Cocktail World Cup Competitors Meet NZ PM

Cocktail World Cup Competitors Meet New Zealand Prime Minister - who inspires the driest ever martini

Auckland 25th June 2004: The 42 BELOW Cocktail World Cup competitors were welcomed today by New Zealand’s Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Helen Clark at the opening of the 30th Winter Festival in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Sam Jevesons (left), Helen Clark, and Mark Drew.

32 bartenders and international media from around the world converged today on the team based cocktail competition that will pit teams from the UK, USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand against each other for the first time.

The bartenders found Ms Clark inspiring. “I am going to make the driest Martini in the world and call it a Helen Clark,” said Sam Jevesons from Match Bar, London (pictured left). “Yeah, Maggie Thatcher had nothing on Helen,” said Mark Drew from Salvador and Amanda, London (pictured right).

Helen Clark expressed some doubt over the mixologists ability to make a cocktail while bungy jumping, a requirement in the lead up to the 42 Below Cocktail World Cup. “I am into alpine pursuits, but you guys are mad,” she said.

The bartenders meantime were debating whether it was possible to ‘stir’ rather than ‘shake’ the martini on the way down. Hosts 42 Below will be testing the competitors ability at cocktail making over the next few days, while jet boating, at the top of a mountain and while bungy. The extreme mixology competition proper will be held on the snow at 2pm, Monday 28th June on the side of the famous skiing mecca, Coronet Peak. Every team of three has to choose one cocktail to present (out of three) and a theme.

Drinks mixology has become a profession worldwide and the competition involves the World’s best from the likes of Park, 9 ½ and 203 Spring St. lounge in New York; Le Bar in Chicago; Lola’s in L.A.; The Prov in Boston, West and Raw Bar in Vancouver, Lounge Lover, K Bar, Match and the Electricity Showrooms in London; Moorish, Attic@Arthouse and Longrain in Sydney; Lychee Lounge in Brisbane; Ginger and Bambu in Melbourne; and New Zealand’s best as well.

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