The finals of the 2013 K2 Big Mountain CHILL Series ski and snowboard competition were held on Saturday at the Craigieburn Valley club field of Canterbury, New Zealand. An international field of athletes went to work in Craigieburn’s Middle Basin, a section of the mountain known for its steep, rocky chutes.
That terrain, coupled with the snow conditions (which ranged from hard-packed wind slab to pockets of wind deposited powder), made for some challenging skiing. But the skiers and riders didn’t hold back, sending big airs to hard pack as they vied for the chance to qualify for the Freeride World Tour.
We took part of the day off from testing skis to watch the comp and to watch one of our own, Taos Ski Valley rider and Blister snowboard reviewer Justin Bobb, who finished in second.
Here are a few pictures that showcase not only the talented field, but also Craigieburn club field’s big mountain terrain.
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In sum, we got to see some really strong skiing and riding, some really big terrain, a really psyched crowd, and a really great comp.