Winter Olympics: Gold in sights of Kiwis

A competitor takes part in the men's freestyle slopestyle final at the Junior World Championships in Wanaka last year. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand snowboarders and skiers hope for a gold medal at the 2014 winter games in Sochi, Russia, after two new events were added to the competition on Monday.

The International Olympic Committee approved the addition of the men's and women's slopestyle events for snowboarding and free-style skiing.

Slopestyle involves doing tricks while going down the mountain, manoeuvring through rails and other features.

New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary general Kereyn Smith says the addition of the slopestyle events is positive for New Zealand. "It's pleasing to have events suited to our athletes. We have got some real talent in slopestyle."

Rebecca Torr, Shelly Gottlieb and Stefi Luxton are at present competing at a high level internationally in women's snowboarding slopestyle.

Torr is in Whistler, Canada, with the New Zealand freestyle ski and slopestyle team, on a pre-season training camp. She said the vibes were "great" after the announcement. "We are all so stoked to get the opportunity to represent New Zealand in Sochi.

"I know we have some serious medal contenders, my eye is definitely on that podium," she said.

The latest additions follow the inclusion in April of men's and women's ski halfpipe.Freeskier Jossi Wells' first response to the announcement was, "I think I am going to be a very busy man." Wells, who was 2010 Overall World Champion, is one of few freeskiers to excel in both halfpipe and slopestyle and has set his sites on medals in both disciplines. His brother Byron is also ranked amongst the top 10 in the world.

"We're off to the Olympics for two events," said freeski coach/father Bruce Wells. Adding, "We are going to push for a combined event with slopestyle and halfpipe which if accepted will even further increase our chances for medals."

Bruce Wells, by the way, has a reasonable chance of seeing three of his four boys in competition at the 2014 Olympic Games. Jossi and Byron are already on the top of their game and 15-year-old Beau James has shown a lot of promise as well.

"It's exciting to see the relatively quick progression of the sport," said Bruce. "Events like the Winter X Games and Dew Tour have been instrumental in gaining exposure for freeskiing. On top of that the athletes themselves have really been stepping it up and pushing the sport to higher and higher levels."

The Olympic executive board announced a shortlist of sports being considered for 2020, including baseball, softball and squash.