At first glance it looks like any Kiwi club ski field – except this one is open for 24 hours, the sun doesn’t go down and it’s the middle of summer.
Staff and researchers at Antarctica’s Scott Base took time out from the busy science season on the weekend to complete its first ever 24 hour skiathon, clocking up over 1000 runs.
From 6pm on Saturday to 6pm Sunday, skiers and snowboarders took turns doing runs at the Scott Base Ski Field, allowing everyone to take part despite different work rosters.
In true Scott Base fashion there were handmade trophies up for grabs with participants from New Zealand, Italy and the United States. Prizes went to those who completed the most laps, showed the most style, did over 100 runs, and even for the person who fell off the nutcracker the most.
Field support Stephen Trimble and University of Canterbury masters student and NZ Post Antarctic Scholar Jess McFarquhar were the brains behind the event.
Stephen says everyone at the research station worked hard, so it was a chance to have some fun and make the most of the 24 hour daylight.
“The sun won’t set here for another couple of months. We’re more worried about sunburn during the night than it becoming dark.”
Boasting one nutcracker rope tow powered by a generator, the ski field is about 5km away from the base and run by a committee each season. This is the first time it has hosted an event like this.
“We haven’t actually seen this in the history book of the Scott Base Ski Club since 1961 when it was formed. This is a way we can take the lineage of the Scott Base Ski Club and push it a little bit further and do what we do best,” Stephen says.
The small ski field tends to have very dry and wind blown snow pack. Over the weekend the crew enjoyed slushy Spring skiing conditions.
Jess, whose research involves developing rapid ice sampling devices with the University of Otago, says the best part of the event was bringing the Scott Base community together outside of a work setting.
“Everyone at Scott Base has helped me so much with my science and they are such awesome people, so that’s a highlight.”
Skiing is just one of the outdoor activities staff can do in their down time while working in Antarctica. Recruitment to work at Scott Base in the 2025/26 season will begin next month. To see the types of roles that will be available, see our Careers page.
- Watch the 1 News story.