Team Wells was crowned victorious at the Obsidian 2020 on Friday (August 28) after a tight race which came down to the wire.

OBSIDIAN Overall Edit | Team Kuzma | Jase Hancox Film

COMFORTABLE | Team Wells | Two Bearded Men

SMOOTH NEWS | Team Smoothy | Diaries Downunder

After five challenges, Team Wells snatched the win by only 20 points ahead of their rivals Team Kuzma and Team Smoothy, who were tied on 500 points each on the overall leaderboard. 

The Obsidian rules state if there is a tie with the overall results the countback will be taken from the Obsidian Overall Edit results. Team Kuzma and Jase Hancox Film took the top spot on the Edit Podium with their seven-minute epic movie featuring The Remarkables. This art-house film won the hearts of the media panel with its expansive cinematography and crafted narrative. The win meant Team Kuzma seized second place overall in the Obsidian, narrowly beating an extremely competitive Team Smoothy. 

Throughout the ten-day weather window and the five sports and videography challenges, the three teams have been evenly matched. 

“I was so excited to be part of this event to ski all the different disciplines and then to get hurt. The whole uncomfortable theme rang true,” Jossi Wells said.

Jossi had to lead his team from the sidelines for the event when he broke his wrist on the first challenge of the Big Air. 

Team Wells. PHOTO: Ross MacKay

“From the very beginning I worked super hard with Tim Pierce from Two Bearded Men on the concept of the overall video and we landed on the Comfortable theme. Then we jump into the first day of competition and I get smoked. And it is ironic as the day before I am talking about pushing beyond the comfort zone and then I break my wrist and suffer the consequences of what it is to do this sport.”

“This format is really new and to bring all these disciplines to one event I don’t think has been done before. And to see the competitive nature come out in every one in their retrospective fields was really amazing. Even coming to the filmers. Seeing the filmers getting super competitive with each other is a whole new thing.”

Local world-class videographers Two Bearded Men joined Team Wells documenting their journey. Their final film named “Comfortable” was a stylish edit delving into the mindset of these talented sportsmen and women

Overall second-placed Team Kuzma were delighted with their performance, “I was stoked to pick Jase Hancox film and Remarkables as my Mountain Shred venue. It was awesome being able to showcase my team and the mountain with such awesome videographers,” Janina Kuzma said.

The videographers (from left): Chris Maunsell, Tim Pierce, Toby Crawford, Jase Hancox, Toby Wilson, James Holman, and Nick Hyne. PHOTO: Ross MacKay

Team Smoothy led overall from the second challenge through to the very final event, showing how close and competitive the 21 athletes and nine videographers were. Team Smoothy’s Overall Edit, created by Queenstown Production House Diaries Downunder, played up on Sam’s funny side and tongue in cheek attitude, with his teammates shining on the screen. 

Winning Videographer Jase Hancox summed up the Obsidian from a content perspective: “It is never one person who makes a film. There is such an army of people and that is true across the board for all teams.”

The Most Valuable Athletes (MVAs) from the Obsidian were also celebrated with Tiarn Collins coming out on top for the Men’s Snowboard category. He won at the Park Jam and came second at the Big Air and Freeride events showing consistency across the board despite never competing in a Freeride competition before. 

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott dominated the women's field with a win in the Park Jam, second at the Freeride and third at the Big Air, again never having competed in freeride event and taking it on with confidence. Finn Bilous was crowned top men’s skier showing his multitalented style and creativity across all the disciplines with a top spot on the Park Jam, second-placed Freeride run and third at the Big Air. 

Obsidian is producing a four-part series on the full story of the event, including content from the challenges, plus behind the scenes panel discussions. It will be aired on Sky Sports NZ in September and will be available globally with the schedule and broadcasters being announced on the Winter Games NZ website.

The media judges were Tex Teixeira, chief content officer SKY NZ; Jeremy Wells, TVNZ Seven Sharp presenter and radio host; Bridget Legnavsky, Cardrona Alpine Resort general manager, and Chris Dunn, Mons Royale.

The seven-minute final edits are available on the Winter Games NZ YouTube channel.