They Fly Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease

Yes, it's definitely wintertime Down Under, so bring out your skis and snowboards.

It's not only circus aerialists who fly through the air with the greatest of ease. Skiers and snowboarders now give them strong competition.

As freestyle skiing and snowboarding continue to gain popularity, the snow fields of New Zealand have created snow parks dedicated to these high-flying freestyle skills.

From the South Island, home of much snow activity close to Queenstown, to the snow fields at Mt Ruapehu on the North Island, "air" manoeuvres are finding homes in the traditional ski resorts and in new venues dedicated solely to freestyle moves and aerobatics.

• Skiing in Australia and New Zealand

Photo: Freestyle snowboarding, courtesy Snow Park, Wanaka, New Zealand