The Bulletin, March 2021 1 The Bulletin RUAPEHU CLUB CONTENTS Volume 86, No. 1 March 2021

2 President’s column

3 Ruapehu news

5 Bookings for 2021

8 Memories of Moira

13 Northern ski season

14 Barrymore movies

15 Junior champion

16 World ski awards

17 RSC calendar

17 New members

17 Obituaries

18 XC boom

19 Skiing E-sports

20 White Island charges

25 X-Games medals

25 World ski champs

26 World snow racing skifield on the eastern (Desert Road) side of Ruapehu. Tukino has three club lodges and two rope 30 World snow news tows. Photo: Tukino skifield. 32 Club info page 2 The Bulletin, March 2021

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN so much time and effort into moving our office systems and website to the cloud, Kia ora koutou, hello everyone, enabling so much more flexibility around What a great summer it’s been for our work practices. most of us (unless you’re a farmer or a Looking forward I’ve already Wellingtonian, for opposite reasons!), mentioned that we are into our summer with people taking the opportunity to work season. I do encourage you to explore . attend a work party this season, we really And then suddenly the realities need your help. Last year was difficult of Covid-19 came back to haunt us, financially for us and we will be relying with Level 3 and Level 2 being re- on work parties rather than contractors to imposed, hopefully only for a short time. get a lot of necessary maintenance done. Meanwhile we are in the middle of our We are focusing on the Hut this year, work party season and are hoping it can looking to spruce her up inside and out as continue uninterrupted after last year’s she has started to look a little tired over curtailment through lockdown. recent seasons. One big change for the Club over Besides getting work done on these summer was the closing of our office in weekends there is also a great social side the Viaduct Basin. to them, getting to know other members, With our Club Vice-Captain Paula new and old that you mightn’t have met acting as Administration Officer and before. Check the website for work party being based in Hamilton we hadn’t used dates and sign up please. the office for a year, and we made the I know you’ll have a good time, and decision to surrender our lease. it’s a great experience for children Thanks to McConnell Dowell who seeing a group of people all working co- have been such a generous landlord and operatively to achieve results. friend to the Club over all the years we If you’re looking for some relaxation were based there. and outdoor activities we still have more I’d especially like to thank Paula who summer events organised, including the stepped into the role of Administration RSC Tongariro Crossing weekend on Officer last July when we were so March 13th. uncertain about what was to come and If you haven’t done it already this is what Covid would mean for the Club. the year to go without all the crowds, She has done an amazing job, and and there’s still time to sign up. Check her knowledge of how Committee and out our Summer Events on the website. the Club works has been a huge help in Finally, the recent Covid scare is a us working towards restructuring that reminder how fragile our ability to enjoy role as Committee looks at new ways of a normal life is. We’re hoping for a great working going into the future. ski season this year, to help ensure that This was always a temporary position remember to keep using the app, and if for Paula and we are currently looking to you have symptoms get a test. employ someone to replace her. Noho ora mai. Thanks also to Richard Nelson, Phill Thomass Richard Horton and Matt Lamb who put RSC President The Bulletin, March 2021 3

RSC Hut and the Sky Waka gondola. Photo: Peter Otway. THROUGH THE LODGE RAL is seeking to raise $30 million WINDOW in new equity capital, which would correspond to a 50 percent shareholding. The ski and season at Mt RAL board chairman Murray Gribben Ruapehu is scheduled to open on June said the company is looking for a strategic 5th. partner who can help the business RSC bunk bookings open on May 1st develop to the next level and is seeking so send in your booking requests. expressions of interest from wholesale He said that during winter 2020 RAL Crater Lake Te Wai ā-moe heated up recorded more than 290,000 visitors, again before Christmas and recorded including 43,000 riding the Sky Waka. 43ºC. The Volcanic Alert Level was “Overall, we were pleased with the raised to level 2. result for 2020 considering the challenges Activity then decreased over the first we had in place.” two weeks of January and the Volcanic Alert Level was lowered to level 1. Visitors are urged to “respect the maunga” in a summer campaign which DOC at Christmas imposed a was launched in December to help people temporary 2km no-go zone around Crater make the most of Tongariro National Lake Te Wai ā-moe. This was when the Park. lake heated up to 43ºC. The campaign aims to help visitors It said a 2km area surrounding the stay safe and nurture the special values lake was closed to the public and of the park, Conservation Minister Kiri concessionaires due to increased risk of Allan said. eruption. The measure focuses on key areas The 2km exclusion zone was removed of visitor behaviour, including cultural on January 11th but DOC recommended respect, safety and preparedness, and people remain at least 700 metres from removing all waste. Te Wai ā-moe, and do not camp within DOC facilities in the park include 1.5km of the lake. 4 The Bulletin, March 2021

175km of tracks, 32 backcountry toilets and THE eight huts. RUAPEHU SKI CLUB (inc) Founded 1913 Elliott Cree won the 50km Tussock of Fire P.O.Box 8064, Symonds St., race at Mt Ruapehu in 5h 47.58m. Auckland, New Zealand 1150 Charlotte Milne won the women’s race in Telephone: 0-9-377 3856 7h 33.27m. Email: [email protected] There was also a variety of shorter runs and Website: www.rsc.org.nz several walks.

The Mountain Safety Council (MSC) has been filming seven safety videos to be released during winter. The aim is to help people be better equipped before heading outdoors. Each video will take viewers on a walkthrough, helping them to prepare for the track. President: Phill Thomass The videos are produced in collaboration with Vice-Presidents: Carl Burling, Liza Department of Conservation (DOC), LandSAR, Fitzsimmons, Nils Johannessen, police and other agencies. Marion Quinn, Donald Webster Secretary: Louise Blair Treasurer: Heather Chao Whoever asked Santa for a white Christmas Immediate Past President: Richard in Taranaki got their wish with the mountain Nelson receiving a good dump of snow down to 1400 Captain: Catherine Gafa metres. Vice-Captain: Paula Cooper The snow was the result of a southerly weather Committee: Adrian Adriaansen, Arran Birchenough, Damon system moving up the country. It also snowed Forsyth, Will Geddes, Sam Hood, in Otago and Southland, while hail blanketed Richard Horton, Simon Hunt, David Motueka. Macmillan, John Payne, Sonia Quinn Patron: Peter Brady The deadline for the June Bulletin will be Patroness: Barbara Scelly Auditors: Hart and Co Friday May 14th. Admin Officer: Paula Cooper All items should be with the Editor in Lodge Officer: Carl Burling Wellington by that date. Hut Officer: Simon Hunt Chalet Officer: Nils Johannenssen Officer: Donald Webster THE BULLETIN Heritage Fund Guardians: Robin Founded in 1936 by Jock and Fitzie Graham. Dallas, Richard Nelson, Bernard Editor: Alan Graham, 63 Messines Rd, Karori, Smith, Phill Thomass Wellington 6012. Fund Treasurer: Mike Wardle Telephone: 04-476 4598. Glacier Hut Custodian: Bernard Smith Email: [email protected] Advertising: RSC Administration PO Box 8064, Symonds St. The Bulletin, March 2021 5

RSC BUNK BOOKINGS extra nights maybe reallocated to the Chalet. Winter Bookings 2021. Bookings for the 2021 ski season will Bookings with guests. open on May 1st. Any bookings before Our booking rules state that non- then will not be confirmed or processed members guests are not able to have until later in the month. As in past years their accommodation confirmed until all bookings should be confirmed by the two weeks prior to staying. This has last week in May. meant in some cases that members have Your bookings will be confirmed as not wanted to make bookings with such soon as possible after receiving your short lead times. request, as long as subscriptions for all Where possible these bookings can be those on the booking have been paid confirmed at the Chalet and then once and there are sufficient funds in your the two week period comes up and there deposit account to cover the requested is space at the upper mountain we will accommodation. endeavour to move the booking to the The actual bunk authority with bunk Hut or Lodge. numbers will not be sent until 48 hours Cancellation Policy. prior to the first night booked. All bookings are in effect from noon This has shown that we can better on the day of the first night of residence manage the allocation of bunks, after until noon of the day following the last the cancellations have been processed. night of residence. Please ensure you have your bunk Cancellations (online or by email to authority with you, even if on your the Office) must be made 48 hours prior mobile device. to the first booking date. (eg Friday School holiday bookings. night cancelled by midday Wednesday Due to the usual high demands for prior). school holiday bookings, preference A cancellation fee will apply to will be given to members who have all cancellations regardless of notice completed an extra work party this unless done through the website. season. The cancellation fee is $5.00, and all If the number who have done an extra alterations to bookings will incur this work party and therefore qualify for a administration fee per person affected, priority exceeds the accommodation irrespective of the date of alteration. available, a ballot may be held. If there School holiday cancellations have a are any remaining bunks these may also two week cancellation time-as per the be balloted. booking rules. Any bunks available after June 10th Subscriptions. may be booked for shorter stays. These will again be emailed or posted Preference is given during school at the end of March for payment in holiday weeks for member families with April. Please remember to contact us if school aged children. you have changed your email or postal Bookings may not be for more than contact. seven nights at the upper level and any 6 The Bulletin, March 2021

Upper: Carl Burling, armed with a DOC permit, drove up the Rockgarden. He said the track was somewhat rough. Lower: Glacier Hut, built in 1923, has been given a new paint job. The Bulletin, March 2021 7

Queenstown alpine skier , aged 19, races to fourth place in the world championship at Cortina d’Ampezzo () in February.

An iced up at Glencoe . Scotland’s ski areas have had a massive snowfall but no customers due to Covid-19. 8 The Bulletin, March 2021

MEMORIES OF MOIRA the club. Many work parties were attended in summer months when her sons, David Long time RSC member Moira Scott and Martin were growing up. Whether it passed away peacefully on December was administrating races, organising fancy 5th 2020 after losing her battle with dress parties or preparing and taking goods Alzheimers. She was 89. The family would and produce up the mountain for weekends like to offer a heartfelt thanks to the staff and ski weeks Moira was always busy with at Logan Campbell Retirement Village planning, lists and organising for Club for their kindness and care during her last activities. couple of years there. Moira and Allister were staying at the Moira learned to ski in in the Lodge during the Veterans Week in 1995. early 1950s and a diploma awarded for The mountain crater lake had been emitting cross-country and slalom that she earned in steam all day and after a lovely day on the Miølfiell at Easter in 1954 hangs in pride slopes they had just returned to the Lodge. of place in her son David’s office. There was an earthquake and Allister She brought her passion for the sport with told Moira to grab her camera. They ran her when she emigrated to New Zealand in out the back door of the Lodge where Mum 1962. She and Allister were married in the snapped a shot looking up the Waterfalls same year and set off down country in a and the second chair, now being completely Morris Minor called Betsie, staying at the dwarfed by the eruption cloud. Chateau for their honeymoon. Moira always said that contrary to all On their trip down to the mountain they the news footage that the most amazing decided to stop on a gravel verge to view thing was that there was no sound. Some the mountain just shy of a one lane bridge members fled the Club but were held up on SH47 (National Park to the turn-off to as the Bruce Road closed. Most of the the Chateau). No sooner had they stopped members spent a few exciting, if a little when a truck came hurtling around the nervous days at the Lodge before being corner at considerable speed and clipped evacuated. the bridge on the way through. It was a very The picture has appeared prominently fortuitous scenery stop indeed. on a number of publications, notably on Ross George sponsored Moira and the cover of – 100 Years Allister for Club membership in 1963. of Skiing book written by Alan Graham. On their first trip, one night in July, they Moira enjoyed her skiing at Ruapehu and coaxed Betsie up the Bruce Road in a the RSC Club life. She continued skiing in blizzard and started to make their way New Zealand and in North America up until up the Rockgarden (with their suitcases) her late 70s. Her last engagement with the making for the Lodge. Club was attending the 100th Anniversary The storm disorientated them, and they at the Chateau in 2013. lost sight of the Rockgarden chairlift. David Scott Meanwhile in the Lodge the resident ski Moira’s husband Allister Scott was RSC instructor, Heinie Schuler, sensed that Club Captain in 1978-81 and one of her someone might be trying to come up sons David was on the RSC Committee in through the storm and thought that he 1988-91. David was RSC Club champion a would go out to check to make sure. He record nine times and also represented New found Moira and Allister and guided them Zealand in at the Olympic up to the safety of the Lodge. Winter Games in 1992. We offer the Club’s Moira never served on the Committee but condolences to the Scott family. was always acting in supporting roles for The Bulletin, March 2021 9

Upper: Moira Scott in the days of long and lace-up boots. Photo from David Scott. Lower: Moira Scott’s classic photo of the 1995 eruption of Mt Ruapehu, taken from the back door of RSC Lodge. 10 The Bulletin, March 2021

Upper: An RSC class and their instructor. Photo: Lauren Bruce. Lower: Thick ice on a chairlift at Turoa. Photo: RAL. The Bulletin, March 2021 11 12 The Bulletin, March 2021

Upper: The Schuss Haus at Whakapapa. Photo: RAL. Lower: Skiing inside the crater of Mt Ruapehu. The Bulletin, March 2021 13

NORTHERN SKI SEASON Oberhofen were closed and FIS Staff were working from home. Many ski resorts around the world were open at Christmas and New Year, but many Switzerland’s signature ski race were closed, some by government decree. the Lauberhorn downhill at Some decided the mental and physical was cancelled after a rise in Covid-19 health benefits of mountain sports holidays infections was blamed on tourists from outweighed the danger of spreading the Britain. Covid-19 pandemic. The race on a scenic course that is the In France, Italy, and , longest on the alpine World Cup circuit authorities moved to close ski resorts or to usually draws 30,000 spectators and a big limit their activities to locals. audience on Swiss television. Switzerland opened its ski season in Officials instead raced the famous Streif some cantons despite Italy’s request downhill at Kitzbühel (Austria) twice in not to do so. Verbier, Crans Montana, one weekend. (Switzerland) Andermatt, Davos and Zermatt were all won both races. open. Meanwhile, Cervinia (Italy) which Dozens of British skiers face $16,000 is just 9km from Zermatt was closed. fines after fleeing Verbier in Switzerland Ski resorts in Eastern Europe, to escape a Covid-19 lockdown panic in Scandinavia, Spain, China and Japan January. were open. Authorities in Switzerland said they In the US and Canada resorts mainly have details of 200 British who broke strict stayed open, but there were increasingly isolation rules and returned home, some draconian measures including restaurant leaving on private jets in the dead of night. and hotel closures. Scotland had its best snow for 10 years No FIS test events for the Olympic but the skifields were closed. Winter Games in Beijing will be staged during the 2020-21 season. This affects No spectators were permitted at snowboard, freeski, alpine, jumping and the FIS alpine and nordic World -country. championships in February at Cortina Travel restrictions and quarantine rules d’Ampezzo and Oberstdorf, nor at the are behind the decision to cancel. Some X-Games in Aspen (Colorado). test runs will be held at venues with only Both organising committees said they Chinese athletes. were hoping for different outcomes but agreed to go ahead without fans present. A French ski station in January replaced its closed ski lifts with horses. The Swiss Federal government said As ski lifts remained closed due to in December that if non-essential shops Covid-19, Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes used closed then it would be hard to justify horses to enable pupils to ski resorts remaining open. In January it continue to their classes on green and blue changed its position and ski resorts were . allowed to remain open. The horses from a nearby equestrian Ski resorts remained closed in January centre were already trained and happy to go in Italy and France, with skiing for locals- up the mountains for “ski-joëring”. only in Austria. The price was the same as on ski lifts in Due to Covid-19 national regulations normal years: 10 Euros for two hours plus in Switzerland, the FIS headquarters in the cost of the ski school lesson. 14 The Bulletin, March 2021

American film producer Dick Barrymore behind the camera to film his second , High Skis, on the Tasman Glacier in 1961. BARRYMORE MOVIES Originally his ski films were spin-offs from the Burton Holmes travelogues Dick Barrymore (1933-2008) was an designed for the armchair traveller, but American pioneer in ski film making his process matured and became more who spent 30 years shooting 28 ski films popular. around the world, including here in NZ. He was so well known that he was He began his career as a ski filmmaker invited to ski with the Shah of Iran and at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw his family He filmed the Shah’s wife, Valley (California) and spent the next the Empress Fara Diba, skiing alongside three decades shooting ski movies. famous US skiers Suzy Chaffee and Billy He rarely had a script in mind for his Kidd in the Iran hills. films and was a master of improvisation. Barrymore wasn’t averse to appearing Barrymore was an early supporter of in his own films and once played the , which was originally part of Avalanche Al who was intent on called hot dog skiing. setting speed records of up to 320 mph He did most of his own filming with while riding an avalanche. hand-held cameras and was the sole Footnote: Dick Barrymore was not editor. He narrated and selected the related to the actors John Barrymore and music. Lionel Barrymore. The Bulletin, March 2021 15

Katie Crawford racing in the Youth at Lausanne (Switzerland). JUNIOR CHAMPION and slalom at the Youth Olympic Games which were held in Lausanne We are advised that Katie Crawford (Switzerland). who learned her skiing from a Swiss This event drew athletes from 79 instructor at RSC won the national junior countries who competed in 81 events title (Under-21) for slalom for the second in eight sports and 16 disciplines. Some year. 640,000 spectators attended. This was in races held in the South Katie finished both her races on Island last winter. difficult icy courses, coming 30th in the Katie’s time, representing the giant slalom and 31st in the slalom. Queenstown Alpine Ski Team’s Coberger She overcame injury before skiing in Academy squad, was 1:27.60. Natalie the giant slalom. She crashed in training Tatge was second in 1:29.19 and Olive at Les Diablerets two days before Flight was third in 1:31.25. competition and required seven stitches Katie also came second to Piera in her upper right arm. Hudson in the open grade slalom. Piera () won in 1.22.67. Katie was *** Angela Crawford says the family second in 1.27.60 and Eliza Grigg (Mt haven’t stayed at the Club for a number Hutt) came third in 1.28.87. of years but are still members and always Katie was selected to represent New have fond memories of their holidays Zealand and compete in giant slalom there when the children were young. 16 The Bulletin, March 2021

The Bulletin recently confirmed that the flat area in front of The Chateau was a bowling green and not an ice skating rink. Here is proof. WORLD SKI AWARDS as the World’s Best Ski Chalet. Ski Dubai won the world’s best indoor Val Thorens in France has been named ski resort award for the fifth consecutive the World’s Best Ski Resort for the seventh year. It was nominated amongst eight time in eight years. internationally recognised indoor ski The highest resort in Europe at 3220 resorts across Egypt, Germany, China, metres, it was handed the prize at the 2020 Spain, Scotland, New Zealand and the World Ski Awards. Netherlands. These are voted for by industry experts was again named as and members of the public in a range of America’s best ski resort while Thredbo categories, including best resorts, hotels, took the ’s best ski resort award. chalets and tour operators. NZ awards went to: Other big-ticket winners included the Best Ski Resort 2020: Mt Hutt. five-star W Verbier in Switzerland which Best Ski Hotel 2020: The Rees Hotel, was ranked as the World’s Best Ski Hotel Queenstown. for the fifth consecutive year. Best Ski Boutique Hotel 2020: Chalet Zermatt Peak in Switzerland, Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown. where stays start from $NZ100,000 per Best Ski Chalet 2020: Porters Lodge, week during the winter season, was named Canterbury. The Bulletin, March 2021 17

RSC CALENDAR OF EVENTS March 2021 13-14 Tongariro Alpine Crossing 20-21 Working parties

April 2021 3-4 Working parties (Easter, Truck Weekend)

May 2021 1 RSC ski season bookings open 1-2 Working parties

June 2021 5 Ski/snow season opens at Ruapehu TBC RSC AGM at Auckland 12-13 Working parties

July 2021 3-4 Working parties (Cooks Weekend) 10-25 School holidays 31 Christie Derby

Aug 2021 TBC Club Week 14 Haensli Cup 28 Rangatira Trophy

Sept 2021 4 Tongariro Juniors 18 Ngauruhoe Trophy 25 RSC Club champs

Oct 2021 2-17 School holidays NEW MEMBERS and had a foundry near Victoria Park in downtown Auckland. We welcome the following new members: The company supplied RSC with a Alexander Hall (Hamilton). variety of metal plaques and trophies over Kerry Maloney (Hamilton). the years including a plaque for the 50th Jordyn Maloney (Hamilton). anniversary of the Hut. We offer the Club’s condolences to his OBITUARIES family. BRUCE MILLAR PETER WAKEMAN Bruce Millar who has died at Auckland Peter Wakeman who joined RSC in 1981 aged 84 joined RSC in 1950 and was thus has died at Auckland. a Club member for 70 years. Peter was the husband of Rosemary Bruce was a regular skier over the years Wakeman who was Administration Officer and was still skiing at Winter Party in the for RSC from 1979 to 1983 when the Club 1990s. had its office in Remuera. Off the snow Bruce managed Millar We offer the Club’s condolences to their Paterson Metals which dated back to 1903 family. 18 The Bulletin, March 2021

Map of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. to teach most people how to glide. X-C SKIING BOOMS Cross-country skiing comes in two types: Cross-country skiing is booming this year classical and freestyle. when getting outdoors, exercising and social Classical has skiers pointing straight ahead distancing has never seemed so desirable. and gliding with the use of poles that are In many places in the US and Canada, has longer than alpine ski poles. Freestyle allows been hard to find new equipment or even the skier to use skating steps. good used gear. Both types feature in World Cup races and Many alpine skiers are turning to cross- in the Olympic Winter Games. Sometimes country rather than wait two hours for a events allow just the one technique while gondola ride up the mountain. others have a mixture of the two. Experts said you don’t have to be superbly fit to cross-country ski. *** New Zealand has a cross-country All the while you are building up skifield named Snow Farm which is situated cardiovascular fitness and cross-country at Cardrona in Central Otago and has 55km skiing uses more muscle groups than any of groomed cross-country trails. Gear hire, other sport except perhaps long-distance lessons, snowshoeing, hotel accommodation swimming. and back country huts are available. Winter A typical Nordic ski jaunt is two or three and are both hours at a leisurely pace, maybe skiing 10km. contested here. And you can take your dog Just one lesson from an instructor is enough along with you. The Bulletin, March 2021 19

Esports (electronic sports) have become popular in many disciplines since real events were cancelled due to Covid-19. The ski version has been running since December and is free from the App Store or Google Play. Events are held in downhill, super-g, giant slalom and slalom. The show is called The Road to Cortina. The winners and runners-up in qualifying events will take part in the finals which will be based on ski runs at Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy.

EVEREST HIGHER China and Nepal have jointly announced a new official height for Mt Everest, ending a discrepancy between the two nations. The new height of the world’s highest peak is 8848.86 metres, slightly more than Nepal’s previous measurement and about 4m higher than China’s. The height was agreed on after surveyors from Nepal scaled the peak in 2019 and a Chinese team did the same in 2020.

US DAY PASSES The most expensive day passes in the US (in US dollars) are: Jim Mutch has sent us this photo 1. Vail & Beaver Creek, CO: $209 entitled: Wildlife encounter en route 2. Breckenridge, CO: $189 to Ruapehu, on state highway 4 near 3. Deer Valley, UT: $180 Raurimu. Thanks Jim, but did you enrol 4. Aspen, CO; Mammoth Mountain, CA; him/her to be an RSC member? Park City, UT and Steamboat, CO: $179 8. Copper Mountain, CO: $178 SKIING E-SPORTS 9. Keystone Resort, CO; Squaw Valley, The inaugural Esports alpine World Ski CA and Winter Park, CO: $169 Championship is currently running with the approval of the FIS (International Ski Federation). 20 The Bulletin, March 2021

ERUPTION CHARGES *** The alert level for Whakaari was lowered on December 6th from alert WorkSafe has filed charges against 10 level 2 to alert level 1. This followed firms and three people over the Whakaari observations that ash was no longer being White Island eruption in December 2019 emitted from the island and the levels of that claimed 22 lives. gas emission had also decreased. Ten parties have been charged under the Health and Safety at Work Act for *** The Government has ordered failing to ensure the health and safety of an independent review of WorkSafe’s workers and others. oversight of Whakaari White Island GNS Science, NEMA (Civil Defence) tours. This is the first stage of a targeted and tour operators Volcanic Air, Kahu review of adventure activity regulations Helicopters and White Island Tours all identifying serious gaps in WorkSafe’s confirmed they are facing charges. enforcement regime. Three individuals are charged under law which requires directors or individuals to exercise due diligence that the company VOLCANOES ACTIVE meets its health and safety obligations. January was world volcano month The trio are members of the Buttle as mountains around the world – family who own the island and grant excluding New Zealand – erupted leases to the tour operators. spectacularly. None of the enforcement action relates In Hawaii the Kilauea volcano erupted to rescue and recovery operations when when a new lava flow interacted with local helicopter operators evacuated a pool of water inside the crater. All survivors and victims. Those actions the water evaporated out of the lake may be the subject of other proceedings. and a steam cloud shot up 10km in the There were 47 people were on the atmosphere. island 52 kilometres offshore from In Italy explosions from Mt Etna, Whakatane when the crater exploded. which is Europe’s largest active volcano, Most were tourists and four were local sent rocks into the air and lava streams tour guides. flowed from three craters. They were showered with rocks, clouds Dramatic video was seen around the of ash and toxic gases. All suffered world. substantial burns and 22 people died. In Papua New Guinea the Kadovar volcano erupted with an ash plume that *** The announcement of charges was rose up to 1.5km. met with substantial opposition by groups In Russia the Klyuchevskoy who said the decision by WorkSafe to (Kamchatka) volcano had a series of prosecute some of the parties was over blasts that sent an ash plume up 6km. the top and in excess of its mandate. Other notable eruptions were reported Petitions were started and fund raising in the Kuril Islands (Russia), three places for some defendants was begun. in Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru and two places in Guatemala. The Bulletin, March 2021 21

This is the “avalauncher” machine used by the ski patrol at Turoa to bomb avalanche prone slopes after a heavy snowfall. The cannon uses compressed nitrogen gas to fire missiles up to 1.4km where they explode on impact with the surface of the snow. Photos: RAL. 22 The Bulletin, March 2021

Ski racing at Whakapapa. Photos: NIPS. The Bulletin, March 2021 23

Snowboard racing at Turoa. Photo: School snowboard champs. 24 The Bulletin, March 2021

Nico Porteous (NZ) with his gold medal won in the ski halfpipe event at the 2021 Aspen X-Games in January.

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZ) flies through the air at the 2021 Aspen X-games. She won a silver medal in and a bronze medal in . The Bulletin, March 2021 25

WINTER X-GAMES ALICE COMES FOURTH GOLD FOR Four New Zealanders raced in the World TWO MEDALS FOR ZOI championships at Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy) in February. Three New Zealanders received Alice Robinson (NZ) was fourth in the invitations to take part in the 2021 Winter giant slalom, finishing just 0.73 seconds in Aspen-Buttermilk (Colorado). behind the winner in a race lasting 2.5 They were Nico Porteous, Zoi Sadowski- minutes. Synnott and Jossi Wells. The race was won by Lara Gut-Behrami There were no fans nor any music and (Swiss) with (US) second each athlete was allowed only one coach and (Austria) third. or support person, whereas some would Piera Hudson (NZ) did not finish. normally have several support folk. Piera Hudson (NZ) skied the best race of her life to come 12th in the parallel GS. Nico Porteous (NZ) won a gold medal There were 62 starters and she beat a host in the men’s freeski . of the best ranked skiers in the world. She Zoi Sadowski-Sinnott (NZ) won a did not finish the slalom. silver medal in the women’s snowboard Willis Feasey (NZ) came 26th in the slopestyle and a bronze medal in big air. giant slalom and 28th in the super-g, two of the best alpine skiing results for NZ men in Porteous, 19, jumped into the gold medal recent years. He was 30th in the parallel GS position on his third of four runs, scoring and did not finish in the combined. back-to-back 1620s. Aaron Blunck (US) Jack Adams (NZ) was eliminated in the was second and Birk Irving (US) was third. qualifying race for the giant slalom. He Nico was up against a powerhouse field. did not finish the second run in the slalom. Olympic gold medallist David Wise (US) Race winners were: was fifth and Alex Ferreira (US) going for Men’s downhill: Vincent Kriechmayr his third X Games superpipe gold medal in (Austria). Men’s super-g: Vincent a row was seventh. Kriechmayr (Austria). It was the third ever NZ win at Aspen. Men’s combined: Previous winners were Jossi Wells and Zoi (Austria). Men’s parallel GS: Mathieu Sadowski-Sinnott. Faivre (France). Men’s GS: Mathieu Faivre (France). Sadowski-Synnott was beaten in Men’s slalom: Sebastian Foss-Solevaag slopestyle by the double Olympic champion (Norway). Jamie Anderson (US) while Laurie Blouin (Canada) was third. Women’s downhill: Corinne Suter Anderson aged 30 then won the big air (Swiss). Women’s super-g: Lara Gut- event for her 19th X-Games medal. Miyabi Behrami (Swiss). Onitsuka (Japan) and Zoi Sadowski- Women’s combined: Mikaela Shiffrin Synnott tied for second with Miyabi taking (US). Women’s parallel GS: the silver medal on a countback. It was (Italy) and Katharina Liensberger (Austria) Zoi’s fifth X-Games medal. tied for first). Jossi Wells (NZ) came fifth in the ski Women’s GS: Lara Gut-Behrami (Swiss). knuckle huck event won by Henrik Harlaut Women’s slalom: Katharina Liensberger (). (Austria). 26 The Bulletin, March 2021

GOLD MEDAL FOR ZOI Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZ) won a snowboard World Cup title for the first time when she won a big air event at Kreischberg (Austria) in January. The 19-year-old form Wanaka brushed off a crash on her opening attempt. Sadowski-Synnott’s two final runs scored her 81.60 and 80.80 and propelled her to the top of the podium on 162.40. Kokomo Murase (Japan) was second on 161.80 and Olympic gold medallist (Austria) was third with 161.40. Sadowski-Synnott was a bronze medallist at the last Winter Olympics, in 2018 in Pyeongchang, where at age 16 years 353 days she briefly became Zoi Sadowski-Synnott New Zealand’s youngest ever Olympic Sadowski-Synnott earlier won the medallist, before Nico Porteous broke the opening big air event of the season. Big record later the same day. air and slopestyle are similar but slopestyle *** Cool Wakushima (NZ) placed 17th is more technical. in Zoi’s event at Kreischberg. Cool began *** Tiarn Collins (NZ) came 25th in in Japan when she was six. the men’s snowboard slopestyle. Her family moved to New Zealand when she was nine. ALPINE SKIING *** Tiarn Collins (NZ) came 18th in the Alice Robinson (NZ), who won two men’s snowboard event at Kreischberg alpine World Cup giant while Mitchell Davern (NZ) was 36th. races last season, has found it tougher *** There was also a big air event for this winter. skiers. Margaux Hackett was 12th among So far she has finished 12th, 14th, 9th the women while Ben Barclay was 38th and 9th while failing to finish in two other and Luca Harrington 48th among the men. races. A seventh race was abandoned when hurricane winds wrecked the timing ZOI WINS SILVER facilities. Zoi Sadowski-Synnot (NZ) came Piera Hudson (NZ) has failed to finish second in the opening women’s World Cup several World Cup slalom and giant slalom snowboard slopestyle event of the season races. Her best finish was 51st in a slalom. at Laax (Switzerland). Jamie Anderson (US), aged 30, who has Alice Robinson (NZ) finished 21st in won the gold medal in slopestyle at the a World Cup super-g race at Val d’Isère last two Olympic Winter Games, won the (France). It was her best finish in her event with 84.35 points. backup discipline. Zoi was second with 82.96 and Tess Willis Feasey (NZ)) did not finish a Coady (Australia) was third with 74.18. men’s alpine World Cup giant slalom at It was Anderson’s 10th World Cup (Switzerland). victory, eight of those coming in slopestyle. The Bulletin, March 2021 27

The number of participants will be Swiss, Italians or Norwegians who get reduced at the (FIS) alpine junior world the course sets.” ski championships at (Bulgaria) on March 1-10. FREESTYLE EVENT There will be three individual races per gender instead of five and there will be a Ski Knuckle Huck is the name of a new separation of the flows between men’s and freestyle skiing event which is contested at women’s teams. the Winter X Games in Colorado. No spectators will be allowed and there The event has competitors take off the will be no opening or closing ceremonies. knuckle of a big air jump and huck their most unique trick. You don’t have to be a top seeded ace Since the athletes do not gain much to win an alpine World Cup high speed height, the tricks must rely on technicality downhill ski race. and creativity throughout the jam session Martin Cater () with bib 41 format. surprised everyone including himself to Instead of scoring singular runs, the win the downhill at Val d’Isère (France). knuckle tricks are judged in a 20 minute Otmar Striedinger (Austria) was overall impression format for each rider, starting to get a taste of his first World with strong emphasis on creativity and Cup victory when Cater rushed through technique. the finish line The world ski cross and snowboard Prominent alpine skiers Marco cross championships are no longer being Schwarz (Austria) plus Loïc Meillard, held in China, due to Covid-19. Justin Murisier and Marco Odermatt Originally planned for Zhangjiakou, the (all Swiss) all tested positive for Covid-19. site of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Schwartz was the 2019 World bronze the events in will now be held in at Idre medallist in both slalom and combined Fjäll in Sweden. while Meillard and Odermatt each notched his first World Cup win last season. REINDEER TROPHY Alpine skiing World Cup director Markus Waldner tested positive for Winners of alpine World Cup ski races at Covid-19 while overseeing slalom races Levi (Finland) receive an unusual prize, in Flachau (Austria) in January. a live young reindeer. US slalom star Michaela Shiffrin has won four races in Levi in recent years COURSE SETTER which means she has four reindeer which New Zealand was chosen to set the course she named Rudolph, Sven, Mr Gru and for an alpine World Cup giant slalom Ingemar. ski race for the first time, due to Alice She failed to win her fifth reindeer Robinson’s outstanding results over the this year when she came second in her past year. comeback race after a back injury. Robinson’s coach Chris Knight Petra Vlhova (Slovakia) was the winner (Christchurch) set the course for the and named her reindeer after her father first run at Courchevel. Igor. The ladies do not take their reindeer home. They live in an animal farm in Robinson said: “It’s a first for me. The Lapland. sets are very biased to the larger teams so it’s normally the likes of the Austrians, 28 The Bulletin, March 2021

Skiing at Tukino on Mt Ruapehu. Photos: Tukino skifield. The Bulletin, March 2021 29

Upper: Lovely ski slopes out West at Whakapapa. Lower: Hut Flat as seen from the gondola. Photo: Joe Corbett. 30 The Bulletin, March 2021

Skeetawk is the name of a new ski area ACROSS THE SKIING which has recently opened in Alaska. It has WORLD a 30-chair triple lift capable of carrying 500 people per hour and is operating at Veteran US actor Robert Redford has weekends and during school holidays. sold the Sundance Mountain Resort ski area to Broadreach Capital Partners and Cedar “This ski area is very rugged, very Capital Partners. Alaskan, and people will definitely have to come up here with quite a bit of self- Additionally, the Redford family has sufficiency in mind,” general manager entered into a partnership with Utah Open Scott Patridge said. Lands to put more than 300 acres of wild lands into permanent protection. “It’s cold. There’s not a warming hut, there’s not a day lodge and you’re driving Redford founded the resort in 1969 up into the mountains in rural Alaska.” which he named after the film character that made him a fan favourite in Butch Cassidy Aleksander Bolshunov (Russia), the and the Sundance Kid. world’s top-ranked cross-country skier, was disqualified after whipping at a Finnish The deal does not include Redford’s opponent with a on the finishing other assets and projects such as the straight, then tackling the skier after they Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film crossed the finish line of a World Cup relay. Festival. Joni Mäki (Finland) collided with Nic Cavanagh has been appointed as Bolshunov but was not disqualified or CEO of Snow Sports New Zealand. relegated. Nic has worked at Snow Sports NZ since Bolshunov reacted by whipping his right 2012 and is currently the High Performance ski pole at Mäki, then doing it again with Director, a role which he will continue to more force as the Finn skied away. After hold alongside the position of CEO. the finish he collided with Mäki, who fell A Norwegian skiing hero has been to the snow. sentenced to seven months in jail and A skier was rescued at Mt Hood skifield banned from driving for life for speeding in Oregon (US) after she fell 5 metres into while on cocaine. a fumarole that was covered by snow. Two-time Olympic cross-country gold The woman, 32, was skiing with her medallist Petter Northug, aged 34, was husband at 3500 metres elevation on the clocked at 168 km/h in his Jaguar on a road active volcano. with a 110km/h speed limit. A climber in the area saw her plight and A previous conviction for drunk driving lowered a rope which she used to escape in 2014 was taken into account for the from the hole. She suffered an injured sentencing. shoulder and thanked her for New Zealand freeskier avoiding worse injury. has announced his retirement from the Philippe Gueisbuhler has been named NZ national freeski team and competitive as FIS Director, replacing the former skiing. Secretary General Sarah Lewis. Byron has competed internationally in Gueisbuhler comes to FIS after serving both slopestyle and halfpipe for over a the last four years as the Director of the decade and was member of the 2014 and Global Association of International Sports 2018 New Zealand Olympic Winter Games Federations (GAISF). teams. The Bulletin, March 2021 31

A native of Switzerland who holds dual It said waivers on the back of lift tickets Austrian citizenship, he is fluent in French, that release resorts from “any and all German, English and Russian. liability” take precedence over the state’s A bear was spotted chasing a skier on Ski Safety Act. a slope in the popular mountain resort of In this case a woman who was injured Predeal (Romania). getting off a chairlift at Loveland had People sitting on a chairlift above saw signed a waiver promising to “assume all the bear and warned the skier of the danger. risks” in skiing at the resort. The young man escaped safely after The city of Lahti in Finland has he threw his backpack onto the snow to introduced what it proclaims to be the distract the bear. world’s first urban cross-country ski sharing programme. Nine News had great video, taken from the chairlift, of the man skiing down the City Skis works the same as city bikes. hill with the bear in hot pursuit. The skis can be borrowed from a ski point, where they should be returned to after use. Former Swiss downhill ski racer Doris Residents can run errands or get some De Agostini has died aged 62. exercise. She competed in the World Cup between Elan has released Voyager, a folding 1976 and 1983 and won eight races; with all mountain ski. 19 World Cup podiums. The engineering feat is achieved by a In 1978 De Agostini won the bronze medal series of hinges and locking mechanisms in the downhill at the world championships and Elan says it doesn’t lose any of the in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. structural rigidity of a conventional ski. Crown Princess Mette-Marit of It has sizes from 160cm to 172cm and Norway broke her coccyx (tailbone) in a costs $NZ2500 for which you get skis, skiing accident. bindings, poles and a ski bag. Mette-Marit (47) was accompanied by A snow sports instructor in Manchester her daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra (UK) has set a world record attempt for (16) when she fell while getting off a the greatest vertical distance skied up and chairlift. She spent one night at a local downhill indoors in 24 hours. hospital. Callum Mackenzie, 22, climbed up the The accident happened during a visit to 180m indoor slope at the Chill Factore the royal cabin at Uvdal Alpine, a family- skifield and skied down 200 times, for a friendly ski resort located between Oslo vertical height of 12km. and Bergen. A dust plume from the Sahara Desert Claudia Riegler is still winning swept across ski resorts in the Alps in international races at the age of 47. No, February, turning the snow to yellow and not the NZ three-time Olympian skier. The orange. Austrian snowboarder of the same name. Skiers happily took to the slopes despite Riegler and Andreas Prommeger the freak weather incident and assorted combined at Bad Gastein (Austria) to win Covid-19 restrictions, an FIS parallel giant slalom pairs event. The orange tint was the result of strong A Colorado Court of Appeals has winds in Africa causing the sand to sweep ruled that waivers can protect resorts from across to Europe before it hit the mountain lawsuits filed by injured skiers. ranges and settled onto the snow. 32 The Bulletin, March 2021

CLUB ITEMS & SERVICES FOR SALE RSC Administration Office, P.O. Box 8064, Symonds Street, Auckland 1150 Website: www.rsc.org.nz email: [email protected] Lockers Club Items Lockers are available for hire in the Hut at (Add $3 for each order to be posted) Turoa and occasionally in the Lodge. Name Badge (free to new members) $12 email - [email protected] to find out what is ********************************** available.

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