Praise for Ohakune, and disappointment

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 557, 11 October 1994, Page 2 (Supplement)

Praise for Ohakune, and disappointment

• Through your paper I would like to hand out a few bouquets to the people of Ohakune. I recently brought 20 children from Pihama School

and their Parents, to your town on a ski-trip. I would like to thank the Turoa Ski Resort Staff for the way they organised everything for us. Nothing was

any trouble and they were very professional. Also, grateful thanks to the children' s ski instructors, Lisa and Julian for getting the children safely off the mountain when the weather turned nasty. . We stayed at the Rangatira Lodge in the Turoa Alpine Village where we were magnificently looked after by Peter Banfield, the Custodain, thanks Peter. Also a big thanks to all the shop-keepers, garage attendants etc - you're a great bunch of people - nice friendly and helpful. Finally I would like to say what a great local paper you have. Even to an out of town person it is interesting and informative. Well done Ohakune - We'll be back. Eileen Gopperth, for the parents, Teachers and children of Pihama School Snowboarding drunks • In regards to the Triple Challenge Snowboarding competition held at Turoa over the weekend (recently). Both my sons are keen snowboarders and both entered the challenge slalom

race and the boarder cross race. One is 17 years of age and the other is 15. This is the first competition they have ever entered of any kind and they paid the admission fee out of their own money. Neither boy works as they are both at school This letter is one of complaint as you may have gathered. We let the boys have a day off school as the boarder cross was so important to them and when it was can- . celled, although disappointed, we understand Turoa weather and we came home. We made arrangements that if they were lucky enough to win a spot prize at the prizegiving a friend would collect it for them. I am absolutely appalled and disgusted to hear that as the boarder cross was cancelled winners of the event were selected by having a drinking race at the hotel! Not only does this demean the sport by presuming that every boarder is a drinker or drunk it is absolutely unfair for entrants such as my boys, who neither drink nor are old enough to enter a hotel. The organizers accepted

their money readily enough regardless of their age. A full refund should be given to all those who entered the race and are either under age Or non-drinkers. To be honest, at the time of the race, I felt it unfair that there wasn't a junior section as maybe then they may have had a chance of winning at least something for their enthusiasm and

effort but they gave it a go anyway. Perhaps next year the organizers will be astute enough to consider all the entrants and their requirements and not belittle this wonderful growing sport by judging winners on their guzzling skills not their ability to snow board down the mountain quickly and in control.

Too many skiers and people in general have a bad opinion of snow boarders and their ways, many times just from hearsay not from personalexperienceand it's a shame that promoters of the sport should finish an event in this way especially whenit involved Turoa — Ohakune' s ski field!

'A disappointed' Lesley-Anne Walker