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Local freeskier has a Heli good time at World Heli Challenge

Dylan Siggers, a Fernie freeskier, won himself a ticket to race down the slopes of New Zealand’s highest mountains.
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“Team Vacation” (from left-right) composes videographer Leo Zuckerman and skiers Essex Prescott and Dylan Siggers.

Dylan Siggers, a Fernie freeskier, won himself a ticket to race down the slopes of New Zealand’s highest mountains.

Siggers, along with friend Essex Prescott, submitted a video to the World Heli Challenge in the hopes that they could get their hearts racing while hitting fresh New Zealand spring snow. Their hilarious five minute edit secured them with enough votes to win their way into the helicopter-only accessible competition, where athletes had a chance to win $10,000.

The World Heli Challenge has dropped the most talented skiers and snowboarders in the New Zealand Alps for almost 20 years. The event covers nine days of mountain adventure, and this year the new filming aspect of the competition added to the excitement.

Event director Tony Harrington explains, “The World Heli Challenge tests the athletes in New Zealand’s biggest mountains, but this year that’s just the beginning. This year, they must also work with their filmer to create an inspiring short film they can show the world.”

Harrington adds, “For the first time in the event’s history, it’s not the athletes’ performances alone that will determine the winner, but the short film they create together. It truly is a team event and it’s going to make some incredible viewing.”

Siggers and Prescott will be submitting their film for Team Canada/USA (dubbed “Team Vacation”) in collaboration with Siggers’ videographer friend Leo Zuckerman.

“It’s an innovative new format for us,” said Harrington, “and when you bring together awesome terrain like this, add in helicopters, talented skiers and boarders, a healthy dose of competitive spirit and the stunning backdrop of the Mackenzie district you can’t really go wrong.”

The results from the Heli Challenge were announced this week and unfortunately Team Vacation lost out on the grand prize.

Prescott, however, was given special recognition as the winner of the Shane McConkey Award. The award is named after Shane McConkey, a skier who attended one of the first World Heli Challenges in the 90s, and it recognizes a progressive and passionate athlete who embodies McConkey’s spirit.

Prescott’s award won him the opportunity to go to Cordova, Alaska to continue participating in heli-ski activities for one week.

To watch their video submission, visit the World Heli Challenge website at http://worldhelichallenge.com/2014/08/team-vacation/