Winter Games NZ
Winter Games NZ takes place No 2026 or 2027 edition confirmed - the organisers have publicly signalled an end of an era, and the official site no longer resolves in Wanaka & Queenstown, New Zealand. The dress code is Warm winter gear, waterproof boots, sunglasses and sunscreen for bright Southern Alps days. Free to attend; budget up to 50 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
A Southern Hemisphere winter-sports competition that hosted FIS World Cup and Australia-New Zealand Cup ski and snowboard park-and-pipe events at Cardrona and Coronet Peak, drawing Olympic-level athletes during the northern off-season. Its results have counted toward Olympic qualification in past cycles. The organisers have signalled the end of the event in its established form, so its future is genuinely uncertain.
- When
- No 2026 or 2027 edition confirmed - the organisers have publicly signalled an end of an era, and the official site no longer resolves
- Where
- Wanaka & Queenstown, New Zealand
- Dress code
- Warm winter gear, waterproof boots, sunglasses and sunscreen for bright Southern Alps days.
- Cost
- Free to attend; budget up to 50 EUR per person for hospitality and extras.
- Weather
- -3 to 8C, sunny days possible, cold and exposed on the open slopes
- Getting there
- ZQN (Queenstown), about 1 hr to Wanaka and 30 min to Cardrona
- Where to stay
- Edgewater, Wanaka, Cardrona Hotel, Cardrona, Eichardt's Private Hotel, Queenstown
- Official site
- The event has not been staged since its last edition and its organising body no longer maintains a site, so there is no official page. Any future revival would be announced through FIS.
How to attend
Check the Snow Sports NZ calendar at snowsports.co.nz before making any plans, as the organisers have announced the end of an era and no confirmed 2026 or 2027 schedule was published at time of writing. When events have run, spectators watched slopestyle and halfpipe finals from designated on-mountain viewing areas at Cardrona, generally needing only resort access or a spectator ticket. Drive up from Wanaka or Queenstown and arrive early for finals.
The Winter Games NZ website no longer resolves and no 2026 or 2027 edition has been scheduled, so there is nothing to book.
Insider tip
Cardrona and Coronet Peak continue to host FIS World Cup and Australia-New Zealand Cup park-and-pipe competition in the August to September window regardless of the Winter Games branding, so check the Snow Sports NZ calendar for what is actually running.
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