Fire fighters converge to burn up the ski slopes

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 653, 10 September 1996, Page 15

Fire fighters converge to burn up the ski slopes

The New Zealand Fire Fighters Ski Race Championships will be held next Thursday and Friday, 11 &12 September. The races are held each year at Turoa Ski Resort on the Yahoo Racecourse from 10.00am on both mornings. Up to 30

teams of four have attended the event in previous years, accompanied by their friends, families and supporters. Teams enter from all over the North Island and usually one or two teams From the South Island also make

the trip. All competitors are currently-serving fire servicepersonnel. Someareprofessional firefighters from the cities, others are volunteer fire fighters from smaller communities and towns. Raetihi 's volunteer brigade is a regular participant as is the hosts, the

Ohakune Volunteer Fire Brigade. Teams compete for a unique wooden trophy which was created especially for the event by local wood-artist, Paul Beckett. The coveted trophy is currently held by an Auckland team but the Ohakune fire

fighters will be skiing hard to keep the trophy in Ohakune this year. There are also prizes for the fastest male skier, fastest female skier and fastest snowboarder. Local Ohakune fire fighters are favourites for these individual categories. The social activities are always an important part of

the New Zealand Fire Fighters Ski Races. The Ohakune Fire Station is the venue for meals, entertainment and bar facilities which are put on for the visitors by the Ohakune Brigade. This is the eighth year that the event has been organised and hosted by the Ohakune Volunteer Fire

Brigade. The races have only had to be cancelled once - in 1995 when Ruapehu was credited as 'the winner' with fire of its own. Whakapapa Ski Area have generously agreed to host the event at short notice should Turoa be unable to re-open by next week.