Mikayla Smyth (Auckland, 19) and Alec Jackson (Tutukaka, 19) have been crowned the 2024 New Zealand Slalom National Champions today at Coronet Peak.
The athletes were greeted with cold, firm conditions today at New Zealand’s home of Alpine Ski Racing, which saw the ProAm slope set up perfectly for racing. ProAm is an exciting piste, with multiple fall lines and pitches, requiring the skiers to be looking ahead and prepared for the upcoming changes.
Smyth took the win in the women’s NZ Championship race, -0.46 seconds ahead of Piera Hudson (Hawkes Bay, 28) in a closely fought race. Mathilda Watterson (Wānaka, 16) rounded out the podium in third place.
Smyth explained; “I am really happy that I came out of today with the title. It’s really special because I love coming out and competing with all the Kiwi’s, it’s a really cool environment and to be able to step up and ski really well and come out on top is really exciting”
It was an impressive race from both Smyth and Hudson who also finished fourth and fifth respectively in the FIS overall women's race, which boasted 18 nations and 45 competitors.
In the men’s race, Jackson had a great first run, skiing up from bib 28 into 18th position. Sam Hadley (Queenstown, 20), Friday’s Giant Slalom National Champion, also skied up significantly in his first run from bib 38 into 21st position.
They two Kiwi men battled it out in the final run, with Jackson taking the win -0.31 seconds ahead of Hadley. Jesse Mutton (Rotorua, 18) rounded out the men’s NZ podium in third.
Jackson said; “It feels amazing, I am very stoked I finished my second run, I almost didn’t finish it but I am very happy I did. My confidence is really high now going into the ANC Slalom races next week.”
The NZ Alpine National overall trophies were also awarded today, with Piera Hudson taking home the women’s trophy and Sam Hadley taking home the men’s trophy. Mathilda Watterson was the recipient Junior women’s overall trophy and Jesse Mutton was awarded the Junior men’s overall trophy.
The FIS overall podiums today were an international affair. In the women’s race Lucrezia Lorenzi of Italy won, with Swiss athletes Janine Maechler in second and Amelie Klopfenstein in third. In the men’s race Christoph Meissl of Austria took the win, with Adam Hofstedt of Sweden in second and Armin Dornauer, also of Austria, in third.
Today wraps up the 2024 New Zealand Alpine National Championships, thank you to the team at Coronet Peak for making it possible and congratulations to all the athletes who competed.
