The Winter Games NZ 2024 Freeski Slopestyle and Snowboard Halfpipe FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) competitions have been upgraded to Australia New Zealand Cup Premium events.
Winter Games NZ Park & Pipe Manager Carly Parker said, “I am excited that our FIS ANC Park & Pipe events have met the level required to be upgraded to a Premium event. The world class quality of the slopestyle course and halfpipe at Cardrona has allowed us to push for this upgrade. Upgrading to a premium event provides valuable benefits for both our Kiwi athletes competing on home snow and our international athletes travelling to Aotearoa from around the globe.”
The ANC series allows Australian and New Zealand athletes to compete for a Personal World Cup start for the upcoming 2025 Northern Hemisphere season, guaranteeing the athlete who wins the series a start position at any World Cup event in their discipline. This is particularly valuable heading into the 2024/25 Northern Hemisphere season as all world cup events in the 2024/25 season are qualification events for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games.
An ANC Premium event has 150 Cup points available for the winner, a significant increase from the 100 Cup points available at a regular ANC competition, and therefore a crucial event for those athletes hunting for a Personal World Cup start.
The amount of FIS points available to both Kiwi and International athletes is also notably increased at a premium event, with up to 500 FIS points available (up from 350 FIS points at a regular ANC). FIS ANC Premium events are currently only available for freeski and snowboard park & pipe disciplines.
Snow Sports NZ General Manager High Performance Luke Hetzel explained; “Winter Games NZ is providing an invaluable opportunity for Kiwi athletes to both score additional FIS points and the chance to earn a Personal World Cup start as they begin the qualification journey to the Milano Cortina 2026.”
The FIS ANC Premium Snowboard Halfpipe competition is set to be held between the 25th – 28th of August and the FIS ANC Premium Freeski Slopestyle competition is set to be held between the 3rd – 6th of September. Both events will be held at Cardrona Alpine Resort.
