Despite weeks of uncertainty about snow conditions, the 30th annual Merino Muster international event took place on Saturday (August 30) in bluebird conditions thanks to 10 centimetres of fresh snow and a sunny weather window.

Rather than its usual 42km route around the rolling Pisa Range at the Snow Farm, the event took place on a 3km loop, with those registered for the 43km event skiing eight loops to make up 21km. The usually 21km Snow Rake required four loops (11.5km) and the Straggle Muster two loops (5km).

Campbell Wright, who learned how to ski at the Snow Farm and now skis for the USA team, won the event by a comfortable margin, starting out fast and maintaining a good lead (1:04) over second place getter Uda Takatsugu of Japan.

The USA’s Chip Freeman was third, and 17-year-old Hāwea Flat skier Lewis Briscall came in just 35 seconds later.

Cross country skiers at the start of the 2025 Merino Muster event. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Campbell told the Wānaka App it was “actually great” repeating laps.

“The snow condition is super super super nice. It made for easy skiing and just a great day,” he said.

“It’s my favourite race of the year; I get the most nervous before it… I couldn’t sleep last night.

“It’s also good to have a race where I can try my hardest.”

Hāwea teenager Lewis Briscall, who came in a close fourth. PHOTO: Garrick Cameron

USA top skiers Jessie Diggins - a previous Merino Muster winner - and teammate Julia Kern fought it out for the women’s first place, with Julia taking the win and Jessie second place.

In third place was Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt of Canada.

There was also plenty of local competition at the event, with Wānaka athletes making good time in the Snow Rake event, which was won by Adam Achs, with Go Suzuki in second place and Wānaka’s Louis Jones third. The women’s event was won by Wānaka athlete Nicole David, with local teenager Nico Pettit second and Kotoha Matsudo (Japan) third.

Eleven-year-old Merritt Graham of Team Snow Farm sprinted the Straggle Muster course to take a well deserved win over a minute ahead of Josie Wright (14, Australia), with Jasper Lambert (13) of Team Snow Farm in third place.

Local and international skiers kicking off the Straggle Muster. PHOTO: Wānaka App

As usual, a highlight of the annual event was the one kilometre Mini Merinos race for the under-10s, which included race founder Mary Lee accompanying her three-year-old grandson Archie around the course.

It was the 30th anniversary of the New Zealand Worldloppet race but the first as full members of Worldloppet after a 14 year apprenticeship as an associate member, Merino Muster race director John Burridge said.  

“This year for the first time as well we introduced the Australian/NZ medal for those that completed both races in the same year with a number of Australians being the first holders of the medal,” he said.