Zeestraten, Gotlieb Soar in Dew Tour Qualifier

Comment Share Posted on Friday December 18th at 10:27 a.m. Tweet

Wanaka’s Stef Zeestraten and Ohakune’s Shelly Gotlieb sent a strong message that the Kiwis will be a force to be reckoned with this season as both secured season-long spots on the Winter Dew Tour with top-five finishes in the Open Qualifier of the snowboard slopestyle competition at Breckenridge, Colorado (US) today.

Stef Zeestraten Getting Some Air Photo: Getty Images, Cameron Spencer

Zeestraten qualified second out of 40 men in an international field of competitors all vying for coveted spots on the Tour. Gotlieb placed fifth out of 21 women to secure her season-long spot.The Open Qualifier is the only way for athletes not yet qualified for the Dew Tour to get in to the tour. Sometimes referred to as a Local Qualifier, the competition had a very strong international field.

"It was definitely the heaviest comp I've ever been in," said Zeestraten. "It felt great, but tomorrow the competition ramps up."

Semifinals are scheduled for Friday (US time) with both Zeestraten and Gotlieb now in prime position to finish in the money.

In the halfpipe competition, Whangamata's Ben Stewart finished in 16th in the Open Qualifier.