9:30pm 9.Aug.97 N.Z.T
Over the first ten days of August, the Rip Curl Heli Challenge was held in the alpine terrain around Wanaka. Wanaka is in the Southern Lakes area of the South Island. This event gathers some of the cream of the world's best freeriders and freeskiers, and consists of three stages of Helicopter accessed competition.

The first day was the freestyle stage. No man made terrain park here, imagine some where in the back-country with fresh snow, cliffs, cornices and a few large man made kickers. The boys from USA stomped the top three places, with Dan Coffey taking first place. Stand out boarders were Antonin Leiutaghi from France, and a few crazy Australian's Luke Fitcher, Rohan Smiles and Tim Fox. Karleen Jeffery from Canada stuck some huge tricks to take first from the charging Pepi Ahonen. We are taking 30 foot drops with an assortment of huge flips and rotations.

On the second day the main event, the Rip Curl Extreme competition was run. Now these riders scare me, and I am not the one who is risking life and limb, trying to negotiate sick terrain down some mountain. Mother Nature blessed a few feet of fresh snow-she must of been concerned and tried to soften the landings. Pepi Ahonen has got to be one of the craziest riders I have seen and she won the women's run. Andy Johnson from Alaska came first in the mens extremes-now I don't want to discuss theories about what Alaska breeds. Very closes behind was Australian legend Tim Vlandis in second place. A stand out run was Chris "Welly" McKenzie's, he had the last run of the day, found a fresh line, rode super smooth and came third equal with Swiss Gilles Voirol and Alex Humpel from Austria. Unfortunately last years winner Antonin Leiutaghi didn't stick a landing and struck some rocks, nothing serious (he is still alive), but his back was bruised up enough to stop him completing the last stage.

The last day was the Chinese downhill. This is probably the most social and simplistic of all the events. Thirty or so riders start together at the top of an unknown hill and the first one down wins. Speed and control is the key to winning. Some of the riders told me that occasionally you would hit a small roll-over and fly for ages, and when you land try not to speed check-can anyone remember those Walt Disnany Lemming movies? Jason Onley took first place in the men's race. And my vote, Pepi Ahonen from Finland was the first woman down.

It wasn't anybodies guess when Pepi Ahonen won the overall women's title of the Rip Curl Heli Challenge, with Karleen Jeffery second and Sweden's Eva Sandelgard third. In the men's event, Gilles Voirol from Switzerland consistent top places gave him the overall title. Second place went to Paul Elkins from the USA and Australia's Rohan Smiles third. First Kiwi home was Chris McKenzie in at fourth place.

Of course you cannot have an snowboarding event without a party. Lake Hawea Hotel held a rave and a few hundred people drank and danced themselves silly. I cannot remember what time I got home and when I left it was still charging. The Rip Curl Downtown Streetstyle Big Air competition was the closing event of the Rip Curl Heli challenge-it isn't a part of the overall competition but more of a fun event. It attracted a huge crowd and all the riders were going off. There was another charging after party at Barrows on that night.

This is the third year that this event has run. It was more of a social gathering than a shear competition, keeping it super relaxed and fun. Tony Harrington the organiser, has done an awesome job, and this year it was one of the worlds major snowboarding events. Big thanks to Rip Curl for being the major sponsor and to all the other sponsors. I wonder if they are going to make extreme snowboarding a part of the Olympics?