Forty women (and a couple of brave boys) bared their bikinis for a very good cause this past Saturday at Turoa Ski Area. Mt. Ruapehu held its first-ever “Freestyling for Funds” event, with all money raised being donated to the The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

The day’s events started with a Bikini Downhill, followed by a Bra BQ and a Box and Slopestyle Jam in the Terrain Park. Mt. Ruapehu Marketing Coordinator, Nadia Ferguson, was thrilled by the turnout: “I am extremely encouraged by the large number of women who got involved in the event, without a doubt Freestying for Funds has huge potential to raise money and awareness for The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation,” Ferguson said.

Brainchild of New Zealand snowboard coach Fiona Duncan, Freestyling for Funds was first held at Wanaka’s Snow Park NZ in 2005. “Snow sports are terribly popular and running an event like Freestyling for Funds is a brilliant way to get the message out to the young ones,” Duncan explained. “The day has a focus on fun which perks up interest and helps raise awareness for a serious cause. We have been blown away by the amount of support the event has received. Having some of New Zealand’s top female snow sports athletes, including Juliane Bray, take time out of their busy schedules to attend as guest judges is just brilliant. I’m thrilled that Mt. Ruapehu has come onboard in 2006 to make this a nationwide event.”

Freestyling for Funds is run in conjunction with the Snow Girls NZ Program at SnowPark and the Rip Curl K2 Sista Sessions at Mt. Ruapehu, which both support women’s progression into freestyle. The events have raised over NZ $3,000 for the The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation in 2006.

Image: World youth halfpipe snowboarding champion Bex Sinclair of Taupo, New Zealand (photo: Anna Barry)