2019 Snow Sports NZ Junior Freestyle National Championship Titles Awarded

Wanaka, New Zealand (5 October 2019) –The 2019 Snow Sports NZ Junior Freestyle National Championship titles were awarded today following five spectacular days of freeski and snowboard competition at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

Skiers and snowboarders in under-eight through to under-18 age groups competed in gravity cross, freeride, slopestyle and halfpipe events and had to participate in all four disciplines in order to challenge for the overall titles.

An overall prizegiving ceremony was held at the Lake Wanaka Centre this afternoon.  Overall titles went to:

Skiers

U8 male: Riley Hein (Wanaka)

U8 female: Cassandra Addis (Waiheke Island)

U10 male: Ollie Wilton (Arrowtown)

U10 female: Michaela Bridgens (Auckland)

U12 male: Luke Harrold (Wanaka)

U12 female: Grete Mia Meentalo (Estonia)

U14 male: Finley Melville Ives (Wanaka)

U14 female: Sylvia Trotter (Wanaka)

U16 male: Angus Falconer (Australia)

U16 female: Ruby Andrews(Queenstown)

U18 male: Harry Cookson (Darfield)

U18 female: Mia Callingham (Wanaka)

Snowboarders

U8 male: n/a (no eligible competitors)

U8 female: Violet Beer (Te Anau)

U10 male: Jake Anderson (Australia)

U10 female: Charlee Hill (Queenstown)

U12 male: Ollie Martin (Wellington)

U12 female: Ava Beer (Te Anau)

U14 male: Campbell Melville Ives (Wanaka)

U14 female: Eliana Collins (Queenstown)

U16 male: Tui Wikohika (Raetihi) and Zephyr Lovelock (Auckland) (tied)

U16 female: Meila Stalker (Queenstown)

U18 male: Samuel Finnemore (Auckland)

U18 female: Cool Wakushima (Queenstown)

Running for a decade, the Junior Nationals is a fun competition to close out the season and has long been an important stepping stone for athletes on the competitive pathway.  Past competitors include Olympic medallists Nico Porteous and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Youth Olympic Games medallist Finn Bilous, Freeride World Tour athletes Craig Murray and Hank Bilous, as well as Wells brothers Jossi, Byron, Beau-James and Jackson who have gone on to achieve medal-winning success at the world’s most prestigious snow sports events including X Games, Dew Tour and World Cups.

-Ends-