Adrenalin packed day for Canadian snowboarders

Adrenalin packed day for Canadian snowboarders

Canada’s snowboarding elite took some time out from the slopes to relax Queenstown-style – jumping off bridges and careering through canyons.

Halfpipe team members Brad Martin, Justin Lamoureux, Dustin Craven, Dominique Vallee and their coach Dennis Bannock have been in New Zealand taking part in the inaugural 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games.

With the Winter Games halfpipe competition over these crazy Canucks spent yesterday (August 27) bungy jumping at the AJ Hackett Kawarau Bungy Centre, jetboating with Shotover Jet and finished off their adrenalin packed day at Shotover Canyon Swing.

“We absolutely love coming to NZ to train, and ending our time here with a day doing fun stuff like this has been amazing,” said top-ranked snowboarder Brad Martin.

“The Winter Games’ has been an event on par with other international competitions and it’s been great competing alongside some of world’s best athletes like Shaun White.

“NZ really holds its own with winter sports facilities, that’s why we come back each season – and of course because we think the people are amazing.”

Justin Lamoureux, the first of the Canadian team to qualify for the Winter Olympics, has been coming to NZ for the past five seasons but has never taken time off the skifields to do any of the resort’s activities.

“It’s been great having some time to do crazy stuff like this, NZ is such a special place,” he said.

The majority of the team are winding up their time here and heading back to Canada this week.

Destination Queenstown CEO Stephen Pahl said it’s been fantastic having so many high profile athletes in the region for the Winter Games.

“The Winter Games’ coverage has given us the opportunity to showcase Queenstown internationally as not only a world-class winter sports destination but an exciting holiday resort,” he said.

“I’m delighted some of the athletes could take time out from training and competing to sample some of the activities which give us our reputation as the adventure capital of the world.”

ENDS

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