Coronet Peak is getting some snow injection, to ensure the world's best skiers will benefit from top-class race conditions when their training begins.
Under the leadership of Coronet Peak's head of race and events Richard Murphy, the events crew is preparing the slopes in the Rocky Gully Race Training Area before international teams arrive for their annual southern hemisphere training camps.
Mr Murphy said the snow-injection process was vital in producing the ice-hard surface preferred by ski racers.
"Snow injection involves a process using an injection bar - basically a snowmaking hose fitted to the injection bar with nozzles that pump water beneath the surface of the ski race course.
"If timed perfectly with weather conditions, it creates slopes and training conditions that are very firm and which get minimal wear from racers as they tear down the slopes at speeds of up to 80kmh to 100kmh."
Mr Murphy said the injection process began about a fortnight ago and conditions were ready to welcome the racers.
The Canadian team arrived on Saturday and had been on the slopes all week, with the United States team, including Olympic Gold medallists Lindsay Vonn and Bode Miller, due to arrive on Saturday.
