Sun Sport
Winter Olympians named A selection event at Cardrona last weekend unveiled the first five New Zealand athletes named to compete in the winter Olympics in Beijing in February. Four are based in Wānaka and the fifth, Alice Robinson, is based in Queenstown. Further Beijing 2022 selections will take place between October and January. Alpine, cross country and freeski and snowboard athletes are working towards qualification, as well as athletes from ice sports including speedskating, ice figure skating, luge and curling. The five named last weekend were: • PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games bronze medallists and reigning World Champions Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (20, snowboard slopestyle and big air). • Nico Porteous (19, freeski halfpipe). • Three-time World Cup Winner and Olympian, Alice Robinson (19, alpine ski racing giant slalom). • PyeongChang Olympian Finn Bilous (21, freeski slopestyle and big air). • Margaux Hackett (22, freeski slopestyle and big air). Sadowski-Synnott became the first snowboarder to successfully defend an FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Championships when she retained her title in March. Porteous is the Freeski Halfpipe World Champion and X Games Superpipe gold medallist.
PAGE 12
PHOTOS: @thenzteam
Celebration time – from left, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Margaux Hackett, Alice Robinson, Finn Bilous and, sitting on shoulders, Nico Porteous.
"I'm feeling great about Beijing. I'm looking forward to getting there and just doing what I love and skiing at my best," said Porteous. "It's great to be back on snow and we're getting some really good training in so I'm feeling good." Alice Robinson was a member of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games team at 16 and has gone on to become New Zealand's most successful ski racer. Finn Bilous, PyeongChang 2018 Olympian and 2018 Winter Games NZ big air bronze
medallist and Margaux Hackett, a first time Winter Olympian, will compete in the freeski slopestyle event as well as participating in the freeski big air event, which is making its Olympic debut in Beijing 2022. The selected athletes along with other Snow Sports athletes working towards qualification and nomination will head to the Northern Hemisphere in the coming weeks for their pre-Olympic winter season. The Winter Games will run from February 4 to 20.
THURSDAY 23.09.21 - WEDNESDAY 29.09.21
thewanakasun.co.nz
Burnout event off
The annual burnout competition in Cromwell has become another Covid victim. Heavy Trax Hire Central Motor Speedway club president Andy Erskine says the event - scheduled initially for Saturday - is always a popular pre-season gathering. Postponing the event had been a practical decision. “The committee agreed the extra efforts and costs involved in holding the burnout under Delta level 2, or even the unknown of Delta level 1 restrictions, would be better focused on working towards making Labour Weekend’s season opener something really special for everyone,” he said. “We’ll plan to run the burnout competition during the season instead.” Drivers come from all over the country, and a number of high-profile drivers in Auckland would be unable to enter. Postponing now, rather than waiting for the next government announcement, enabled South Island drivers to change accommodation bookings and make plans for a mid-season date, he said. The club committee is putting systems in place so events can go ahead as future alert levels allow. “We need to do the right thing for our drivers, spectators and sponsors, but it’s much more than that,” Erskine said. “Speedway is well supported by the wider community. Whole families enjoy the fun, local volunteer efforts help make events happen, local businesses sponsor events; everyone recognises that speedway brings thousands of people to the region throughout the season. “Finding solutions so we can continue to hold events is something that will be good for everyone.” It all comes down to the ability to adapt, he says.
THE WĀNAKA SUN
