Skiing: Ohakune's Jess Hotter wins freeride event in Austria

Jess Hotter is ranked No1 in Europe/Oceania in the Freeride World Qualifier Series.

Ohakune skier Jess Hotter picked up a major international crown in Austria at the weekend with her victory in the women's division of the Open Faces Silveratt Montafon 4 Star event.

The 'freeride' competition, which initially was a term from snowboarding but is now preferred for this sport, instead of calling it freeskiing, sees competitors receive points as they perform on natural, un-groomed terrain – which has a finish point but not a set course, goals or rules.

As can be seen on Youtube, Hotter completed her descent of the mountain ranges in Austria showing great balance, as she would leap off several small cliff faces along her descent, while avoiding the crashes which befell other competitors.

The Austria event is part of the Freeride World Qualifier Series, and Hotter's victory kept her No1 ranking for the Europe/Oceania — Region 1 division.

She had previously won the North Face Frontier 4 Star event at the Audi Quatto Winter Games at the end of the previous ski season.

The successes give Hotter valuable points towards earning a berth in the professional Freeride World Tour.

She will be training and competing at two more 4 Star events in Europe over the next two months before heading home and spending this winter in Wanaka.

Hotter grew up in Ohakune, living there aside from a five year period as a child, but always returning for skiing.

Father John Hotter said his daughter was part of the Ohakune Primary School and then Ruapehu College Ski teams. as well as a member of the race programmes at Turoa Ski Area.

"She won junior racing in the Central Plateau and was placed well in the North Island Primary and Secondary School competitions, competing against skiers who also trained during the summer months overseas.

"She was always self-motivated to get up early to train. The race training has been a foundation for freeride."

After being unsuccessful in getting university accommodation in Wellington, Hotter decided to go on a gap year to Bnaff, in the Canadian province of Alberta, where she worked at the Sunshine Ski Village, before staying on in the summer as a gardner.

After coming home to work as a ski patroller in Whakapapa in winter and a guide in Queenstown in summers, as well as seasonal work in Japan, Hotter decided three winters ago to enter her first freeride competition on the Remarkables back in Queenstown.

It was a 2 Star event which was a qualifier for 4 Star later that week, and Hotter came third behind two international skiers.

John Hotter said Jess then split her time between Canada and Ohakune, working for the Snowcenter at home as a boot fitter, while training and competing in Canada.

She then entered the North Face Freeride in Queenstown and came second, therefore continuing her Canada excursions while last winter she moved to Wanaka and trained as part of the New Zealand Freeride team, while working as a coach and ski patroller.

Competing internationally, Hotter was ranked 16th in Europe/Oceania in her first season, while last year she finished ranked 6th, which has now progressed to being the current No 1.

"So what started as a gap year has now turned into a gap life, but she is doing something she is passionate about and dedicated to," said John Hotter.

"Jess works hard and works any hours she can to get enough money to train between seasons – from packing parsnips, tending strawberries plants, gardening and painting.

"She has a great work ethic."

At Christmas, for example, Jess Hotter finished work at 5pm in Ohakune on December 24, caught a night bus from Waiouru to Auckland Airport, flew a cheaper but longer 35 hour journey to Calgary via San Francisco then Houston, and still went skiing on Christmas Day, local time.

She has sponsorship from Head Skis, Marmot Clothing, Opus Fresh Apparel, and the Snowcenter, while this year set up a Give-a-Little page to help pay her entry fees in Europe.