The annual Winter Games NZ, the Southern Hemisphere's biggest snowsport event, is going to look very different in August this year. 

Gone is the ice hockey, curling and cross-country skiing, Freeride World Qualifying Tour event and the opening of the FIS Park and Pipe World Cup season; replaced by action-oriented, team snowsports and the technology of video.

The Winter Games NZ organisers are calling it the Obsidian.

Described as a mixed team challenge set in the Southern Alps, the Obsidian will feature 21 of New Zealand’s best freeski and snowboard athletes in three teams, pitted against each other in four progressive events over a 10-day weather window between August 10-20.

Each nine-person team will comprise a mix of seven elite snow sport athletes, male and female, ski and snowboard, freeride and park, plus two world class videographers, all led by an accomplished team captain. 

USA’s Aaron Blunck in action at the FIS Freeski World Cup hosted by Cardrona Resort. 

Winter Games NZ CEO Martin Toomey said the concept was born out of a strategic review of the traditional Games format which gathered momentum when COVID-19 brought snowsport athletes home and presented an opportunity to showcase New Zealand’s remarkable homegrown talent.

“These athletes have been involved from the very start,” he said.

One of the team captains, six times X-Games medallist and Olympian Jossi Wells is stoked to be involved. 

From X-Games, World Cup, Olympic & Freeride World tour podium places to backcountry film stars, Kiwis have been pushing the boundaries in all areas of snowsports for a number of years, Jossi said.

“To have the opportunity to bring all these athletes together for a ten-day event is what I see as a celebration of all that has been accomplished across the board. For me personally I am excited to participate as I feel like an event encompassing these diverse disciplines is suited to my skiing. 

New Zealand has come such a long way in the area of snowsports and I’m very much looking forward to celebrating that with all the amazing athletes involved.” 

There will be a thrilling Freeride event in a backcountry venue, and two progressive Park events at Cardrona Resort, Park Jam and Big Air, created to showcase the Kiwi snow style and skill. Each event will be judged by an expert panel in each of the sporting disciplines.

The fourth event will be very different. The Mountain Shred Session challenge, is where all three teams are sent to separate ski resorts for a one-day shred where they can scope and build a line or feature, which can be natural, man-made or an enhanced natural feature. 

The teams will be scored on their style, creativity and sport from their edit of the day. This is where their embedded videographers will shine, Winter Games NZ communication and marketing manager Sophie Luther said.

Running alongside the Obsidian will be an overall videography competition involving each team’s videographer creating a five to eight minute compilation of their team’s journey, both on and off the mountain. These videos will be premiered in Wanaka and Queenstown at the end of August as community fundraising events supporting the local snow industry.

While the Obsidian will only feature the talents of Kiwis this year, the plan is to use this year’s event as a template to build on for 2021 and beyond, when international athletes will compete, such as NZ vs Europe vs North America.

“There’s certainly an opportunity to do this on an international scale,” Martin said. 

PHOTOS: Neil Kerr