Peter Hillary Named Compaq 50K Of Coronet Patron

Peter Hillary Named Patron Of Compaq 50K Of Coronet

QUEENSTOWN (3 May). High profile New Zealand adventurer Peter Hillary has been named a patron of the country's premiere endurance skiing event - the Compaq 50K of Coronet.

Event organisers have appointed Hillary as a patron, joining leading New Zealand alpine ski racer Claudia Riegler. The pairing of the two sporting role models is significant for the event, which has achieved international recognition after the inaugural race at Coronet Peak last year.

"The teaming of Claudia and Peter is ideal," says race co-director Fraser Skinner. "They are both high achievers in their fields and they both have a strong empathy for young people, which is what the Compaq 50K is all about."

The Compaq 50K which raises funds for the Cure Kids charity is a 16 hour endurance race involving eight world class ski teams. Last year the event donated $70,000 to the charity to help with research into life threatening diseases.

Skinner acknowledges Peter Hillary as an adventurer of international standing, who with his father Sir Edmund Hillary, has helped provide health and educational facilities for the poverty stricken villagers of the Mount Everest area.

"We are delighted he has agreed to take on the patron's role. His wide network of contacts will have beneficial spin-offs for Compaq 50K by encouraging more people to support the event."

Peter Hillary, who has been involved in almost 40 expeditions, including Everest and K2 mountains and the North and South Poles, has a passion for helping young people.

"Our family has been involved for many years assisting the Nepalese with hospitals and schooling. That's what I like about the Compaq 50K, it raises funds for children and this is close to my heart," says Hillary.

While Hillary works mainly in the area of adventure travel these days, guiding trips to areas such as Nepal and the Antarctic, he has a skiing background which also attracted him to the Compaq 50K and its goals.

Hillary has strong connections with the mountaineering community in Queenstown, and was on the ill-fated K2 expedition with Queenstown climbers Bruce Grant and Kim Logan, when Grant lost his life while descending from the summit in 1995.

Peter Hillary admires the entrepreneurial spirit which thrives in Queenstown and the Compaq 50K is another example of that spirit.

The Compaq 50K has two goals - to be an internationally renowned ski event and to raise as much money as possible for Cure Kids. "With people like Peter Hillary and Claudia Riegler on board we have a lot of help in achieving those goals," says Skinner.

The Compaq 50K of Coronet will be held on July 30 and 31 and applications from international and New Zealand teams are now being finalised.

ABOUT COMPAQ Compaq Computer Corporation, a Fortune Global 100 company, is a leading global provider of technology and solutions. Compaq designs, develops, manufactures, and markets hardware, software, solutions, and services, including industry-leading enterprise computing solutions, fault-tolerant business-critical solutions, and communications products, commercial desktop and portable products, and consumer PCs that are sold in more than 200 countries. Information on Compaq and its products and services is available at www.compaq.co.nz

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Jenny McLeod Media Co-ordinator 021-357 173 mcleod@queenstown.co.nz

Pamela Bonney Compaq Computer NZ Ltd 021-914 990 pamela.bonney@compaq.com

WEBSITE: www.compaq50K.co.nz

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