Mikayla Smyth Photo: Snow Sports NZ
Auckland's Mikayla Smyth has been crowned the women's national slalom champion at Coronet Peak in Queenstown with Twizel's Willis Feasey winning the men's title.
"I finished in second place last year at the national slalom champs and it has really pushed me to want to be better, to crawl up the ranks and put some good skiing out there," said Smyth.
"It feels really great, I am really stoked with just how I put it down on the hill today."
Feasey who competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics said he was simply focused on speed.
"I just tried to hit the top of the turn as hard as possible and generate as much speed as I could.
Today's racing also marked the first time in over 15 years a FIS sanctioned race has been held on the ProAm slope.
ProAm adds a degree of technicality to the racecourse, with multiple fall lines and pitch changes occurring throughout the course, requiring the athletes to be precision perfect.
The Alpine National Champs continue on Saturday with the Giant Slalom race to be held on The Hurdle at Coronet Peak.
Willis Feasey Photo: Snow Sports NZ
-RNZ
