Ruapehu fit for extreme skiing

Ruapehu Bulletin, 31 August 1990, Page 6

Ruapehu fit for extreme skiing

One of the world's most radical skiers zipped up and down Ruapehu recently.

Twenty-five-year-old Glen Plake, the cult hero with a 12-inch mohawk, made a flying visit to Ruapehu during a three - day promotional tour sponsored by Oakley glasses. Plake was accompanied by Oakley representatives Bill Treacy from the Los Angeles headquarters of the company and New Zealand agents Mike and Lynley Court. Hosted by Turoa Ski-

fields and the Powderhorn Ski Shop, the small team spent a day skiing Turoa's off-trail terrain in fresh snow but variable visibility. Despite the poor visibility which meant that the flamboyant Plake, wearing a hat to keep his part-shaven scalp warm, maintained a low public profile, the well paid, self-described "professional ski bum" pronounced Turoa very fit for extreme skiing. "It's a fine mountain, I really enjoyed it. It's much like the Sierra Nevadas back home. I enjoy mountains that you really have to work on. It requires a turn right there on the spot

and if you miss your turn you miSs a whole bowl or a chute." His favourite ski spot at Turoa was the glacier which he skied during one brief hour of perfect visibility. Plake's rise to stardom can be attributed to his radical hair-do and dress style but also to his "extreme" skiing style. He has appeared in Two Greg Stump ski movies and is currently working on a new movie to be released in the coming Northem Hemisphere summer. He has also appeared in numerous television shows plus high-profile advertisements for brands such as Oakley, K2 skies, Life's A Beach clothing and Sony.

Now after three broken legs and full-time spOnsorship that enables him to travel the world skiing, he admits to having spare-time interests and obsessions that include windsurfing ("but I'm not a board-head"), motocross and collecting classy American cars (he owns six!) From New Zealand he went to Australia for promotional interviews

at various ski areas for Oakley. During September he intends to return to New Zealand for a few days of ski modelling for Quicksilver in the Harris Mountains and then for a holiday with his girlfriend in the Southern Lakes district. And what will he be doing in his free time? "Free skiing, what else."