Rossignol and Homestyle races now a polished event

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 6, 26 August 1988, Page 7

Rossignol and Homestyle races now a polished event

Racing returns to the Turoa slopes this weekend with the Homestyle Slalom and the Rossignol Giant Slalom races. Both events are North Island circuit races and are expected to attract a strong field of racers from around Kew Zealand. The Homestyle Slalom will

be held on Saturday in the area west of the Moro Race T Bar. Sunday's Rossignol Giant Slalom course will start at the Moro Race T Bar level but extend further down the skifield to finish level with the bottom of the Jumbo T Bar. First runs of each race will start at Ilam.

The Homestyle Slalom was started in 1979 and that year's racing was the first to be run on Turoa. The Rossignol Giant Slalom joined the series about four years ago. Summer Winter Sports, who are the importers of Rossignol skis, are the sponsors of the Giant Slalom. In 1979 the then Turoa Director of Skiing, Andreas Hefti, approached the Ohakune Homestyle Bakery, asking for sponsorship for the race. Derrick Brown, o f Quality Bakers says those first few years the races were more of a fun event, but now the races are taken more seriously as they are part of the New Zealand circuit. In the first year there were 36 entrants, with the numbers building up to the present field of about 120. Past winners of the mens' slalom include Marcus and Mattias Hubrich and US ski team racer John Walsh. Past winners of the womens' slalom are

Kate Rattray, Tania Casey, both who were members of the New Zealand ski team. Just to show how "open" the event is, Helen Klisser's name appears on the women's cup as winner. Helen is the daughter of Hans

Klasser, manager o f opposition bakers Reizensteins! The Homestyle Rossignol races are run to foster ski racing on Turoa, says Mr Brown. Turoa Skifields and the Turoa Alpine Ski Club are very involved

in running the races and local involvement is "pretty intense" said Mr Brown. He said with Turoa's involvement the race organisation has become much more sophisticated. The Homestyle

Slalom used to be run on what is now called the Bread Run, for obvious reasons. Homestyle's sponsorship of the slalom includes other members of the Quality Bakers Group as well as Homestyle.