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Previous Issues:
Issue 8 - 04 July 2007
Issue 9 - 18 July 2007
Issue 10 - 01 Aug 2007
Issue 11 - 15 Aug 2007
Issue 12 - 29 Aug 2007
Issue 13 - 15 Sep 2007

ISSUE 14            TUESDAY 02 OCTOBER 2007 ....

Welcome to issue 14 of Manganui Notes, the e-newsletter of the Stratford Mountain Club.

Once again, apologies for not having more local news. We did hope to bring you lots of ski area action, but unfortunately it has been another of those seasons for Manganui.

Most of the South Islands club fields are now well closed for the season. Our affiliate CSA club fields Lyford, Hanmer, Temple, Craigieburn, Cheeseman and Olympus are all now closed for the season.
The school holidays are into their 2nd week and finish on October 7th. Only Remarkables, Cardrona and Mt. Hutt, of the commercial South Island ski areas will be open past this weekend.

After the drama with the recent minor eruption, Ruapehu has stated their closing date is still the end of October. Apparently it has not been that crowded over there during the holidays, except when one side has been on hold. So still some great spring skiing still to be had at Whakapapa and Turoa.

Locally, we are now reporting as Closed for the Season (CFS). We may be operating in the weekends on the high level of the top tow. Your best bet is to ring the snowphone, which we will update if we operate.

Oh, and don't forget the SMC Spring social, this Saturday evening at the Fitzroy Surf Club. Details below.

In this issue

• GOINGS ON' Around the Manganui Ski Area
• SMC JUNIOR SKI RACING RESULTS - N.I Sec School ski championships, Nat K series finals
• SMC PRESIDENT’S REPORT 
• WHAT THE SMC COMMITTEE IS UP TO…
• SNIPPETS OF INTEREST
• FEATURE ARTICLE  the Zurich Freestyle.CH
• PHOTO OF THE WEEK

GOINGS ON’ Around the Manganui Ski Area

Recent Images...


Tessa Keenan 28 August, Round Hill Platter Lift

Will we ever see snow guns at Manganui? A provision for snowmaking was in our last 10 year plan (1996-2005)...our new one is being reviewed at present.

SMC PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The current season has been and gone and it’s been disappointing to say the least-3 T bar days with some good days up top- but even that is now marginal. There is plenty of snow above the top of the top tow, with summit ski options for late spring looking favorable. Ruapehu has been ok at Whakapapa with some great mid week skiing, Turoa - by all accounts has been a bit hard , as it can be, although generally with the onset of spring Turoa will come into its own. No doubt there will be plenty of Taranaki skiers taking advantage of the snow on the central plateau – even if it is blackish in the odd valley.

Our junior racers under coach Christina Binsbergen and ably assisted by Clive Saleman and his parent helpers have been competing in the various racers over the winter. They have been performing very well and the fine tradition of top racers coming out of SMC continues. A full report on their achievements and results are included in this news letter.

The AGM date has been set for Monday November 26. The available positions, for those wanting to contribute, have been outlined in this newsletter. We are always on the lookout for new committee personal and it’s important for the continued development of the club that new people come on board. So please, if you would like to contribute please apply.

There a few extra positions available this year with our Secretary of the last 3 years Anny Luty resigning to take up a position in Switzerland commencing in December. We wish her and the Luty family well and hope it won’t be to long before they are back in Tarnaki. Our current Treasurer, Dirk Schmidt-Rittershaus is also resigning as he will be in Europe for most of next season. We also wish Dirk well, he has been Treasurer for 2 years and his contribution during that time is much appreciated.

Treasurer is a very big job and in order to make the job a little easier, the committee is considering making the membership portion of the Treasurers job a separate function- carried out by someone outside the committee but under the control of the Treasurer. If approved by the committee, then this will take effect next season. Further details will be advised in the coming weeks.

Other committee members standing down this year include Mark Braddock who is taking up a position in Melbourne. Mark has been newsletter and publicity convener for 5 years but has also looked after the fire sprinkler system since the completion of the lodge along with many other jobs and the club will miss his multi tasking ability.

Phil Powell after 12 years as machinery co-coordinator has finally decided to hand over the reins to somebody else. Phil took over from Greg Keegan when Greg became vice President to Shane Herbert. While Phil will still be around he feels its time to let somebody else gain knowledge on the machinery side-the more people we have in the know the better. Phil’s contribution over the years has been huge, besides looking after all machinery he has done most of the mowing in recent years. So who ever takes over from him has big shoes to fill.

Working bees will begin in February for those who want to enjoy some good weather on the mountain. Dave Smithers will be organizing some top tow work days this year so expect a phone call. There is a lot of work to be done up there safety fence repairs and tower foundation stabilization to name a couple of items. There is also work on the T Bar slope-maintaining waterways, remedial work on eroded areas and a Flying Fox overhaul. More details will follow in future e-newsetters.

Chris Burr

Upcoming Events…

SMC 2006 AGM
Monday 26 Nov 2007 7:30pm
Kawaroa Park Squash Club, Tisch Ave, New Plymouth 
 
SMC Spring Social
Saturday evening October 6. Fitzroy Surf Club.
A chance for members to shoot the breeze and mingle with like minded people/families.

...check out our website events page for more event info

WHAT THE SMC COMMITTEE IS UP TO…

The SMC committee is currently working on…

• pre-AGM mailout newsletter
• Manganui Lodge heating system review
• SMC 10 year plan issue for comment
• work on extension of top tow
• top tow 'no-snow' get on ramp extension feasibility
• SMC committee job descriptions
• quad bike maintenance (thanks Phil), return to Manganui for summer work.

SNIPPETS OF INTEREST

In this a lean snow year for Manganui, it is appropriate that this new product is soon to be released.
Apparently it is a bit polystyrene like. No word on how it skis.

On a recent south island ski trip I met the father of the founder of Obsidian Skis. His skis had a distinctive woodgrain graphic, so on asking further I discovered that they were a niche Australian company, similar to NZ's own Kingswood Skis. in fact they use the same core material - vertically laminated bamboo. This makes the skis lighter than traditional sandwich/balsa box core skis.

Their Blurb...
"Each ski model is focussed on as a concept for that skis dedicated aspect for skiing.
Beautifully designed shapes, flex profiles and construction, specific to each model provide a unique and impressive ride, which brings out the best in each dicipline of skiing.
Our end product reflects our method, materials and pride in our work..."

Mantle $AUS980, (181cm, 175cm, 164cm, 121/93/111@181cm)

"Proves itself as an all-mountain performance ski with a progressive sidecut, torsional stability and centralised flex, delivering enhanced versatility.
The ride finds itself easily at home in the park, on early morning groomers or devouring natural features in the deepest snow."

OMS $AUS1250 (120/79/107 @ 178cm)
"Traditional craftsmanship fused with the innovative technique of Obsidian ski building form the OMS, a beautiful and compelling ski built for those who desire a driven experience in every condition. A short radius and even flex, engineered with composite carbon, titanium laminate delivers unwavering stability at high speeds and fierce edge hold, response and agility in all situations.
From advanced to expert, the OMS comes into its own for every skier in an intuitive and powerful way, wherever you ski."
Sounds like the ideal Top Tow ski!

Some brief ski info:

• Fifthen (big mountain) $AUS1090 (130/102/1108 @ 186cm)
• Mantle   (all-mountain)  $AUS980 (121/93/111 @ 181cm)
• Ekharta (Park)   $AUS870 (115/89/115 @ 181cm)
• OMS (all-mountain)  $AUS1250 (120/79/107 @ 178cm)

Media & Marketing Contacts

If you have a question regarding marketing or press related issues please contact:

SMC Media/Website
Justin Keenan
webmaster@skitaranaki.co.nz

Contact Us:
ph 06-759 6448 b/h
ph 06 752 7034 a/h
PO Box 3271
New Plymouth

Send Us Your Work

After your visit to Manganui Ski Area, please send us a copy of your finished or any other unused work.  Manganui would appreciate any photos, articles, film/video or other media that you have for our own library and files. 

FEATURE ARTICLE

The Zurich Freestyle.CH

and what did they get up to in Zurich, Switzerland last week?

Once again, Europe's biggest freestyle event in Zurich Switzerland was blessed with warm early fall weather and attracted over 40,000 fans from all over Europe to see the top of the pops in freeskiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and FMX.

Jacob Webster in the Zurich sky

Topshots TJ Schiller, Jacob Wester, Phil Casabon and Jon Olsson, Simon Dumont, and NZ's own Jossi Wells, among others, were there to bring the hottest show to the beautiful lakefront scenery.

The finals on Sunday were a 45 minutes session where 8 athletes could do as many runs as possible from the 28m high big air ramp.

28m monster

The judging was made continuously and so the ranking changed with every jump. Phil and TJ were among those last 8 riders and finally, TJ, Jon Olsson and Simon Dumont made it to the superfinals where they had to do one technical and one style trick.

With a perfect flat spin 5 truckdriver, TJ won the superfinals on the Armada El Rey ski.


TJ Schiller's flight to victory

Freestyle.ch offered a stuffed program during 3 days on the event area but also long hot Afterburner parties on Friday and Saturday night and movie premieres that tempt not only the fans but also the riders to stay out a little too long.


The night party

Advertising/Sponsorship with SMC

SMC is always open to and interested in advertising or sponsorship from companies, organizations and clubs for winter and summer opportunities. We appreciate any offers for potential sponsors and are always looking for other organisations, companies and clubs that might make a good fit for SMC and our guests.

If your company, organisation or club is interested in submitting a proposal please feel free to submit it to:

e-mail: advertising@skitaranaki.co.nz
Subject: Advertising/ Sponsorship Proposals

If you would like to post a classified advert (buy/sell gear etc), please post it on the 'Garage Sale' page of our website.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK 

 Treble Cones Saddle quad. taken when they had their last big snowfall, late August. Amazing terrain, worth the $99 for a day pass?

Title image supplied by
TNL Graphics

See you at the SMC Social!
SMC Management
© copyright 2007 - Stratford Mountain Club