Maadi brings Olympic hopeful to Cambridge
How secondary school rowing brought a national ski slalom champion to town.
The Maadi Cup celebrations has bought a different kind of athlete to Cambridge this year; a top world-ranked NZ sportsperson for slalom fundraising her international career by selling cowhide products.
Amongst the tents of rowing apparel companies, alpine ski racer Piera Hudson joined parents John and Fiona in the Coastal Cowhides tent outside of the Don Rowlands Centre on Lake Karapiro.
For the last six years, the Havelock North-based Hudson family have run Coastal Cowhides, with all proceeds going towards Piera’s skiing expenses which include travel, competition fees, and overseas accommodation.
“We do a pop-up shop at all the major shows and fairs as a fundraiser for my alpine ski racing; for World Champs, the world circuit and the next Olympics,” said Piera Hudson.
Ranked 56th in the world in Giant Slalom, Piera receives no funding from Sport NZ and is 100% self-funded, despite representing New Zealand at the 2019 World Championships in Are, Sweden.
Selling tricolour cowhide ottomans and luxury handbags at major events has been able to keep Piera on the snow and leather out of the landfill.
“People understand that you’re recycling. The meat has been eaten so it would be a shame if rest was left down a landfill. Leather takes so long to break down so it’s better to stay on top of the planet, being used and appreciated,” said Fiona.
Coastal Cowhides sell a range of different skins, including fluffy, grey reindeer pelts from Lapland as part of an environmental programme by the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to prevent starvation from overpopulation.
“The [reindeer] numbers are so prolific there that they cull once a year to keep the wider herd healthy. It’s all utilised; the meat is eaten over there and we get the lovely by-product” said Fiona.
