Monday, August 29: Hannah Orchard is making the most of this year’s Uni Snow Games – in more ways than one.

The 19-year-old University of Canterbury student has entered every snowboard event available to her in the week-long Uni Snow Games and, after two days of action, has won all three events she has competed in so far.

Orchard took out the Snowboard GS at Treble Cone on the opening day of the Games, then went on to win two events at Cardrona today (Monday August 29) – the Boarder Cross and the Base-sponsored half pipe.

It’s been a great start for Orchard and, while she’s hoping her form continues all week, she is just grateful that the Uni Snow Games offers her the chance to compete without it interfering with her studies.

“I love competing but, being at uni, education comes first,” she said.

“I’m studying engineering and you can’t really skip lessons, so the Uni Snow Games is really the only chance I get to get some riding in against other people.”

Orchard competed at this year’s World University Winter Games in Turkey and is already eyeing up stints at the next World University Winter Games in Slovenia in 2013, and the following event in Spain in 2015.

“Turkey was a great experience,” she said.

“It was awesome to take my riding to the next level, but it was still pretty chilled out. There were some pretty serious athletes, but it was still reasonably relaxed.”

While Orchard is certainly riding to win this week – and a gold in every event is inching closer to a reality – she is loving the relaxed atmosphere closer to home at the Uni Snow Games in Wanaka this week.

“It’s great, we all get along really well,” she said.

“Yesterday there was a girl in the Giant Slalom and it was her second day on the mountain… it’s always great to get other people involved in snow sports and the Games provide a great chance to do that. It’s just good to be here.”

It’s also a nice break from Christchurch – “Mother Nature is pretty calm down here,” she said.

University Sport New Zealand National Events Manager Peter McDonald said it was great to have a mixture of athletes at the event – from Orchard boasting international experience to those just starting out.

“We like to make the Uni Snow Games achievable for all university athletes, but we also really encourage high calibre athletes to enter as well – it’s a good mix and it works well,” he said.

The Uni Snow Games continue on Wednesday (August 31) with the Parallel Slalom Ski and Board at Treble Cone. The event will be based on a campus versus campus format and McDonald is expecting some friendly rivalry to result in a competitive, but fun event.

For more information please contact:

Jerrie Andrews
Uni Snow Games Media Manager
027 319 9820