Welcome Dinner - 28th August 2025 Dinner: Informal evening dinner. 5:30 Seated for traditional welcome at 5:45 - Last year's highlight Meet 2025 Merino Muster participants, locals, volunteers and visitors. Venue: Lake Wanaka Centre Race Day - 30th August 2025 Race day: Snow Farm NZ Prize Giving: Lake Wanaka Centre from 4 pm Dinner: Lake View Seafood Restaurant Buffet Book now and pay at the Restaurant Grooming Only the course will be groomed and exits from the course will be marked either with ropes or v-boards . It will be the only course groomed and have skate and classic tracks. Marshalls. There will be marshalls at the key junctions. Race Technique All events are freestyle technique, with classic tracks provided for classic skiers. Saturday Bus Leaves the Wanaka Hotel at 7 am Booking essential Waxing Service Snow Farm offers a race waxing service. Please book on the Snow Farm website or join the Waiorau Nordic Ski Club for $30 Join Now Ski Hire Snow Farm has ski hire options but please book through Snow Farm. There are no other hire options. Book on the Snow Farm website. Trail Passes No trail pass needed on race day for race entrants. A trail pass is needed to ski in race week. Purchase an Entry Package for the best value during race week. Bus Race Day Departs Departure TBA Bookings are essential for the race day bus, it is included in the International ski package but you must confirm if you wish to use the bus. Bus tickets are available in the shop on the entry website. Mountain Facilities Food etc Snow Farm has the Polar Espresso Cafe with coffee pastries and pies. BBQ on race day Worldloppet Passports Stamping & Purchase of passports will be available after the event on the mountain and at the prize-giving. 2023 Racers Handbook The handbook is updated as needed Snow Reports Link to results Entrants List Please check your entry to ensure it is correct Bus Saturday The Bus will leave the Wanaka Hotel at 7:30 am. Please check the list to ensure we have you on the list Booked Bus Passengers Please check you name is on the list Entry C ut O ff 5 pm Friday Entries after Friday please phone +6421766910 if you have a problem entering. After Race Casual Dinner Lake View Seafood Restaurant (Above the Lake Bar ) Please email numbers to: merinomuster@gmail.com Pay individually and tell stories of the day.

International and Visitor Packages Everything You Need for Your Merino Muster Make your Merino Muster experience easy with one upfront payment covering the essentials for your time in New Zealand. Your package includes: Race Entry Fee Finishers Medal Welcome Dinner – Thursday 26th August Trail Pass – Monday to Sunday Daily transport to the Snow Farm, Monday - Sunday Optional: pick-up from Queenstown Airport, use of the Saturday Bus Transport to Snow Farm, Finishers dinner, accommodation packages. Extras - Ski hire and waxing available from Snow Farm Arrive, ski and enjoy the Merino Muster – we’ll take care of the details. Your Invitation to Ski New Zealand's Merino Muster at the Snow Farm, Cardrona Valley: enjoy the experience, not just the event. Email - merinomuster@gmail.com Enter Now International and Visitor Package Pricing Ready to join us? Click “Enter now” then select the package that matches your chosen race distance. Choose your race, book your package and start planning your Merino Muster adventure in New Zealand! Package Name Early bird 1 June 1 August 42km Merino Muster Package $390 $400 $410 21km Snow Rake $320 $330 $350 21km U18 $285 $295 $315 5km Straggle Muster $285 $295 $305 21km Snow Rake Under 18 $280 $310 $330 ENTER NOW Accommodation & Transport Packages Let us take care of the logistics so you can focus on enjoying your Merino Muster experience. Choose from our popular hotel and transport packages, with flexible stay lengths and single-room options, including accommodation with stunning Lake Wānaka views. Explore the options below and find the package that’s right for you. Learn More Snow Farm NZ Ski Hire and Facilities Snow Farm NZ has ski hire options for race day and the week prior. Waxing facilities are also available on request. The new base building provides a place to relax, along with the small unique Polar Espresso Cafe, serving warm drinks and cabinet food. There is also an on-site BBQ on race day. Learn More Visitor and International Pass Make your stay a great one!!

Discover Book Now Wanaka Hotel Hotel 2027 Package Monday August 24th to Monday August 31st Transport and accommodation are made easy and affordable. Room Descriptions Stay at the Wanaka Hotel in the centre of Wanaka. Long stay August 24th to August 31st Short Stay August 19th to August31st I ncludes: Airport pick up and drop off Daily transport to the Snow Farm Mon to Fri ( Saturday in Entry package) Accommodation in private or shared rooms with ensuite bathrooms Please note you will need to purchase a Visitors & International E ntry Meals Meals are at your doorstep, are not Included in the package price The Hotel has a special cooking room where you can prepare your meals. Breakfast and dinner are a few minutes walk from over 20 restaurants and Cafes , Lunches can be pre-ordered . Included Transport Airport Pickups at Queenstown International Airport Drop-offs on Monday will be arranged to ensure you have plenty of time for your flight. Daily visit to Snow Farm Skiing and other activities A daily pick up at the hotel to the Snow Farm for skiing. Other activities Ask about transport to Cardrona Downhill or Table Cone alpine ski areas. Advise other activities so you see some of the best in the area. Race Entries are not included in your package. Purchase the International entry pass for Dinner Race entry Welcome Dinner on Thursday evening. Ski Passes Race day b us A Daily Itinerary will be available for the Wanaka Hotel guests. Email: merinomuster@gmail.com Check out the 2027 prices

Using spur connector if enough snow makes an easier course Use send to a device to get a bigger picture Using Paw patrol and D9 42kms wouldn't need to repeat highland to correct distance

Ralph's life in more detail John Story coming soon.........

Welcome Ski Classic Skiers! We look forward to welcoming the Ski Classic cross-country skiing community to the Merino Muster at Snow Farm, in the Cardrona Valley, South Island of New Zealand. For skiers travelling to the Merino Muster, we highly recommend our International Visitors Package, designed to make your Merino Muster experience easy, enjoyable and memorable. International Visitors Package Includes Merino Muster race entry Snow Farm ski trail pass for Race Week Welcome Dinner – Thursday evening Race-day bus from Wānaka to Snow Farm and return Check out our entry prices Ski Snow Farm – Race Week The package gives you the opportunity to ski the Snow Farm trails throughout the week leading up to the Merino Muster — a great way to prepare for race day and experience some of New Zealand's best cross-country skiing. Snow Farm is a Charitable Trust dedicated to maintaining excellent cross-country ski trails. Many international skiers comment that the trails compare with some of the best they have skied around the world. Easy Race-Day Transport Leave the driving to us! The race-day bus departs from Wānaka early in the morning, giving you plenty of time to arrive at Snow Farm before the long-distance races. The bus returns to Wānaka later in the day after the event. Experience Our Welcome Dinner The Welcome Dinner is one of the highlights of the Merino Muster and a great opportunity to meet fellow skiers, connect with the local ski community and experience a warm Kiwi welcome. The evening may include: Official Cultural Welcome, local history and knowledge Worldloppet Master Diploma and Medal Presentations Traditional New Zealand elements Local Merino lamb dinner and Kiwi delights The opportunity to meet skiers from New Zealand and around the world Stay in Wānaka Wānaka is the perfect base for your Merino Muster adventure, with easy access to Snow Farm and plenty to explore during your stay. We highly recommend checking out our Wānaka hotel packages. View Wānaka hotel packages Alternatively, visit Lake Wānaka Tourism to explore independent accommodation options. Explore accommodation in Wānaka Ski the Southern Hemisphere Make your trip to New Zealand part of a bigger cross-country skiing adventure. Combine your Merino Muster experience with skiing in Australia, explore the Southern Hemisphere's unique winter season and discover two great Worldloppet ski communities. Come for the race, stay for the skiing, and become part of the Merino Muster community. We look forward to welcoming you to Snow Farm and Wānaka!

The Snow Farmer 5 km Never tried cross-country skiing? No problem. The Snow Farmer 5 KM is made for first-timers, families, mates and anyone keen to try something new this winter. You don't need to be a serious skier - hire some gear, have a practice at Snow Farm and come and give it a go. It's a brilliant workout, a lot of fun and, frankly, a bit of a Wānaka rite of passage. If you've lived here long enough, chances are someone you know has had a crack at the Muster. Maybe 2026 is your year. This year will be particularly special as we come together to honour John Lee, the founder of Snow Farm and Cardrona Alpine Resort, and the man whose vision helped shape winter in Wānaka. There couldn't be a better year to get on some skis, join the community and be part of a local tradition he helped create. Enter on your own or grab your family, friends, workmates or school crew and enter the team section. Everyone who crosses the finish line gets a medal for their ‘athletic achievements’ wall! Come for the challenge. Stay for the fun. Become part of the Muster. Enter Now THE COURSE The 5km Snow Farmer takes skiers on a journey around the ever-popular highlander onto Merino Glen trail finishing with Highlander Coaxing your children around their first long distance ski event can be very special and an experience for parents or in many cases grandparents to relish.m we even have a lolly station as our aid station. You have all day to get them round and the presence of a feeding station increases the aura of a serious athletic achievement. Race Info Date: Saturday 22nd August 2026 Distance: 5km Start Time: 9;10am Start/Finish Line: Snow Farm NZ Base Race Briefing: Minimum Age: no restriction Categories: two year age group under 20 5 five-year groups over 20 Team Categories: School Challenge Teams, Teams Finisher Medal Enter Now Photo Gallery

21km Snow Rake The 21km Snow Rake takes you around a spectacular section of the Snow Farm trail network, offering a challenging and rewarding course for skiers looking to test themselves over a shorter distance. For the competitive skier, the Snow Rake provides a great variety of terrain, with climbs, descents and beautiful open alpine trails, supported by regular feed stations around the course. The course route may vary from year to year depending on snow levels, snow conditions and weather. The final course will be confirmed before race day, with safety and skiable conditions always the priority. Come and experience the Snow Farm trails, challenge yourself and enjoy the adventure of the Snow Rake. Enter Now THE COURSE 21km Snow Rake Designed as a stepping stone to the Merino Muster, the 21km Snow Rake is a very achievable challenge for novice to intermediate skiers, while still offering plenty of variety for more experienced skiers. Starting from the Snow Farm stadium, the course heads around Highlander and into Mary’s Trail, before continuing out onto Hanging Valley. From there, skiers cross Musterers Flat and make their way to Meadow Hut. The route then turns back through Tranquillity, along the Top of the Loop and returns to the Snow Farm Base Area and finish. The course route may vary from year to year depending on snow levels, snow conditions and weather. The final course will be confirmed before race day, with safety and skiable conditions always the priority. A great introduction to the Merino Muster experience — come and challenge yourself on the Snow Rake! Race Info Date: Saturday 22nd August 2026 Distance: 21km Start Time: 9:05 Start/Finish Line: Snow Farm NZ Base Race Briefing: Minimum Age: 14 Categories: Under 20 2yr age group Over 20 5yr age group Enter Now Course Map Snow Rake Course & Merino Muster (loop one) Photo Gallery