New Zealand’s FIS World Cup freestyle athletes are already making a huge mark on the world circuit (hello 3 x World Champions in St Moritz last month).
The Kiwis punch well above their population weight with Olympic, FIS World Cup and X Games medals. Now with a new world-class dry slope facility opening in June this year, they’re about to get even better.
Located in the Cardrona Valley near the Cardrona Alpine Resort access road, the location will allow athletes to take their skills perfected on the air bags directly to snow for maximum progression during the NZ winter.
The earthworks and foundations are complete in the Cardrona Valley on the South Island near Wanaka and the dry slope material is now being attached to the run in. Testing is expected at the end of May, with the plan to open the facility in June 2025.
It’s a win, win for local and international athletes alike with Cardrona Alpine Resort the home to the southern hemisphere’s only full size Olympic super pipe.
“The Snow Sports NZ Dry Slope Facility has been a labour of love from so many passionate people and organisations who have believed in our vision and our athletes,” says Snow Sports NZ CEO Nic Cavanagh.
“There are important wellbeing and progression advantages that the Dry Slope Facility will provide and enable our world-class athletes to remain at the top of their sport as we head towards Milano Cortina 2026 and beyond.”
The Dry Slope Facility setup is designed to provide training opportunity for slopestyle, big air and halfpipe athletes and in the summer months it will extend the New Zealand training window to allow athletes to spend more time in their home environment. This is particularly beneficial to development athletes, many of whom are still high school aged and cannot afford to spend extended periods overseas.
Snow Sports NZ estimate 160 training sessions per year on the landing air bag, an increase on the current 20 sessions per year when the air bag is above the snow line.
The Dry Slope Facility will be used in addition to the in-ground covered Super Tramp and High Performance Sport NZ gym, ensuring that athletes get high quality off-snow training opportunities.
