National Youth Series and South Island Champs

The National Youth Series (NZYS) and South Island Championships were held at Cardrona Alpine Resort from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 September. It was a big weekend of racing with several age groups catered for in perfect spring conditions. With temperatures dropping into negative figures overnight the snow remained in good condition for racing even with three days of sunshine.

For the NZYS the winners of the Cardrona U14/16/18 Super Giant Slalom, Slalom and Giant Slalom were recognized along with the series winners in each discipline (total series points accumulated for the year in each discipline) plus the overall Champions for U14/U16 (total points across all disciplines for the year).

The NZYS races kicked off on Friday with U14 – U18 age groups taking on the Super G. A consistent performer all season, Queenstown’s Alice Robinson was once again victorious in the girls’ U14 age group. Tully Robinson topped the U16 and Alexia Preston the U18.

While in the boys’ age groups, Nikau Whetu (U14) and Ben Richards (U16) took top honours. 

The NZYS Super-G Series winners were:

U14 - Alice Robinson and Julius Staufenberg

U16 – Georgia Bushell and James St Ville II

U18 - Gendie McFadyen and Issac Betts

Saturday’s Slalom racing saw several familiar faces once again topping the podiums - Alice Robinson and Julius Staufenberg (U14), Eden Mckay and Ben Richards (U16), Haley Thomason and Jackson Rich U18. 

The NZYS Slalom Series winners were:

U14 - Alice Robinson and Julius Staufenberg

U16 – Eden McKay and Tom Knowles

U18 - Sophie Yandall and Isaac Betts

The final day of racing on Sunday saw Alice Robinson take the clean sweep with a win in the Giant Slalom with Eden Mckay for U16 and Alexia Preston for U18. Will Cashmore (U14) Ben Richards (U16) and Jackson Rich (U18) topped the boys’ results.

The NZYS Giant Slalom Series winners were:

U14 - Alice Robinson and Julius Staufenberg

U16 – Eden McKay and Ben Richards

U18 – Alexia Preston and Jackson Rich.

The NZYS Overall Champions are:

U14 – Alice Robinson and Julius Staufenberg

U16 – Georgia Bushell and Ben Richards 

Full results here 

 

The South Island Champs saw racers in U8, U10 and U12 age groups take on the Giant Slalom on Friday and Combi on Saturday. 

Mathilda Watterson (U8), Mikayla Smyth (u10) and Evie Brown dominated their respective age groups, winning both disciplines. 

In the boys’ races, Bayley McDonald (U8), Gustav Legnavsky (U10) and Harrison Messenger (U12) won the GS, with Bayley also winning the Combi.  Samuel Packer (U10) and Sam Hadley (U12) won the Combi. 

The South Island Champions, based on combined results of GS and Sl, are:

U8 - Mathilda Watterson and Bayley McDonald

U10 - Mikayla Smyth and Sam Packer

U12 – Evie Brown and Harrison Messenger

U14 - Alice Robinson and Julius Staufenberg

U16 - Eden McKay and Ben Richards

U18 - Alexia Preston and Jackson Rich 

Full results here 

Over 200 people attended the prizegiving held on Saturday afternoon, thanks to the bars and restaurants in Post Office Lane, Wanaka for hosting this. 

Thanks also to Cardrona Alpine Resort and the Wanaka Ski Club Race Organising Committee who did an amazing job running the race series. 

-Ends-

Image credit:  Julie Rich