By Rebecca Harris
The sixth annual 42 Below Cocktail World Cup has kicked off in Queenstown, New Zealand on Monday (March 22).
Having developed a reputation as one of the most passionate and extreme competitions in the bartending community, thousands of bartenders enter the Cup each year.
This year, 24 finalists from across the world were selected to represent their country in teams of three. In Australia, three state-based finals were held last year to select Chris Hysted (VIC), Noriel Calub (NSW) and Karel Reyes Gonzalez (QLD) as Team Australia.
They have joined teams from the United States, New Zealand, France, Italy, London, Ireland and Belfast for four days of challenges in Queenstown, before heading to Wellington for the grand final on Saturday (Mar 27).
Team Australia has so far done well, winning the first ‘Modern Mocktail’ Challenge, which required contestants to successfully create a mocktail while riding on a Shotover Jet Boat.
42 Below is one of the world’s leading vodka brands and 2010 marks 10 years since the first bottle was sold in New Zealand by founder Geoff Ross.