By Jeff Hampton
New Zealand's chances of winning medals at the Winter Olympics have just improved dramatically with the news two new events are likely to be included at the next Games in Russia.
They are the snowboard slopestyle and the ski halfpipe; an event in which a New Zealander is currently ranked number one in the world.
“I've got a plan in place for the next four years leading up for it and stuff,” says world halfpipe champion Jossi Wells.
“Hopefully I'll be in top physical condition and feeling really good going into it and looking forward.”
Ross Palmer of Snow Sports New Zealand says the inclusion of the two events is fantastic.
“If ski half pipe had been in the Olympics in Vancouver we can feel reasonably confident that we would have had a medallist – there are a number of other Wells boys coming up; the Sheehans are fantastic.”
The International Olympic Committee is trying to make the Games more attractive by bringing in new sports.
As well as the ski half-pipe, New Zealand wants the snowboard slopestyle event to be included as well – and that's looking highly promising.
“We have a number of star snowboard slopestyle competitors in New Zealand; Shelly Gottlieb just placed second at the US Open which was the pinnacle event for the year,” says snowboard coach Tom Willmott.
“It's setting a standard for the younger riders and the future hopefuls to come through and go up against the best in the world, and show New Zealand they can be and are,” says Gottlieb.
The young Kiwis are strong in these events because the facilities and coaching down south are good and a lot of top international performers train there in their off-season.
New Zealand has only ever won one medal in the Winter Olympics; that could all change at the next Games in Sochi, Russia.
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