The international exposure generated for the Southern Lakes area by the World Heli Challenge is drastically underestimated in its host country, the event's founder, Tony Harrington, said this week, after two days of competition near Wanaka.
"This is one of the biggest free ski and freeride events in the world, period," Mr Harrington said. "And it's more famous around the world than it is here in New Zealand."
Mr Harrington, an international snow and surf photographer based primarily in Australia, established the annual World Heli Challenge in Wanaka in 1995 when he was living in the town. It took a five-year hiatus from 2003, but was resurrected in 2009.
"It's one of the most exotic heli-skiing destinations in the world, bar none," he said.
This year, the event, which relies solely on overseas sponsorship, attracted 45 athletes from eight countries and about 20 photographers, videographers and journalists from throughout the world. It had been guaranteed more than 2000 hours of international television air time.
The challenge is as much about the region's adventure lifestyle as it is about the action on the snow. It is held over a two-week period, allowing for the best weather and snow conditions for the two fly days: a freestyle day, which took place on Sunday, and a big-mountain competition yesterday.
Lifestyle and adventure activities such as bungy jumping, mustering at Glen Dene station, skydiving, whitewater rafting, and surfing the West Coast with one-time ASP World Tour champion Mark Occhilupo take up the remaining 12 days.
"The skiing and snowboarding is the hook to be able to promote the adventure lifestyle opportunities of the South Island," Mr Harrington said.
For the first time, Mt Albert on Minaret Station had provided the terrain for the two-day event, while well-known Wanaka helicopter industry families the Wallises and the Ewings provided the pilots.
The best overall athletes, chosen by an international judging panel, along with a people's choice winner and top photographer award, will be announced at the World Heli Challenge Showcase film festival evening supported by Lake Wanaka Tourism, at the Lake Wanaka Centre on August 11.
