Queenstown, New Zealand (Monday, July 25, 2005) - World Cup champion Bode Miller of the US ski team is among the world's top ski racers set to train at Coronet Peak this winter.
The US Men's ski team, including other top racers Daron Rahlves, Erik Schlopy, Dane Spencer and Ted Ligety, has confirmed it is to train in Queenstown this winter along with US Women's team and teams from Sweden, Japan and of course, New Zealand.
From the end of July through September Coronet Peak will host the international ski teams in preparation for the February 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
“We are very happy to host several visiting teams as well as our own national team,” says Coronet Peak Snowsports School director, Michel Marchand. “It's an amazing opportunity for us and other people to see many of the world's greatest winter athletes in action.”
USA Ski Team Men's Head SL/GS Coach Mike Morin says the team is looking forward to its Queenstown training.
“We are very excited to be training at Coronet Peak where high quality snowmaking allows us great training conditions in preparation for the Olympics. We will be there from the 10th of August through to the 31st with 11 athletes from our World Cup Slalom and Giant Slalom teams.”
The dedicated race training area to the west of the Rocky Gully T-bar has a certified slalom race course offering a 200m vertical drop over a 550m long run that is 160m wide. Teams will train from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. with some racing until 1 p.m. Those who are training for GS may train on the Hurdle from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. every morning.
“Keen skiers who get to the mountain early will have plenty of opportunity to see the racers in action,” says Marchand.
Marchand says the public can see the athletes in full competition mode during the Southern Cup FIS race to be staged at Coronet Peak from August 16 to 19.
“This FIS race will probably have the highest level of competition seen in New Zealand over the last decade,” he says. “It's also a great opportunity for our local racers to benchmark their times against the best in the world.”
