Skiers race for beer

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 409, 22 October 1991, Page 16

Skiers race for beer

Fifty skiers lined up at the top of the High Noon T-Bar last Wednesday for a Le Mans style start in the first-ever Peak to Powderkeg multi-sports race. At the sound of the starting gun the competitors ran to their skis, put them on then hurtled down the mountain to the carpark for the first change over point. A wide range of skiing abilities was evi-

dent with the first stage times ranging from about 90 seconds to several minutes. By this stage Tony Munroe was in the lead, which he held to the change over to bicycles at the 12 kilometre mark on the Ohakune Mountain Road. He led almost all of the way to the finish line at the Powderkeg Bar and Restaurant, only to be pipped at the post by Len

Smyth. However Munroe made up the time in the final stage of the event - the sculling of a glass of beer, taking the Peak to Powderkeg title. Beth Melville was the first of the many women competitors home, taking an eight-day Turoa lift pass and a PowderZone voucher. There was some controversy over the first place, with Munroe handed a beer and Smyth having to fetch his own. However after the dust had settled both were content to settle with the result. Munroe took

away a 1992 Turoa Season Pass, gave Smyth his Powderhorn voucher prize, which when added to his second place prizes, made the number two place almost as valuable as first. Changes to the race next year are planned, with a women's division, a better finish line set-up and possibly a limit to mountain bikes only in the Mountain Road section. Also suggested was the replacement of champagne for beer for the women competitors in the sculling section.