NZ skiier finds gold in Japan

by Brown Bear - February 26th, 2008. Filed under: Events, Latest News.

New Zealand’s position at the forefront of freeskiing has been further cemented by a gold medal win for Wanaka skier Jossi Wells in the slopestyle event at the Nippon Freeskiing Open in Niigata, Japan.

Wells has earned more medals this season than any other athlete on the circuit, with results that are the most consistent top level snow sports results a Kiwi has ever achieved. He also made history last month as the first New Zealander to win a Winter X Games medal, again a gold.

Wells’ latest victory adds to a string of successes overseas for the New Zealand Freeski Team. Lyndon Sheehan, also of Wanaka, has consistently finished in the top ten in the halfpipe, including a 4th at the Nippon Open, while Wells himself also took out silver in the US Open Big Air and gold at the Jeep King of the Mountain event in Squaw Valley.

The next event for the National Freeski Team is the European Open in Laax, Switzerland on March 12 – 16, with training under the Winter Performance Programme and some film work in the interim.