The 42 Below Cocktail World Cup has taken Queenstown by storm this week with an extreme display of cocktail making whilst Jet Boating, Bungy Jumping, cavorting down the side of a mountain in a rubber tube and dangling out of a helicopter 200 metres above the ground. This is the only event of it's kind in the world.
42 bartenders representing 12 countries - The USA, The UK, Australia, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and New Zealand descended on Queenstown for a week of mixology mayhem. Known for their sharp haircuts and nocturnal lifestyles, the bartenders experienced thrills and spills amongst falling snowflakes and all 42 rose to the challenge.
The New Zealand teams were the most extreme in the bungy jumping challenge where they had to leap off a bridge attached to a 42 metre bungy chord and shake a 42 Below passionfruit cosmopolitan on the way down.
The New Zealand bartenders handled the Jet Boating challenge with gusto as they made a cocktail with 42 Below Manuka Honey, white cacoa, macadamia nut liqueur and espresso, whilst racing down the Shotover river at 70 km per hour and 360 degree spins.
The final extreme challenge was to make a cocktail dangling outside a helicopter 150 feet above a ledge off the Remarkables. Jonny McKenzie from Boulot in Auckland and Damian Hammond from Apartment 1 in Wanaka put on an outstanding, fearless performance.
The competition is tough this year and the pressure is on the kiwi teams to win the Cocktail World cup from the Australians, when they perform on the ice bar this afternoon (results of overall winner released Friday 23rd September).
42 Below Vodka, Air New Zealand, and Vodafone New Zealand sponsor the Cocktail World Cup. 42 Below is the only vodka from New Zealand. It is distilled with spring water that achieves the highest purity rating possible and is the most awarded vodka in the world.
