The New Zealand freeski team remains unchanged this winter after strong performances on the international circuit helped guarantee the six existing members reselection and funding for the season.
The squad, dominated by five Wanaka-based members and helmed by world champion Jossi Wells, will compete in skier cross, big mountain, slopestyle and halfpipe.
Queenstown skier Mitchey Greig retains her place after she became the first female to represent New Zealand in skier cross at a Winter Olympics, securing a world ranking of 24.
Wanaka big mountain skiers Janina Kuzma and Sam Smoothy carded some impressive results during the northern hemisphere season, and earned themselves starts on the Freeride World Tour next year.
A knee injury that stopped Wanaka freeskier Lyndon Sheehan from lining up at the Winter X Games this year has not affected his New Zealand freeski team funding as he rehabilitates for the home winter season.
Fellow Wanaka freeskier Byron Wells recorded a string of podium finishes during a season viewed as one of his best, as he moves closer to matching the results of his world-champion older brother.
Jossi Wells had a sterling northern season, his AFP Superpipe title, a silver in the Winter X Games superpipe, the Dew Tour ski superpipe championship, a gold at the Austrian Open and a bronze in slopestyle at the European X Games culminating in his being named world freeski champion.
Twenty-six rising freeski talents have been named in a development squad, and many are scheduled to compete in the world junior championships to be held at Wanaka skifields next month.
