InTheSnow Issue 29 - January 2013 by InTheSnow

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RY 2013 | JANUA ISSUE 29

N NOW O D STAN NEWS

ski

's Greatest Britain is coming NEC M A show H G BIRMIN T 2013

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WANT EVEN MORE SKI & SNOWBOARDING NEWS, THEN VISIT INTHESNOW.COM

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7X BRITISH CHAMPION, CHEMMY ALCOTT FLIES WITH MONARCH Up to 7 flights a week to Friedrichschafen, Munich, Grenoble & Innsbruck

Watch the film Haglofs.com /vassi Film: David kvart

PROUDLY PRESENTING VASSI At the beginning of April, it really starts to get light again. Lifting the powerful silhouette of the 400 million year-old mountain known to the Sami as Vassitjåkka. The wind-sculpted landscape surrounding it is covered in cold, white, feathery snow. An instructive playground for generations of skiers. This is where we found the inspiration we were looking for to create our new clothes and ski backpacks, designed in collaboration with two of the most experienced freeskiers we know, Per Jonsson and Asbjørn Eggebø Næss.

O S kA R E NA N DE R

Christened Vassi Jacket and Pant and the Skrå backpack.

VAS S I J ACk ET Shell jacket in Gore-Tex® Pro. Spacious fit, allowing space for body armour underneath, and strategically

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positioned ventilation. Helmet-compatible hood with HAGLÖFS LOGOTYPE high collar giving good protection for the face.

VAS S I bIb

Minimalistic freeriding backpack.

Removable snow skirt in stretch material which

Designed in collaboration with

With space for everything

can be fastened to all pants.

B A S I C L O G O T Y P E . TO B E U S E D A S N E G AT I V E W H I T E O N A B L A C K O R D A R K B A C K G R O U N D

professional skiers to give

you need, separate compartment

maximum freedom of movement

for safety equipment and

and function when freeriding.

fastening for your skis.

O UTSTANDI NG OUTDOOR EQUI P ME N T

P LE A S E CONTA CT HA GLÖFS I F Y OU RE QUI RE A S S I S TANCE OR A DV I CE WI TH THE A P P LI CATI ON OF THE LOGOTY P E

JANUARY 2013 | inthesnow.com

t’s great to be writing this editor’s column in the last week of autumn, and the first of the main winter season, with snow on the ground outside the InTheSnow office here in the Scottish Highlands, and the local ski slopes at Aviemore open for the season on 1 December. Things are looking fairly–very good in the wider ski world for the 2012–13 season too. A sizeable number of resorts in Europe and North America opened early for the season; Revelstoke in British Columbia reported that it had received 3m of snow before it opened, and the glacier resort of Pitztal in Austria – which has been open 3 months already – says it received a similar accumulation through the autumn. In Scandinavia some Norwegian resorts are saying it’s the snowiest start to the winter in 50 years, and resorts in the Pyrenees got a good dump of snow at the end of November so resorts were able to open there. Even Belgian ski areas were open for the first week of December, after 15cm of snow fell on the Ardennes hills in the south of the famously (mostly) flat country. So let’s hope the snowy start has continued in the few weeks between me writing this and you reading it. Along with great snow, 2012–13 will hopefully be remembered for great displays of the Aurora Borealis, should your ski destination this winter take you to an area at a northerly latitude. Along with clear skies, the strength of the Aurora relies to some extent on a solar activity cycle that lasts around 11 years – and for the last 5½ years the strength has been building since the last low. And to add to the excitement NASA scientists say this peak could be the strongest of the past five solar cycles – or since the 1950s. So if you’re up in Lapland, there could be colourful skies this winter; and even if you’re elsewhere in Scandinavia, in Canada or even Scotland, remember to look up when you’re leaving your après-ski venue on a clear evening, and those colourful lights you’re seeing may be nothing to do with one too many vin chauds!

InTheSnow Goes Live! at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

PATRICK THORNE

he main ski season is just a few weeks old, but the great start to this winter has everyone upbeat for 2013, and InTheSnow already has exciting news to launch the 2013–14 Olympic season in style – a whole new ski show! The team behind the UK’s biggest ski magazine, is delighted to announce the arrival of InTheSnow Live (inthesnowlive.com), coming to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, in October this year. And we promise that just as we’ve revolutionised the ski publishing market in print and online, we’ll be offering a very different kind of ski show. InTheSnow Live will be a national ski show for everyone, from first-timers to seasoned skiers and snowboarders, and will bring the old ski show concept into the 21st century. We already have some exciting features planned. InTheSnow Live will have lots to see and do, so that you won’t have to just wander aimlessly from stand to stand. Instead we promise an exceptional day out, with a visually rich show that provides a genuine mountain feel, so both experienced snow sports fans and newbies can get a taste of the real winter sports holiday experience. All levels of skier or potential skier will be able to indulge as little or as much as they like, with everything from actual skiing and boarding on a multi-purpose slope, to just sitting back and enjoying the taste of the mountains. If you’d prefer to stay stationary, you will be able to sit in our two-storey après-ski bar, and watch live World Cup action from Austria on the very, very big screen (8mx5m in fact) – your chance to bone up on the stars that will be going for gold a few months later

Publisher

DOMINIC KILLINGER dom@inthesnow.com Production Director

MATT NICHOLSON matt@inthesnow.com

to meet fellow skiers and boarders, than by going to a live event – and I wholeheartedly People who have never before tried skiing agree. I am absolutely confident that the will be able to put on ski boots for the first time, passion and expertise displayed by Dominic experts can indulge in a custom boot fitting. Killinger and his colleagues will ensure that The aforementioned après-ski bar will thousands of visitors to InTheSnow Live at be an attraction in its own right, coated in fur and chandeliers, with DJ and dancers the NEC will overwhelmingly agree too.” upstairs, and a VIP bar downstairs, along Killinger promises that, “We’re going to with a cocktail and champagne bar with places to sit and take in the music. Also on our ideas list is a really cool fashion show, Christmas village area, chalets serving crepes and hot chocolates, and basically everything we can think of to create that authentic in-resort feel. “A live event is the natural progression for InTheSnow, WHERE: and we aim to build on our NEC Birmingham phenomenal growth since launching the magazine 6 years WHEN: ago by bringing our readers a 25–27 October 2013 new live snow sports event. The NEC is the perfect venue being within 2 hours’ drive of over MORE: 40% of the UK’s population,” says inthesnowlive.com InTheSnow Publisher, Show Director and Dragon’s Den success story Dominic Killinger. The NEC is looking forward to having us create the UK’s best ski and board show for them too. “We surprise and delight visitors and really are absolutely delighted to be welcoming deliver, whilst offering great value for the team behind the leading ski and everyone who loves snow sports. And snowboarding magazine in the UK to that’s not to mention our £50k cash prize Birmingham,” says Kathryn James, the give away, which everyone who attends NEC’s Managing Director, “A recent edition the show will have a chance of winning.” of InTheSnow said that there’s no better And yes you will still be allowed to place to really get to know the new season’s wander aimlessly from stand to stand if equipment and novelties first hand, and also you really want to.

Editor

Sub Editor

Boot Room Sponsored By

Design By

PATRICK THORNE

MICHELLE SADLER

SKI BARTLETT

ROCKET BASE

Reporters / Contributors

Ski Tuition By

Olivia Parry-Jones Jon West Sally Brookes DAVID BLACK

JON WEST

patrick@inthesnow.com News Editor

BEN CLATWORTHY ben@inthesnow.com Public Relations

DEBBIE GABRIEL debbie@inthesnow.com

www.rocketbase.co.uk © Copyright 2013 No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in anyway or means, either by recording or otherwise, without permission of the publishers in writing.

The Snow Studio / Kings Lane / Buckinghamshire / HP16 0QY // +44 (0)1494 862 423 // dOM@INTHESNOW.COM // www.INTHESNOW.COM

patrick@inthesnow.com

MORZINE-AVORIAZ The new Prodains funitel, a strategic lift

inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

SEE BEFORE YOU SKI PATRICK THORNE

linking Morzine with the Avoriaz, uses the latest technology to create an easy to use, exceptionally comfortable, high speed lift (7m/s), which all means a high capacity (from 2000 to 2400 people per hour, depending on the number of cabins). Only six lifts of this type are currently in use worldwide. The lift has been installed by the PomaLeitner lift company and used only two

oogle Street View, the service that shows you images of more than 402,336km of roads around the world, is now available for the pistes of more than 90 top ski areas around the planet. It’s a couple of seasons already since Aspen’s slopes were among the first to be filmed by a special Google Street View

camera mounted on a snowmobile, and since then the Internet giant has been clocking-up more ski areas, including many with some of the world’s most spectacular scenery. Among new resorts for winter 2012–13 is stunning Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, and the top Spanish resort Baqueira Beret in the Pyrenees. "Whether you're looking to discover a piste you've never tried before, or just

want to take in some winter wonderland scenery, we've added Street View imagery for resorts across Europe (including runs in Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Italy and Spain), Canada (including runs in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario) and the U.S. (including runs in Utah and Michigan)," wrote Ulf Spitzer, Program Manager for Google Street View on the Google official blog.

support pylons. Replacing an old cable car, the new lift will have a dozen 35-passenger cabins. There are new departure and arrival stations, which integrate well into the landscape as they have been half-buried to minimise their visual aspect.

VAIL, COLORADO Vail Mountain in Colorado, the largest ski resort in the US, and celebrating its 50th anniversary in December, has announced

The BMW Gondola

the installation of a new state-of-the art tenpassenger gondola. The cabins will provide a cosy 7.5 minute ride for passengers, with heated, cushioned seats and Wi-Fi access.

GARMISCH The Zugspitz ski area above Garmisch Partenkirchen, the highest in Germany, will add a new six-seater chairlift next winter. The new chair, named ”Wetterwandeckbahn”, will be constructed beneath the area’s Wetterwandeck, and will replace two drag lifts that have formerly run on this route. The resort spokesperson said the primary aim of the lift is to ”guarantee more comfort to our guests, as well as to improve uplift time.”

GRIMENTZ AND ZINAL In 2011 the local councils of these two Swiss resorts in the Valais region voted in favour of a new cable car connecting the two ski areas. There are currently 70km of pistes in Zinal, whilst Grimentz currently has slopes to over 3000m and 11 different ski lifts, including one ten-seat gondola. The new cable car has been designed to dramatically improve the popularity of the two ski areas.

Bruce Willis Gives Away His Ski Resort ctor Bruce Willis has decided to give away the ski resort he owns, Soldier Mountain in Idaho, as part of a move to divest himself of property in and around the towns of Fairfield and Hailey, which he has owned since the time of his marriage to Demi Moore. Soldier Mountain is a small area with four lifts, a 430m vertical and 283 hectares of terrain. Additional snowcat skiing, opening up a vertical of nearly 800m, is available in the region on a further 607 hectares leased from the US Forest Service. Soldier Mountain’s base lodge was destroyed by fire in March 2009, but this was quickly rebuilt by Willis. Willis is selling the bar and theatre he owns in Fairfield for more than $20m, but decided to give the ski area to the citizens of Fairfield. A non-profit group has been formed to takeover the mountain, after Willis visited in the spring to discuss the ownership changes at Soldier Mountain at a meeting in the town hall. "I couldn’t be more pleased with the organization that will be responsible for the management of Soldier Mountain Ski Area," Willis told the Idaho Statesman. "It was exciting to see that the very people who ski at Soldier care so much about its future. I wish them the very best."

Hot on the heels of the new Porsche-designed chairlift at Laax, Switzerland, comes the BMW gondola cabin in the Hochzillertal ski area of the Austrian Tirol. Yes, this winter guests staying at the luxurious on-mountain ski lodges, the Wedelhuette or the Kristallhuette, in the Hochzillertal ski area can arrive in true VIP-style. One of the Leitner-designed gondola cabins has been transformed into the interior of a BMW 7 Series limousine, including brown leather seats with massage and heating function, multimedia system, and most importantly a champagne glass holder. A ride on the BMW Individual for Leitner gondola (www.vipgondel.at/en) starts from €25pp (£20)for guests staying at the Wedelhuette or Kristallhuette, or from €75pp (£61), including ski pass and lunch at one of the properties for non-residents. It’s not the first creative use of a gondola in recent years. Germany’s Arber ski area’s gondola operated both the ”Cuddle Cabin” with tintedglass windows (enough said ...) and has been known to convert gondolas into a fairy-tale carriage design for weddings. Yllas in Finland famously operates a wood-clad sauna cabin, which users can cook in en-route upwards, before diving out to roll in the snow at the top.

JANUARY 2013 | inthesnow.com

First Freeride World Qualifier In The UK BEN CLATWORTHY

or the first time the UK will host a Freeride World Qualifier(FWQ), as The Coe Cup, staged at Glencoe ski area, has been added to the FWQ calendar (freerideworldtour.com). “Great Britain counts excellent riders such as Paddy Graham - who demonstrated his Big Mountain riding skills at the 2012 Swatch Skiers Cup in Chile. Scotland proposes out of bounds venues which can be world-class. It is

now time for the world to discover these,” said Nicolas Hale-Woods, FWT General Manager Europe. The event will run on from 16–17 March, and riders will be divided into four categories: men’s ski, men’s snowboard, women’s ski and women’s snowboard. Coe Cup Event Organiser Rob McCreath added, “There's a great ski and snowboard scene here in Scotland with a lot of talented athletes, a huge variety of terrain, and incredible views and stunning backdrops all around.”

First New 5 Hotel In A Century Opens in Gstaad he Alpina Gstaad, which opened on 1 December, is the first luxury hotel to be built in the region for 100 years. Costing CHF300m (£201m/$322m) the 56-room hotel is located amidst a 20,000m2 exclusive hilltop area in Oberbort, 5 minutes from the centre of Gstaad. Accessed by a private, covered driveway, facilities include a 2000m2 spa, three restaurants, a wine-tasting room, a

cigar room, a ballroom and a boardroom. “We are building the newest five star hotel in Gstaad in 100 years and the architecture design will be in traditional style inspired by local Swiss alpine culture and the rugged authenticity of the Bernese Oberland. It will be a cosy and luxurious boutique hotel providing an indulgent Swiss mountain experience”, explained hotel owners, Marcel Bach and Jean-Claude Mimran.

ROCKER

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Beautiful Ski Chalets in Méribel Choose from our range of ski chalets… whether it’s a high-end chalet close to the centre of Méribel, an authentic Savoyarde chalet in the village of Les Allues, or almost anything in between…the choice is yours!

inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

Red Mountain Adds a Grey Mountain PATRICK THORNE

ed Mountain Resort (redresort.com) in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, will add 405 hectares of new terrain to its existing ski area, on a second peak, Grey Mountain, to complete a 2-year expansion project. The expansion, one of the largest in North America for several decades, will create an area of around 1093 hectares. Initially, a snowcat will shuttle skiers and snowboarders to the summit of Grey, and a quad chairlift will be installed summer 2013. “The scale of this expansion is a true game-changer for Red Mountain Resort and for the community of Rossland,”

said Howard Katkov, President and CEO of Red Mountain Resort. “The management team has spent the last eight years carefully reinforcing the company’s infrastructure, investing $50 million in the facilities, and completing world-class slope-side accommodations. Now we’re truly ready for prime-time.” Red Mountain, which reported 61cm of new snow in 3 days shortly before Christmas, is highly regarded for its advanced terrain, but the expansion will add 22 mostly intermediate level terrain. “Grey, like Granite (Red’s other peak), is volcano-shaped, which allows for 360-degree skiing around the peak from a single lift, a topographical feature few resorts in the world are lucky to have,” said Katkov.

Serious Retro-Skiing In Madonna adonna di Campiglio in the Italian Dolomites takes ”retro skiing” to its next level when the resort recreates an era from two centuries ago, in which the Austrian-centred Hapsburg dynasty ruled the land, and Princess Sissi and Prince Francesco Giuseppe were particularly fond of the ski resort in the making. The Hapsburg Carnival week takes place from 10–15 February, in the "Pearl of the Dolomites", and guests in resort at that time can expect to see the charming age of the Emperor coming back to Madonna di Campiglio.

Expect parades in costume through the snow, fireworks, and imperial ski torchlit processions, with the climax of the week the colourful Emperor’s Ball, all in a magical evocation of the ancient Hapsburg Court.

Sports Direct Moves Into Ski Market ports Direct, the chain of discounted sportswear and sport equipment stores, has made a stronger move into the snowsports sector, with the purchase of discounted ski wear and snow sports equipment stores and sites, The Ski Warehouse and skiwear4less. com, which operates four stores. Sports Direct, which is valued at £1.8bn, say it aims to capture 20% of

Call: 01962 855220 Email: team@les3chalets.com

the UK retail market within 3 years, with brands including Nevica, famed for its garish 1980s neon coloured suits, and a policy of putting Skiwear4less shops within existing Sports Direct stores. “The snow sports market is relatively untapped by Sports Direct ... the acquisition of Skiwear4less opens up an excellent opportunity to grow our presence.”

offers visit For great holiday fo/ukoffers .in ol www.suedtir

InTheSnow.com

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Ischgl

The Party Capital Of The Alps BEN CLATWORTHY

eading to the Alps before the first door on the advent calendar has been opened could be seen as too big a gamble: Will there be enough snow? How many lifts will be open? are just some of the concerns that spring to mind. That said, there are many benefits to skiing before the Christmas period – the

Ben Clatworthy was a guest of the PaznaunIschgl tourist office in Ischgl (paznaunischgl.com). He stayed at the 4 Hotel Seiblishof (seiblishof.com), where a week’s half-board starts at €1055pp (£856). For more information contact the Austrian National Tourist Office (austria.info).

main one being virtually empty pistes, as well as the many offers resorts offer in order to lure in early-season skiers. The majority of resorts in the Alps open without a scene, however, some prefer to open with a bang. The Austrian resort of Ischgl — nicknamed “the party capital of the Alps” — is famed for its blowout all-singing, alldancing opening week, climaxing with the infamous Top of the Mountain concert, which in the past has attracted the likes of Katy Perry, Elton John, Rihanna and Kylie, to name but a few. Pinning so much on the first week of the season is a big gamble, just last year the resort was forced to spend over €1m on artificial snow in order to ensure the ski area opened on time. However, this year the situation is poles apart: generous snowfalls in the early autumn left many high-altitude European resorts with oodles of snow, bolstered further by fantastic snowfalls at the beginning of December. In fact, this season, for the opening weekend, Ischgl had more

kilometres of pistes open than any other resort in the world. This season the resort opened in its usual exuberant style, with a series of concerts headlined by the Scorpions, who cheerily performed in temperatures of –10°C to a 13,000-strong crowd. The wrinkly, but still splendidly energetic, German rock band — famed for their song Wind of Change — might not have troubled the UK charts much since 1991, when they were no.2, but they're still massive in Germany and Scandinavia. Other acts on the highaltitude stage during the opening week festivities included Scottish singer Amy MacDonald, and Swiss-born DJ Antoine, rocking the crowds in his fur-hooded puffa and giant shades. The village isn’t particularly high, at 1377m, but the top is a whopping 2872m, guaranteeing snow throughout the resort’s 5-month season. The ski area is vast, with 238km of pistes, and linked skiing to the Swiss (and tax-free) resort of Samnaun. In the resort, 64% of the runs are categorised as red, so it’s probably safe to say Ischgl

isn’t the best resort for beginners. However, the nearby resorts of Galtür and Kappl are ideal for families and beginners, with both offering 40km of pistes. The Silvretta ski pass also covers these resorts. A visit to the architecturally-striking Pardorama restaurant is a must whilst in the resort, as is having your photo taken by the iconic distance sign made from old skis. The building is home to two restaurants: the pricier a la carte option upstairs serving beautifully presented food, and a self-service eatery downstairs. The resort is lively, to say the least, and has been dubbed by some as ”Ibiza on ice”. It might sound ominous, but here you’ll find true Austrian-style, dancing-onthe-tables après-ski and the atmosphere is buzzing. The bars at the bottom of the pistes are packed to the rafters from 3pm, with the partying not letting up for another 12 hours! The Trofana Alm bar is a favourite of many Ischgl veterans, and the resort is even home to a Pacha nightclub — which has its roots in Ibiza. Just don’t party too hard or you’ll miss all the snow.

St Anton am Arlberg Tourist Board / Wolfgang Ehn

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Ladies First In St Anton am Arlberg t Anton am Arlberg (stantonamarlberg.com) is staging special "Ladies First" weeks from the 5–26 January, when the Austrian Tyrolean resort famed for its tough skiing and hedonistic nightlife highlights its

gentler side and promises it will be, "pampering girlfriends, mothers and daughters both on and off the piste." Packages, which include seven nights’ B&B accommodation and a 6-day pass, cost from €400, and include free entry to the sauna facilities at ARLBERG-well.com

To buy or to rent is a question as old as skiing as a mass participation sport. Debated long and hard by interested parties, it will never go away, but ask any skier who uses their own equipment and the response will nearly always be “buy, don't rent”. Boots rarely divide opinion. Owning them should mean better comfort, improvements in performance, and savings in money and time spent queuing in rental stores. Rental boots really only make sense for beginners as they develop their enjoyment of the sport. Every other skier should invest in boots. The question of buying or renting skis can bring in many different opinions. We genuinely believe there are many positive reasons for owning. As with boots, rental skis are ideal for beginners, they make sense financially and for ease of use. But beyond first-time skiers, anyone with an interest in going again will benefit from owning. No more reliance on the rental shop lottery to get decent equipment in good condition; no more spending 3+ days adjusting your skiing – you're not learning to ski again, you’re learning how to use unfamiliar gear. Every time you ski, if you know how your skis work and react, your ability should improve, and so too your enjoyment – after all we do ski because we enjoy it! You may need to pay for carriage on flights (not always though, e.g. Swiss Air), and they do need some maintenance, although this is cheap and is even easy to do at home, but don't forget how expensive decent rental kit is now. Ultimately, we ski for pleasure, so why not maximise the sensation? Got a question for the Ellis Brigham team? Then email it to marketing@ellis-brigham. com, tweet it to @ellisbrigham, or post on Facebook, and if your question is featured next month you could win a £100 Ellis Brigham gift voucher.

Visit our website at ellis-brigham.com

Photos credit: Dom DAHER - Tristan SHU - EIDER©

Should You Buy Or Should You Rent?

ADRIEN COIRIER

Val Thorens (France), January 2012

with a special book of discount vouchers for ladies only, deals on sportswear shopping, free drink and discounts in bars and restaurants, and even a free day's use of a transceiver for powder skiing ladies – available to collect from the tourist office.

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JANUARY 2013 | inthesnow.com

Ice Adrenaline In St Moritz BEN CLATWORTHY

he four-man US bob team that participated in the 1928 Olympics, which took place in St Moritz, only started practising together 18 days before the event. And still they won gold. What’s more, three members of that team had never been in a bobsled before. So participating in one of the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz’s bob packages this season could be the start of your path to Olympic glory. In fact, it could be your national duty to give it a try and find out if you’re made of the right stuff! The Kulm Hotel St. Moritz (kulmhotelstmoritz.ch), the world’s original winter sports holiday hotel, has put together three packages for modern-day winter sports adrenaline junkies. The “Cresta Run” package includes three nights’ accommodation, a lavish daily breakfast and lunch in the Sunny Bar (the meeting point of the Cresta riders off the shutes), plus five Cresta rides over 2 or 3 days including tuition,

equipment, and a 25-minute massage – essential for easing the pain after a ride. The package costs from CHF1545pp (approx. £1030), based on two sharing a double room, and is available from 13 January–8 February. For no adequately explained reason women are not allowed down the Cresta Run, but can still book a Cresta package and receive a credit of CHF400 to use in the brand new £8m Kulm Spa St. Moritz as an alternative. It’s a nightmare decision to have to make, battle for equal rights to risk death on a small metal sledge hurtling down an ice track, or hit the spa? In any case women are, however, allowed to participate in the “Bob Taxi Ride” package, which includes two nights’ accommodation on a half-board basis, a bob taxi ride (with a certificate and an Olympic bob run pin), a relaxing 20-minute hydrojet Alpine herb bath, and unlimited use of Kulm Spa St. Moritz. Prices start from CHF980pp (approx. £655), based on two sharing a double room, and the package is

available from 13 January–8 February (Sunday–Thursday inclusive). Finally, the “Monobob” package is exclusive to Kulm Hotel St. Moritz guests, who will get the chance to pilot a monobob down the ice run, from the heart of St Moritz to the bottom of the valley, thundering through the Horse Shoe turn at speeds of up to 121km/h and 3g compression! Nice. “This really is a ride that gives the feeling of unrivalled adventure, so it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted, just those with nerves of steel!” said a statement from the hotel. The package includes two nights’ B&B accommodation, two monobob runs (following training from a pro), lunch at the Bob restaurant, a curling lesson, and an aperitif followed by dinner in the Sunny Bar, as well as unlimited use of Kulm Spa St. Moritz. Prices start from CHF1470pp (approx. £985), based on two sharing a double room, and the package is only available on specific dates, namely 14–16 January and 24–26 February.

Fit is our religion Custom boot fitting. Your comfort, our focus.

Rivington Alpine The North West’s largest independent winter sports shop.

Units 10+11 Adlington South Business Village Huyton Road, Adlington, CHORLEY Lancashire PR7 4JR t: 01257 483 999 www.rivingtonalpine.co.uk

InTheSnow.com

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GREAT KIT FROM KILLY & EIDER Killy’s Nymphe Jacket

Killy’s Zeus Jacket

Eider Shawnee Jacket

Eider Corbet Jacket

£550

£1000

£139

This ladies Nymphe Jacket has a flattering cut and 3" wide black stripes down the sides of the body to project the illusion of a slimmer silhouette. This French-inspired cut includes nipped in waist and flattering length that finishes just at the hips. Available in white with black contouring and pink with black detail; it is well insulated with lightweight duck down for additional warmth and features a faux-fur lined hood.

Killy’s Zeus men’s jacket has innate style and features black heat-bonded latex for an understated 007 edge. It features a lining made from new, groundbreaking Schoeller PCM (Phase Change Materials) technology, which contains microcapsules that are set at a specific temperature range. When body or outside temperature rises, the PCM liquefies within its capsule thereby storing the heat. When the temperature falls again the PCM solidifies and releases the stored heat.

LOOKS GREAT WITH La Molina Pant £89

LOOKS GREAT WITH Meije Pant £95

This jacket made from Eider’s Defender fabric is warmth and waterproof and is available in bright colours including Hawaiian blue, very berry and purple. Wear with the La Molina pant (either in a contrasting colour or matching), which also uses Defender waterproof fabric and quality synthetic insulation.

This unique looking jacket with its graphic, colourful design is both fashion forward and technical, so will keep boys warm and dry. Using Eider’s Defender two-layer waterproof fabric, it also features synthetic insulation for added protection. Team with the Meije Pant that comes in matching colours black or green, or contrasting blue or fiery red.

R E D W O P O POWER T os pp* Photo accreditations: Agence Zoom

Eur 5 4 2 m o r f s 7-night lift pass r u o y g n i d u incl

Over 250km of snow-sure, tree-lined sunny slopes. Discover the ultimate ski and board experience on some of the most beautiful high altitude peaks in France.

Awesome! *7-nights s/c accommodation inc. 6-day lift pass; selected dates apply.

Serre Chevalier Vallée Tourist Office: 0033 (0)4 92 24 98 80 www.serre-chevalier.com

Tignes: Jan 20 Was Now

Call for more great holiday offers

Morzine: Feb 3

£754

£449

Incl: Flights, Hotel, Catering

Was Now

£719

£473

Incl: Flights, Hotel, Catering

Meribel: Feb 24

La Plagne: Mar 10

Was

Now

£749

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Now

£779

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020 3051 2276 sales@alpineelements.co.uk

*Offers include: 7 Nts Chalet or Hotel Accom, Gatwick Flights, Transfers, breakfast, Cakes & Tea, 3 course catering with wine. Offers may be withdrawn. Sups may apply

www.alpineelements.co.uk | sales@alpineelements.co.uk

ski WEEkENDs

Meribel: 3 Nts

* Deals include Rtn Flights, Hotel accom, Breakfast, afternoon tea, 3 course catering

Jan 2013, Now

Morzine: 3 Nts

£349 £457 Was

Jan 2013, Now

Chamonix: 4 Nts

£299 £428 Was

Feb 2013, Now

Les Gets: 3 Nts

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inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

It's Snowing On Mars PATRICK THORNE

he latest published observations from the Mars Orbiter spacecraft (nasa.gov/mro) point to what NASA is describing as "dry ice snowfall" on the red planet. "(The latest) data has given scientists the clearest evidence yet of carbon dioxide snowfalls on Mars. This reveals the only known example of carbon dioxide snow falling anywhere in our solar system," said a NASA report, being published in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Frozen carbon dioxide, better known as "dry ice”, requires temperatures of about –125°C, which is much colder than needed for freezing water. "These are the first definitive detections

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of carbon dioxide snow clouds," said the report's Lead Author Paul Hayne of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, "We firmly establish the clouds are composed of carbon dioxide – flakes of Martian air – and they are thick enough to result in snowfall accumulation at the surface." With private investors now planning the first manned expedition to Mars it seems possible that man will be skiing, or even snowboarding on Mars before the end of the century. Whether those pioneering Martian skiers opt for the carbon dioxide powder at the South Pole, or the more conventional water-ice snow identified falling on northern Mars by NASA's Phoenix Lander mission in 2008, is yet to be decided.

Three Spanish Ski Safaris

Connecting you to the French and Swiss Alps

Les Gets Morillon Courchevel Chamonix Valley Megeve Meribel Les Arcs Les Deux Alpes Les Contamines Les Menuires La Tania St. Gervais Avoriaz Brides-les-Bains La Clusaz Val Thorens Val d'Isère Les Gets La Rosière Tignes St. Foy Zermatt Morillon Courchevel Gstaad Morzine Verbier Saas Fee Chamonix Valley Megeve Meribel Les Arcs Les Gets Les Carroz Samoëns Nendaz Flaine Les Deux Alpes Les Contamines Les Menuires Morillon Courchevel La Tania St. Gervais Avoriaz Brides-les-Bains Alpe d'Huez Crans Montana Chamonix Valley Megeve Meribel Les Arcs La Plagne La Clusaz Val Thorens Val d'Isère Champagny en Vanoise Les Deux Alpes Les Contamines Les Menuires Morillon La Tania St. Gervais Avoriaz La Rosière Tignes St. Foy Zermatt Brides-les-Bains St. Gervais Gstaad Morzine Verbier Saas Fee Avoriaz La Plagne La Clusaz Val Thorens Val d'Isère Les Carroz Samoëns Nendaz Flaine Les Contamines Brides-les-Bains La Rosière Tignes St. Foy Zermatt Les Deux Alpes Alpe d'Huez Crans Montana Les Arcs Gstaad Morzine Verbier Saas Fee Champagny en Vanoise Les Menuires Les Carroz Samoëns Nendaz Flaine Les Gets La Tania Morillon Courchevel Chamonix Valley St. Gervais Avoriaz Alpe d'Huez Crans Montana La Plagne Val d'Isère Les Deux Alpes Megeve Champagny en Vanoise Chamonix Valley Megeve Meribel La Tania Les Gets Verbier Val d'Isère Morillon Courchevel La Plagne La Clusaz Val Thorens Chamonix Valley Megeve Meribel Les Arcs Les Deux Alpes Les Contamines Les Menuires La Rosière Tignes St. Foy Zermatt La Tania St. Gervais Avoriaz Brides-les-Bains Gstaad Morzine Verbier Saas Fee La Plagne La Clusaz Val Thorens Val d'Isère Les Carroz Samoëns Nendaz Flaine La Rosière Tignes St. Foy Zermatt Saas Fee Alpe d'Huez Crans Montana Gstaad Morzine Verbier Champagny en Vanoise Les Carroz Samoëns Nendaz Flaine Alpe d'Huez

Chamonix Mont Blanc Val d’Isère Tignes

Portes du Soleil /Grand Massif

Les 3 Vallées Oisans Switzerland - Les 4 Vallées www.mountaindropoffs.com

aqueira Beret (baqueira.es) in the Spanish Pyrenees is launching three new ski safari itineraries this winter, suited to beginners, intermediate and expert skiers. The self-guided routes, which can be accessed online, are very detailed, and provide comprehensive information about the facilities and services available along each route. The intermediate level ”red safari” route, for example, is 37,130m long, during which participants will ski down 7097 vertical metres. The duration of your trip will depend on how fast you ski of course, and how busy

the resort is. Baqueira calculates the trip will take 4 hours 8 minutes, if there are no queues; but 7 hours 8 minutes if there are, on average, 10-minute queues. These calculations assume that you keep up an average 525m skied per minute, with an average 1 minute rest for every 570m skied.

Sochi Weekend With Ski Solutions ith Sochi 2014, host resort to the Winter Olympics on the horizon, UK specialist ski tour operator Ski Solutions (skisolutions. com/sochi) is offering a January ski weekend to Sochi including a onenight Moscow stopover. The package, which has a limit of 15 participants and runs from Thursday 17–Monday 21 January, offers skiers

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the chance to check out the new ski resort, which has a 1720m vertical and state-of-the-art lift system, with 2 full days skiing included in the weekend itinerary, plus the night in Moscow to visit the Kremlin. The holiday costs £1195 including flights (British Airways from London Heathrow to Moscow), transfers, lift pass and accommodation in the 4Radisson Hotel Krasnaya Polyana.

Every skiing jacket goes through countless quality ch ecks. We do the first 600. You and the mountains do the rest.

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inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

Holiday Prices Drop By 18% To Andorra BEN CLATWORTHY

n annual study sponsored by Post Office Travel Money has found that average holiday costs to Soldeu, Andorra, are 18% lower this winter than last, but the authors of the report have tipped Italy as the top value choice with prices falling: Italy’s average holiday price (£429) was the cheapest of the ”big four” ski nations, and more than 30% less than Switzerland. The Post Office Ski Resort Report (postoffice.co.uk/skireport2012), which features prices for 27 European and North American resorts, researched by the leading ski-holiday operator Crystal Ski, found that Eastern Europe was still the cheapest for bargain-hunters as usual, but that prices were falling across Europe. “The stronger pound is having a positive impact on ski resort prices in Europe this year. Prices are down in most resorts but the best savings to be struck are where the improved

exchange rate combines with falling local prices. Aside from the 18.3 drop in costs Soldeu, skiers are likely to save 12 per cent in Nendaz (Switzerland) and 5.5 per cent in Ellmau (Austria),” said Andrew Brown, Post Office Head of Travel Money. Visitors to Livigno in the Italian Alps can expect to find the cost of ski passes, equipment hire, ski school, meals and drinks 10% lower than last year. At £361.85 for ski holiday costs, Livigno was fourth cheapest of all resorts studied, and has the lowestpriced ski school (£75.44 for 5–6 half days) – under half the cost of 14 other resorts surveyed. In addition to rating all 27 resorts for overall value, this year’s report recommended the best for family skiing, beginners, and for skiers considering world-class resorts. Here too Italy scored well: of 12 world-class resorts surveyed, Italy’s Sestriere (£418.85) and Cervinia (£439.48) were the bargain choices, 42% and 39% cheaper, respectively, than Zermatt (£725.73), Switzerland. More surprisingly, their low prices

earned the two resorts top ten places in the best value chart – Sestriere placed seventh and Cervinia eighth. For a family of four, Soldeu was placed third, only marginally more expensive than Kranjska Gora in Slovenia (£1118.42), with Bansko in Bulgaria the cheapest at £853.26. Its high rating was boosted by a significant drop in local resort prices, which, when combined with a 5.6% rise in sterling’s value against the Euro, resulted in an overall 18.3% fall in ski holiday costs since last year. “Another way to save money is by resort-swapping within countries. For example, families can shave 28 per cent off their ski costs in Austria by choosing Ellmau over Kaprun and almost 20 per cent in Switzerland by visiting Nendaz rather than Wengen,” added Brown, who recommends, “In order not to lose the benefit of the stronger sterling, change holiday cash in advance to get a good rate, or load money onto a pre-paid card like the Post Office Travel Money Card Plus, which is now available in Swiss Francs as well as Euros.”

“Drop In” To Dolomiti Superski fter its success last year, Dolomiti Superski will be running its popular ”Drop in” freestyle days (dolomitisuperski.com/freestyle) for young people wishing to become more proficient in their freestyle skills this winter. For teenagers, jumping, grabbing and doing other aerial performances has now become a cult, and in freestylerspeak “Drop in” means the first approach to this fun specialty, as well as being a warning a freestyler shouts before launching himself onto an obstacle course in a snowpark. Twenty-three ski and snowboard

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We provide responsible tourism, working and developing close relationships with the community; we pass on our warm, friendly and hospitable relations directly to our clients who then enjoy a richer, more traditional experience. We do not import our own reps, ski instructors or guides. Everything we offer is via local people at local prices so you enjoy an authentic time in the mountains.

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schools in the Dolomiti Superski region organise the fun days, twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays from mid-January, for 12–18-year-olds who wish to try an exciting new experience on skis or board, maybe even upside down.

Specialist freestyle instructors reveal the tricks of this new trade to groups of up to ten children per instructor, from 10am to 4pm. A day’s course costs €60pp (£49) or to include freestyle equipment hire and twin tip skis it costs €80 (£65) – ski pass not included.

creation of five igloo dormitories. There are two igloo restaurants serving breakfast and dinner using locallysourced produce, and the decor include ice sculptures designed to give visitors a really surreal, outdoor experience. The village is open Wednesday,

Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 8am. Prices range from €45pp (£37) for a meal for a group booking, or €80pp (£65) for a group meal and overnight stay, or €120pp (£98) for a meal and private igloo. blacksheep-igloo.com

Freeride Club For Future Champions mong its many attributes, Verbier is known as a mecca for extreme snow sports competition, and this winter Verbier's Swiss Ski School (verbiersportplus.ch)

and the Freeride World Tour have created the Verbier Freeride Club, a special learner's programme for children aged from 8–18 years, with the aim of helping create future Extreme de Verbier champions.

The Club takes place on five afternoons from 18–22 February and 15–29 March, and costs CHF320 (£215) per week. Private day lessons are available throughout the season for CHF440 (approx. £300) per day.

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wo igloo villages have opened this winter in Paradiski (paradiski. com) in the French Alps, one in La Plagne, and one in Les Arcs. The Les Arcs village, located near Arc 1950, is a giant, interconnected igloo village offering great views of Mont Blanc, and is aimed at larger groups. The igloos can be accessed by snowshoe, toboggan or on skis, and offers themed cocktail evenings (cameleon-organisations.com). The La Plagne Igloo Village has been around for three winters now, but keeps evolving and has increased its capacity and can now take 25 guests thanks to the

COURMAYEUR GRESSONEY CHAMPOLUC ALAGNA

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All of the resorts voted in to the top ten were in Austria, Switzerland or the German-speaking part of Italy, with Zermatt, Schladming and Lech Zürs in joint fourth, followed by Kronplatz in Italy (seventh), Arosa (eighth), Ischgl (ninth) and Val Gardena (tenth). Resorts were scored in 21 categories, with French ski areas coming top for extent and snow quality, but not scoring highly enough for overall top ten in other categories. The full results of the study are available at best-skiresorts.com.

LOCAL

The Zuba Ski Promise n international vote, believed to be the largest in the world with more than 40,000 participants, has placed the Austrian resort of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis (Tyrol) in the top spot for popularity, ahead of Swiss resorts Saas-Fee in second place and the Aletsch Arena in third. 41,846 skiers and snowboarders, from 55 top skiing areas in Austria, Germany, Italy, France and

Switzerland, took part in the vote on the slopes of the ski areas. “For us the only thing that counts is the on-the-spot opinion of winter sports enthusiasts, right there on the mountain. It is clear that the demands placed on winter sports resorts and mountain railways are clearly rising. It is not just the quality of the offering that is vital; at the same time people are becoming ever more demanding in terms of range and flexibility,” said study author Mike Partel.

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inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

World Record Boarding Indoors PATRICK THORNE

group of snowboarders have jumped their way into the record books – indoors. More than 50 boarders participated in the Guinness World Record attempt at the Chill Factore indoor snow slope near Manchester. The record – the most participants in a snowboard trick relay – was completed as 54 boarders successfully

landed an Indy grab. Leading out the participants was 11-year-old Tomski Robinson, Team GB elite snowboarder and BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year nominee. “We’re delighted all the boarders managed to keep their cool and set the record. Participants from far and wide have travelled to take part in the event, it’s brilliant they’re going home as world record holders,” said Chill Factore Chief Executive Morwenna Angove.

Easy Carrying For Skis/Board new device for carrying skis more easily has been invented by Paul Lavalett. Ski-walker, and the snowboard version Board-walker, both £12, are available in a range of colours from board-walker.co.uk. “The idea for making a ski-carrier came after spending two weeks carrying my daughter’s skis around the resort – as well as my own,” said Lavalett, “I also saw a person slip over and hurt themselves whilst nearly taking someone’s head off with their skis. I wanted a ski carrier that doesn’t rely on Velcro because I noticed that Velcro clogged up, with ice making it unsafe, so I invented the Ski-walker with click-on buckles instead, that takes less than 10 seconds to attach it to your skis.” “Every year I treat several injuries

caused by skiers dropping their skis. This ingenious handle solves the problem simply and cheaply and comes highly recommended,” said Dr Mike Langran of the International Society for Skiing Safety (ISSS).

Crystal Release 2013–14 Brochure The UK’s number 1 for ski holidays

2013/14 ski holidays now on sale

Choose from 131 resorts across 12 countries

lthough the 2012–13 ski season is just getting started, as has become traditional, the UK’s largest operator Crystal Ski (crystalski.co.uk) has already launched the winter programme for 2013–14. No new destinations have been announced as yet, but there are some special early booking offers for 2013–14 if you book before 31 March, including a 2-for1 ski/board hire offer (saving up to £89), and 2-for-1 ski carriage (saving up to £35). In addition, Crystal Ski Plus is offering a package including flights, transfers, local lift pass, ski/board hire or ski carriage, and a week’s accommodation from £419pp (based on four sharing Chamrousse Apartments, depart 11 January 2014).

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Line-Up Announced For The 2013 BRITS arty DJ’s The Nextmen, explosive eight-piece band Lazy Habits, and the no-holds-barred ASBO Disco are on the line-up for The BRITS music and snow sports festival (the-brits.com) from 23–30 March in Tignes, France. “For more than a decade The Nextmen have been performing club sets and festival-stopping performances, and on Friday 29th March it’s The BRITS turn to be blown away as the Cambridge-comeLondoners weave their way across four turntables, dropping track after banging track of classic hands-inthe-air floor fillers. Trust us; these boys know how to throw a party!” said a statement from the organisers. Packages start from £279 including seven nights’ accommodation, 6-day lift pass, festival wristband, and an official BRITS Funi beanie (package excludes travel).

However You Prefer_A4_ITS_Dec12.pdf

22/11/2012

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However You Prefer To Ski... Morzine’s €9m Water Centre Although there’s a focus on the remarkable Aquariaz water sports centre new at Avoriaz this winter, sister resort Morzine is also benefitting from its own excellent new indoor water sports centre in the heart of the village following a €9m spend (approx. £7.3m). The complex has a new sports pool of 25m x 15m, a separate teaching pool (125m²), a paddling pool (50m²), and a well-being space with three saunas and two hammams. Guests can sign up for swimming lessons, aqua-aerobics or diving lessons if they wish.

Wrooom In Madonna

Ski Bartlett Riders: Ed Drake, George Walton

...We’ve Got The Expertise & Equipment!

Stylish Italian ski area Madonna di Campiglio is hosting the “Wrooom” event this month. The gathering of Ferrari car drivers and Ducati bike riders to the prestigious little town in Val Rendena has been staged for 24 years now, and remains ever popular for fans and participants who combine their love of car/ bike with snow sports. This year's event runs from 14–19 January, and includes a large number of events planned to show off the vehicles for the gently drooling audience.

Kosher Ski Hols To Whistler Bringing you the most comprehensive range of skis and boots in the UK. Custom boot fitting specialists. With almost 50 years of advice and expertise and a reputation that has stood the test of time, our goal is to help you ski better everyday.

A company called Pesach on the Mountain (pesachonthemountain. com) is offering kosher ski holidays during the Passover holiday period at Whistler’s luxurious Nita Lake lodge boutique hotel."2013's program will offer families 10 days of fun and relaxation, including children-friendly activities, gourmet Kosher glatt meals, and guaranteed, pristine snow," said Schneur Wineberg, Director at Pesach on the Mountain. Prices for the 10-day holiday from 24 March 24–3 April range from $4149pp (£2566) for a studio, to $12,799pp (£7914) for a luxury suite.

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m o u n t a i n h e a v e n heavenly skiing, at down to earth prices

Cannon Cable Cars Clock Up 75 Years PATRICK THORNE

annon Mountain (cannonmt.com) ski area in New Hampshire is celebrating 75 years since the construction of the first cable car (or ”tramway” as our North America cousins prefer to call them). The original lift, which opened in 1938 and closed in 1980, carried 6,581,338 passengers on the 3.4km journey up Cannon Mountain. The lift was the brainchild of Alexander Bright, a famous skier in the 1930s, who had the idea whilst visiting Europe as a member of the US Olympic

Ski Team in 1932, where he saw cable cars for the first time. Bright persuaded the American Steel and Wire Company to conduct a preliminary survey to locate a suitable site for a tramway, and to estimate construction costs, and with the support of the New Hampshire State Governor brought the project to construction. The tramway quickly became a major tourist attraction, carrying 163,000 passengers in its first year. The success of the state’s venture attracted the interest and investment of the private sector, and the ski industry in New Hampshire grew and prospered.

4 Days Dog Sledding In Sweden nyone who has tried dog sledding on a ski holiday and loved it can experience the thrill of whizzing through the wilderness by signing up for a 4-day excursion through snowy Swedish Lapland. No ordinary dog-sled tour this, a four-night Silence of the Winter husky experience is fully hands-on. Participants learn how to lead, mush and care for the dogs, while witnessing some of most spectacular winter scenery in Northern Europe as you whizz through it towed by the huskies. The trip is priced from £1333pp (two sharing) and includes return flights

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from London to Kiruna in Swedish Lapland via Stockholm, transfers, four nights’ full board (two at Pine Tree Lodge in the rural hamlet of Kangos, two in a wilderness cabin) and excursions. The holiday is organised by Sunvil Discovery (sunvil.co.uk).

Verbier By Private Jet for Less Than £2K private jet hire company, Victor, has partnered with luxury ski operator The Oxford Ski Company (oxfordski.com) to offer three nights in Verbier from £1958pp, including luxury hotel accommodation. Victor has launched a “Ski Club”, members of which can group together to share the cost of a charter, offering skiers the chance to fly by private charter to resorts in Europe without it costing a fortune. So far, more than 2500 people have joined.

As an example of cost, travel from Stansted to Sion, which is a 30-minute drive from the resort of Verbier, starts at £1350pp return, based on eight sharing a King Air turboprop.

Low Price Airport Transfers To The Pyrenees ll skiers travelling from the London Stansted to Lourdes Pyrenees airport on Ryanair this winter can transfer up to their chosen ski resort for just €15 (£12), with the service running until 30 March. The shuttle service has been introduced by

the Hautes-Pyrenees region to help reduce CO2 emissions and to encourage more skiers to the slopes. Flights on Ryanair to Lourdes Pyrenees airport start from £40 return for people, and £100 return for skis. From there it’s 2.5 hours to resorts with the transfer service, with ski area choices

including Cauterets, Grand Tourmalet (Bareges and La Mongie), Luz Ardiden, Peyragudes or Saint Lary. Tour operator Ski Collection offers accommodation in the French Pyrenees (skicollection.co.uk), and the shuttle service can be booked via bus-shuttle@tlp.aeroport.fr.

t’s still early days for winter 2012–13, but travel agents and tour operators are reporting a promising start to the season, with good early season sales, driven in part by the healthy autumn snowfalls. Richard Sinclair of online travel agency Sno (sno.co.uk) believes that a number of factors are at play, besides the snow, in putting their bookings to date ahead of this time last year. “Our clients seem to be showing a greater sense of the fact that either the recession is over or they are not as poor as the media has been telling them for the last few years. We have seen a large increase in the “Inclusive” ski packages which include some kind of lift pass and equipment rental,” said Sinclair adding, “The biggest part of our work with clients is to find them the right version, because “inclusive” in ski holidays does not usually include all food and drinks as you would expect with a traditional package holiday.” Nicole Eves, Press and Marketing Executive at tour operator Ski Collection (skicollection. co.uk), agreed, “New Year sold out very quickly this year and even Christmas was up 16% on last year by the start of December. The rest of the season is looking promising too with bookings for February half-term extremely strong for the weeks of 9 February and 16 February – so we are expecting far less late deals than last year across the whole market.” “Clients are still looking for true value this season and we feel our strategy to hold or reduce prices on last season has worked well to that effect. We only feature France but we get the impression that France will be gaining market share again this season,” added Eves. Ian Davis, Product Director of the UK’s largest tour operator, Crystal, also says business is looking good, “There is evidence that more favourable holiday dates, combined with a more stable economic environment will this winter lead to a ‘bottoming out’ of the market and hopefully the first signs of a recovery. Crystal Ski Plus packages and high value destinations have excelled, confirming that skiers are still price-sensitive and know where to find a good deal.” If the positive signs to date translate into the first growth in the British ski travel business in 5 years it will, of course, be good news, but Richard Sinclair is looking forward to longer terms growth, “With fewer school ski trips in recent years, our challenge going forward is to help new skiers to get on the slopes for less, so that the ski industry can enjoy growth in the number of skiers again.”

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Swiss Fighting Cows PATRICK THORNE

ow fighting is a popular spectator spot in Switzerland, and one of the biggest bouts of the year takes place in Flaschen, at the base of the Torrent lift in the ski resort of Leukerbad (torrent.ch) each March. The Valais Hérens cow fight (“... a part of their natural behaviour,” the resort is keen to stress) for victory and hierarchical dominance, takes place in the Flaschen snow arena. Eight Hérens cows will fight for victory. Unlike the conventional fights in Valais, where several cows compete against each other at the same time, in Flaschen the cows only fight in one-on-one duels.

Only young animals can take part, those that are in the “First Lactation Heifers” category. The location and wintry conditions of the Flaschen cow fights make them unique. To prevent the animals from slipping and incurring injury, machines prepare the snow in the arena beforehand. This year will mark the eighth time the cow fights in the snow have taken place here. The “queen” will be crowned at the valley station of the Torrent cable car from 1.30pm on 16 March. Spectators in the Flaschen snow arena enjoy a perfect view of the duelling Hérens. Admission is free, and visitors can also enjoy musical performances and refreshments from the onsite cafeteria.

School For Nervous Skiers he European Ski and Snowboard School in Les Deux Alpes (europeanskischool. co.uk), France, has launched a number of specialist teaching programmes this winter, including one especially targeted at those who have “Lost your confidence as a beginner”. This course is designed for skiers that have had one or a maximum of two week’s skiing experience (Ski School Level 1), but have found progressing from the initial basics difficult due to “specific psychological or technical barriers that many first time skiers experience”. Our “sympathetic and understanding” instructor will use a slow logical

progression in lessons, providing the necessary technical and emotional support to enable skiers to break down the barriers to become more confident accomplished skiers. With a maximum group size of eight, the classes operate mornings 9–11am and afternoons 1–3pm, and costs €270 (£219) over 6 days. The classes will include group stretching and relaxation sessions, and technical video feedback analysis. “We hope not only to improve your technical skiing but more importantly give our clients the necessary tools, confidence and desire to continue skiing and to enhance the enjoyment of future winter skiing holidays,” said a statement from the School.

Fancy Racing Downhill In Skates? new event for indoor snow centres is launching in the Netherlands next month when indoor racing on a downhill ice track begins at Snowworld Landgraaf (www.snowworld.com), one of the world’s biggest indoor snow centre with a main slope more than 500m long. Downhill ice racing is a little like ski or

boardercross and involves competitors dressed in ice hockey gear racing down the track. The pros will be there on 11 January for the Red Bull Crashed Ice contest (redbullcrashedice.com), but SnowWorld – which is easy to reach from the UK – is offering the chance to try downhill ice skating for yourself after the event when the track will be kept open for novices to attempt it.

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Access The 2013 Snow Fast With Monarch PATRICK THORNE

here’s always some uncertainty at the start of the ski season just how good the snow is going to be, but with resorts in the Alps reporting huge snowfalls of over a metre in just a few days in early December, building on a solid base built up through October and November in many cases, it’s increasingly looking like winter 2012–13 is going to be one to remember for all the right reasons. Monarch’s (monarch.co.uk/ski) expanded route network this winter means that accessing the best resorts quickly, and if necessary at short notice if a powder dump demands it, has never been easier. The popular airline now offers affordable flights from all the major British airports to seven key gateway airports for ski areas in Europe, opening up virtually all of the continent’s top resorts in the Alps, Dolomites and Pyrenees. Ticket pricing in January and February is as low as £34pp, oneway, including taxes on all routes. Madonna di Campiglio (fly to Verona from Manchester with Monarch from £37pp one-way). Madonna di Campiglio offers a sizeable chunk of the 800km of piste available in Italy’s Trentino region, and the snow’s so good that all of it was open by 8 December. Madonna added a lift connection to its neighbour Pinzolo a few seasons ago, and its ski area keeps getting bigger with two new pistes and another fast lift added this winter. Ski Jewel (fly to Innsbruck from Manchester with Monarch from £37pp one-way). Europe’s newest ski area, the Ski Jewel pass,

opened only a few weeks ago connecting Alpbach and Wildschonau in Austria to give nearly 161km of skiing. You can be one of the first to ski it, with special package deals available from the resorts; and happily it’s quick and easy to get to, only an hour from Innsbruck airport. Baqueira Beret (fly to Barcelona from Manchester or Gatwick with Monarch from £39pp one way). In the coldest months of winter the southern ski destinations get an hour more daylight than further north in the Alps; and you could opt to add a few days by the Med into your trip for a winter sun boost. Drive north to Spain’s top resort of Baqueira Beret, a favourite of the Spanish royal family. Baqueira got off to a great start this season with 120km of trails open by the first week of December, and it has also created exciting new itinerary ski routes this winter (see our separate news story in this issue). Kitzbühel (fly to Munich from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, London Luton or Manchester with Monarch from £36pp one-way). One of the world’s most famous resorts, conditions were so good at Kitzbühel in November it decided to open early for weekends. January is a big month in the top Tirolean resort with the Hahnenkamm race (hahnenkamm. com), akin to the FA Cup final (only bigger than any football match in Austria!), this ski race is back in town for the 73rd time no less! The big race weekend is 25–27 January. Cortina d’Ampezzo (fly to Venice from Birmingham, Manchester or Gatwick with Monarch from £37pp one-way). The ”Pearl of the Alps” got off to a great start this

season in November, opening well before most other ski areas in the Dolomites. Along with great skiing you can revel in the glamour of the Corso Italia: perusing the trendy boutiques, savouring gourmet dinners served by famous chefs and sampling local aperitifs, indulging at cuttingedge spas, and enjoying the spectacle of golf on snow or polo on ice. St Anton (fly to Friedrichshafen from Manchester or London Gatwick with Monarch from £36pp one-way). St Anton’s tough-guy image will be softened a little this month when for 3 weeks (5–26 January) the ladies are courted by the famously hedonistic and hard-core ski resort. Special packages include discounted lodging with lift and spa passes available for ladies only, and the tourist office has arranged a host of discounts and freebies with everyone from ski schools through to bars and restaurants. All can be easily booked online via stantonamarlberg.com, you just need to organise a flight. Chamonix (fly to Grenoble from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, Manchester or Gatwick with Monarch from £37pp one-way). After a warm autumn 2011, Chamonix set records for snowfall in January last year, and this ski season has certainly got off to a good start with a metre of snow falling in a little over 48 hours at one point last month. Could this be the year for you to ski the amazing Vallée Blanche, the longest skiable descent over the greatest lift-served vertical on the planet, and much more enjoyable when the snow is deep and fresh. The season is just getting started, the snow is great, there’s lots happening in resorts across the Alps, the Dolomites and Pyrenees. All that’s missing is you!

029 InTheSnow.com

Save on January flight bookings with Monarch. Monarch is offering ÂŁ15 off all return flights. Book by midnight 20 January to qualify. Millions of seats discounted, all routes, all dates... all of the ski season. monarch.co.uk/skI

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inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

Ski Free At The End of The World BEN CLATWORTHY

Chile’s First Ski Resort Gondola With the 2012–13 ski season just gathering pace in the northern hemisphere, it’s still 6 months until the southern hemisphere’s 2013 winter season kicks off, and Chile’s first ski area gondola is nearing completion, and will be ready to open in February. Located in Valle Nevado, one of the closest ski areas to capital Santiago, the gondola will feature 70 cars, with space for six people in each, will carry skiers and tourists from Gondola Plaza to the Bajo Zero Restaurant.

ere at InTheSnow we don’t like to tempt fate. Well okay, we do. You will no doubt have heard that some interpretations of the Mayan calendar predicted the world would end on 21 December

2012, although others say it’s just that the Mayans didn’t bother filling in any dates on their calendar after that. Well respect goes to Bear Valley in California, which decided to give skiers “one last downhill thrill,” by deciding to open on 20 December, and better still, offer free skiing and boarding to all.

“We’ll turn that climateapocalypse frown upside down!” as a resort statement put it. "With the world all worked up over the Mayan doomsday catastrophe, we felt we had a duty to invite outdoor enthusiasts to celebrate on Dec. 20," Rosie Sundell, Senior Marketing Director for Bear Valley

Resorts told local media. So if you’re reading this then the world didn’t end, but you may be kicking yourself for missing out on a free day skiing in California. That said the airfare would probably have wiped out the saving. If you’re not reading this, and the world has ended, you can blame us if it helps.

Freeride World Tour Kicks Off For 2013 Season The Freeride World Tour (FWT) kicked off its season of big mountain freeriding competitions at Revelstoke in British Columbia, Canada, on 7 January. Revelstoke Mountain Resort

and its “Mac Daddy” face will host the first stop of the 2013 FWT. The venue, with its remote backcountry terrain, is an exciting North American freeriding venue. “The snow conditions are

setting up perfectly at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. With over 200 inches of total snowfall so far, the best case scenarios for the biggest, baddest North American venues are coming into play,”

said FWT Americas Competition Director Bryan Barlow. The competition can be watched from anywhere in the world via the live webcast at freerideworldtour.com.

The UK’s number 1 for ski holidays

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crystalski.co.uk/its 0871 231 5639 | See us in-store Calls cost 10p per minute at all times from BT landlines. Other operator networks may vary.

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Plagne Redeveloped PATRICK THORNE

here has been a complete reorganisation of the ski slopes by Plagne Centre – one of the world’s busiest snow fronts where resort meets ski slopes. The old four-seat Bécoin chairlift has been replaced by a six-seat detachable chairlift as part of the plan to modernise the ski area here, and improve the skier experience and comfort for all.

The new lift can carry 3600 people per hour, up from 2400 people per hour previously, and the area has been further enhanced by the resulting removal of the Biolley chairlift and the Z, Cabri and Stade draglifts. In term of the slopes, the area in front of Plagne Centre and the Jean-Luc Crétier slalom stadium has been remodelled and a beginners’ area has been created, as well as a new very easy green run going down from the top of the Colorado chair.

Avalanche Beacon For £200 lectronic avalanche alert equipment is gradually getting more affordable. The new EVO3+ Avalanche Beacon from snow safety equipment specialist Arva (arva-equipment.com) is being marketed as the most convenient avalanche beacon on the market for recreational users, with three antennas, a 40m search bandwidth, multi-burial indicator, and a marking function. It retails at £200. The EVO3+ Beacon’s 100% digital interface is designed to be easy for novices and seasoned veterans alike. You simply clip the beacon on and it automatically activates – an easy and convenient way to increase everybody’s safety during ski touring or freeride sessions. It also selftests when switched on, and has a 250-hour battery life using four AAA alkaline batteries. New features from the original EVO3 model include a visual multiple victim indicator for 1, 2, 3 or more victims, automatic lock on the nearest victim, and a built-in function to block out found victims.

Free Skiing For Brits In Utah ou may not have heard of it before, but the resort of Eagle Point (eaglepointresort.com), located 3.5 hours drive from either Las Vegas or from Salt Lake City, is offering British skiers and riders free lift tickets for skiing and boarding all this winter, with no blackout dates. This resort, with its peak at 3200m, receives over 11m of soft light Utah powder snowfall each year, and has 40 runs for all standards of skiers. To qualify for the free lift tickets British nationals simply need to get to Eagle Point, then present their passport as proof of nationality, and provide an

a spring skiing break in Chamonix We’ve joined forces with Mountain Drop-offs to bring you the chance to win a spring skiing break in Chamonix. Airport transfer specialist Mountain Drop-offs has pulled together the perfect package so that you can discover the sunshine and fresh snow that this legendary resort has a reputation for delivering. Everything you need for a three-night break for two people is included. Flights from London to Geneva courtesy of SWISS, a Mountain Drop-offs transfer waiting to whisk you from the airport to Chamonix, and your luxury fully-catered accommodation from Collineige. On arrival the lucky pair will receive a 3-day Mont Blanc Unlimited lift pass each from Compagnie du Mont Blanc, boot and ski or board hire from Sanglard, as well as Arc’teryx rucksacks.

To enter just go to: www.bit.ly/mountaindropoffs No need to "Like" them unless you want to – simply hit the enter button for a chance to win.

Terms and Conditions Full terms and conditions, and an alternative entry form (for those without a Facebook login) may be found at: mountaindropoffs.com/en/gva_airport_transfer_competition.

email address to get their free lift ticket. There are no blackout days. If you choose to stay more than a day, the one- and two-bedroom Aspen Suites at Eagle Point start at £86 per night ski-in, ski-out, with continental breakfast for up to four people at Canyonside Lodge.

The prize is as described: a three-night break for two people, including return flights from London City or Heathrow to Geneva, return shared airport transfers from Geneva to Chamonix, three nights fully-catered accommodation in a twin or double room in the resort, two x 3-day Mont Blanc Unlimited lift passes, two x 3-day boot and ski/board hire, two x Arc’teryx rucksacks. Entry for the competition is via the sweepstake app at facebook.com/MountainDropOffs/app_403359706360567. No purchase or “Like” is necessary. Prize draw is open from 1 January 2013 to midnight on 15 February 2013. The prize is subject to availability and to be taken between 22 February and 30 April 2013. The prize is not transferable and elements within the prize cannot be substituted. No cash alternative is available.

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inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

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Rosa and Rudolf In Ruka, FINLAND PATRICK THORNE

uka in Finnish Lapland has opened what it claims is the biggest, “and the most fun” snow park for children and novice skiers in Finland. The Rosa and Rudolf Snow Park in Vuosseli has been expanded with three magic carpets on the lower section. The area has been designed for beginners, with the magic carpet in the middle section being for more developed skiers, and the Rosa and Rudolf platter lift takes the most proficient skiers to the upper section. The Snow Park also

has a sled slope and a hut. Ruka also has a new green piste this winter, creating a new easy way down to the village. You can take the route from the top of the fell and, thus, easily reach the Kuru slope and Ruka village. The new slope is a very easy descent making it suitable for children and beginners. Crystal (crystalski.co.uk) offer packages to Ruka, including the "Lapland activity week" (priced from £625), which offers a value for money taster of snowmobiling, dog sledding, reindeer safari and snowshoeing, as well as a bit of skiing and searching the skies for the Northern lights if you like.

Two Chinese Ski Areas Interconnect pecialist Chinese ski website chinaskitours.com has reported that two of the country’s leading resorts have interconnected their trail networks. Established leading Chinese ski resort Wanlong and its neighbour, the new Genting Secret Garden, have created a connecting piste, although not yet a joint lift pass. It’s believed to be the first time two Chinese resorts have connected their

pistes, and a sign of the growth of winter sports in the country. Indeed, this winter sees the opening of several new international standard ski areas, complete with high-speed chair and gondola lifts supplied by European companies, and luxury hotels from global, largely North-American-based, chain brands. The connection may also be the first of many, with more resorts planned for development at adjacent locations.

Resorts include: Samoëns for Flaine, Les Gets for Avoriaz, Vaujany for Alpe d’Huez, Peisey for Les Arcs, St Martin de Belleville for Méribel & La Tania for Courchevel

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Enjoy Better Sounds Whilst On The Slopes nternational headphone company Fanny Wang (fannywang.com) has created headphone buds designed for outdoor sports as they fit securely in your ear, and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The Wang Buds sit just outside your ear canal, but provide the sound quality you'd expect from over-ear headphones. They have a silicon design with supersized air chambers, which mean that there is more space for air movement than in any other ear-bud, creating thumping natural bass and a clear overall sound. The cable also has an in-line microphone, which means you can change volume, pause music, skip tracks, and answer calls on the go and whilst working-out, without reaching for your iPhone. The Wang Buds are available in red, white or black, and cost £69.95 from retailers including Amazon and ASDA. (Editor’s Note: InTheSnow recommends that you are fully aware of your surroundings when skiing or boarding).

MATTHIEU PINAUD-OT CAUTERETS

Oakley Opens Park in Pyrenees

SEAN PETTIT

Oakley has created a new freestyle park in Cauterets in the French Pyrenees, their first in the southwestern European mountain range. The park features a 14m signature O’Rail among its many attractions. It’s the fourth of Oakley’s freestylebranded parks joining parks in Val d’Isère in France, Flims in Switzerland, and Whistler in Canada. Packages to Cauterets are available with Ski Collection (skicollection.co.uk) with seven nights self-catering at the Balneao Aladain w/c 19 or 26 January from £528 in total for four sharing (£106pp) including Eurotunnel crossing (£421 for accommodation only).

Engelberg’s LateNight Shuttle

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Engelberg’s popular late-night shuttle bus service (engelberg. ch/airport_shuttle) from Zurich airport to the resort is back for 2012–13, with a transfer time of less than 90 minutes. The idea is that you can work until 6pm, catch the flight around 8pm, and take advantage of the late shuttle service provided by EngelbergTitlis Tourism at 11pm, ensuring you are first on the slopes the next day. Engelberg-Titlis is the closest snow-sure ski resort to Zurich airport, and the late shuttle transfer will be offered each Thursday and Friday until 14 April 2013. The service connects with Swiss flights including the 9.40pm arrival from Birmingham, 9.45pm from Manchester, the 10.30pm from London City Airport, and the 10.40pm from London Heathrow, as well as the British Airways 10pm flight from London Heathrow.

inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

EASY ACCESS With a flight time of just 6.5 hours, Quebec offers some of the closest transatlantic skiing available. Fly to Montreal, from where Tremblant can be accessed in just 1 hour 40 minutes. Thanks to the resorts east location, the time difference is just -5 hours from the UK.

Pedestrianised VILLAGE

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French Alps and Pyrenees Be spoilt for choice this winter! Lagrange offer ski accommodation in over 80 resorts throughout the French Alps and Pyrenees, from big name domains to Alpine villages, from self-catered apartments and chalets to hotels.

After a day on the slopes, or enjoying the many other activities, be swept away by the undeniable charm of the picturesque pedestrian village: here the mood is always festive. Catch a few of the sun's last rays on an outdoor terrace, and stroll through the brightly lit streets – Tremblant has it all. The resort provides all the services and amenities found in a big town, offered in a pedestrian village with an authentic charm.

WINTER ACTIVITIES Aside from enjoying the thrills of skiing, there are plenty more winter activities in Tremblant to keep the whole family occupied. Replenish with a myriad of activities such as dogsledding, ice climbing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Choose from these many exhilarating activities and build your dream holiday. Or with the First Tracks pass you can make carefree carves on the corduroy snow, or be the first to track out the fresh powder on the piste. With the pass skiers and boarders are eligible to board the gondola at 7.45am.

TERRAIN TO SUIT ALL At an altitude of 875m Tremblant offers breathtaking views of the Laurentians Mountains. The ski area covers 265 hectares and includes 95 pistes, with 17% beginner terrain, 33% intermediate and 50% expert. Tremblant's snow park has been rated as one of the best in North America by Ski Magazine.

NORTH AMERICAN FLAIR Long before the arrival of the white man, the ancient Algonquin Indian tribe named the Tremblant peak, which dominated the landscape, "Manitonga Soutana", meaning ”the mountain of the spirits”. Word says anytime someone bypassed the laws of nature or disturbed the tranquility of the area, the spirits would make the mountain tremble. Discover "Manitonga Soutana" by yourself and get closer to the spirits.

March in La Plagne, ski in/ski out from £208/pp/wk 020 7371 6111 I www.lagrange-holidays.co.uk

photo credits : A. Périer

Inghams (inghams.co.uk/Tremblant) offers a comprehensive selection of ski, board and winter holidays to Mont Tremblant, Quebec, from November to April. Prices start from £908pp for 10 nights at the 4 Kandahar hotel, departing 6 April. The price includes, breakfast, flights and transfers.

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Get YOURSELF Fit The Luxury Way BEN CLATWORTHY

he Cambrian hotel in Adelboden (thecambrianadelboden. com) has launched a crosscountry skiing package that is sure to appeal to keep-fit fans, as well as those seeking to lose a few pounds after the festive season or keep their New Year’s “get fit” resolution. While downhill skiing might seem a more energetic sport, the fact that gravity is helping to propel skiers down the slope, means that a moderate skier weighing 59kg burns just 354 calories per hour, while even a slow cross-country skier of the same weight is burning 413 calories per hour. But it’s not just the fat-burning quality of

cross-country skiing that gives it appeal – it’s also the fact that it’s a less terrifying sport for beginners to take up, particularly among those who have lost the fearlessness of youth. The sport is also popular among nature lovers, as they get a chance to really enjoy their surroundings as they glide peacefully through the winter landscape. The Cambrian’s cross-country package includes three nights’ half-board accommodation, a welcome drink on arrival at the hotel, hire of cross-country equipment, 3 days of cross-country tuition, and unlimited use of The Cambrian Spa, including the pool, sauna facilities, and Technogym fitness area. The package is valid until 7 April, with prices starting at CHF2079 (£1390) for two people sharing a double room.

Mountain restaurant and ski bar guide website launches

hether you’re looking for top-notch cuisine, or the best happy hour in a resort, it can be a timeconsuming process, especially if it’s your first time in the resort. However, the new mountain restaurant and après-ski guide Snow Angel (snowangel. co.uk), aims to make life

simpler. The team has spent seasons drinking and eating their way around the Alps to bring you the best of what the mountains have to offer. The website is easy to navigate: simply choose which country and resort you're heading to and Snow Angel does the rest. You can also view subcategories depending on what you're looking for,

whether it's dinner, DJs, live music, or even childfriendly venues. Each bar entry has a review, pictures, YouTube footage, as well as a map. The website is mobile friendly, so if you run out of time to do your research before you go on holiday then you can access it from the comfort of your ski lift. Founder of the website Samantha Cope said: “There's nothing worse than happening upon a brilliant bar on the last day of your holiday, or ending up in a bad restaurant at the end of a ski day. And while we love being on the slopes, we know that après is just as important. Our aim is to give users insider knowledge so you'll be as knowledgeable as the resort rep before you go.”

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Ski With Angry Birds Learn To Ski By Phone A new app designed to help you ski better has been launched for the iPhone. ”How To Ski” is the first in a new series of apps designed to give the everyday recreational skier a simple, accessible, and value for money way to improve their skiing, according to its creators. The app costs £2.99 to download from bitly.com/howtoski. Designed and created by ski instructors Colin Tanner and Giles Lewis, the app tackles the most common problems skiers face.

BEN CLATWORTHY

ki visitors to Lapland used to be accosted by the Moomins, reindeer and Santa, but over the past few years that’s changed, with the rise to global fame of the Angry Birds game: originally released on the iPhone by its Finnish creators in December 2009, and subsequently clocking up more than one billion downloads worldwide. Now while people passing through London airports have

to run the gauntlet of duty-free alcohol sales, in Helsinki it’s a retail corridor lined with Angry Birds. Now the flight of the Angry Birds, which in the past year has included Formula 1 and Star Wars tie-ins, has led them into ski resort territory with the creation of Angry-Birds-themed play areas, which have just opened in the Finnish Holiday Clubs of Saariselka, Kuusamo (Ruka) and Vuokatti (holidayclubresorts.com/ angrybirds). The Holiday Club chain of large holiday complexes are popular at ski resorts across Scandinavia,

“...it should be compulsory on the slopes!”

and typically include apartment accommodation with tropical leisure pools and/or spa, and other activities close to the ski slopes. The Angry Birds parks have been designed to have something for all ages from toddlers to adults. “In Angry Birds Activity Parks the rides won’t move people but people will move the rides. The starting point is the physical making and the fun of doing it, combined with virtual world and the characters known by the whole world, the Angry Birds,” said a statement from Holiday Club.

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For more details visit www.portaski.com

Packages, which include accommodation, breakfast and spa for a family of four, cost from €148 for four (£121), with access to the new Angry Birds theme park priced at €16pp (£13) for non-residents, with a 10% discount for residents, under-4s are free. Each Angry Birds Activity Park will vary in content. The Holiday Club Kuusamon Tropiikki, 15 minutes from Ruka, includes an area specifically designed for small children, and Survival Track provides challenges and the game hall entertainment for teens.

“...the Portaski was invented for you”

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LOW BUDGET ALL INCLUSIVE TRIPS TO THE FRENCH ALPS SOME GREAT OFFERS: Fantastic Easter deals 23th – 30th March, 2013 – Val d’Isere – La Plagne From – Les Arcs – Serre Chevalier and many more...

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Tirol Emergency App PATRICK THORNE

long with all their social networking, practical and pure fun uses, mobile phone apps can actually enhance your chances of surviving in a life-anddeath situation too. Les 3 Vallées in France was one of the first to launch an app to include an emergency button that would call mountain rescue and tell them exactly where you are, just as GPS-enabled phones were getting started. Now the Austrian Tirol has launched an app, available to download from the iTunes or Android stores, which enables

the transmission of your exact location (GPS-coordinated) to the Leitstelle Tirol GmbH (emergency services) at the push of a button, and at the same time establishes a telephone connection. The emergency services are alerted and assistance is sent to the scene faster and more precisely. “When it comes to mountain rescue detecting the exact location of the incident can be challenging and valuable time can be lost,” said Becky Horton, who represents Tirol in the UK, “There is also a test feature to check the data transmission and telephone connection without causing false alarm.”

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PATRICK THORNE

t was the popular music group Village People who are believed to have been the first to offer those wise words, “Go West!” And when you arrive at the excellent Calgary International Airport in Canada, that’s the instinct of most Brits. The spectacular Rocky Mountains loom up ahead of you across the plain (much more impressive here than further south), and the likes of Banff, Lake Louise, and some of the world’s most jaw-dropping scenery lie ahead. But, if you don’t want to follow the pack, I have a different suggestion that the Village People never sang about – “Go South”. Initially it’s simpler than the whole turning right thing as you leave the airport. Rather than having to go through all that hassle of putting your indicator on to turn right from Route 2 south from the airport on to Route 1 – the Trans-

Canada Highway – towards the Rockies; you just stay on Route 2 and carry on south instead. The road takes you through classic Western North American ranching country, littered with low level wind farms, before finally turning west much further south and making the short trip west on Route 3 (stop me if the road numbers are getting too complicated). After some 290km of open road, and 3 hours or so of easy driving, you roll into the legendary resort of Fernie at the start of the Powder Highway. What is the Powder Highway you ask? Well, you may have heard that British Columbia, or ”BC” as it prefers to be abbreviated, is home to some of the world’s best powder skiing – be it at conventional ski resorts or cat skiing, and Powder Highway is a collection of those aforementioned lift-, cat- or helicopter-accessed ski areas – all located in the Kootenay Rockies region of the province, and most lined up along Route 93 heading back north. ”The Powder Highway offers the

highest concentration of ski and snowboard destinations in the world!” claims the group’s marketing literature, perhaps never having been to Japan or Les 3 Vallées. But perhaps it depends how you measure it. On the other hand, who cares about the concentration? Indeed, one of the biggest attractions of skiing BC is that you don’t feel concentrated at all. Vast open vistas surround you, and the slopes are famous for their low-density skier numbers. In fact, the Powder Highway follows a loop, which takes in eight conventional ski areas – most skiers will have heard of Revelstoke, Kicking Horse, Panorama and Fernie, but Red, Whitewater, the Fairmont Hot Springs resort and Kimberley may be less familiar. Revelstoke, with the biggest liftserved vertical in North America, and with a 15m average in the world top ten for annual snowfall total, perhaps epitomises the scope of what’s on offer here. The other ski areas might not hit

quite such deep total, or have quite the vertical, but each has its own identity and its own niche, with that overriding characteristic – deep powder. You can, of course, dip in and out of whichever resorts you wish to on the Highway, and on a visit last Easter I opted for Fernie and Panorama before completing the circuit, hitting the Trans-Canada Highway again further west, and driving back east through Banff National Park to Calgary . So, Fernie. I’d read lots about the steep and deep terrain, but nothing about the ”quaint” old mining town a few kilometres from the base of the slopes. This had that wonderful combination that many modern resorts try and fail to capture – real history, real locals, and an influx of snow fanatics demanding gourmet delis and bakeries and all those other bits that can turn a backwater town into a vibrant resort. Fernie’s ski area was, I’m told, of a variety that would not be authorised for construction in the modern era.

039 e Se l on e in ... at

with an alllargely the encompassing work of resort ”modern design maestros Crystal Ski (crystalski.co.uk) offer seven destination Intrawest (the nights B&B at the 3 Stanford Inn resort”. company behind resort in Fernie from £795pp, based In fact, Fernie Whistler and on four sharing, departing 6 February gets the balance many others), from London Gatwick with Air Transat, just right, as is neatly slotted including free ski carriage and transfers. you can stay in into a compact Seven nights at the 3 Pine Inn, the old town area on the Panorama, for £799pp, based on four or slopeside, sloping hillside sharing, room only, departing 6 February with some below the slopes. from London Gatwick with Air Transat, extravagant Convenience including free ski carriage and transfers. lodgings is the order of Crystal can also organise special available, such the day, with all itineraries to ski all the resorts on the as Lizard Creek resort facilities a Powder Highway; contact them for a Lodge, but these few steps from personal quotation. by no means your condo. overwhelm the And as an added resort. bonus, there is Onwards north to Panorama, which a wonderful indoor/outdoor hot springs has a very different feel to many swimming complex at the heart of it all. Canadian resorts. As you drive up to The alpine feel continues on the the resort from Invermere the scenery mountain, which just keeps going – takes on a distinctly alpine theme. The again different to most North American resort’s pedestrianised base village, resorts. You take the first lift, a fast

quad, then find more terrain above you. Another lift and you’ve opened up a big vertical, with dozens of options for your descent. But wait, there’s a third lift, going higher still to open up one of the biggest verticals in North America and a vast choice of terrain, from extreme powder bowls to long easy green circle routes (there are again more than 100 trails to choose from) for a relaxed ride right back to the base. That alpine ambience extends to the provision of quality coffee, always an issue at North American resorts but not here, with three great coffee shops at the base of the slopes. For an added treat Panorama plays on the European flavour, by offering an evening fondue special in the intimate Elkhorn cabin up on the slopes – limited to about a dozen people each night, you can choose from the classic cheese or meat variants, and the staff have worked hard to provide a genuine alpine flavour rather than a North American alternative.

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The slopes are simply too steep and too avalanche-prone. ”Too steep” excites most Brits looking for a challenge, and if the avalanche danger alarms you, fear not, touch wood, Fernie has had no avalanche fatalities thanks to a combination of ”natural traps” in the terrain, which avalanches fall into, and an extremely professional and dedicated maintenance and safety patrol who diligently close terrain when there is any danger of an avalanche. The reward for operating a ski area here are wonderful powder bowls, for which Fernie is world-famous – and although these are particularly sought by powder aficionados, there are also gentler variants, which those less proficient can practice on. There are numerous regular runs too, of course, for those who prefer to stay on the piste, all with a great relaxed feel, which you only get in those rare places where a world-class ski area is located in an area where the locals love to live and live to ski, and corporations have not managed to destroy its character

FURTHER INFO: uk.britishcolumbia.travel powderhighway.com facebook.com/PowderHighway skifernie.com panoramaresort.com

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inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

Ice Snow Football Makes It's Annual Return To Arosa rosa (arosa.ch) in the Swiss Alps will stage its annual ”Ice Snow football” tournament (icesnowfootball.ch), believed to be unique in the world, later this month. The third edition of the football competition, which attracts former national team players from various countries, will be staged from 24–26 January. Teams from The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and this year for the first time Brazil, will be competing in the tournament, with a sponsored match on 24 January free to view, but the main tournament tickets costing CHF20 for over-13s and adults (£13), or CHF10 for children aged 6–12 years (£7). Matches take 30 minutes to play, with the grand final taking place at 4pm on 25 January between the highest performing teams from the group stages earlier that afternoon.

20/07/12

11:15

John Champion / Coastphoto.com

Ski_SageCattabrigaAlosa_IOVantage_single 200x280.ai

Santas Ski Free Whistler Blackcomb held its annual Ski with Santa Day on 22 December hosting over 100 people dressed in full Santa Claus or Mrs Claus suits, who were able to ski and ride for free. Whistler received over 3m of snow in December up to Christmas, and was fully open in time for the big day, with North America’s largest ski area of 3307 hectares 100% open for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

500,000km Of Free Bus Service St Anton am Arlberg (stantonamarlberg.com) is stressing that visitors to the famed Austrian resort won’t be needing their cars. A free bus service operates for holiday guests during the winter season, covering all sub-districts of St Anton and the rest of the region – covering a distance of 500,000km. If you include the additional commuter buses used by many people working in St Anton am Arlberg, the distance covered amounts to an impressive 900,000km.

Chefs’ Cup Back In Südtirol The popular Chef’s’ Cup Südtirol 2013 (chefscup.it) returns to Italy’s Alta Badia (altabadia.org) in the Dolomites from 20–25 January. This eighth Cup will see some of the best chefs in the world, together with renowned international winemakers, come together in a blend of cuisine, ski racing, fun and charity events. The Michelin-starred chefs will compete in the ski and culinary contests with one another and with international sports stars. The programme also includes conferences, ski safaris, cookery courses, as well as music and dancing every evening.

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JANUARY 2013 | inthesnow.com

More International Resorts Open In China he likelihood that we’ll be skiing in China in the next few years has increased dramatically this season, with the opening of several international standard resorts backed by international brands, including Sheraton and Weston Hotels, and Doppelmayr ski lifts. We reported previously on the new resort on the North Korean border, and last year on resorts opened by Club Med and Dolomiti Superski; however, a fourth new resort, Secret Garden, has opened this winter thanks to investment by Malaysian multinational Gentling, a company valued as $31bn. Gentling Secret Garden is 250km from Beijing, and its opening coincides with completion of a new high-speed rail line from China’s capital, which cuts journey times to just over an hour. The ski centre, with more than a dozen lifts and Doppelmayr-built high-speed gondola and quad lifts, is 20 minutes from the first station at Zhangjiakou.

Courmayeur Gets Terrain Park Courmayeur has opened a new snowpark at 2000m, suitable for riders of all levels. The park includes a ”Progressive” area with easy rails, suitable for even the youngest freeriders, challenging rails for expert riders, a line of 6/8m jumps and structures for jibbing. The park is home to the biggest airbag in Europe – 15m2 and 4m tall – with two jumps, one for novices, and one for thrillseekers to fine-tune those manoeuvres. All this set against the backdrop of Mont Blanc.

Mystery Shopper Travel Agent #1 Online ski travel agency Snow Finders came top in a mystery shopper exercise by Travel Weekly, scoring 90%. Travel Weekly’s researcher said that customer service was the agency’s main strength, praising staff member’s dedication to providing good information, as well as their detailed product knowledge. “Little could have improved this outstanding service,” concluded Travel Weekly.

Waterproof Backpack A new backpack designed to protect your gear from the elements has been launched. The Aquapac Wet & Dry Backpack (aquapac.net), retailing at £65, is a waterproof backpack that will protect your gear from the elements. With a 25L capacity, the full-size waterproof internal pocket allows you to separate your wet/dry and dirty/ clean things in one bag. The internal pockets are also yellow, so you can see to the bottom of the bag easily, and a clear key pocket saves a lot of fumbling for the small items you have stowed away.

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Vintage Cars Race To Cortina The WinterRaid (raid.ch), a race for vintage cars, which takes place this January, will include the Italian resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo for the first time. It will be the tenth staging of the race, and will see around 90 vintage cars competing in an adventurous 260km winter journey over snow and ice from Switzerland to Italy. The race begins in St Moritz on 17 January with the cars scheduled to start arriving in Cortina during the afternoon of the following day, 18 January.

inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

Monarch MAKE THEIR Inaugural Ski Flight The inaugural flight from London Gatwick to Friedrichshafen early last month, took a number of aviation enthusiasts and journalists on a whirlwind tour of some significant historical aviation sights, and visited the famous shopping areas of the Lake Constance region. “This was a fitting way to celebrate the launch of our new winter routes and we were delighted to offer enthusiasts,

BEN CLATWORTHY

onarch Airlines has greatly increased its choice of ski flights this winter, with many new routes from the UK, including new destination airports to access all sides of the Alps, Dolomites and Pyrenees. One of these additions is flights to Friedrichshafen on the German/ Italian border, providing fast access to the northern Alps.

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shoppers and journalists the chance to sample the highlights of this great and convenient gateway to some of the best known ski resorts in Austria and Switzerland,” commented Managing Director Kevin George. Friedrichshafen and Monarch’s other new routes to Munich, Grenoble and Innsbruck, as well as Monarch’s existing routes to Verona, Venice and Barcelona, are the gateways to

more than 1000 ski resorts, and are all famed for their excellent links to resorts covering the western, central and northern Alps; the eastern Alps in France, Switzerland, Bavaria and Austria; and the Dolomites in Italy along with the Pyrenees. For further information, or to book Monarch flights, please visit monarch.co.uk. For more information on ski routes and destinations, visit the new ski website monarch.co.uk/ski.

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JANUARY 2013 | inthesnow.com

OFF-PISTE SKI ADVENTURES

IN THE ALPS AND BEYOND

New Tailor-Made Tour Options To Åre, Sweden PATRICK THORNE

second British ski tour operator has joined Neilson (neilson.co.uk) in adding the top Scandinavian resort of Åre in Sweden to its programme. New for this season, ski operator Ski Safari (skisafari.com) is offering tailor-made skiing and snowboarding holidays to the famous ski centre, which is a former Alpine Skiing World Championships host. Ski Safari’s experts have over 10 years’ experience of Scandinavia, and

can put together packages from ski weekends and short breaks, to more traditional seven-night holidays or even 10–14 night multi-resort trips, plus city stopovers. One tailor-made ski safari option takes in both Åre and Riksgränsen, the world’s northernmost ski destination, and includes Northern ights chasing, stepping into the Arctic Circle, a stay at the ICEHOTEL in Swedish Lapland, and can even include heli-skiing. A sample price for this ski safari, including accommodation, flights and transfers is £1699pp.

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inthesnow.com | JANUARY 2013

14TH Burton Open HEADS TO Laax PATRICK THORNE

he 14th Burton European Open will take place in Laax (laax.com), Switzerland, from 4–9 February (facebook.com/BurtonEuropeanOpen). More than 300 riders from all over the world are expected to attend the most prestigious freestyle event in Europe to show off their snowboarding skills. The event offers slopestyle and half pipe competitions for men, women, and

juniors up to 14-years-old, along with evening events, live music acts and public on-snow gear tests. The event starts out with qualification rounds on Monday and Tuesday, followed by the semi-finals and finals where many of the world’s best riders will battle for the titles and $125,000 prize money. Slopestyle finals will take place on Thursday 7 February, half pipe finals are scheduled for Friday 8 February. The week ends with the Juniors’ slopestyle and half pipe on Saturday 9 February.

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New Sports Backpack Designed For Tech-Heads nyone planning to travel to the mountains while loaded with technology, or even skiing with a tablet or laptop in their backpack, should take a look at the new Thule EnRoute laptop daypacks from the quality Swedish company (thule.com) – combining functionality, whilst maintaining design and comfort. The new bags build on Thule’s existing SafeZone by adding a topof-the-line padded laptop compartment, with other protected compartments to carry other fragile gear. Multiple five-star reviews on Apple.com prove that Thule know how to create packs ideal for taking

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along MacBook’s, iPads or other similar products. The reviewers highlighted Thule’s focus on top quality, high-performance fabrics and hardware, as well as being incredibly lightweight. They use rugged, water-repellent nylon, giving more protection and less weight, instead of the heavier lowend polyester favoured by many other brands. The range of four backpacks come in a variety of sizes, each with a main compartment containing an internal padded slip capable of protecting up to a 17" laptop computer, with enough room for additional items. The exterior pocket can hold a tablet, and has three interior pockets for

small essentials needed at the ready. Exterior side pockets hold water bottles, and as with all Thule bags, sunglasses will stay safe in the crush-free, SafeZone pocket. Created with outdoor sports fans and gear heads in mind, the EnRoute range retails at £69.99–£94.99.

Visit www.riderspalace.com for more information. See you in LAAX at the Riders Palace

Brian Ferry To Play Zermatt Brian Ferry is one of the stars playing at Zermatt Unplugged, which runs from 9–13 April. Ferry will play on the Marquee stage on Thursday 11 April. Other international stars include Skunk Anansie, Umberto Tozzi and Die Fantastischen

Vier. Advance ticket sales have started in resort and online at starticket.ch. Along with the superstars, there’ll be 35 free concerts with mainly unknown musicians, performing at nine locations around the village.

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Young Guns Making Waves Chill Factore Snowsports Academy is breaking boundaries and employing some very talented young instructors for the coming season. James Lockerbie (16) is one of the new, young, dynamic breed of instructors who is currently turning heads in Manchester. Another new recruit who already has a very impressive background is Hannah Handford-Styring (16) who is the British Ladies Moguls champion and one of the successful candidates on the Snowsport England Level 1 (Trained) course for 14–16-year-olds.

Club & Volunteer Awards t’s not every day you get to shake the hand of a Paralympic athlete, but for the winners of the 3rd Snowsport England (SSE) Club and Volunteer Awards their hard work and serious dedication to English snow sports was rewarded with a hand shake from David Smith, London 2012

Paralympic gold medallist in the Rowing LTA Mix4+. Smith actually works as an Assistant Coach to the GB Alpine Ski team, and has provided conditioning support to members of the British Ski Cross team since 2008, so he was the perfect and inspirational choice to present SSE’s awards, which express gratitude to all the clubs and volunteers who

give their time and energy for the good of English snow sports. The event, which took place on Saturday 27 October at the British Ski and Snowboard Show, was organised by the Sport Development Team and held at the Ski Club Lounge in Birmingham. Before the ceremony Smith, wearing his gold medal, mingled with guests and volunteers sharing his inspirational

journey to Paralympic glory. This event has been growing from strength to strength since 2010, and this year Organiser Susie Moore says there has been a record number of nominations, “It was fantastic to see an increase in the number of nominations, thank you to everyone who took the time to tell the story of the fantastic work volunteers and clubs are doing for snowsports.”

Training Courses 3-Day UK Training Course, 6-Day Training Course. Entry level skills for this course include already competent skiing or snowboarding skills; all participants must be able to make linked turns over a variety of terrains. It’s a great way to meet new people, work on your skills, and get started on a coaching career. Level 2 is a slightly longer course, which includes completing a logbook of tasks, and finishes with a coaching assessment that will hopefully lead to a licenced status as a Level 2 coach! Level 3 Coaching Course 24–29 March, Itter, Austria, course fee: £450 After completing your Level 1 and 2 courses the only way is up (the mountain!) with Level 3. This course is intended for those who harbour ambitions to instruct over an extended time frame in a snow centre or for a club programme. The added value of attending this course abroad is the amount of time you will spend on the snow, which will give you the chance to explore and develop your own skills.

CALENDAR DATES 27–29 JanUARY 2013 British Schoolboys' International Races Meiringen, Switzerland

Award Winners n the club division Central England came out on top with four out of the six awards won by this region’s volunteers and clubs. Midland Ski Club won the Recreational Club of the Year award for the third consecutive year, whilst Ambition Racing took the Competitive Club of the Year award home. David Lee won Volunteer of the Year, and Adam Lee won Young Volunteer of the Year. The Unsung Hero category had eight nominees, but as always only one hero could win and Alan Ashfield

was honoured with the award. As well as all those highly-commendable achievements, there was also a new club category, which recognised the increasing number of university clubs that are working with SSE to increase grassroot participation. In its first year of celebration this award was won by the University of Manchester Ski and Snowboard Club. This year proved the event is just getting bigger and better, and if this has inspired you to become an snow sporting volunteer visit snowsportengland.org.uk to find out more.

27–29 JanUARY 2013 British Schoolgirls Races Flaine, France 17–22 FEBRUARY 2013 ENGLISH ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS Bormio, Italy

Snowsport England Staff Tim Fawke CEO Julia Parker Operations Manager Kirsty Nicol Administrator Jan Doyle Development Officer, North Susie Moore Development Officer, South Ian Poynton Development Officer, Central Ian Findlay Talent Development Officer

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InTheSnow.com

Jon (AKA WESTY) AT ALTITUDE

Jon is one of the few instructors in the world to hold the top qualifications from France, Switzerland and Britain. He can teach on- and off-piste skiing throughout the Alps, and as Ski School Director, Jon helps manage the ski and snowboard school, the instructor training gap programs, the Verbier freeride camps, and also the winter and summer kids camps. altitude-verbier.com; +41 277 716 006

eing agile on your skis is great fun. My most enjoyable days in training have been those where we’re doing silly drills with our Swiss coach, making fools of ourselves and having fun. All this jumping around has a point though: it improves your skiing. Having to move in new and challenging ways builds strong links between your brain and your muscles, making you more adaptable, and quicker to learn and change. Many agility drills rely on good balance and movements.

Outside Ski Hops

Compression Turns

A very simple agility exercise is to try doing short turns (skiing in a narrow corridor, about the width of a piste basher) on your outside ski. At first you may only be able to stay on the outside ski through the end of the turn, but with practice you can ride the full arc on the outside ski. Then to truly build your agility, start hopping from one outside ski straight to the other at the transition from one turn to the next.

Not all agility drills involve jumping and being in the air – some are focused on forcing you to perform different or new movements. Compression turns are a classic drill to challenge timing coordination, as well as being perfect training for moguls on the piste. In an “ordinary” turn on-piste you extend your legs during the first half of the turn, and compress during the second. Compression turns are essentially the opposite – you go down at the start then straighten out your legs. Another way to think about it is that you go down on the edge change, rather than up. Harder than it sounds!

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Jump Turns

Norwegian Turns

This involves, as the name would suggest, jumping off the ground on your skis and turning them in the air before landing. The key to jump turns is making strong movements with your legs – starting low at the end of the previous turn, and pushing up hard to jump off the ground. You can start making small jumping and turning movements in medium turns at a slower pace, then build up to turning more in the air during short turns. Try seeing how many jump turns you can make over a set distance – the higher you jump and the more you turn in the air, the more turns you will fit in.

A real challenge of agility and coordination is Norwegian turns, sometimes known as the Courmayeur Shuffle of the Texas Two Step (I have no idea how a State without ski resorts got involved ...). To perform this drill you are effectively skipping on your skis while turning in the air. To make matters complicated: you first lift your outside ski, hop off your inside ski, turn while in the air, land on your inside ski, and then bring your outside ski down to complete the turn. Perhaps this is one to consult with your instructor or take a look at YouTube!

So your children have got through their first few lessons and the initial trauma of ski school, and are now flying around the resort on their skis. So what's next? What sort of activities can you do with your children once they’re comfortable on their skis – perhaps at the level where they are skiing parallel on hard blues/easy reds? We’ve previously looked at how children learn more while having fun. Early on the fun is “imported” into the task. However, once children can ski the fun can be found in the task and challenge itself. So here are some ideas for some fun and safe ways to challenge your children on skis. First you can think about the types of slopes

they are skiing on. Once children are comfortable skiing parallel on blues (which can be surprisingly quick) you can start to take them on steeper slopes The reward that children get from successfully descending that tough black slope can be fantastic. As always, knowing each child’s comfort zone is imperative – pushing them too hard too fast can have a detrimental effect on their enjoyment and performance. Still thinking about terrain, children can have fun in other ways. Try some easy moguls or off-piste. Just off the side of a blue piste is ideal; the terrain should be manageable with a quick escape to the piste.

Just descending a moguls or powder run will help improve any skier. Another idea is to start going into the snow-parks and rolling over some of the easier jumps. This can help build confidence, balance and movement. Lastly, you can start to bring in challenges to improve on the pistes you've skied comfortably already. You can try to perform parallel turns in smaller and smaller corridors. Or bring in various fun drills with the poles – can they ski a whole run with no poles? Can they do it with their poles balanced on the back of the hands? Any sort of challenge will be lapped up. As always, stay safe and have fun!

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The best kept secret of the 3 valleys

Helmets Obligatory in Canadian Province PATRICK THORNE

ova Scotia is believed to be the first region in the world where wearing a ski helmet has become compulsory. The eastern Canadian province introduced the new law at the start of this season, which sees anyone not wearing a helmet risking a fine of CAN$250. Nova Scotia is home to three small– medium-sized ski areas, one of which, Ski Wentworth, was carrying a clear advert for the new law on its homepage, promoted via the new helmetmatch. com website. “The Snow Sport Helmet Act is a world-first, designed to keep our noggins safer on Nova Scotia's ski and snowboard hills. Brain injuries are the leading cause of death among

For further information visit

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skiers and snowboarders of all ages, and helmet use reduces the severity of injury by up to 60%.” The site carries detailed information on the protective qualities of various helmet safety design standards. Hemet laws in France, Italy, and some individual states/provinces require children to wear helmets, and in the case of Italy threaten fines to ski resorts themselves if children are found skiing without helmets on their slopes, in Nova Scotia parents or guardians are responsible to ensure anyone under 16-years-old in their care is wearing a helmet. Sixteens and over are responsible for wearing their own helmet, “Getting caught without a helmet could also cost you a $250 fine. So you might want to strap one on your head,” the site advises.

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hâtel has unveiled a new visitor attraction, ”The Mountain Contraband Information Centre”, located in the resort’s Old Customs House. The Abondance Valley, where Châtel is located, was once a frontier land popular with smugglers, and the new centre recreates the era so that visitors can learn about smuggling and contraband. “In its day, smuggling was a dangerous game of cat and mouse, sometimes played out on skis, between customs officers and smugglers and where risks were often taken to simply procure commodities to ease everyday life or on

a more serious scale to sell counterfeit goods illegally on the black market,” said Pascale Ducrot of Châtel Tourism. The new centre is open from 10am to noon and 2pm to 6.30pm every day except Saturday. Entry is €4 for adults, €3 for children (from 6–15 years).

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laine has a long-standing reputation for its world class terrain park, but until this winter the main focus has been on facilities for the already highlyskilled terrain park users. Now, however, the resort’s Ecole de Ski Internationale ski school (esigrandmassif.com) has invested in three modules, designed by the company that

supplies the Winter X Games in Tignes, to establish an easy green trail to provide a novice level terrain park. The modules include two rails, a 3m-long, 30cm-high box and a 4m-long, 50cm-high wall. Here novice and intermediate freestyle skiers or snowboarders will be able to learn their tricks in a less intimidating park than the full Flaine terrain park.

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JANUARY 2013 | inthesnow.com

THE OMNIA Zermatt

HOTEL L’Hélios Méribel

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chalet de la Cloche  VAL D'ISÈRE

The Omnia is perfectly situated in the centre of Zermatt just off on a hidden back street, giving you the bustle of beautiful Zermatt right on your doorstep, but the peace and quiet you would expect from an escape to the mountains. The warm and friendly welcome is simply hard to beat.

Chalet de la Cloche is in the heart of Les Brevieres, Espace Killy, considered to be one of the greatest ski areas in the world. The Ski-Base team has created a wonderful chalet described by Harpers Bazaar as a “haven of sensual indulgence”. It is one of Condé Nast Traveller top ten chalets in the Alps.

+41 (0)27 966 7171 | info@the-omnia.com | www.the-omnia.com |

+44 (0)20 3432 8446 | info@ski-base.com | www.ski-base.com |

holiday whistler ACCOMMODATIONS

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THE CAMBRIAN ADELBODEN

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4 Hotel L’Hélios is located just 500m from Méribel centre in a superb ski in/out location. L'Hélios is a luxurious base from which to explore Les 3 Vallées, the largest ski area in the world. Hotel L’Hélios combines elegance and stylish interiors, excellent views and spa facilities in the Carita Spa.

Holiday Whistler Accommodations, skiing holidays à la carte, offers an extended range of chalets, apartments and condos to suit every taste and budget. Beautiful log homes just feet from the piste, spacious and luxurious chalets on the golf course, sumptuous apartments right in the village, expansive views of the mountains, private hot tubs on your deck or nestled in the trees.

Stunning mountain views in every direction, The Cambrian offers the kind of location that desk huggers the world over spend their days dreaming about. Located in the leading resort of Adelboden in the Bernese Oberland, the hotel provides authentic local colour, cosmopolitan comfort and inspiring cuisine backed up by superb service.

+33 (0)479 242 242 | reservation@lhelios.com | www.lhelios.com |

+44 (0)20 7060 9360 | info@holidaywhistler.com | www.holidaywhistler.com |

+41 (0)33 673 8383 | info@thecambrianadelboden.com | www.thecambrianadelboden.com |

CHALETS 1066 LES GETS

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mont cervin palace  Zermatt

MATTERHORN FOCUS Zermatt

Something to suite all budgets from economy to luxury. For all self-catered chalets, a range of optional services are offered enabling you to have the freedom of your own chalet or apartment, yet also having access to many "hotel" type services. For our catered accommodation – we have the same chalet host as last year who had outstanding reviews.

One of the great hotels of the Alps, with more than 150 years of simple warm hospitality. The original hotel, which opened in 1852 is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World Association. The 5 Mont Cervin Palace offers 150 charming rooms and suites. Throughout summer 2012 major renovation works were undertaken at the hotel.

Here you can enjoy privacy, outstanding design and a unique stay in 30 individual rooms. Situated in the most fantastic position with unrivalled views of the Matterhorn, the modern, elegant architecture blends in beautifully, elegantly, and somewhat obtrusively, but perfectly into the mountain around.

+44 (0)207 183 5082 | sue@ chalets1066.com | www.chalets1066.com |

+41 (0)27 966 8888 | mcp.reservation@seilerhotels.ch | www.montcervinpalace.com |

+41 (0)27 966 24 24 | info@matterhorn-focus.ch | www.matterhorn-focus.ch |

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Sandrine JAY

BEN CLATWORTHY

he Hautes-Pyrenees is said to be the number one destination for ski and spa holidays in France. InTheSnow spent 10 minutes with Sandrine Jay, who has recently visited the area.

What made you choose to combine skiing with a spa holiday? SJ: It just seemed like a fantastic idea; and meant that there was more variation to the holiday than just visiting a spa, or just skiing. After a really busy year, I needed a break to relax, enjoy the fresh air, spend time with my partner, and be pampered. The Hautes-Pyrenees seemed the ideal choice, considering the area is well-known for both ski and spa holidays. I was really looking forward to visiting the mountains of the south – between

France and Spain – and enjoying the quiet atmosphere, the local cuisine … and, of course, the sledging too. Have you been skiing before? SJ: It was my first time on skis, but I had no doubts about it: I was sure I would love being on the slopes. The resorts are modern with first-class skiing facilities, offering a wide choice of activities and excellent value for money. I was blessed with good snow, sun, and the atmosphere was buzzing. I’m told the resorts are lively all year round and the people are welcoming. The prospect of unwinding in the warm spa after a day on the slopes was the icing on the cake. So what about the spa? SJ: The spa in Cauterets was fantastic and all the large resorts have their own wellness centre. After a day skiing, nothing beats a relaxing spa

session. I was welcomed and waited on hand and foot – it was like I was a princess. The spa was architecturally magnificent: marble, wood, with a glass cupola and precious stone mosaics. There’s an indoor and outdoor lagoon, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, jet bath, and musical bath. The spa also offers a wide choice of treatments, including chocolate, Tibetan bowl, hibiscus flower and hot sesame massages. Just let yourself be carried away by the flow of the thermal water, the perfumes and the peaceful setting.

can fly from various locations in the UK; for example from London Stansted to Tarbes Lourdes Pyrenees with Ryanair, or you can go by rail.

Is access easy? SJ: It is extremely easy to reach any of the French Pyrenees resorts by car, train or plane. Ski Collection offers self-drive packages via Eurotunnel crossings – and it’s not much longer than driving to the Southern Alps. The drive from Calais is approximately 11 hours. You

Ski Collection (SkiCollection.co.uk) offers accommodation in Cauterets and five other Hautes-Pyrenees resorts. Prices start from £70pp per week. The price includes return Eurotunnel crossing for one car and passengers, with free FlexiPlus upgrade. Accommodation only options are also available.

And your overall impressions? SJ: Taking a ski and spa holiday is a fantastic idea, and I’d say a must-do. The Hautes-Pyrenees is said to be the number one destination in France for ski and spa breaks, and from my albeit limited experience I think this is justified. All the resorts offer packages that include a day lift pass and 2-hour access to the spa.

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