Snowboarding: Wanaka to host world junior champs

All three of Wanaka's skifields will be utilised for the world junior snowboard and freestyle championships from August 19-31.

The event marks the first time a world championship will be staged in New Zealand.

Snow Sports NZ chief executive Palmer said it was a great opportunity for local ski resorts and New Zealand's elite junior freestyle and snowboard athletes to showcase the sport and the region.

Snow Park will host the slopestyle competitions for both skiers and snowboarders, Treble Cone the snowboard parallel giant slalom and snowboard parallel slalom and Cardrona will stage the ski and snowboard halfpipe, ski- and snowboard-cross and snowboard big air competitions. Wanaka's Jossi Wells, who last week won the prestigious Dew Cup on the heels of his second Winter X Games silver medal, is scheduled to compete in the ski slopestyle and ski halfpipe, as are younger brothers Byron and Beau-James. Byron's recent successes in the Northern Hemisphere indicate he'll be challenging Jossi for podiums in the not-to-distant future.

As host nation, New Zealand will have ample quota spots, providing the opportunity for the nation's top junior riders to compete against some of the best juniors in the world.