I was lucky to be part of the resurrection of The World Heli Challenge 2009, in LAke Hawea, New Zealand this year. It was the the one competition for years I wanted to compete in along side some of the worlds best freeriders and skiiers.
IN the week leading up to the start of the Heli Challenge we were really unlucky in the Southern Mountains of New Zealand with snow stability. It became extreme for a while with 2 deaths and weather patterns changing from snow, wind and rain on a daily basis. We were lucky to be getting maybe 3 days a week on the hill because of this.
A few days before the comp was scheduled to start, thankfully luck came our way. The stability improved and we were left with powder snow and a blue sky window of 3 days. This meant fingers crossed we could get our 3 days of competition over in this time, otherwise it looked like maybe we were not going to be able to complete all 3 days of riding.
The first day was going to be the Freeride Day. This meant we could express freestyle skills on a mountain which was like a natural terrain park. We had 45 minutes to check out our way down, shaping up hits with shovels to help go that bit bigger.
We had some amazing girls in the snowboard section, Susan Mol(USA) was placed number 1 on the Freeride World Tour and MAria Kuzma(AUS) who ended up 5th. I knew for the first day MAria was going to be my main competition. She is such a good all-round rider who is like a cat. I dont think I have ever seen her take a major fall, she always seems to land on her feet.
Maria had a good run which put her into 1st place after day 1, I got 2nd, Susan 3rd. I was happy with that as Maria seems to have her back three's on lock down over any size jump, and I played it safe with straight air grabs.
The atmosphere in the helicopter on day 2 was amazing. We came around the corner and in front of us was what any extreme rider dreams about. Fresh snow on a mountain with endless lines and steepness to go with it. We couldn't get out quick enough and start working out our line down. You can look for hours from the bottom but once your up the top it is like looking at a new mountain. Its so easy to get lost and end up where you dont want to be.
Once we got dropped at the top of this mountain I became really nervous. I had forgotten everything I had seen from the bottom and here I was dropping off a cornice into no idea. Pretty much thats how it felt for me. I got lost and took the wrong chute which was as wide as my snowboard and about 30 metres long and really steep. There was so much sluff falling through it i didnt know if there were rocks at the bottom. Somehow i got through and made my way to the finish. On my second run it was going really well. I had managed to stick to my first line plan and dropped off a nice rock and was riding out towards the finish. Then I took the best rag doll I have had for a few years. 3 months later im still paying for it with a sore back!!! Some how what was going to be my favourite day ended with me coming last!!! MAria 1st, Susan 2nd Rachel 3rd.
ON our final day it was going to show who had the fastest wax and didn't turn. It was the VNC Chinese downhill. All us girls lined up ready to charge. WE knew Maria Had won the overall comp but it was now between Susan and me. I was hoping for an equal 2nd overall with Susan. Coming last on the Big MOuntain Day really put me back quiet a bit. This meant i had to beat her to get equal 2nd. I thought on the way down the hill towards the finish I had beaten her, and at the last moment just before the finish it seemed that we maybe had crossed together. It was a while and a few VNC cocktails later when we found out that she had placed 2nd and I had placed third. It didn't matter the sun was shining the comp had finished and the VNC was flowing nicely from the ice bar in the mountains.
The fun continued for the next week with riders going bungy jumping, sky diving, surfing and on winery tours. Some were extra lucky and got some more heli skiing in. A huge thanks goes to one guy who was able to bring this comp back to New Zealand after quiet a few years of it not being run. "Harro" your the man that brought so many amazing memories to all of us riders and all of us can't thank you enough.
Tags: heli, snowboarding, competition