Over the second decade of existence the NZSIA went to another level, growing and maturing with more home grown talent from increasing numbers of local instructors. Their careers fast tracked with full time employment through ever-expanding opportunities in Japan, North America and Europe, New Zealand instructors came of age. Here then are just some of the people who played a key role in shaping the fortunes of the Alliance as it went from strength to strength in the 80’s.
Junior demo team, Mt Hutt 1984. From left Michael Maingay, Mike Spiers, Peter Clinton-Baker, Nigel Palmer, Simon Cawley, Warwick Busfield, Lindsay Wilson, Mark Smith. Photo Mark Shapiro
SCOTT CALLAWAY
Scott grew up in Christchurch, ski racing in his teens and a recipient of local coaching scholarships (CSA – Canterbury Ski Association) and a MacKenzie Scholarship. “Early on I realised I was never going to be that great but that didn’t deter me from dreaming of a career in the sport. In 1971 and ‘72 (16/17 yr old) I taught skiing at Cheeseman in the school holidays, and then in 1973 my first year out of St Andrews College I passed my Stage 1 at Coronet Peak. The point of gaining Stage 1 was to go work in Europe, which I did that year in Saas Fee, Switzerland.”
“In Europe in that first year as a ski teacher I picked up with BASI (British Association of Ski Instructors) and passed their Stage 2, which carried the ISIA stamp. Actually I failed my first attempt in the Alps and needed to travel across to Scotland to the Cairngorms in spring to finally pass. The “fail” was one of the greatest events of my early career; one, it knocked the cockiness out of me and two, it got me to Scotland. The link with BASI and the friendships that developed were life changing”.
Scott went on to forge a successful race coaching career in New Zealand to national team level and in California, before eventually taking on the inaugural role of Executive Director in addition to Chief Examiner for the NZSIA with a pivotal role in raising the profile of the organisation within New Zealand and overseas. Coordinating the ISIA meeting held in New Zealand in 1985, hosting the world’s snow sport organisations was a coup with significant international credibility and exposure, along with key roles in New Zealand’s first three Interski appearances on the demonstration slopes.
Beginning in 1983, with Scott employed full time over the winter months, the Alliance benefited greatly from a concerted effort on coordination as the course offerings grew, plus member outreach, manuals, sponsorship, public relations and industry liaison. Naturally this being well before internet and email, onsite visits, newsletters and course posters were the key communication tools.
His proven marketing acumen thus began a career in tourism firstly with the Mount Cook Group in ski operations, then Air New Zealand, AJ Hackett Bungy Group and Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools plus stints with international advertising agencies. Scott is currently the GM of Tourism and Trade for Christchurch International Airport.
- Interski Demonstration Team 1979 Zao and 1983 Sesto
- Interski Demonstration Team Coach 1987 Banff
- NZSIA Executive Director 1983 – 1985
- Chief Examiner 1983 – 1985
Scott Callaway and Ingie Franberg
INGEGARD “INGIE” FRANBERG
Ingegard grew up in Lidingö, an island suburb of Stockholm in her native Sweden. A keen speed skater until she was 13, everything changed when out cross country skiing with her brother on a snowy golf course they came upon a neighbor Ulla coaching some children to ski down a slope. Encouraged to join in, they clamped down their heels and gave it a go. “I was totally hooked from that moment” Ingie recalls. “Ulla took me under her wing. She lent me some old skis and that winter we skied some of the small hills around Stockhom that are lit at night. Even that first year I started going in little club races”.
Within a few years Ingie graduated from Stockhom University with a degree in physical education and was a member of the Swedish National Ski Team, winning the national downhill title in 1973. She gravitated into teaching, eventually becoming Sweden’s first woman Ski School Director at Riksgränsen (1974 – 1979), north of the Arctic Circle with skiing until June under the midnight sun. Taking up a job offer in Vail, Colorado, Ingie began as an instructor there in 1979. That same year as a member of the Swedish Interski Team in Zao, Japan she met future husband New Zealand’s Russell Thomson who was a member of the NZSIA team staying in the same hotel.
The early 80’s saw Ingie coaching at Mt Hutt and then heading to Vail Ski School during the New Zealand summers. In 1985 she took over the role of NZSIA Chief Examiner, overseeing an expanding calendar with additional venues and courses, such as clinics for examiners, children’s instructors, entry level coaching and member “refreshers”. With Russell Thomson as both a trainer, examiner and the Technical Director of the NZSIA, they were a power couple on the certification circuit and along with a highly capable group of examiners, trained and certified hundreds of candidates.
Ingie stepped down from the Chief Examiner position in 1995 while continuing to live and work in Vail, Colorado where she was a supervisor on the snow sports school for 39 years, retiring there in 2024.
She reflects “It makes me proud to look back to all those years in New Zealand working for the Alliance. We had great trainer / examiners and the NZSIA had a reputation of a very high standard of their instructors, with many coming over to Colorado to teach. And of course I hope and believe that the work we did was a solid base for the NZSIA organisation to move forward. I am most impressed by the growth of NZSIA to where they are now, 30 years later. Fantastic is not too strong of a word!”
- Swedish Interski Demonstration Team 1979 Zao
- NZSIA Chief Examiner 1985 – 1995
- Interski Demonstration Team Manager 1991 St Anton, 1995 Nozawa Onsen
RUSSELL THOMSON
Growing up on Auckland’s beaches, Russell burst onto the scene within a few years of his first snow experience at 13 in Whakapapa’s Happy Valley. “I had planned to make skiing my profession after learning of the New Zealand Ski Instructors Alliance in 1971 at the age of 16. (Actually the New Zealand National Ski School as it was called in ‘71.) However, due to the minimum age requirement, I had to wait until I turned 18”. So it was that he successfully passed stage one on Mount Ruapehu in 1973, achieving the highest scores for all stage one courses that year and the Chateau Ski School offering him a contract position for the 1974 season. This was a unprecedented for two reasons; “at that time, only fully certified foreign instructors were offered contract status in New Zealand. So not only was I a Kiwi but a mere stage one certified instructor”.
Achieving full certification with coveted ISIA recognition the following year, Russell began a North American coaching career firstly in California and then later with Ski Club Vail. In New Zealand he became an NZSIA trainer and examiner and technical director of the Chateau Ski School. By now fully committed and immersed in the world of professional skiing and coaching, Russell’s varied experiences included a stint on the U.S. pro tour, assistant coach for the Swedish ski team, assistant coach for the New Zealand team at the 1978 World Championships in Germany, PSIA guest clinician on a national tour and at the Spring academy in Park City plus selection to the NZSIA demonstration team for Interski in Zao, Japan in 1979. Staying on post-Interski together with Fraser Skinner, he organised the first Japanese ski tours to New Zealand.
Russell spent the decade of the 80’s shuttling between seasons at Mt. Hutt and Vail coaching to elite level in both hemispheres in head coach roles with the Mt Hutt Race Department, Canterbury Ski Association, New Zealand Ski Team and Rocky Mountain Division of the United States Ski Association. When John Armstrong left New Zealand in 1983 for a full time Mammoth Mountain position, Russell took over the position of NZSIA technical director which he held for over 10 years, authoring new manuals and taking a key role in training, examining and demonstration team activities.
Russell is retired and back on his beloved beaches of Auckland’s North Shore, while also spending time in Colorado during the New Zealand winter.
- Interski Demonstration Team 1979 Zao and 1983 Sesto
- Interski Demonstration Team and Coach 1987 Banff
- NZSIA Technical Director 1984 – 1995
Russell Thomson and Simon Cawley
SIMON CAWLEY
Temple Basin, a classic Canterbury club field straddling the main divide, is a 45 minute hike up from the carpark off Highway 73 and where a very young Simon Cawley began his skiing from the family bach at Bealey Spur, east of Arthurs Pass. While skiing was always an enjoyable pastime, it wasn’t until 1979 during an extended OE working in a London ski shop that the snow industry beckoned. There he met another Kiwi who was the ski tech in the workshop; future NZSIA President Peter Clinton-Baker.
“Pete C-B was headed out to Val d’Isere that Spring and a couple of mates and I made it out there in the Kiwi Kombi and enjoyed some sublime spring snow. I was definitely spurred on to find ways to ski more”. Acquiring Stage 1, joining the Mt. Hutt Ski School and guiding for a UK tour company back in Val d’Isere soon had Simon on the endless winter cycle familiar to so many New Zealand instructors. In 1985 he was selected as a member of the Junior Demonstration Team and appointed to succeed Scott Callaway in the Executive Director position the following year based in Christchurch.
For several seasons Simon joined Russell Thomson and Ingegerd Franberg on the road as an examiner on Stage 1 and 2 courses around the country. Mitsubishi Motors was still assembling vehicles in Porirua back then and saw fit to sponsor the NZSIA with a flash 4WD van and a series of ski tips on TVNZ featuring Simon and Russell Thomson. Representing the NZSIA at three Interski meetings, in Canada, Austria and Japan, Simon eventually returned to Mt. Hutt in 1990 firstly in snowsport school management and eventually as ski area manager.
After 20 years in the U.S. Simon is now retired and enjoying life on the beaches of the Bay of Plenty.
- Interski Demonstration Team 1987 Banff, 1991 St. Anton (Coach) and 1995 Nozawa Onsen
- Executive Director NZSIA 1986 – 1988
Robina Bodle
ROBINA BODLE
Born in Palmerston North spending younger years in Mt Maunganui and then Auckland, Robina moved to Queenstown with her two children in 1979. “Although I surfed as a child, mountain running was my passion. Apart from the odd day skiing in the North Island I didn’t seriously start skiing till I arrived in Queenstown at 30 yrs old. In the first season I saw a movie of people Telemarking and was instantly hooked. I went for a ski holiday in Sun Valley where I picked up some skis and once back in New Zealand managed to fall my way down Coronet Peak until Jef arrived”
That would be Jef Desbecker, who with fellow PSIA certified telemark and Nordic instructor Whitney Thurlow, kick started telemark instruction in New Zealand in the mid 80’s. Partners in both life and the newly minted Telemark Division, Jef credits Robina’s contribution: “She was a great sounding board and editor of much of the original written material, architect of much of the course formats, innovator of relevant and timely exercises for the teaching methodology, and skilled demonstrator for, and operator of, the camera used for the original teaching manual. Coming on as an examiner in 1989, followed by running the division as chief examiner and course director for about 15 years, she played a huge part in the growth of the sport in New Zealand and the high quality of instructors that came through the programme”
Robina says “Learning to telemark and then teaching was one of my greatest pleasures in life. After about 35 years of telemark skiing I finally learnt to alpine ski. These days I have downhill and touring skis, but have never given up my love of the telemark dance and usually spend the first couple of hours a few times per week on my teles”.
During this period of NZSIA growth and development, both Tony Graham (President) and Des Peters (Secretary) continued their sound leadership with local instructors continuing to serve with them on the Executive Committee as elected representatives; two each for the North and South Island. Their unstinting efforts championing the Alliance, contributing to NZSIA policy, decisions and direction was significant and ensured continuity and consistent communication amongst the regions. These are key representatives from the 80’s:
Heather Montgomery, Dave Allison, Barry George and Hamish McPherson (all North Island), with Fraser Skinner, Stu Buxton, Sue Murray, Edie Young and Pete Townsend* (South Island)
As the 80’s rolled on instructor ranks were becoming primarily home grown with overseas staff increasingly limited to those who were highly qualified and experienced. As capable Kiwis rose into leadership roles, an era of predominately overseas directors and managers at the major ski areas around the country was coming to an end. Here are some of these notables whose contributions to the Alliance were threefold: support for the NZSIA and fostering local instructor talent, infusing high level overseas instructor trainers into the teaching ranks and facilitating summer teaching jobs in the Northern Hemisphere.
John Ball Synonymous with Mount Ruapehu snowsport schools, John arrived from Canada in 1970 and was one of the experienced Northern hemisphere instructors and directors with input into establishing the first NZSIA courses in 1971.
John went on the head up firstly the Chateau ski school and later moved over the mountain to run the Turoa ski school. He also served on the NZSIA committee in the early days and was an examiner.
In more recent times he has produced a number of independent documentaries, including “Ruapehu – A Tribute to Our Skiing Pioneers” which screened in theatres in 2009. John now makes his home in Pukawa on the shores of Lake Taupo.
Bruce Bowlin Bruce first arrived at Coronet Peak in 1978 from Colorado as a current PSIA demo team member and joined the NZSIA examiner ranks the following season. He took over the position of ski school director from Weems Westfeldt in 1984 adding the newly opened ski area at The Remarkables to his duties in 1985. Bruce lives in Boulder, Colorado.
Craig Spiess, far left, with Chateau Ski School staff
Craig Spiess Canadian Craig Spiess has fond memories of his time at Whakapapa,“Working with the Chateau Ski School from 1976 to 1988 were some of the greatest years of my life. When John Ball gave me the opportunity to teach on Mt. Ruapehu it changed my life forever. The NZSIA played a major role in the development of our ski instructors. As a Director I encouraged our staff to support and be a part of this organization. Having the N.Z.S.I.A. available to us made our teaching standard extremely high and recognized internationally”.
Craig was an NZSIA examiner and went on to hold senior coaching roles in Canada, including with the national team and was owner – operator of Mount Baldy ski area in Thunder Bay where he still lives.
Weems Westfeldt (1946 – 2024) Coronet Peak ski school director 1979 – 1983, PSIA demo team in the mid-70’s and an NZSIA examiner Weems was a life-long ski instructor who inspired many colleagues and students over the years. He went on to author “Brilliant Skiing, Every Day” a positive treatise as much on the mental aspects of good skiing, as the technical.
Weems was later director of operations across all four Aspen snowsports schools 1999 – 2005 and then manager of Aspen Highlands school 2012 – 2017 with a lead role in training throughout. Weems moved to France in 2019 and passed away there in 2024.
*For a visual 80’s time capsule of life in an alpine resort town – and up on the slopes amid neon clothing and big hair – look no further than Ski Whizz. The brainchild of Pete Townsend (1954 – 2018), Coronet Peak instructor and NZSIA South Island Committee Rep. The weekly Queenstown video show packed hundreds into Albert’s for the screening of high altitude hi-jinks. While sadly the irrepressible PT is no longer with us, his pioneering Ski Whizz show, since copied internationally in other towns and ski areas, lives on. Here’s a 1986 episode with cameos from many familiar faces of the era.
Pete “PT” Townsend
Organised and written by: SImon Cawley