Winter Games NZ reveals teams for 2020 event Obsidian
Aug 04, 2020·Freeski Park & Pipe
With the travel restrictions imposed by almost all nations worldwide understandably affecting international sporting competition around the globe, the originally-scheduled kick-off to the 2020/21 FIS Freeski & Snowboard World Cup season will unfortunately not be taking place over in Cardrona (NZL) this season as part of the programme at New Zealand's annual Winter Games NZ. However, despite the disappointment of not being able to see the world’s best international riders descend on the Southern Alps to train, compete and simply have fun at the largest sporting event in New Zealand, the organisers at WGNZ have come up with a exciting solution and will bring to life what looks like an epic multi-discipline mixed team event that all snow sports fans should be excited to watch. Read on to find out more…
WHAT IS OBSIDIAN?
What is Obsidian? Well, it’s the biggest snow sports event in New Zealand this winter, with the finest Kiwi talent competing in five epic challenges from 10 - 20 August.
21 of New Zealand's best athletes, from Olympic medallists through to Freeride World Tour winners, skiers versus snowboarders, women versus men and freeride versus park athletes. We have the best of the best at the top of their game.
Over the ten-day weather window, three teams will be battling it out to win the Edgar Challenge Trophy for the Obsidian. Each team comprises seven elite athletes and two world class videographers.
The following five challenges make up the Obsidian. They are equally weighted at 20% each of the final score, to determine which team is our 2020 Obsidian Champion.
Freeride - A classic freeride competition format with an epic heli accessed mountain as this year’s field of play.
Park Jam - A stylish jam format will allow the park athletes to shine. Cardrona Alpine Resort is building a custom rail garden in lower Stag Lane to allow as much freedom of expression and creativity as possible.
Big Air - This Big Air event will see our park athletes bringing their A game to the third jump in Cardrona's Big Bucks park.
Mountain Shred - This challenge is about videography as well as our sport! Each team will be allocated a different local resort, where they will shred the mountain and session a line of their choice involving natural and enhanced features on the mountain. Their team videographers will create a video edit from the day, from which they will be judged 50% by the sports panel on the athletes tricks and execution and 50% by the media panel on the teams creativity and quality of the edit.
Obsidian Videography Edit - Each Obsidian team has a world class production company embedded as part of their crew. This challenge is the opportunity for the videographers to shine. They will be bringing their creative genius to the table and crafting an 8 minute edit of their team’s journey at the Obsidian. The edit must be filmed within the 10-day weather window and all riding action must be captured on the day of the particular event. This edit will be 100% judged by the Media Panel and we will be premiering these at free community events in Wanaka (28th August) and Queenstown (29th August).
We have three snow sports legends as team leaders, with New Zealand’s most well-known snow sports athlete Jossi Wells being joined by one of the most versatile female freeskiers in the world Janina Kuzma and freeride pro Sam Smoothy, as the third Team Captain. The Obsidian Team Captains have drawn their embedded videography team and their venue for the Mountain Shred Challenge, see below for the results!
TEAM WELLS
Team captain Jossi Wells will be leading his team, made up of:
Craig Murray | Freeride World Tour freeski athlete with multiple FWT podiums and he took the win at the FWT20 in Fieberbrunn this season.
Nico Porteous | Freeski Halfpipe World Cup athlete, 2018 Olympic Winter Games bronze medallist and X Games Aspen bronze medallist.
Margaux Hackett | Freeski Big Air and Slopestyle World Cup athlete.
Claire McGregor | Freeride World Tour snowboard athlete, recently qualified for the 2021 tour off the back of her incredible results during the 2020 season.
Carlos Garcia Knight | Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle athlete and 2018 Winter Olympian finishing 5th in slopestyle.
Will Jackways | Former professional snowboarder, local snowboarding legend with plenty of snowboard films to his name.
Wanaka based production company Two Bearded Men will be joining Team Wells as their embedded videographers. Founded by Tim Pierce and Toby Crawford, Two Bearded Men is built on their passion for people and storytelling and they are now one of the Southern Hemispheres thriving production companies. They will be joined by videographers Hunter Paull and Chris Maunsell.
Team Wells has drawn Coronet Peak as their Mountain Shred Challenge venue.
TEAM KUZMA
Team captain Janina Kuzma will be leading her team, made up of:
Finn Bilous | Freeski Big Air and Slopestyle World Cup athlete, 2018 Winter Olympian and X Games Aspen competitor.
Blake Marshall | Freeride World Tour freeski athlete.
Jackson Wells | Freeski Big Air and Slopestyle World Cup athlete and 2018 Winter Olympian.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott | Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle World Cup athlete, 2018 Olympic Winter Games bronze medallist and X Games gold and silver medallist
Mitchell Davern | 2019 Snowboard World Rookie Tour Slopestyle Winner
JJ Rayward | Former snowboard slopestyle athlete, now a regular feature in some of the most creative snowboard films.
Wanaka based production house Jase Hancox Films will be joining Team Kuzma as their embedded videography team. Jase Hancox is a freelance director and director of photography; his work has taken him around the globe showcasing some of the biggest names in the adventure sports arena. His ability to operate at the highest capacity in the most hostile environments means that he is consistently being sought after by global brands. Joining Jase is Toby Wilson and Josh Morgan.
Team Kuzma has drawn The Remarkables as their Mountain Shred Challenge venue.
TEAM SMOOTHY
Team captain Sam Smoothy will be leading his team, made up of:
Hank Bilous | Freeride World Tour Freeski athlete with multiple FWT podiums and an all-round talented local skier.
Beau-James Wells | Freeski Halfpipe World Cup athlete, 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympian and X Games Aspen competitor.
Jess Hotter | Freeride World Tour Freeski athlete, took the win in Kicking Horse this year.
Christy Prior | Former Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle World Cup athlete, multiple X Games appearances and 2014 Winter Olympian.
Tiarn Collins | Snowboard Big Air and Slopestyle athlete, multiple World Cup Podiums and he was selected for the 2018 Winter Olympics Team.
Ronan Thompson | Freeride World Qualifier snowboard athlete.
Queenstown based end-to-end production company Diaries Downunder will be joining Team Smoothy as their embedded videographers. Nick Hyne and Heath Patterson specialise in adventure and action sports and have an extensive and unique knowledge of the Queenstown and Wanaka areas, having worked in this environment over the past ten years.
Team Smoothy has drawn Treble Cone as their Mountain Shred Challenge Venue.
For more see the official website of Winter Games NZ
