It's open season for freeski competitions in the Southern Hemisphere, starting this week with the North Face Freeski Open NZ.

While the Northern Hemisphere languishes in the summer heat, the eyes of the skiing world turn now to the south, where The North Face Freeski Open of New Zealand fires up the down-under comp scene with slopestyle & halfpipe contests August 6-10. A big mountain contest follows on September 1-6.

Cardrona Parks will host the slopestyle and halfpipe events, while the Remarkables ski field is the venue for the big mountain event. Slopestyle & Pipe are rated as AFP Silver-level events, while big mountain clocks in as a three-star Freeride World Tour Qualifier. More information and registration is available at www.nzfreeskiopen.com.

Who’s that? It can only be James Woods! Photo courtesy NZ Freeski Open

Conditions looked good at the 2013 big mountain event. Photo: Neil Kerr/nzskier.com

These events are just the start of a slew of contests that keeps Southern Hemisphere skiers and the globetrotting freeski clique busy throughout the late summer and autumn. Up next is the Audi quattro Winter Games August 21-30, which includes halfpipe and slopestyle, while the One Hit Wonder Mountain Festival in Thedbo, Australia September 9-13 gives a venue for big air skiers on Australia’s biggest jump.