Just Grab Your Pistenflitzer

Combine a boogie board with an air mattress, throw in some fresh snow and a fast slope, add a lot of fun and you've got airboarding, the new snow sensation from Switzerland.

Airboarding is being introduced to New Zealand by Snowplanet, the country's first indoor snow resort, on November 7. Later in the month, Snowplanet will add Pistenflitzers, a toboggan-style slide aimed at families, to its new summer season.

Airboarding is one of the fastest growing snow activities in Europe and the US, attracting people of all ages and ability.

"Airboarding is a great way to have fun in the snow without the skills required for skiing and snowboarding," explained Snowplanet spokesman, Eduard Ebbinge.

"You don't need to have lessons or equipment. You can just turn up, hop on your airboard or pistenflitzer and zoom down the slope."

Airboard users simply lie or sit on the air-filled boards in much the same way as a boogie board and propel themselves down the slope.

In keeping with their policy of catering to the entire family, Snowplanet has also introduced Pistenflitzers, easy to use toboggans that will appeal to the young and old.

"'Pistenflitzers' will be hard for kids to say, but really easy to ride," Ebbinge predicted.

The toboggans have a central control stick which allow the users to steer and manage their speed.

The two new activities will complement Snowplanet's existing skiing and snowboarding programmes.

From Xtra.

Sounds like fun - just hope they don't get in the way of us skiers!