Cupid aims his arrows at Queenstown's Coronet Peak ski area

Queenstown’s Coronet Peak ski area is playing Cupid this Friday night – with a unique ‘speed dating with a lift’ night skiing session on the Cupid Express.

The god of love will aim his quiver of arrows at skiers and snowboarders enjoying Singles Night on Friday August 19, where singletons are encouraged to ditch Queenstown’s renowned bars for the night and start trawling the slopes for their mate instead.

Registration is free and prospective ‘daters’ will get a glass of Arcadia bubbles (for those 18 and over only) to give them a bit of old fashioned Dutch courage before joining a pink or blue lift queue for the five-minute lift ride to heaven.

Cupid Express ‘lifties’ will match girls and boys up and make the introductions to break the ice (so to speak) before a speed date ride to the top of the mountain where the rest is up to each couple.

Ski area manager Hamish McCrostie said Queenstown attracted thousands of young single people to the resort every year to work and play.

“We just thought this would be a fun way to put a spin on a bit of winter matchmaking, taking the stress out of blind dates or trying to catch the eye of someone you like the look of across a crowded and noisy bar.

‘”Who knows, under a starlit sky and with the lights of Queenstown twinkling away in the distance, we might just light the fire of a long-lasting relationship or two!

“The snow’s perfect, the weather forecast’s looking amazing for the weekend, so romance could well be in the air.”

When would-be soulmates have done their dash on the slopes, they’re invited into the Coronet Peak base building restaurant where food and drink specials will be on offer for skiers, snowboarders and their mate (or mates).

Free registration will be in the base building between 5pm and 5.30pm, and the Cupid Express will start up from 6pm. Normal night skiing rates and hours will apply.