LAKE WANAKA, New Zealand (August 8, 2011) - Spectators can experience the glory and emotion of the 100% Pure New Zealand medal ceremony as well as see winter’s sporting super stars in downtown Wanaka and Queenstown.

Each evening following the on-snow competition, the top three men and women will receive their medals at the 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games downtown stages which are at the Village Green in Queenstown and on the corner of Ardmore and Helwick Streets in Wanaka. Live music, entertainment and refreshments will add to the celebrations that start from 4.30pm.

There will also be a special cross-country awards ceremony on Buckingham Green in Arrowtown at 6.00pm featuring a barbeque and snowman building competition starting at 5.00pm on Sunday 14 August.

Winter Games NZ CEO, Arthur Klap, said the medal ceremonies were a great way to bring the events down from the mountains and into town.

“We really wanted to include the local community more in this exciting event,” he said. “Not everyone can get up the hill to see the action so by bringing the athletes into town for the medal ceremonies, so many more people can be part of the Games, and see some of the world’s sporting super stars. Kids can get autographs and photos and the live music and entertainment will add to the party atmosphere.”

100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games takes place from 12- 28 August 2011 featuring 22 snow and ice sports over 38 events and involving 1,000 elite athletes from 50 nations. The 16-day long Games also include a full Downtown Sessions festival programme featuring films, live music and entertainment and rail jam extravaganzas in Queenstown, Lake Wanaka, Dunedin and Methven. The on-snow competition will take place at Coronet Peak, Cardrona Alpine Resort, Snow Park NZ, Snow Farm and Mt Hutt with the ice sports taking place at Naseby and Dunedin. For further information, visit www.wintergamesnz.com

Top athletes registered to date for 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games

ALPINE SKI

Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR)
Kjetil Jansrud (NOR)
Lars Elton Myhre (NOR)
Felix Neureuther (GER)
Fritz Dopfer (GER)
Olsson Jon (SWE)
Tim Cafe (NZL)
Susanne Riesch (GER)
Lena Durr (GER)
Veronika Zuzulova (SVK)
Sarah Jarvis (NZL)
Ian Bishop (GBR) adaptive
Timothy Farr (GBR) adaptive
Adam Hall (NZL) adaptive
Kelly Gallagher (GBR) adaptive

FREESKI AND SKI-X

Anna Segal (AUS)
Kim Lamarre (CAN)
Charles Gagnier (CAN)
Devin Logan (USA)
Gus Kenworthy (USA)
Brita Sigourney (USA)
Jen Hudak (USA)
Seaton Taylor (USA)
Jossi Wells (NZL)
Byron Wells (NZL)
Anais Caradeux (FRA)
Scott Kneller (AUS)
Michelle Greig (NZL)
Fanny Smith (SUI)

SNOWBOARD

Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI)
Patrick Burgener (SUI)
Nadja Purtschert (SUI)
Ursina Haller (SUI)
Cilka Sadar (SLO)
Xuetong Cai (CHN)
Yiwei Zhang (CHN)
Taku Hiraoka (JPN)
Johann Baisamy (FRA)
Mirabelle Thovex (FRA)
Nathan Johnstone (AUS)
Holly Crawford (AUS)
Mitch Brown (NZL)
Rebecca Sinclair (NZL)
Rebecca Torr (NZL)
Stefi Luxton (NZL)
Shelly Gotlieb (NZL)

SNOWBOARD-X (SBX)

Alex Pullin (AUS)
Amy Purdy (USA) adaptive
Nicole Roundy (USA) adaptive
Evan Strong (USA) adaptive
Mike Shea (USA) adaptive
Keith Gabel (USA) adaptive
Tyler Mosher (CAN) adaptive
Carl Murphy (NZL) adaptive

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI

Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)
Sarah Edwards (USA)
Devon Kershaw (CAN)
Alex Harvey (CAN)
Lenny Valjas (CAN)
Ivan Babikov (CAN)
Alexander Panzhinskiy (RUS)
Alexey Petukhov (RUS)
Nikita Kriukov (RUS)
Shoko Ota (JPN) adaptive
Yoshihiro Nitta (JPN) adaptive

* Please note that for many of the sports, entries are still open and the list will evolve as the Games progress

The Downtown Awards schedule

Arrowtown – Buckingham Green from 5.00pm
14th August – Cross Country Sprint
Wanaka - Corner of Ardmore & Helmore Street, from 4:30pm
15th August - Freeski Slopestyle
17th August - Freeski Halfpipe
18th August - WSF Para Snowboard Cross
19th August - Snowboard Cross
20th August - Freeski Big Air
24th August -  Snowboard Big Air
26th August - Ski Cross
27th August - Winter Triathlon
28th August - Snowboard World Cup Halfpipe & Closing Ceremony

Queenstown - Village Green, from 4.30pm
22nd August - Giant Slalom - Men
23rd August - Giant Slalom - Women & Adaptive
24th August - Slalom Men & Women
25th August - Slalom Adaptive