For a country with limited access to year-round snow, the facility removes one of the biggest barriers for Kiwi athletes.
Many of them had to fly overseas for expensive training blocks, chasing winter across the globe. Now they can hone their craft at home, on a purpose-built slope. Snow Sports NZ is still carrying out final test checks but is hoping to officially open the facility soon.
"There was a few tears shed last Friday, when athletes were hitting it.
"At the moment, our focus is to get our Olympic-bound athletes onto this facility, talking to coaches, there are a few tricks they’ve still got up their sleeve they want to perfect.”
And when pressed on what it could mean for Milan, he keeps details close, but the optimism is clear.
“Without giving too much away, our athletes and coaches say this is going to be a game changer.”
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