Did someone say ‘variable conditions’ about New Zealand skiing?
It’s a lively ride at times with weather patterns carried from the massive seas around us bringing cold from Antarctica and wet from the Tasman and the Pacific.
Along with a wild range of temperatures and moisture, there's (always) the chance of gale-force winds in the offing
So what do you ski on when you don't know from one week to the next what the surface is going to be?
For two of New Zealand’s top female skiers, Bonny Teat and Janina Kuzma - a generation apart without giving any details - the choice is the Volkl Blaze 94.
Let’s start with Bonny. A legend in the ski masters scene with a number of national and international titles she has also been a driving force in the grassroots of the sport.
But mostly, she loves to ski. A lot.
Here’s her take on the Blaze:
“As an older female skier I tend to alternate between a 155 Volkl Race Tiger Slalom ski and the 165 Volkl Blaze.
Many skiers feel that a wider ski rocker style will not have the same response on piste as a race ski but the Blaze skis hold incredibly well on piste allowing carving turns even on the firmer groomers. They are much lighter than the Race Tiger and extremely playful, yet very stable and quickly respond to pressure.
Their 94 width underfoot provides control and maneuverability through the crud and in our Wanaka "powder. In changeable Heli conditions I've found them to be the perfect ski floating perfectly then providing that stable hold when conditions rapidly change toward the lower mountain.
In spring they offer superb slush enjoyability, slicing through the mounds and sliding over the slicks with ease. The perfect ski for me.
I highly recommend the Blaze as a perfect all-mountain NZ womens ski.”
Then there’s Janina. One of the globes most versatile female freeskiers.
Seven-time NZ freeski champ, two-time Canadian freeski champ, Heli Challenge winner and Olympic halfpipe competitor.
She’s still spending a lot of time in the hills, filming ski mountaineering adventures, qualifying as an assistant ski guide and being a strong advocate for female participation and visibility in the industry.
She finds the Volkl Blaze extremely versatile.
“It’s been my go to ski for New Zealand ski touring and ski mountaineering. I’ve found it very versatile for skiing pow, crud, ice, and groomers with less to no chatter. I really love the overall shape of this ski.”
The Volkl Blaze 94 is available in 158cm, 165cm and 172cm. As a potential touring and all mountain ski it can be fitted with both fixed heel bindings such as the Duke and touring set ups such as the Kingpin. More information can be found at Gravity Sports.
