NZSki has signed a strategic partnership with Sunac-BonSki, marking one of the most significant international agreements in New Zealand’s ski industry.

The deal opens direct access to China’s rapidly expanding snow sports market and strengthens NZSki’s position as a global leader in alpine experiences.
 
China is now one of the fastest-growing ski markets globally. During the 2024–2025 season, the country recorded 26.05 million skier visits, up 12.9 percent year-on-year, and 13.55 million active skiers, an increase of 5.86 percent. Indoor skiing is driving this growth, with 66 indoor resorts generating 5.63 million skier visits in one season, including the world’s five largest by snow area.
 
The market is shifting from beginner experiences to destination skiing, with high-spending destination skiers representing just 4 percent of resorts but contributing 28.64 percent of total skier visits — a core demographic for NZSki.
 
The signing took place at the newly opened Shenzhen BonSki, currently the world’s largest indoor ski resort. The venue covers 100,000 square metres, receives 3,000–5,000 visitors per day and is projected to welcome 1.0-1.5 million visitors annually, with 30 percent coming from Hong Kong. Its intermediate and advanced slopes have already received FIS certification, and a World Cup event is planned for next year.
 
Under the theme, Across the Equator, Wonders Begin, the partnership will focus on joint product development and promotion, including youth ski training programmes and off-season holiday packages that link year-round indoor skiing with natural alpine terrain in New Zealand. The agreement also includes plans to introduce the internationally recognised NZSIA certification system and New Zealand terrain park design standards to China, alongside a bilateral ski coach exchange programme aimed at lifting instruction quality and service experience across both destinations.
 
NZSki general manager operations James Urquhart says the partnership represents a major opportunity for the industry.

“This marks more than a business partnership – it is a shared commitment to shaping the future of snow sports. NZSki and Sunac-BonSki are united by passion and a belief in the industry we love. We look forward to unlocking new opportunities for skiers in both nations.”
 
NZSki operates The Remarkables, Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt, ski areas renowned for premium terrain and natural snow conditions. Sunac-BonSki runs 11 large-scale indoor snow resorts across major Chinese cities, delivering year-round skiing experiences and supporting pathways from youth training to public recreation and competition.
 
“The partnership combines New Zealand’s natural snow resources and global certification systems with China’s nationwide indoor ski network and growing skier base. It will create accessible pathways for Chinese skiers to experience world-class training and alpine environments in New Zealand, while expanding NZSki’s global reach,” Urquhart adds.

Whakapapa Holdings Ltd is delighted to be confirmed as the preferred bidder for Whakapapa Ski Area. The company is headed by former Whakapapa and Tūroa ski areas’ chief executive Dave Mazey and the partners of New Zealand-based investment firm The South Island Office.

Dave Mazey said the new company has significant relevant experience to take the business forward in a sustainable manner, ensuring long term viability with a combined 70 years’ experience in ski area operations and management, plus wide experience in project delivery and finance within the group.
 
“Whakapapa Holdings was initially drawn to the opportunity from a knowledge of this business’ proud standing in the region and the country, by the strengths within the current team and the passion and commitment of the many wider stakeholders, especially iwi,” he said.
 
“This is critical to ensure Whakapapa can deliver an even greater range of benefits to the place, to the surrounding communities, and to the wider group of New Zealand users and stakeholders.”  
 
The purchase price for the Whakapapa ski field and operations is $1, but Whakapapa Holdings is taking on what the Voluntary Administrators called “significant obligations of RAL”. The Crown will own 25 per cent of the shares in Whakapapa Holdings.
 
Dave Mazey enjoyed a strong and supportive relationship for some years with many of the iwi whose rohe extends over the slopes of Mt Ruapehu. This would be extended with Whakapapa Holdings Ltd.
 
He said engagement with tangata whenua was a priority for Whakapapa Holdings during the past few weeks – particularly with Ngāti Tūwharetoa and the hapu of Ngāti Hikairo, Ngā Hapū o Uenuku, Ngāti Rangi and Ngāti Hāua.  He acknowledged iwi support for the ongoing operation of, and implementation of necessary reinvestment at, Whakapapa Ski Area.
 
The company is also engaging with stakeholders locally and nationally, especially ski clubs and lifetime passholders who have strong interests in the ski area.
 
Under the Whakapapa Holdings’ offer, existing lifetime passholders will be able to reactivate their pass for Whakapapa ski area. For those who purchased their lifetime pass before 2018, this reactivation will cost $1850 with a split payment offer of $599 paid before winter 2023, and the balance paid in April 2024. For those who purchased during 2019, this price will be $599 paid before winter 2023.
 
If the Whakapapa Holdings’ bid is successful, there will be a 2023 Whakapapa Season pass available, during a two week-long campaign to start shortly after the June 20 confirmation meeting.  Prices will be as previously announced on www.mtruapehu.com for what was then going to be an early bird purchase, with the basic adult pass at $599. Early bird pricing will be retained even though the season is only a few weeks away.
 
“The ski areas on Mt Ruapehu are hugely important to the region, and indeed the whole country,” Dave said.
 
Whakapapa is one of New Zealand's largest ski areas and boasts the country's premier beginner facility Happy Valley along with vast intermediate and advanced trails.
 
Dave Mazey said Whakapapa Holdings intended to focus initially on delivery of a strong start to the 2023 winter season but will then move quickly to planning for summer operations and developments for summer 23/24.
 
“The company has ear-marked funds for capital maintenance catch-up work and some new developments,” he said.
 
“Securing the reliability of the operating business in winter will be a key focus for the first few years with completion of incomplete snowmaking projects and lower mountain facilities at the forefront. These projects will provide the platform for further investment across the mountain, making Whakapapa a sustainable, profitable business which all stakeholders can be proud of and be part of.”
 
There were many examples of successful companies in New Zealand, with normal shareholding investors, who had a deep respect for the environment, who provided safe experiences or journeys, who offered a range of services that meet the aspirations of a majority of their clients, and Whakapapa Holdings Ltd would be one of those, he said. 

Queenstown received its biggest snowfall in years over the weekend, with the mountains surrounding the alpine town blanketed in over 1.5m of snow in places.

The snowfall indicates an epic ski season ahead and the Southern Lakes ski areas are in their final stages of preparations.

Cardrona and Treble Cone GM of Experience Laura Hedley says this is one of the best starts they’ve seen in decades – and it’s going to be a winter to remember.

“We opened Cardrona Alpine Resort over the weekend but following the massive amounts of snow, we are preparing to open McDougall’s in the next couple of days and will progressively open the rest of the mountain over the next week,” says Mrs Hedley.

Coronet Peak is also opening early, a day ahead of schedule on 16 June, and kicks off night ski on 22 June. The Remarkables will open on 18 June while Treble Cone is set to open on 25 June.

“It’s a great feeling to have this much snow so early on in the season - over the weekend about 120cm of snow dumped at Coronet Peak and 90cm at The Remarkables. That gives us the most snow on record for our opening days. Our on-mountain teams are raring to go this week and we’re looking forward to getting out there,” says NZSki CEO Paul Anderson.

“The powder looks incredible, and we cannot wait to see our Kiwi and Australian snow fans enjoying our winter wonderland,” says Destination Queenstown Marketing and Communications Director Sarah O’Donnell.

“Queenstown is the Southern Hemisphere’s leading four-season resort, the skiing is world-class and our region offers an unrivalled range of winter experiences on and off the ski fields. We look forward to having skiers, boarders and winter lovers here soon for their snow adventure and ski holiday,” adds Mrs O’Donnell.

For more information on Queenstown’s winter offering see www.queenstownnz.co.nz.

Snowplanet have extended their ‘Hot Summer Nights’ offer to include Saturdays, so they now run from Saturday to Thursday for the rest of summer.  This is their most popular night special ever at $29 for a 4hr pass including equipment hire. This is THE hottest deal over summer - http://snowplanet.co.nz/hot-summer-nights-2/ .

Friday nights are about to change big time!  Snowplanet are going ‘Full Throttle’ and bringing on a mega park on Fridays with around 15 features on Friday nights so the entire dome will be dedicated to Freestylers and Freeskiers. This is the night to have a jam and show off your skills but it’s only on Fridays where they will be going ‘Full Throttle’ for 6 hours from 6pm every Friday this February so people can grab a pass for $33 or get a Combo (including skis/ snowboard & boots) for $44 -  http://snowplanet.co.nz/full-throttle-fridays/ .

Snowplanet sympathise with everyone who has had to go back to school and work so to lighten the load and kick the weekend off well they are offering Night Riders the chance to hit the slopes at 9pm till Midnight for a measly $19.  They’re even throwing in the skis, snowboard and boots, so there’s absolutely no excuse to not get into it.  $19 Night Rider Combo is only available on Fridays till the end of February at http://snowplanet.co.nz/nightrider/ . .

Snowplanet’s After School Chilly Bin Programmes kick off 1st February, so for children (age 5-16)  interested in becoming a proficient and confident skier or snowboarder this is the programme for them. Chilly Bin is an 11 week programme run on either Mondays or Fridays, includes pass, gear and instruction and costs $52 per session.  This is an awesome deal and a hugely popular programme that books up fast - http://snowplanet.co.nz/programs-lessons/school-program/ .

Snowplanet are taking enrolments for their Term 1 365 Race Programmes - http://snowplanet.co.nz/programs-lessons/athlete-training/ski-racing-2/ , 365 Freeski Programs - http://snowplanet.co.nz/programs-lessons/athlete-training/freeski-2/  and 365 Freestyle Programs - http://snowplanet.co.nz/freestyle-snowboard/  which run from 1st Feb to 13th Apr.  For those into ‘Racing’ they can harness their speed, confidence and technique as a ski racer. This is a fun and encouraging programme for all levels focusing on technique, turns and race course introduction.  For those into ‘Freestyle’ they can conquer the basics and master the advanced techniques needed to reach their peak as a freestyle skier or snowboarder in Snowplanet’s terrain park.  Either way their talented coaches will get the best out of attendees in these weekly training sessions

Snowplanet’s specially priced lessons in January have gone so well they were unable to meet demand, so by popular opinion they have agreed to extend these discounts into February.  Whether people have set themselves a new goal, need to perfect their style or just want to try something new and challenging, they can continue to grab a 1hr or 2hr private lesson throughout February and save mega bucks at the same time.  With lessons for beginners, intermediate and advanced there is no reason not to get out on the snow.  http://snowplanet.co.nz/programs-lessons/lessons/ .

Famous in Auckland for their awesome Di Carne Pizza and Curly Fries, the 7 Summits Restaurant and Bar offers the ideal alpine retreat to warm up and re-energise  after some time on the snow, or people can simply enjoy a nice meal whilst overlooking the action in the snow dome. 

It is starting to look a lot like Christmas here at Snowplanet! Santa has taken up residency in his Magic Castle and is here to stay until Christmas Eve, when he departs to deliver presents! Bring the kids along to see Santa every day from 10am. Enjoy a white Christmas like never before as you experience meeting Santa, seeing a picture of Mrs Claus hanging above a roaring fire and enjoy the thrill of whizzing down the tubing track amongst snow-capped trees.
http://snowplanet.co.nz/christmas/visit-santa

Snowplanet are also promoting Christmas group bookings and still have spaces, but mainly mid-week and they are open to doing deals to fill these days. Aimed at businesses, clubs or private groups, they are available for Christmas bookings from now through to Christmas Eve. http://snowplanet.co.nz/christmas/christmas-functions/ 

To meet demand Snowplanet have also changed their night promotions to the Festive Fun Pass. This is a Sunday to Thursday product and runs from 6pm to close. The pass is a steal at $24pp and for those who don’t have their own gear they are running a rental special on skis/snowboard and boots for only $12. It’s super cool! http://snowplanet.co.nz/festive-fun/. Once the school holidays start Snowplanet will kick back into Hot Summer Nights again until the end of January. Night Promotions are seasonal so to check out what’s current visit. http://snowplanet.co.nz/nightpromotions

School holidays are just around the corner and Snowplanet are taking bookings fast with the week leading up to Christmas almost full! Their school holiday programmes run every week of the school holidays except for Christmas week. People had better book if they don’t want to be disappointed - http://snowplanet.co.nz/programs-lessons/school-holiday-program.

Christmas is also a time for giving so why not give a gift of fun this Christmas with one of Snowplanet’s vouchers? You can choose any dollar value voucher or give a product coupon like a day pass. Great flexibility, great choices and what a cool gift! http://snowplanet.co.nz/vouchers-coupons-2

As we move into the New Year Snowplanet will also have their famous January Lesson promotion where they will offer their private lessons (normally $99) for $49. This is super value and super popular so people will need to book as they only have so many instructors and they can’t each work 24hrs a day! Check out all our specials offers at http://snowplanet.co.nz/special-offers/

Also in January, and BRAND NEW to Snowplanet, we will be hosting Wet n’ Wild Water slides between 16th and 31st January 2016, 10am to 5pm daily. There will be four awesome slides on our hill with the longest over 100m. Suitable for age 5 to 75. $20 for two hour sessions, $10 for U5s - http://www.wetnwildslides.co.nz/

And lastly, our 7Summits Restaurant & Bar will have a new line-up of specials in December, over Christmas and into January so watch this space! Check out what’s on offer right now! http://snowplanet.co.nz/months-specials

For more information on Snowplanet please go to http://www.snowplanet.co.nz

Snowplanet’s Magic Castle was a massive hit last year and it’s going to be bigger in 2015!  Standing 12m, Snowplanet’s Magic Castle on the snow is the ultimate in Christmas experiences.  Santa will helicopter his way to Snowplanet on 21st November accompanied by a couple of kids from Ronald MacDonald House.  Santa and the kids will arrive at 11:00 and after Santa takes residence in his Magic Castle, he will become available for visits and photo sessions, with all visitors finishing their visit to the snow with a few tubing runs down snow-capped tree-lined turret tracks from the castle.  Also on the day will be face painting, balloon artists, colouring in, Christmas cracker decorating, Christmas bauble making and other craft activities – all FREE!  This will truly be the coooooolest Santa visit in the Southern Hemisphere so you had better book as Santa is expected to be very busy this year - http://snowplanet.co.nz/christmas/ .

Christmas group bookings are filling up fast.  For those with a business, club or private group they need to get in touch now so as not to be disappointed!  Snowplanet are available for Christmas bookings from 1st November through to Christmas Eve and their “Pick n’ Mix” style is proving very popular - http://snowplanet.co.nz/christmas/christmas-functions/ .         

The snow may be coming to an end across the mountains of New Zealand but at Snowplanet they are busy making more for summer and to celebrate they are offering half-price lessons throughout SNOvember to get people through to Christmas.  That’s $49!  Why not book one at night along with one of Snowplanet’s awesome Night Specials for a really hot SNOvember deal.  Check it out – a pass, gear and lesson, all for under eighty bucks! 

Why not combo one of Snowplanet’s awesome Chill Passes at $29 with their SNOvember lesson promo to get the best pass/equipment/lesson price this side of the Nagasaki

December is a great month to encourage families and friends at Snowplanet.  With the mountains closed, what better excuse than to get down to Snowplanet and show off those new turns and tricks learnt over the season!  And to help you along, throughout November, Snowplanet are offering a whopping 30% off their 4hr Family Pass Combo.  So there’s no excuse now if you’ve not got your own gear!  http://snowplanet.co.nz/special-offers/ .

Snowplanet’s 7Summits Restaurant & Bar specials in November have been yet again – Awesome!  They have a new line-up for December, and every week, so watch this space!  Check out what’s on offer right now at http://www.snowplanet.co.nz .

Piera Hudson is New Zealands #1 Female Alpine Ski Racer. World ranked 297 in world from 2500.

Nils Coberger, New Zealand Ski Team Coach 2011 says about Piera...

"There have been only a handful of elite junior athletes to come out of NZ in the last 20 years and Piera is in this group, she has the potential to become one of New Zealand’s very best ski racers. NZ has a rich history of female ski racers with Annelise Coberger and Claudia Riegler and I feel Piera will add to this history in the next few years. Winning the National Giant Slalom title at 15 is only the start of her career"

As you can appreciate ski racing at an international level and competing overseas for 6 months each year is expensive, so Pieras family decided to be proactive and start Coastal Cubes, a fundraising initiative that gives 100% of the proceeds towards Pieras expenses. The business has a full e-commerce website where you can purchase great products such as Cowhide Rugs, Calfskin Rugs, Cowhide Ottomans and more.

Alpine receives no direct funding from Sport NZ so Piera could do with as much help as possible. Head to coastalcubes.co.nz to view the wide-range of products and get behind this talented New Zealand athlete.

New website launching soon!

At AMPED we have made it our business to of travelled to the destinations that you yourself have both talked and dreamed about, and have experienced it all first-hand. Therefore offering you, our client, all the tips, tricks, and insider information required to ensure that you only sample: the very best ski resort suited to your individual wants and needs; get the very best deal on that resort selection; and have the most amazing skiing and snowboarding holiday experience one could ever wish for – only to arrive back home fizzing from the whole experience, and dreaming of where your next AMPED holiday adventure will take you!

When booking with AMPED customers are dealing with a reputable, approved travel broker registered under the fully accredited travel agency of Dive Fish Snow Travel Ltd in New Zealand. Dive Fish Snow is an IATA, TAANZ (Travel Association of New Zealand), and AFTA (Australian Federation of Travel Agents) bonded Travel Agency who has been in operation for over 26 years. These accreditation’s give financial protection to customers who book their holidays with AMPED Ski & Dive Ltd.

At AMPED we hold direct relationships with our suppliers of air travel, ski, and snowboarding products, thus giving our customers peace of mind when it comes to the quality of the products that we sell, and the high value relationships with everyone whom we partner up with. So, whatever the request, we are sure to get our customers what they need and when, with the avoidance of any middleman.

So, no matter what level skier or snowboarder you are AMPED have the perfect holiday location to tick every box on your next skiing and snowboarding holiday wants list!

Ski Holidays in USA, Canada, Japan & New Zealand - Amped 4 Ski

Remember your next overseas ski holiday for all the right reasons! Amped are the ski & snowboarding travel specialists in Australia & New Zealand

Australia: 1-800 678581 (free phone)
New Zealand: 0508 4 AMPED (free phone)
or 09 909 7794 (national calling)
39A Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand

The second stop of the 2014 SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BY THE NORTH FACE® (FWT) took place at Chamonix, France on Saturday. Mont Blanc created a picturesque background for the competition at La Flégère ski area on the Aiguille Pourrie face. Sunny conditions and fresh powder snow created great conditions for riding, but wind the evening before the competition made the top half of the slope extra challenging. Male and female skiers and snowboarders competed in the event representing sixty-nine of the world’s best freeriders and including four from New Zealand.

Following on from his 11th place finish at the Courmayeur stop earlier in the week, skier Sam Smoothy was once again the highest scoring New Zealand athlete. Looking strong and confident despite the variable conditions, Sam finished the day in sixth place and moved to fifth in the overall rankings.

“I went a little harder today. I had a late bib so went with a simple, flowing line that wouldn't have issues with rocks or landing holes left by the previous 40 riders. I made a last second call just before my big cliff not to hit it and just keep things fast and fluid and it paid off.”

Having had surgery to remove his appendix only three weeks ago and therefore limited time to train before the start of the tour Sam said, “To be ranked fifth overall on the FWT, with just three days’ skiing this season is amazing. I'm really excited at going 100% at the next comp to try and take a podium.”

Watch Sam’s run here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1aah2m_fwt14-sam-smoothy-chamonix-mont-blanc_sport

Neil Williman was also pleased with his result in the men’s ski division.

“I was really happy to take 10th since I got sick and tweaked my knee earlier in the week. I injured my ankle yesterday as well and was seriously considering not competing today, so it felt good to ski smart and go home with my best yet result on the FWT.”

2014 marks Neil’s second year on the FWT.  He competed in 2012 but didn't re qualify for the 2013 tour and so had the tough task of going through the Freeride World Qualifier series again to claim one of only four spots available for the Europe/Australasia region which has hundreds of competitors.

Charlie Lyons had a close call when his skis crossed in the wind affected snow causing him to lose control on his next air and narrowly miss a rock on landing.  Fortunate to have escaped serious injury Charlie commented that while “a little beaten up” he felt, “really lucky and grateful.”

For the second time in a row, first place went to French skier Loïc Collomb-Patton.  Collomb-Patton, a new rider on the tour, repeated his victory in Courmayeur securing the top score in men’s skiing of 83.50 with his hard charging and technical run.

New Zealand snowboarder, Ruari Macfarlane finished mid-field in seventh place, improving on his 10th place result in Courmayeur.

“A last minute reappraisal of snow conditions led me to change my line to one I had scoped less,” explained Ruari. “I had a fast run with a pretty exciting bottom feature but got lost for a moment above my first cliff, leaving me without enough speed for a proper send and losing me points.” 

Watch Ruari’s run here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1aacfe_fwt14-ruari-macfarlane-chamonix-mont-blanc_sport

Swizerland’s Emilien Badoux claimed first place in Men’s Snowboard.

Results: http://www.freerideworldtour.com/Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.html

The SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BY THE NORTH FACE® continues its competition schedule with Fieberbrunn Kitzbüheler Alpen on February 1, Kirkwood, California on March 1 and in Revelstoke, Canada March 10 where the final athlete cut will be made for the Xtreme Verbier final championship competition in Switzerland on March 22. The remainder of the schedule includes both men’s and women’s ski and snowboard competition.

Young Queenstown ski racers will benefit from the best coaching advice in the world following an exclusive clinic held recently at Coronet Peak.

Head coach of the US men's alpine ski team Sasha Rearick led a clinic with five Queenstown Alpine Ski Team coaches, demonstrating drills and techniques that have resulted in multiple Olympic and World Cup medals for his athletes.

Rearick demonstrated drills that he and US Olympic and World Champion Ted Ligety have created and applied to the US team, discussed trends of current World Cup techniques and showed QAST coaches how to prepare athletes for new regulation Giant Slalom (GS) skis.

The tips and advice that have seen ski legends such as Ligety, Bode Miller, Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso win multiple golds and podium placings are now being filtered through to the 65 season-long athletes aged 8 to 18 who attend QAST.

QAST chairman James Hadley said they were “absolutely thrilled” to have had the opportunity to spend the day with Rearick.

“The US team’s arguably the premier team in Alpine ski racing in the world at the moment,” he said.

“Our coaches were obviously very excited to be with Rearick and learn podium-winning techniques.”

He said the clinic perfectly matched QAST’s range of new objectives for the 2013 season including getting professional development opportunities for coaches.

“We’re conscious that our young athletes are very fortunate to train alongside international superstar athletes at Coronet Peak’s Rocky Gully.

“It’s awesome that we were able to take the relationship from beyond shared lift rides and greetings to a more professional level this season via the session with Sasha and deliver on this objective in partnership with NZSki.”

Mr Rearick, who cancelled a heliski trip with Bode Miller to take the clinic, told coaches he felt there had been a marked improvement in QAST this season and was very complimentary about standards set by QAST head coach Igor Stros and his team.

Mr Stros said he was impressed with Rearick’s readiness to share his secrets and give up his time for what he described as the best professional seminar he’d ever had in his career.

“It was invaluable to hear and see what Rearick determined as critical in ski racing overall and particularly in GS,” he said.

Coronet Peak Performance Centre Manager Toby Arnott, who organised the clinic, said Coronet Peak had a strong commitment to helping the next generation of ski racers.

“Recent developments in the Rocky Gully area ensure we attract top international athletes and teams such as the US ski team each season,” he said.

“One of the benefits is that we can facilitate training and development for our local coaches.”

Former New Zealand ski team member and national title winner Tim Cafe, now a coach with QAST, said he was “inspired” by Rearick’s attitude and knowledge.

“Since the clinic we’ve put many of the stance drills into practice and are already seeing major changes in the kids' skiing,” he said.

“It's great to see that someone with such knowledge and experience taking the time to run a clinic and share information like that for a local club.”

Queenstown Alpine Ski Team (QAST) is a community based non-profit incorporated society dedicated to providing the opportunity for children and adolescents to learn and excel in ski racing.

For more information go to www.qast.org.nz/qast/

2013 Freeskiing World Champion Gus Kenworthy is back to defend his title for the third year running at tomorrow’s (Saturday August 17) 11th annual Parklife Invitational.

In Queenstown to compete in the Audi quattro Winter Games, Colorado-born Kenworthy, 21, is a multi-discipline competitor who this year has recorded 23 top five finishes in competitions around the world.

Kenworthy will be competing for the title of best Male Skier in the annual downtown winter rail jam event at Queenstown’s recreation ground.

He will come up against a ‘who’s who’ of skiers including legendary freestylers and brothers Beau James and Jackson Wells.  The highly-anticipated event will also pit top female freeskiers as well as male and female boarders from around the world against each other.

The Remarkables ski area manager Ross Lawrence said it was “a real coup” to get Kenworthy back.

“This guy’s the best in the world and has won the Parklife Invitational two years running, but the likes of the younger Wells brothers are also going to impress,” he said.

“Not only can we expect some amazing tricks, but some very stiff competition.

“For the anticipated 2,000-plus crowd, this is going to be an awesome show; three extreme disciplines and the world’s best athletes in one central location.”

The Rail Jam starts with a qualifying round where each competitor laps a snow-covered 32-stair handrail feature aiming to impress the judges enough to advance to the finals. Best male and female skiers and boarders will give their all in their final runs in a bid to take home a share of $5000 in cash prizes and branded gear.

In between heats, freestyle motocross champions Brenton Drager and Ryan Brown – some of the hottest FMX bikers in Australasia – will be wowing the crowds with thrills-packed FMX demos.

If the weather doesn’t come to the party there’s a ‘rain date’ for the following night.

Gates open 4.30pm and tickets are on sale from the Queenstown Snow Centre or at the gate on the night. The event runs from 5.30pm to 9.30pm and tickets are just $5.

Sponsor support includes Red Bull, Skinny Mobile, Corona, Jim Beam, The Find, St Goliath and Rip Curl Clothing.

An after party will be held at The Find bar at 54 Shotover Street.

Queenstown’s Coronet Peak ski area has become the first ski area in New Zealand to add ‘live’ snow gun activity to its website, and along with sister ski area The Remarkables has also launched a free WiFi service.

The new snow gun feature, updated around the clock, carries a graphic of Coronet Peak showing the placement of each and every one of its 213 snow guns, complete with the ability to overlay a trail map onto the image.

At any time of the day or night, users can log in to the system to check up on which snow guns are blasting where, or scroll backwards for a complete 24-hour ‘history’ showing what time they were on and for how long, directly related to the rise or fall in temperatures at different altitudes on the mountain.

A yellow ‘dot’ on the graphic shows that a snow gun is on, while a grey ‘dot’ tells users it is off.

The new snow gun report is designed to complement on-mountain web cams, trail information, base and weather reports loaded daily on http://www.nzski.com/fullReport.jsp?site=coronetpeak

Coronet Peak ski area manager Ross Copland said he expected strong public interest in the new snowmaking graphic.

“The questions ‘What are snow conditions like’, ‘Have you been snowmaking’ and ‘If not, why not’ would have to be the most-asked on a daily basis,” he said.

“The new system means our many thousands of keen locals and snow lovers throughout New Zealand or even Australia can check it out for themselves from the comfort of their home sitting in front of their computer or on their laptop, no matter what time of the day or night.

“If they’re here in Queenstown thinking about going up for the day, or considering a winter holiday or weekend break, they can track our snowmaking in detail. They’ll know if the snow guns have been on, which trails have been topped up and what sort of snow they’ll be riding or skiing.

“Sometimes when it’s freezing cold down in Queenstown, because of a weather inversion in the valley it’s not cold enough to make snow on the mountain. The new system clearly demonstrates that.”

Mr Copland said the new graphic reflected the growth of self-education and information gathering through the web.

“We live in a world where the internet is a powerful and well-used tool to gauge weather and other conditions for outdoor sports and leisure,” he said.

Coronet Peak’s multi-million dollar fully-automated snowmaking system has paid dividends in adding to natural snowfalls on the mountain in the build up to opening day and throughout recent seasons. 

When the Italian TechnoAlpin guns were purchased in 2008 as part of a large-scale redevelopment at Coronet Peak, it was the largest order ever made. Today it remains the largest system in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the most technically sophisticated.

Recognising the rocketing increase in social media usage, free guest WiFi is now also provided at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski areas.  The free service is being provided in partnership with Telecom New Zealand to help promote the alpine experience via the many skiers and boarders who create and share content on their devices with friends and family around the world.

“Our guests are having a great time up on the slopes and we wanted to make it easy for them to share their experiences with friends and family at home,” said NZSki sales and marketing manager Craig Douglas.

“Almost everyone has a smartphone these days so they can easily send photos and social media posts to share their story.

“Working with Telecom has opened up high capacity access to their national network which they have been building since last summer.”