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Mount Aspiring College Year 12 and 13 students pictured above the Routeburn Falls Hut overlooking the Routeburn Valley last week. The students were taking part in the Outdoor Pursuits ‘Challenge’ course, which offers them an introduction to a range of outdoor pursuits (kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain biking, tramping, snowcaving, skiing and snowboarding). Pictured from left are: Lorenz Kissling, Paul Kovac, Annabelle Eckroyd, Fraser Corkery, Ben Fewtrell, Troy Glover, Bryden Gunn, Hans Mills, Levi Bent, Cody Tucker, Marilou Deligieres and Keelan Plim.
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PHOTO: DAVE CASSAIDY
Knitsy: Good mammaries page 4
Shakeup at Snow Park Charlotte Trundle
Hoodies and hangis page 13
sunviews page 17
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It has been a tough week for Snow Park New Zealand. The Wanaka snow industry has been aware for some months that websites www.cardrona. co, www.treblecone.co, www. coronetpeak and www.nzski. co, which are all similar to websites owned by Southern skifields, connected to the Snow Park New Zealand website. The sites’ domain names are registered under Wanaka Central Reservations Ltd with Snow Park co-director Sean Synnott named as the administrative and billing contact. Local mountains are not impressed. “We are very disappointed somebody would think that is a clever way to do business,” NZ Ski marketing and sales general manager
Craig Douglas said. Cardrona sales and marketing manager Nadia Ellis said domain name snatching is an ineffective and unethical tactic: “It only serves to confuse the customer who ends up at a destination
Yesterday Sean Synnott took full responsibility for setting up the domain names, although he denied he redirected the sites to Snow Park or instructed anyone else to do so. “It was a naive move which was done for a bit of fun,”
We were really surprised with the outcome. It was the first dispute in a new marriage and he went for divorce. website unrelated to what they are searching for.” Treble Cone was also disappointed with the situation, spokesperson Nigel Kerr said. “I can’t comment who did it,” Sean Synnott told the Wanaka Sun on Monday. “The bottom line is it was a naive move and it’s being redressed.” The websites were dismantled that evening.
he said. He said he was trying to protect the community and the New Zealand ski industry so domain names couldn’t be used inappropriately, ie redirected to sleazy sites. “I am humbled as this was the wrong thing to do and I apologise to the community,” he said. Sean’s wife and fellow Snow Park co-owner Robin Synnott
said she does “not believe in this type of tactic… Sean has always looked after the long term interests of the local Wanaka and wider ski and snow community, but in hindsight we understand how this may have ruffled some feathers,” she said. “Sometimes my husband likes to stir things up to get a positive productive dialoguegoing,whichsometimes can backfire.” Snow Park founder Sam Lee resigned last week due to a “difference in values” with the Synnotts. Sam has fronted the resort since its establishment in 2001 and has been a 50 percent shareholderwithAlpineVentures, the Synnott’s company, since last year. Sam was the park’s day-to-day manager while the Synnotts took responsibility for customer services, hospitality, strategic direction and financial
administration. “I have been having difficulties in serving the best interests of the companyduetothedeterioration of my professional relationship with my former fellow director and shareholders, the Synnotts,” Sam said in a press release. “It has become apparent that we have a difference in values and I feel my role as operations manager and my ability to serve the day to day needs of the company have been compromised.” SeanSynnottsaidheandRobin wereshockedbythemove.“Itwas the first dispute in a new marriage and he went for divorce,” he said. “I enjoyed working with him tremendously but I respect his decision to step down from his role,” Robin said. Sam Lee, who will remain as a shareholder in the company, refused to comment further.