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Vanessa-Mae has race hopes quashed by ban ALSO INSIDE

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Editor’s note The news of Vanessa-Mae’s four-year ban from competitive skiing filled me with mixed emotions. Of course, we should wholeheartedly back the International Ski Federation in cracking down on misdemeanours. That is not in question. And the Olympic qualifying races that the federation investigated sound like a farce. However, the story of the violinist’s allconsuming, almost pathological, ambition to take part in the Games I find strangely moving. As she tells Ski+board correspondent Chris Haworth in an exclusive interview conducted this summer before the news of her ban broke, it was her dream to live in a ski resort from when she was a child. And she has wanted to race in the Olympics since the turn of the century. Reading between the lines, we can only guess at the alienation, envy and desire for belonging that the little four-year-old from Singapore felt when she started going on skiing holidays with her English stepfather, who appears to have been a pillar of support in her life. Even today, ski resorts have a peculiar absence of non-white faces. And one can but speculate on the sense of otherness that the petite musician, now aged 36, felt — and perhaps still feels — among strapping, Lycra-clad Caucasian athletes. Ambitions thwarted, suppressed or postponed indefinitely do strange things to people, so it will be interesting to hear what comes out of her appeal. However, wrong is still wrong, and if she is found to have been involved in race-fixing, this cannot excuse her behaviour. Staying with that them-and-us demarcation between race-trained, professional skiers and the rest of us, it is sad to note that the region of Piedmont is pandering to some of the least lovable instincts of its close French neighbours. Its ski instructors’ association has threatened to take a British tour operator to court for employing ski hosts to show guests around the mountain on piste. Let us be clear. This is absurd. If you believe that only instructors, not hosts, can safely show skiers and boarders around the mountain then you should also believe that all skiing without an instructor should be banned, whether on piste or off. After all, if a host cannot be trusted to show you around the pistes, then it is surely every bit as unsafe to let your partner or a friend lead the way. But I have yet to hear of any ski instructors willing to take the argument to its logical conclusion. What is dispiriting is the tour operators’ response to this. In contrast to their robust defence of their hosts in France, the two biggest companies have withdrawn their hosts, not just in Piedmont, but throughout Italy. One wonders if they have been spooked by the prospect of a minimum wage being applied to resort workers in Austria. On the face of it, the amount resort hosts are paid appears measly. However this is generally after their lodgings, food, travel and lift passes have been paid. I have colleagues in Britain paid the average wage who would dearly love to have just £100 a week left in cash after their accommodation, travel, food and bills are paid. Evidently, if the Austrians are reviewing the rules, they should take such costs into account. In the meantime, let’s make the most use of the hosts — and the Ski Club’s popular Leaders, who will remain in Italy — now winter is finally upon us. Not only will we show the authorities our support for both services, but it is also the best guarantee to a wonderful day’s skiing.

Colin Nicholson Ski+board editor Ski+board

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

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EDITOR Colin Nicholson colin.nicholson@skiclub.co.uk ACTING DEPUTY EDITOR Ben Clatworthy ben.clatworthy@skiclub.co.uk ART DIRECTOR Annabel Stevens GRAPHIC DESIGNER Zaid Katbi MEDIA SALES Publicom agencypublicom.com 020 3177 1167 PUBLISHER Ski Club of Great Britain London SW19 5SB skiclub.co.uk 020 8410 2000 DISTRIBUTION Jellyfish Print Solutions Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Independently audited circulation of 19,880 ( January to December 2013) © Ski Club of Great Britain 2014 ISSN 1369-8826 The Ski Club cannot be held responsible for any unsolicited material. Ski+board is printed by Precision Colour Printing, Stirchley, Telford TF7 4QQ.

CONTENTS

December 2014/January 2015

Exposure Action shots from war zones to avalanches… and how they were taken

You say I think I’m in a bit of a hole — more tales from the pistes

News Tour operators withdraw hosts from Italy, but Ski Club vows to stay, while clouds loom in Austria

Exclusive: Vanessa-Mae explains her all-consuming passion for racing

THE INFO

Fashion

The ski tests

Snowboard review

Ski technology

Stay snug, be smug, with these flattering, but functional designs

Our team put the everpopular all-mountain category to the test

Snowboard makers are throwing some crazy shapes on the pistes

On-snow video cameras, hits and misses, plus child-friendly gear

Five experienced skiers and boarders go back to school to learn something new, from ski touring to ski cross

As Piedmont expels ski hosts, our writer asks â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;where have all the skiers gone in this corner of Italy?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

With a new resort in Tignes rising from the depths, we don aqualungs to find out what happened to the original village

Health and fitness

Technique

Resort insider

Photography

Build strength with our exercise guru... and a cautionary tale

Learn how to stay in control at speed, plus avalanche tips

Our panel of experts cast an eye over some top value resorts

How to get those tricky moving shots by an action specialist

PHOTO Evolution2

SKIER Johan Engebratt LOCATION Senja Island, Norway PHOTOGRAPHER Fredrik Schenholm They say preparation is key, but on this ski tour in mid-February we totally forgot to look at a map and climbed a north face where the snow was dreadful. We were laughing all the way up, joking about ice skating down. But when we reached the top, the south-west side looked good. We knew that if we skied it we would have a two-hour walk back around the mountain to get to the car. The sun was about to set so, as we pondered our decision, we watched as the mountains turned red â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and then went for it. The descent was definitely worth it... especially as when we reached the bottom we were able to hitch a ride back to the car.

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SKIER Antti Ollila LOCATION Kiev, Ukraine PHOTOGRAPHER Pally Learmond One of our goals when shooting skiing on the streets of Kiev was to capture something of the former Soviet feel that we had in our minds. As it happened, displays of military hardware were as common as playgrounds in the public parks, so 19-year-old Finnish skier Antti Ollila and the crew set about building a jump to spin over this particular cannon while tapping the end of it. It being 4am we were left alone by the police, as throughout the rest of the trip it was a constant game of cat-and-mouse. With the revolution in full swing a year later, there is no way we could have taken this shot, let alone explored Kiev with skis.

SKIER Pete Velisik LOCATION Red Mountain, British Columbia, Canada PHOTOGRAPHER Dave Heath Every year, around midseason, the top half of Granite Mountain at Red Resort gets hammered with a combination of wind and snow that plasters the trees. So you may wake the next day to a scene that resembles something out of a Dr Seuss book, as if The Grinch had just visited. Late one February afternoon, after the lifts had shut, Pete Velisik and I hiked a few hundred feet above the lifts to the top of Mount Crumpet to take some images of this bizarrely shaped winter landscape... and we put in some turns too.

SKIER Reggie Crist LOCATION Haines, Alaska, US PHOTOGRAPHER Oskar Enander Reggie Crist, 46, who competed in the 1992 Albertville Olympics and helped pioneer the discipline of ski cross, is probably the most experienced skier I have shot in Alaska. But getting the spider web around your feet like this would scare anyone. On this April day we had seen a lot of snow activity on the same aspect from the two previous riders and Reggie was the last guy to drop in. We talked about picking him up with the heli on top, but Reggie was confident about his choice of line and how he would manage the slab in a safe way. He knew the slab was going to release so he simply continued going right to safer ground.

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BOARDER Benjamin Lientscher LOCATION SĂślden, Austria PHOTOGRAPHER Rudi Wyhlidal I had been riding powder with my good friend Benjamin Lientscher from the morning, and we were taking photos all day covering the whole resort. You might have thought that all the untracked snow would be gone by the afternoon, but almost at the end of the day we found this little spot next to the piste in a little gully. It was a short hike for Benni, and I set up my gear directly opposite the face. Benny dropped in, did two turns and we got the shot. AprĂ¨s-ski drinks well deserved...

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YOU SAY… WHEN YOU’RE IN A HOLE… An amusing incident with a Ski Club Leader inspired one member to pen a poem.

I skied earlier this year in Laax, Switzerland, with a group led by two brilliant leaders, Glyn Taylor and Alex Korff. I have skied with Glyn before and know that after many years in the Army he is a very good organiser — the colonel-in-chief of the party, with Alex named his chief of staff. After a mild winter, we were lucky enough to have a big dump of snow the evening we arrived in March. It continued to snow for the next two and a half days and the incident described in the poem happened on day one. I should say that both Glyn and Alex know the resort very well, and the track we were skiing along was safe in that there was no precipice to fall down — just deep snow at the side. What happened was very funny — well, we all thought so… Penny Dixon

PRAISE FOR SKI+BOARD’S NEW LOOK Delighted to find nearly all articles printed on a white background and I think the font is better too. So much easier to read. Well done. However, while I enjoyed the greatly improved format, this doesn’t mean you can forget about getting grammar right. The article about the benefits of Ski Club+ membership came under the headline: “Hire a transceiver for free.” Impossible! You can hire one for a fee, or borrow one for nothing. You can’t hire one “for free”. The difference between “free” and “for free” is another contentious issue. Best regards from a pedantic reader. Andy Laurie

It’s snowing hard and windy too But still we get to ski And make our way along a track — Although we cannot see!

We leave our Chief a-floundering And turn our thoughts to J, Who really wants to find her ski And get back under way.

“Stay on the right!” our leader cries. J gives a little yelp — Just off the side there is deep snow And someone now needs help.

Where on earth can it have gone? It simply can’t be found. “Look higher up,” she pleads with T, Who stares into the ground,

A ski is off but quickly found And clipped back on her sole. “Stay right! Stay right!” — but J goes left — And finds another hole!

Takes off a ski and thrusts it in — “It must be here somewhere...” Then suddenly he hits the spot! We all let out a cheer!

Her ski comes off and buries deep. “We need more help up here!” Our leader climbs back up the slope — To promptly disappear!

J is back upon two skis, But what about our guide? Maybe a shovel is required To get her back on side.

A bigger hole has now appeared And swallowed Chief of Staff! More help is clearly now required — We cannot help but laugh!

A probe, perhaps, could also help — Used carefully, of course! But in the end a push, a pull And just some gentle force.

P arrives and finds her phone To take a happy snap! “Oh no you don’t!” our leader cries — A bit too late for that!

Our leader’s up and all is well, So back into the cloud, Along the track, around the bend — “STAY RIGHT!” she shouts out loud!

I didn’t notice many comments on the first issue of Ski+board. I think it’s very good and full of interesting articles. I liked the appraisal of the French ski court arguments, as well as the explanations about skis and the Ski Club’s ski tests. And all the rest! I found the style a bit traditional, plus I wasn’t as keen on the second issue, which featured some unlikely locations, but it works well. Charles Pritchard I was very impressed. I particularly enjoyed Arnie Wilson’s tales from the US (pictured, right). Ryan Davison Crisp

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SKI CLUB NEWS SNOWBOARDER KATIE ORMEROD HONOURED

CLUB TO KEEP LEADERS IN ITALY DESPITE HOSTING CONTROVERSY By Ben Clatworthy

The Ski Club has vowed to keep its Leaders in Italy despite British tour operators withdrawing their ski hosts from the country. Frank McCusker, the club’s chief executive, said: “Based on the current available information, we will continue with our Leader programme in Italy.” He confirmed the club had received no communication from the Piedmont region, or any other Italian authority, in relation to social skiing, but said the club would monitor the situation and continue to seek clarification of the position of its volunteers. In November, Crystal Ski revealed it had been threatened with prosecution in Piedmont. The tour operator said the Piedmontese instructors’ association had contacted it in September to say it would face legal action should any employees without ski instructor qualifications show holidaymakers around the pistes this season. Social skiing involves no instruction. Instead the hosts, who often double as chalet staff, take guests around the ski area to show them the best runs and

restaurants. This ensures guests do not have to spend all day consulting maps or sticking to a few runs. The service is included in the cost of the trip. After the warning, Crystal’s parent firm Tui UK, which also runs Thomson, and Hotelplan, which runs Inghams, Ski Total and Esprit Ski, withdrew their ski hosting services in all of Italy. The Ski Club’s Leaders differ from the tour operators’ ski hosts in that they are volunteers paid only expenses to show members around the resort they are stationed in. The club plans to keep its two Leaders in Italy, one of whom is in Sauze d’Oulx, in Piedmont, and the other in Cervinia, in Aosta. In France, the club has been forced to replace its Leaders with Ambassadors, who offer advice to members, but do not ski with them, while tour operators have withdrawn hosts. Both the tour operators and the club are challenging French legal action in the courts. This season, the Ski Club will have Leaders in 17 resorts worldwide and 11 Ambassadors in France. Read the club’s statement at skiclub.co.uk/news

CATCHUP SERVICE WILL HELP MEMBERS MEET For many Ski Club members, meeting like-minded skiers and boarders is an important reason for joining the club. So it has launched CatchUp, a service allowing members to tell each other where and when they are going, chat about how they like to spend time on the slopes and their level of ability, and arrange to meet and ski together. The move is part of the club’s

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aim to build an even more active community of snowsports lovers. Using CatchUp is easy. All members need to do is log in to skiclub.co.uk, click on the CatchUp link in ‘My Membership’ and follow instructions to enter their holiday details. You can then tick a box to send messages to other members with the same holiday plans.

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

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The Ski Club has honoured snowboarder Katie Ormerod, 17, as the best up-andcoming British snowsports athlete. Former racer Chemmy Alcott presented the award, named after the late British downhill racer Evie Pinching, at the club’s snowsports industry party held on October 29 at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, West London. At the age of 16, Ormerod became the first woman to complete a double-cork 1080 — a trick involving two full flips and one full spin. Katie, from Bradford, took up boarding aged five at the Halifax Ski & Snowboard Centre in Yorkshire. Receiving the award, she said: “It’s such an honour and means a great deal.”

NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS Two new council members were elected at the Ski Club’s 107th Annual General Meeting, which was held on November 20 at the club’s offices in Wimbledon. Bob West, Chris Radford and David Wilkey were all standing for election, as Richard Bird and Paul Whitehead were stepping down, having completed their four-year terms. Following an online vote and ballot at the meeting, West and Radford were elected and will be joining the ten-person council. The Club would like to thank all three candidates and all members who voted.

SKI TO THE MOON Snow-Camp, a charity that supports disadvantaged inner-city children by introducing them to snowsports, has launched its ‘Ski 2 The Moon’ challenge in association with the Ski Club. Those taking part in the challenge will download an app that records the number of miles they ski, with the aim of reaching a collective total of 238,855, the average distance of the moon from the earth. The app can be downloaded now, and the event begins on December 20. It will run until the target is reached. The app is free to download, but users will be urged to create a Just Giving page so friends and family can sponsor them for their efforts in the challenge. Read more about the app at skiclub.co.uk/news

NEWS HOLIDAY FIRMS WITHDRAW HOSTS FROM ITALY AFTER COURT THREAT

OLYMPIC COMMITTEE MULLS VANESSA-MAE DECISION AFTER BAN

The war on the popular ski hosting services offered by British tour operators has spread to Italy.

The International Olympic Committee has said it will wait on the outcome of any appeal before it decides whether to disqualify Vanessa-Mae from the Sochi 2014 Winter Games. The International Ski Federation banned the violinist from competitive skiing for four years at a hearing in Switzerland in November. It found evidence of fixing and manipulation at four Olympic qualifying races arranged at the request of her management. The federation said its findings mean Vanessa-Mae “did not qualify and should not have been participating in the Sochi 2014 Games”. Vanessa-Mae has said she will appeal the decision. Facing the music — Page 22

By Roger Bray

Three major UK firms have withdrawn hosts in Italian resorts this season, in a move that makes it more likely that the long-running dispute over social skiing will be settled in the European Court. Though hosts do not instruct guests — they simply take them around a ski area to show them the best runs and restaurants — they have attracted the hostility of ski instructors. However, until now this was only in France. Crystal Ski said its move was initiated by the instructors’ association in Piedmont. A Crystal spokesperson explained: “In September we were contacted by the association saying we were in breach of Italian law. “It said it was a criminal offence and

any further breach would result in our staff being prosecuted and fined. So we have decided to pull out of guiding all over Italy. But we will increase the presence of reps on the mountain at the foot of the slopes and in restaurants.” A spokesperson for Inghams, which has also stopped hosting in Italy, said: “It’s really disappointing. There’s not much we can say or do at this stage.” Neilson said it was no longer able to offer guiding in resorts where guests fly into Turin: Sauze d’Oulx, Bardonecchia, Sestrière and La Thuile. But as we went to press it had yet to make a decision about Corvara, served by Verona. At the time of writing tour operators were waiting for the supreme court in Paris to decide if their appeal against France’s hosting ban should be reheard. Meanwhile, the Ski Club intends to keep its Leaders in Italy (see Page 15). Where did all the skiers go? — Page 48

CRYSTAL LAUNCHES FREE HOSTING APP As tour operators’ hosting services continue to come under pressure, Crystal Ski has released a new version of its Ski Explorer app, which includes recommended routes in its resorts. The on-piste itineraries can be customised to allow for your ski ability and how long you wish to ski for. The ‘Find my Friends’ feature allows you to locate friends or family on the mountain using GPS, while you are also able to track you distance, speed and altitude. The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store and Google Play, and is free to all.

PARENTS CHALLENGE FINES FOR TERMTIME TRIPS SCOTS’ NEW SKI HILL A petition calling for the ban on termtime family holidays to be reversed has received more than 44,000 signatures from parents angry at the new law, introduced in 2013. The petition, which requires 100,000 signatures to be considered for debate in the Commons, demands that children with a good attendance record should be allowed one ten-day holiday per year. The cost of ski holidays can double in half-term and the new year. A survey by Halifax bank revealed that despite

fines of up to £60 per pupil, or £120 if not paid within seven days, 41 per cent of parents would be willing to take their children on holiday in termtime. Last season, travel firm Mountainbase attracted controversy by offering to pay fines for families travelling in termtime. This winter independent operator, The Chalet Company is offering a 25 per cent discount to all UK teachers, and a 10 per cent discount to their family and friends, if they go skiing during the Easter break to offset the greater cost.

Scotland is to get a new ski hill, as the Lowther Hills Ski Club in Dumfriesshire plans to install a 600m drag-lift which will serve an intermediate piste. It also plans to install two 100m draglifts to serve nursery slopes. Work has begun constructing a clubhouse and it hopes to have enough snow and volunteers to open for 20 days a winter. Club chairperson Anjo Abelaira said: “My vision is to have a New-Zealandstyle, low-cost centre with a few tows, snow-grooming and curling.”

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NEWS TOUR OPERATOR SAYS AUSTRIAN PAY RULING THREATENS HOLIDAYS

BOOT SALES SHOW FIRST INCREASE SINCE THE RECESSION

Changes in the way the minimum wage is enforced in Austria is causing confusion within the ski industry.

The sales of ski boots rose by 21 per cent in the last financial year, according to the Snowsport Industries of Great Britain – the first growth in the market since the recession hit in 2008. Last season, UK-based retailers and rental outfits bought 60,065 pairs of ski boots from suppliers, a growth of 5,581 on the winter before. Snowboard boots sales rose by 2,850 to 16,320. However, sales of skis continue to slide, with 26,660 pairs sold last winter, a fall of 1,063. Board sales were down 6,065 to 13,691. SIGB president Sam Noble said: “Our data shows signs of recovery for snowsports hardware.”

by Roger Bray

British chalet and tour operators have been left assessing the impact on their business after the Austrian parliament voted in November to approve a new ruling to ensure all employees are paid the minimum wage of about €1,000 (£800) a month. Tour operator Powder White is leading a campaign highlighting the potential impact the ruling will have on British ski firms. Fraser Ewart-White, founder of Powder White, said the

Austria’s parliament voted in November

law would “lead to a large increase in employment costs”, and would “affect the viability of providing good value chalet holidays in Austria”. But a spokesperson for Crystal Ski said: “We have been paying everybody according to the law and are not worried about any change on January 1.” In Austria, employees are paid for 14 months a year, not 12, to cover Christmas and other holidays. However payment for the extra months has not always been enforced. Under the new rules, a chalet host contracted for a sixmonth period would have to be paid for seven months’ work, plus any overtime they worked. Critically, other benefits, such as free accommodation, food, ski pass and ski hire, would not be taken into account. The Austria National Tourist Office urged operators to seek expert advice. A similar amendment was made law in Switzerland in 2013, in response to which most mass-market chalet firms dropped the majority of their Swiss properties this season. Speaking of the changes in Austria, Andy Perrin, the chief executive of Hotelplan UK, which runs Inghams, Ski Total and Ski Esprit, described the new ruling as “one more kick in the teeth”.

TAKE A COURSE IN... RIDING CHAIRLIFTS The resort of Les Deux Alpes is running workshops in how to use a chairlift. During the free course, run with the Ecole du Ski Français every Tuesday and Wednesday at the Alpette chairlift at 9.30am and 12.30pm, you can learn all the tricks of the trade for getting on and off the lift and what to do should it stop. The French resort said it was part of a national campaign in response to several lift accidents every year. Back to ski school — Page 29

SIMON BUTLER HAS EXPULSION OVERTURNED

EXACTLY HOW STEEP?

Simon Butler, the ski instructor facing jail in France, has had his expulsion from the British Association of Snowsports Instructors suspended in an Edinburgh court in November. Butler was expelled from Basi earlier that month after it said he had employed Basi members knowing they were incorrectly qualified. The instructor is appealing the decision of a court in Bonneville, France, that found him guilty of instructing without required qualifications in April, in a case covered by Ski+board. He argues that the French authorities have not been applying a principal of equivalence to British instructors’ qualifications, and that six of his

The Austrian resort of Kaprun is the latest to boast a terrifyingly steep slope. The new kilometre-long Black Mamba run on the Kitzsteinhorn has a vertical drop of 290m and offers an inclination of “63 per cent”. But skiers should note this equals just 32 degrees as the use of percentages to describe inclines generates nonsensical figures, like those bosses who ask you to give ‘110 per cent’. That said even experienced skiers often overestimate the steepness of slopes by a factor of two. Many will swear that 32 degrees is the incline of a typical red run. In fact 25 degrees is equal to the steepest part of a French red run.

instructors arrested with him last winter should be able to work in France. Basi now has 21 days in which to appeal the decision. The organisation said: “Basi will be taking legal advice on the matter.” How Ski+board covered the case of Simon Butler, right, in its October edition

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NEWS TEAM GB’S ALPINE ATHLETES ARE IN ‘DESPERATE NEED’ OF FUNDING

SKYWORK IS LATEST AIRLINE TO OPERATE FROM SOUTHEND

British Ski and Snowboard boss Dave Edwards has told Ski+board there is a “desperate need” to raise funds for Britain’s alpine ski racers.

Swiss airline SkyWork has launched flights from Southend airport to Bern, a convenient gateway to the Jungfrau resorts of Wengen, Mürren and Grindelwald. The airline had operated to the Swiss capital from London City Airport, and the switch is likely to come as a blow to City-based skiers. The is also only one outbound service at weekends — on Sundays — which arrives at 10.30pm. However there are early morning departures on weekdays.

By Ben Clatworthy

PHOTO Dan Smye-Rumsby

After Team GB’s success at the Sochi Games, government funding body UK Sport allocated £4.89 million to BSS, for the four years to the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. However, the cash is ring-fenced for athletes competing in Park and Pipe events. Edwards explained: “UK Sport will only put money into programmes with athletes it believes stand a chance of winning medals.” This means those representing the country in traditional Alpine sports have been left strapped for cash. Jenny Jones won Britain’s first Olympic medal on snow when she secured bronze in the snowboard slopestyle at the Sochi Games. Her success means there will be more cash for those competing in freestyle events. “The money is going to be a huge help,” said halfpipe competitor Rowan Cheshire. “Before I was having to selfraise a lot of money. Now funds will help with flights and accommodation.” Jamie Nicholls, who finished sixth in the snowboard slopestyle at Sochi, agreed, and praised the work of BSS and UK Sport. However, Edward Drake, who raced in the downhill at the Vancouver Games

before switching to ski cross, said: “It’s great there is more funding for winter sports, but Alpine skiing and boarding are the core sports, and to compete in freestyle you need to be able to ski.” Drake will receive no funding from BSS this season, despite spending £30,000 a year to represent the UK. He said: “They want results and will only fund sports where they can expect them. But it’s a chicken and egg situation. To get the results you need funding.” Lack of support and funding has already forced 23-year-old TJ Baldwin to retire. He told the BBC the governing body “failed to support him” properly, and has caused fellow Alpine racer Dougie Crawford to take a sabbatical.

Edward Drake will have to personally fund his £30,000 World Cup season

UK SNOW CENTRES FEEL ‘SOCHI EFFECT’ A new report published by Snowsport England has shown a dramatic increase in people visiting dry slopes and indoor snow centres in the UK. The rise is being attributed to the ‘Sochi effect’, with excitement about snowsports increasing after Team GB recorded its best ever Winter Olympic Games results in Sochi in February. The report found that there was a 12 per cent increase during the three months from February 1 to April 30 on the same period in 2013. And there was an 11 per cent rise during the period from May to August on the same months in the previous year. All of the 13 centres surveyed bar one showed a rise in visitor numbers.

RESORTS CRACK DOWN ON SPEEDING SKIERS

ENGLISH SKI SLOPE WINS £500,000 AWARD

This season sees the launch of ‘speed prevention’ teams in the Portes du Soleil. Resort bosses are tackling the issue of reckless skiers after a recent customer satisfaction survey revealed many were worried about their safety on the slopes. “Many reported a feeling of insecurity because of the speed of some on the pistes,” Pascal Bergero, director of the Télé-Champéry-Morgins lift company, told the Swiss newspaper 24 heures. A spate of mobile phone apps that claim to record your fastest speed using GPS technology have been launched in

Ski Rossendale, a dry slope in Lancashire, has had a £500,000 grant approved by Sport England. The centre’s modernisation plans, which received financial backing this autumn, include lengthening the ski slope, laying down a new surface and redeveloping the beginners’ area. A new lodge and café will also be built. David Fuller, project leader at Ski Rossendale, said: “We are delighted to be one of only 36 projects across the country to be awarded this Sport England Improvement Fund.”

recent years, though their results are dubious. Some experts cite this as the reason why more people are skiing fast. The Franco-Swiss ski area is not the first to employ measures to curb speed. In North America many resorts have staff stationed on the snow in a bid to control skiers, as well as implementing designated slow zones. Whether the efforts of the Portes du Soleil will pay off is as yet unknown. A recent job advert seeking ski patrollers was targeted at older local skiers “with a good knowledge of the area”.

RELAX AS HARD AS YOU LIKE 10794

Facing the music

Virtuoso violinist VanessaMae has said she will appeal her four-year racing ban, after the International Ski Federation ruled that four races in Slovenia in January were fixed to allow her to qualify for the Sochi Olympics. The ban means she will have to shelve plans to compete in February’s World Championships in Vail, Colorado. In an exclusive interview with Ski+board this summer, the violinist told Chris Haworth about what fuels her allconsuming drive to race. Watching Britons compete at the Winter Olympics can lead to a few nail-biting moments. But few competitors had us as fixed to our screens as when the slender figure of 5ft 3ins violinist Vanessa-Mae launched herself from the starting gate down the giant slalom course at Sochi. Cutting an elegant, even assured line, albeit far less aggressively than most other competitors, she finished 74th of 90 skiers on her first run, 27 seconds behind the leader. She narrowed that gap to 24 seconds in the second run, finishing 67th, and 50 seconds behind the winner, another musician, the skier-turned-pop singer Tina Maze of Slovenia, with the remaining 23 not finishing the course. Though her participation attracted a fair degree of cynicism even before the International Ski Federation’s ruling, given she only started training in earnest the summer before, Vanessa-Mae is actually a relatively seasoned recreational skier having started at the age of four — a year before she picked up the violin. I first met her ten years ago, when a particularly thunderous storm hit the French Alpine town of Val d’Isère. Weaving through squalls of snow I spotted an unusual sight, a gorgeous and youthful Chinese… Shar-pei ferreting around in the snow. At that moment the owner was of little interest to me, as I am a confirmed dog lover and avid skier, and it was time for patting then skiing, not chatting. But curiosity as to such a rare dog’s provenance led me to look up and mutter a few words in pidgin French to the owner, a diminutive figure well-wrapped up against the elements. To my surprise, I found that I was talking to a world-famous musician. Having made her professional debut at the age of ten, child prodigy Vanessa-Mae had entered the Guinness Book of Records with her recordings of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky concertos by the age of 13. A crossover into the world of pop meant that by the age of 27, Vanessa-Mae was ranked as the wealthiest young entertainer under 30 in the UK in the Sunday Times Rich List, with an estimated fortune of £32 million from concerts. Her record sales standing at an estimated 10 million copies worldwide.

Her presence in Val making the Thai team, What’s the worst that can happen? d’Isère was explained by because the International Just that I can’t play violin any the fact that she has been Olympic Committee are more, and skiing is my passion. I dating Lionel Catalan, the keen to encourage new did break my elbow on the Kleine son of the resort’s former nations to participate in Matterhorn and it was in a cast for mayor, for 15 years the Games. seven weeks now, though Catalan has She continues: “When been known to say that, I enquired about racing, such is Vanessa-Mae’s a licence and eligibility inexhaustible energy and zest for life and trying new for Olympic racing, the information got out to the things, it feels more like 50 years. press. In countless interviews I was asked ‘is it true But what gave her the idea of competing at the that you’re going to compete at the Olympics?’ So Olympics and persuaded her to lay down her violin eventually in an interview I said yes, and committed and clip on racing boots? I put the question to her to it. It was then that reality began to strike about when I spoke to her again, ten years later, in the undertaking skiing at a Winter Olympic Games. beautiful Swiss town of Zermatt, which she has made “The leap from skiing as a tourist to being a racer her home. is huge — throwing yourself into that scenario. Free “Since the age of 14, I’ve always dreamt of living skiing is so different. I was shocked at how tough in a ski resort,” says Vanessa-Mae, now aged 36. “I racing is. On my first race I thought ‘oh my! I’m gonna wasn’t dreaming of racing at the Olympics until I was get lost’. I was so paranoid about going around the an adult. But watching all the summer skiers and wrong gates. Even the coaches at Sochi assured me racers training in Zermatt got me interested again. that skiers often get lost in the double-gated courses. “When I was young I was very lucky to have a job “For professional skiers and racers I have the that virtually everyone pursues as a hobby, so now utmost respect — the work that goes into being I believe that one’s hobby should be pursued with a professional skier, the incredible athleticism, absolute passion. And I thought, ‘hey, I now live in strength, endurance, balance, technique and the Zermatt. How can I make myself the best skier I can dedication, the years of training and focus to become be in the time I have?’ That started the thought of a competitive skier. The brutality of the early season training and racing, and from there I contacted the races like those in Norway with piercing Arctic cold, Thai Olympic Federation.” bullet hard snow and ski racers from the Europa Cup A British citizen, Vanessa-Mae was born to a Thai — it was an incredibly tough insight.” father and Chinese mother in Singapore. After her But even if that did not put her off, did not the risk parents separated, her mother, a Chinese lawyer and of injury — never mind dealing with her insurers — semi-professional concert pianist herself, married give her cause for doubt? She replies: “You have to Graham Nicholson, an English corporate solicitor, and be committed and accept the risks. People worried they moved to England when Vanessa-Mae was four, about me breaking something and would say ‘oh, but with regular skiing holidays becoming a feature of she’s a violinist’. But what’s the worst thing that can family life. She knew that while she stood no chance happen? It’s just that I can’t play violin any more. I of making the British team, she did have a chance of love the violin and it is my vocation, but that doesn’t mean I have to rule out everything else in life, and skiing is my passion. I did break my elbow on the Kleine Matterhorn in 2009 and it was in a cast for seven weeks.” Vanessa-Mae should not have raced at the Sochi Winter So Vanessa-Mae threw herself into training. She Olympics, the International Ski Federation said at a says: “Learning at four is so natural, everything is hearing panel in Switzerland in November. It has barred new and you can be coached head-on without the her from racing for four years after finding evidence of life experiences that affect you in your 30s. As a fixing and manipulation at the qualifying races. child I had a voracious appetite for learning and I The four races in question were held in Krvavec, questioned everything. Slovenia, in January 2014, at the request of VanessaAs I matured I’ve questioned even more, especially Mae’s management and arranged through the Thai in skiing. But it can cause paralysis in development. Olympic Committee. The panel said that, among other It’s very much ‘analysis breeds paralysis’, so it’s irregularities, a competitor was included on the results tougher now I’m older. But my work ethic is the list despite not being in attendance, and a racer who essence of my life. For me, it’s normal to put myself finished second fell and had her time manipulated. under such pressure to reach a target, to train, to It said an official opened the timing wand manually analyse and achieve the goal.” once a competitor was on the course and the weather As Vanessa-Mae talks, I remember watching was so bad that any comparable race would have been her perform as a child on the BBC’s Wogan Show cancelled. In July, four officials were given four-year and remember her passion, rebelliousness and bans for their involvement in the races. Vanessa-Mae aggression. I remind her of it. says she will appeal the decision. Ben Clatworthy “Yes, this is what I needed then and it’s also what

The ban — and what they said

And the winner was… another musician Celebrity contestants tend to eclipse winners — even if they come last. How many of us can name the man who beat Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards at the 1988 Calgary Olympics? However, in the race that Vanessa-Mae competed in, the winner could give her a run for her money in the music stakes too. She was Tina Maze, the Slovenian ski racer turned pop star. The 31-year-old, one of just six women to have won in all five World Cup Alpine skiing disciplines, recorded her first song while training for the 2013 season, having learnt the piano at primary school. Her rock-tinged songs instantly became a huge hit in Slovenia, though for the moment her skiing has eclipsed her music career. She started this season leading the slalom scoreboard after a win at Levi, Finland, in November.

Tina Maze at a World Cup race in Courchevel

the young skiers have,” she says. “As a kid of ten I had that hunger and aggressiveness. Before going on stage I’d play the score from Rambo and say ‘let’s go f*** ’em!’ This was in front of my family. My [step]dad would be like ‘what did you just say?’ but I’d just be letting out my aggression. I felt like a boxer entering the ring in Raging Bull. However, as I matured, I became a lot more relaxed and learnt to ‘chill’ in my performances. “At the Olympics I was trying to imbibe the experience. It was ‘wow, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I’ve got to soak it all up’,” she says. “I felt like I wanted to make the experience last as long as possible, and there was just so much to take in. “I never got to ski the actual Olympic Giant Slalom piste before racing on it, and the first time I truly appreciated what it was like was during the inspection. On the steep sections, I thought ‘oh my God, I’ve just got to try and enjoy this and survive’.” Olympic and international-level events are run with double gates and this set-up is much harder for the inexperienced racer to navigate. “In the start gate I prepared as I do for a live performance — lowering my heart rate, chatting and trying to stay relatively calm, focused and not nervous,” she says. “I’m almost too calm. I’m so chilled out, and I see all the other racers who are so hungry to win and know they can win. I managed to ski gracefully. Between the first and last gate the snow didn’t change much. In previous races during the season we’d have ice and that was like skiing on glass. It was incredibly difficult. At Sochi conditions were less aggressive with skiable ruts, so it worked out well for me.” However, the slope in Sochi was still the steepest and longest run that she had ever raced — even in training runs. “In the second run, I was focusing on the race, yet in the hut of the start gate, just about to do my run, one of the volunteers asked for a photo with me. It Ski+board

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

wasn’t the ideal way to focus for my second run at the Winter Olympics. “In general was there a good atmosphere at the Sochi Games. The encouragement was incredible and so many volunteers were smiling ear-to-ear. “It’s the Olympic spirit to participate and to bring the nations together. When you’re at the Olympics it does feel incredibly welcoming and supportive.” In fact, this was not Vanessa-Mae’s first attempt to compete at the Winter Olympics. Getting to Sochi was the culmination of a dream stretching back to the turn of the century. She tried back in 2002 to compete at the Salt Lake City Games in America, but to have done so for Thailand at the time raised issues, since she was unwilling to renounce her British citizenship. Some critics, including members of the International Ski Federation, would say that her determination to compete, despite having the odds stacked against her, has been too great. Whatever your opinion, it seems that mad-keen skiers don’t come much keener than Vanessa-Mae.

VanessaMae at a qualification race in Trysil, Norway

Follow the story of Vanessa-Mae’s appeal as it unfolds and the resulting verdict of the International Olympic Committee at skiclub.co.uk/news

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ZELL AM SEE-KAPRUN You could hardly find a more contrasting ski region than Zell am SeeKaprun, stretching from the enchanting frozen Lake Zell to the exhilarating Kitzsteinhorn glacier: the Alpine landscape provides a truly outstanding arena for an entire range of winter sports. Apart from three truly diverse ski areas, the region also offers a variety of experiences off the ski slopes: from cross-country skiing, hiking and snowshoe tours, to tobogganing or sports on the natural ice of the lake. Three cable cars bring visitors to the Kitzsteinhorn with the impressive Peakworld 3000 — Salzburgerland’s highest and most spectacular panoramic platform. From here visitors have a breathtaking view of the Kaprun valley, Lake Zell and thirty 3,000m peaks. At Cinema 3000, the highest cinema in the Alps, an award-winning film from the Cannes film festival allows visitors to enjoy impressions of the Kitzsteinhorn in all four seasons.

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Don’t miss the Tauern Spa — a wellness oasis! The Tauern Spa in Kaprun is the ‘base camp’ for wellness relaxation. It has a 25m long sports pool, all sorts of soothing spa treatments — in fact just about anything that relaxes body and soul. This water and sauna oasis measuring some 20,000 square metres has all manner of wellness delights for grown-ups and children.

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ADVERTORIAL

THE WILDER KAISER REGION Reach the top of the Tirol’s Wilder Kaiser holiday region and gaze across at the amazing view. Then close your eyes and feel the winter sun on your skin. Here, high above the region’s four villages of Söll, Ellmau, Going and Scheffau, you can pause in anticipation of the exhilaration you’ll feel as you cruise down the slopes of Austria’s largest interconnected ski area. Simply put, SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental consists of 91 lifts serving 279kms of slopes, dotted with 70 cosy ski huts, and almost 8km of floodlit toboggan runs. Snowboarders can revel in funparks such as the Intersport Kaiserpark on the Hartkaiser in Ellmau and in the excellent freeride areas. Söll has the largest night skiing area in Tirol with Austria‘s longest (13km) night skiing piste. Ski instructors at 13 ski schools in the Wilder Kaiser region make sure everyone gets off to a safe start. And a dozen practice lifts are available for beginner skiers and snowboarders. Even away from the vertical excitement, some 70km of beautifully prepared cross-country trails link the four Wilder Kaiser villages. The 10km Kaiserloipe in Ellmau runs parallel to a picturesque winter walking path and also offers a truly spectacular view of the Wilder Kaiser mountain range. The 1.5km night slope cross-country trail at Scheffau is served by snow cannons and floodlit until 10pm. The Wilder Kaiser region is easily reachable within one hour from the airports of Innsbruck, Salzburg and Munich. If you’re looking for a more sustainable way of travelling to Wilder Kaiser, the Snowcarbon rail travel service provides details about direct, comfortable train journeys from London to nearby Wörgl.

SPECIAL WINTER DEAL SUPER SKI PACKAGE 100 per cent ski at only 75 per cent of the cost! Wilder Kaiser ski holidays of four nights or more in Ellmau, Going, Scheffau and Söll are reduced by 25 per cent, as well as 25 per cent discount on ski hire and ski school. From £300* per person, you can get seven nights’ B&B in an Inn, a six-day ski pass, discounted rates on ski hire and ski school, plus a Wilder Kaiser Card which offers numerous free services and bonus services such as guided walks, and ski show.

FACILITIES 91 lifts serving 279kms of slopes, dotted with 70 cosy ski huts, and almost 8km of floodlit toboggan runs.

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They call it a ski circus, SKI UNLIMITED and who can blame them? PACKAGE It’s full-on excitement and One week in a B&B* entertainment from the including skipass from £456 moment the lifts open until per person. the après-ski finally comes to a halt in the small hours. FACILITIES No wonder that in terms 200km of pistes groomed of annual visitor numbers by 56 snowcats and served compiled by a Swiss agency, by 55 lifts. Plus, two snow the celebrated resort parks, floodlit pistes, race duo — linked to Leogang and speed slopes, and — form the world’s second toboggan slopes. largest ski resort. It doesn’t CONTACT matter whether you’re a skicircus.at cool snowboarder, tiny tot, (*offer available from January 10 trick-loving freestyler or a to February 7) big carving-turns specialist — the Skicircus is for you — all of you! With seemingly endless slopes (200km of pistes groomed by 56 snowcats and served by 55 lifts), huge investment in infrastructure and guest facilities continues. Set to open this winter is the new 10-person Steinbergbahn gondola — the second lift up to the Skicircus from Leogang. With a capacity of 2,500 people per hour it has a convenient starting point next to the Hotel Krallerhof. As well as this, a new eight-seater chairlift with heated seats and bubbles replaces the old Polten quad lift. On the menu for teenagers and the young at heart, there’s a boarder and ski-cross park at the Bernkogelbahn, floodlit slopes, race and speed slopes, toboggan runs, and the Flying Fox XXL in Leogang (flying-fox-xxl.com — at over 80mph it’s one of the fastest steel zip wire slides in the world). There’s a ‘SkiMovie’ race slope at the Unterschwarzachbahn in Hinterglemm, where you can watch yourself racing down the slope later by entering your ski pass number online, and another reached from the Almbahn quad chair in Leogang. And just look at the choices for park lovers — the Nitro Snowpark at the Asitzmuldenbahn in Leogang, the playgroundSNOW at the Hochalm sixseater chair in Hinterglemm, the ‘Learn to Ride Park’ at the Bernkogelbahn in Saalbach and the floodlit NIGHTPARK, at the Unterschwarzachbahn in Hinterglemm. And, new for the upcoming season — an Airpatrol landing pad at NIGHTPARK. And when the sun goes down, the floodlights come on: the U-Bahn Snowpark, with tubing slopes, is open late from Monday till Saturday. So is the Schanteilift in Leogang on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. And, as we’ve said, the Skicircus doesn’t end there. Stand by for the resorts’ celebrated après ski — for all ages!

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17.11.14 12:36

BACK TO SKI SCHOOL FIVE EXPERIENCED SKIERS AND BOARDERS TAKE A LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN BY EMBRACING NEW CHALLENGES ON THE SLOPES. 29 Ski school is something you give up as soon as you become competent enough to navigate most of the mountain on your own, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. Not only will taking on a new goal add an extra thrill to your holiday, but you may also gain a new respect for the skills you already possess. Of course, one of the obvious courses to enrol in is an advanced programme to improve your level of skiing, which is what Rosie Barcroft did in Les Deux Alpes. Or snowboarders can go over to the dark side, as long-time boarder Daniel

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Elkan did in Les Arcs, also in France. But there are also courses available in disciplines you may not have considered before. Colin Nicholson went to the Canadian resort of Tremblant to try its new introduction to ski touring programme, while Jason Farrell embarked on his dream to become a ski cross racer in Chamonix after watching that photofinish at the Sochi Olympics. At a more measured pace, Liz Harper went to Lech, in Austria, to do a fitness-cum-skiing course. Now that’s a way to stretch yourself…

SKI SCHOOL

CROSSING THE WIDE, WHITE PLATEAU

DO YOU START EVERY HOLIDAY WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE SKILLS YOU EVER LEARNT IN WINTERS PAST, AND END FEELING YOU HAVE ONLY GOT TO WHERE YOU WERE BEFORE? IF SO, SEVERAL SKI SCHOOLS PROMISE TO MOVE YOU ON FROM THAT PLATEAU. ROSIE BARCROFT TRIED ONE. 30

‘The camera never lies’ so the phrase goes. Yet when I saw myself projected against the wall of the room, knees far too close together, ankles splayed, I felt the urge to say ‘is that really me?’. The European Ski & Snowboard School, based in Les Deux Alpes,

core reputation, with the off-piste haven of La Grave next door, work has begun to build a new blue run at a cost of €10million, to take intermediates back to the village next season, which involves 12,000 trees being replanted. At the top of the T-bar, Lister turned

France, was founded 11 years ago and has developed an excellent reputation, using a team of instructors from Britain, Italy and France. So when I was in Les Deux Alpes at the start of last season, I thought that this was the moment to nail all my bad habits and book myself in for two Top Tips sessions. Each clinic is aimed at intermediate to advanced piste skiers. I would spend an afternoon with one of the school’s top coaches, while my skills (or lack of them) would be analysed with the help of video footage, which would be replayed with feedback. Needless to say, I was rather nervous about my screen debut the next morning, as I waited to meet my instructor, James Lister, and the rest of my group at the Jandri Express gondola. Lister reassured me by greeting me with a beaming smile and warm handshake. After hearing that he was also the Technical Director of the British Association of Snowsport Instructors I knew my skiing was going to improve. I just hoped I wouldn’t be too much of a disappointment to him. The other members of the group, Lewis, a father-of-two and Jane, a writer, wanted to improve their carving. After travelling up the Jandri Express, we clicked on our skis before traversing to the Puy Salie T-bar on the glacier. To the right, a group of shaggy avalanche dogs were furiously digging in mounds of snow surrounded by trainers. Although Les Deux Alpes has a hard

to us. “Right,” he said. “Let’s take a quick look at your technique.” This was it, the moment of truth we were dreading. Lister casually zoomed down the mountain, stopped halfway, got his camcorder out and then waved, signalling one of us to start. None of us moved. We stood like penguins peering down the piste each politely saying ‘after you, no really, after you’. In the end I went for it. Taking a deep breath, I pointed my skis down the mountain and carved across the slope a few times trying not to fall before sliding to a stop next to him. “Not bad,” he started. I waited for the ever looming ‘but’... “But your inside ski is dominating far too much. You are leaning on it more than your outside ski and consequently A-framing.” We watched Jane making her way down the mountain. “Good balance” said James. And the ‘but’...? “However, you need to rely on your skis more and have the confidence to use the edges.” Then it was Lewis’s turn. “You need to control your arms and open up your legs a little,” said Lister. So what was to be our cure? Bizarrely, it was snowploughing. For the next hour, we travelled up the T-bar and down beside it. Skiers and snowboarders zoomed past us (sometimes, I swear, using us as slalom posts) while we made our way slowly down the mountain. “Pretend you’re holding a heavy bucket on your outside ski. Your inside ski should be flat to the slope,”

I WAS THERE TO NAIL MY BAD HABITS AND THE TWO OTHERS WANTED TO IMPROVE THEIR CARVING. SO WHAT WAS TO BE OUR CURE? BIZARRELY, IT WAS SNOWPLOUGHING

Above: Rosie Barcroft gets a few pointers Right: Speeding over the intermediate plateau

called Lister patiently, as he followed our sluggish progress. We must have looked like we were auditioning for the role of the hunchback of Notre Dame. “Dig in your outside skis a bit more, carve it round the corner. I just want to see one line, Rosie,” he urged. I looked behind me. There was definite line at the bottom, but a smudge on top. Before finishing, Lister filmed us again. “I’ll show you the results later,” he said, putting his camcorder away with a smile playing on his face. The stars were shining and my breath came out in plumes when I walked the short distance from the Hôtel Côte

froze. There, projected against the wall, were the three of us, on the top of the glacier about to set off, the play button flashing tantalisingly. “Are you ready?” asked Lister, who was standing poised with the remote. I took a gulp of my drink and nodded. “Good,” he said. “I thought we’d do the ‘before’ video first.” As soon as I started carving on the video, I could see the A-frame Lister had been talking about. My knees were seemingly stuck together, my shins splayed out slightly, creating a triangle. Lister paused the tape, midleg problem. “Can you see how you’re putting far too much weight on your upper leg?” he asked. I could see — and so could the audience of aprèsski aficionados who had somehow materialised behind me. He then took Jane and Lewis through their runs, pausing the video in various

off. My inside ski was behaving, not trying to take over, and I was achieving a better angle on the snow. Jane was skiing more smoothly and Lewis had stopped “carrying two beach balls” under his arms. Our skiing was by no means perfect. We could all work on rolling our feet from big toe to little toe, and my legs were sometimes too rigid on the steeper terrain, but that could all be addressed the following day. For the time being, we were going to enjoy the evening... and hope that no one had their camcorder out when we took to the dancefloor.

Brune to the ESS offices that evening. Based in The Secret Bar in the town centre, the relaxed, social atmosphere caught me off-guard. After meeting up with Lewis and Jane and buying what we hoped were well-deserved drinks, we rounded the corner and

places to show what was going wrong and how they could improve on it. “Good,” said Lister, satisfied he had told us enough. And he put the newer tape on and clicked play. What a difference. The hours of carrying ‘heavy buckets’ while snowploughing had paid

day for a single room. She trained with the European Ski School (+33 4 76 79 74 55; europeanskischool.eu), which offers the Top Gun improvement camp for €220 per person for five days and the Ladies Ski improvement camp for €230 per person for five days, among others.

‘I’LL SHOW YOU THE RESULTS LATER,’ HE SAID, PUTTING HIS CAMCORDER AWAY, WITH A SMILE PLAYING ON HIS FACE

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Rosie Barcroft travelled courtesy of Les 2 Alpes (les2alpes.com). There are regular transfers from Lyon and Grenoble airports. She stayed at the Hôtel Côte Brune (+33 4 76 80 54 89; hotel-cotebrune. com), which charges from €82 B&B per

GEARING UP FOR A TOUR DE FORCE

A NEW COURSE IN TREMBLANT, CANADA, AIMS TO DEMYSTIFY THE WORLD OF SKI TOURING FOR BEGINNERS. COLIN NICHOLSON SKINNED UP AND GAVE IT A TRY

Free heels, and skins on the bottom of skis allow tourers to climb easily

Ski touring has something of a mythical quality to it. Aficionados wax lyrical about epic ascents in remote ranges, far from any ski resort. But express an interest in trying it yourself and they quickly roll back, with terrible warnings of the physical exertion and hardship involved, or the skill and willpower required. So how to get started? Last season, the Canadian resort of Tremblant launched an introductory programme to equip first-timers with the basic skills to ensure they don’t decide to make their first outing their last. And

nonchalantly waiting for you to catch up, no matter how fit you are. But despite his yellow-tinged moustache, Pierre, my delightfully patient guide, was clear he was going to take us one step at a time when I met him at the Centre Aventure, at the top of one of Tremblant’s charming cobbled streets. Touring ski and boot rental is included in the price of the course and the shop has split boards for snowboarders wanting a taste of touring. “Sometimes it takes five minutes just to get things on,” Pierre reassured me as I struggled to apply the skins that would

because, like most North American ski areas, Tremblant offers flexible lift passes, a day off the lifts seemed the perfect time to try the half-day course. Initiations in ski touring can be brutal, humiliating affairs, battling bindings, blisters and sticky touring skins, with the added insult of your guide smoking several cigarettes while

stop me sliding backwards. Put these on poorly and you’ll come unstuck half-way through the climb. Only when Pierre was sure I was comfortable did we set off from the shop, passing under the Mary Poppins-style open-air Cabriolet gondola with its umbrella roofs, which floats over the chimneys of this pretty, Québécois village. “Don’t lift the skis, just push them,” Pierre advised, showing me how to loosen the uppermost boot clips to keep my skis as flat as possible, to prevent me straining. On this flat section, I could push each ski a couple of feet forward. At a steeper section, we ratcheted up the heels on the bindings, and I upped my speed, conscious I was slowing. “Don’t think cardio, think tempo,” Pierre urged, encouraging me to keep the same rhythm while shortening my step. And no sooner had we climbed the hill than Pierre wanted me to ski back down it. It is good to get used to skiing down short sections with the skins on, as they are a faff to take off and put on. “Lean back,” Pierre cried after me. “And don’t try to turn.” Both are recipes for falling flat on your face. It was only here we left the piste to go into the woods of this national park, and just yards from the piste we could hear the cry of a falcon. I was really getting into it, but this is the point to stop to check for ‘échauffements’ — seemingly innocuous warm spots on your ankles and feet which will rapidly

PHOTOS Station Mont Tremblant

SKI SCHOOL

Ski touring opens up a whole world away from the pistes

turn into blisters. A good tip is to apply Vaseline on your feet before putting on your socks to help avoid treacherous creases. So having pulled up our socks we continued through the soft folds of snow over the ups and downs of the woods. “One woman fell flat on her face here,” Pierre recalled at a downhill. “What she hadn’t told me was that she was carrying a bottle of water in her décolletage. She was drenched, but she didn’t seem to mind at all.” In fact, the greatest risk of getting soaked is by over-exerting yourself, particularly if you’re a self-conscious first-timer, anxious to impress. Instead Pierre encouraged me to let my poles almost dangle behind me. “We’re breathing normally, that’s good,” he said encouragingly. “Now we’re going

Where my poles came in most useful was crossing a small frozen waterfall — there are natural springs all over the mountainside. Here it is hard enough to stay upright, let alone move forward, so Pierre showed me how to secure three points of contact and push the remaining ski forward. And he showed me at which points it is best simply to take off our skis and clamber. The course is typical of the innovative approach of Tremblant’s ski school, which also offers to teach parents how to teach their children to ski, and uses the Flaik tracking system to give instructors and parents realtime information about where children are on the mountain. I was now ready for the trickiest bit. ‘Conversions’ or kick turns are vital if the slope is too steep for you to

to coach each other. You set the pace.” I led on, up the piste again. It was 75 years to the day since an American, Joe Ryan, first climbed the mountain, like me with skins on his skis, although his were probably real seal skins, unlike the modern skins I was using, which looked more like strips of carpet. Ryan liked the place so much he immediately resolved to create a resort here.

face uphill, even on skins. When you do these for this first time you will invariably end up in some odd yogalike contortion or kick your poles over. And, Pierre warned, “you really don’t want to fall on a 40 degree slope”. So we zig-zagged up to the Mary Ryan hut, our destination. It was a beautiful February morning — sunny and unusually mild — but when the

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cold bites, as it so often does in Tremblant, the hut is a good place for the other part of the training you can opt to do. It may sound superfluous, but this is how to pack. When you are carrying a week’s worth of luggage on your back, it is a critical skill. I was doing the technique training only and I’ll admit that part of me was disappointed to have only achieved a relatively easy climb alongside a green slope. But I still had the afternoon to attempt the hike to Mont Johannsen, the highest peak in this part of the Laurentian Mountains. And most importantly I had learnt the techniques of touring in an unpressured environment... making mistakes in a place where mistakes don’t matter and proving the naysayers wrong. The introduction to alpine touring course costs C$70 to C$95 (£38 to £52) per person for a two- to three-hour tour respectively, including half a day’s rental (or a full day’s rental for the three-hour morning tour), if you have a group of four people. Call +1 819 681 4884 or visit tremblant.ca. For more on skiing in Québec visit quebecoriginal.com

SKI SCHOOL

WE ALL SHARE A PASSION FOR THE SLOPES, SO WAS IT TIME TO TRY GOING OVER TO THE DARK SIDE AND TRY SKIING, WONDERED DANIEL ELKAN, OR COULD IT EVER MATCH THE SPORT HE LOVED? Left: Going in different directions — boarders and skiers in Les Arcs

In case you were wondering, some of my best friends are skiers. It’s just that I’ve only ever skied once, and that was 20 years ago… on Hampstead Heath. In fact, I am so non-partisan on the boarder-skier debate, that I often think to myself ‘why don’t more skiers board, or more snowboarders ski?’ After all, we all share a love for the thrilling combination of gravity and snow. The trouble is that to learn a new discipline you have to become a beginner all over again. Time on the mountain is a precious resource and days spent falling over on nursery slopes — when you could be carving up red runs — seem like a waste of good snow. Self-image plays a part, too. The terms ‘skier’ and ‘snowboarder’ overplay the distinction — forcing us to identify as one or the other when it doesn’t really matter. I often wish there was an inclusive term to encompass both. I could trendily call myself a ‘rider’, but I’m over 40 now, and I risk conjuring up images of middle-aged men in leather on Harley-Davidsons. I’ve snowboarded for 15 years, but each successive trip to the mountains has made me more curious to try skiing. There is something elegant and mesmerising about the way that good skiers carve snow, in a way that’s different from boarding. When I got the chance to spend four days learning to ski in Les Arcs, it got me thinking. Would I really need to go back to square one and become a complete beginner? Or could my mountain experience and my

PHOTO Andy Parant

I’LL HAVE TO RUN THIS BY THE BOARD

confidence on snow make the switch to skiing relatively effortless, a little like an experienced chef turning their hand to a new style of cuisine? I was determined to find out. On the train from London to Les Arcs, with a group who were mostly complete beginners, I had fun trying to wind up the more nervous ones, with made-up tales of how beginner skiers often get lost over the edge of cliffs. But for all my bravado, I was a little nervous myself. Needless to say, I made little progress in that day on Hampstead Heath. Arguably, I had been skiing on another occasion — when I went ‘ski-joering’ in the French resort of La Clusaz, which involved a rather confused horse pulling me along a path behind it for ten terrifying minutes, but that was scarcely more enlightening. Arriving in the charming village of Les Arcs 1950, I braced myself for the first shock — the discomfort of ski boots of which many skiers complain. It never came. Instead I found my rental boots to be warm and cosy, if a little heavy. But getting down the shop stairs was another matter. The boots had turned me into C-3PO from Star Wars, as my arms automatically flailed awkwardly

Right: One plank or two? — ski school with Evolution2

with each clunky step. Dance on top of a table in these things? No chance. I couldn’t even walk with any dignity. The next morning, we assembled in the village to meet our instructor Max, from the Evolution2 ski school, the kind of dynamic, confident skier that we all wished we could be instantly. “Have any of you skied before?” Max enquired. I stayed silent and didn’t mention my snowboarding ability. If I did progress faster than the others, I wanted this to provoke genuine surprise. But there was a risk that my experience could count against me, too, which was another reason for staying schtum. Certainly, some skiers I know who have dabbled with snowboarding found the feeling of having two feet planted on one plank unnatural and intolerable. Perhaps I too had formed habits that would be difficult to break. My first impression of skis was how comfortable and smooth the movement was on flat-ish ground. At slow speeds, or when you stop, snowboarding becomes a battle of balance. The board flaps at any bump, the balance is clumsy — you gain elegance only with speed. But on gentle inclines and at slow speeds, the skis shift over the

ground more smoothly, giving me a more free and mobile sensation. My experience on a board meant I already felt confident in my surroundings, whereas the five others in my group were getting to grips simply with the idea of being on a mountain. Concentration was etched on their faces, as Max explained the basics of the snowplough. Feeling more relaxed and determined to prove I could progress faster, I cheekily attempted to snowplough backwards — with some success. On day two, we began to get the skis parallel. We took the Arcabulle chairlift up to the 2,600m Col de la Chal, from where we could snake back down to the village along gently undulating blue runs. My fast-track progress was matched by Sarah, a total beginner in our group with a calm, can-do attitude who had taken to skiing quite naturally. That wasn’t part of the plan.

sideways, so the actual techniques you must use are completely different.” So would my experience help? Jeremy thought about this and replied: “If you already know how to ski or snowboard, you have a big mental advantage because you already know how the mountain works and the feeling of sliding.”

Sarah and I were moved up — to a group with a new instructor, Jeremy, leaving Max with the slower learners. On the chairlift, I admitted my prior experience to Jeremy and asked him whether he thought knowing one discipline helped to learn the other faster. “The snowboard is like one ski. They work the same technically,” he said. “But as a skier you face the mountain, and on the snowboard you are

on to a block of ice, you would do so sideways, like surfers do, not forwards.” A fresh blanket of snow fell that night, creating a tantalising array of offpiste the next morning. However, as a beginner again, I realised that this was now just a backdrop, out of bounds for me. If I attempted it on skis, I’d be a snowball within moments. I started to feel the limits of my progress. Elegant parallel turns were not as easy as I’d

THE BOOTS HAD TURNED ME INTO C-3PO FROM STAR WARS. DANCE ON A TABLE IN THESE THINGS? I COULDN’T EVEN WALK IN THEM WITH ANY DIGNITY

Daniel travelled courtesy of Erna Low (020 7584 2841; ernalow.co.uk) staying at the Pierre & Vacances (pierreetvacances. co.uk) Le Village apartments in Arc 1950 (arc1950.com). Prices for seven nights start at £835 for a one-bedroom apartment sleeping up to four people. He had ski lessons with Spirit by Evolution 2 (spirit1950.com). Six morning lessons of two and a half hours each start at £147 for groups of six or fewer.

PHOTO Evo2 Les Arcs

But which is more natural and instinctive, I wondered? Certainly I felt quite comfortable in this new forward-facing stance. However, Jeremy challenged this, saying: “The balance on the snowboard is in some ways more natural. If you jumped with bare feet

thought they would be. My two skis were not always in agreement about which direction to take, and in my impatience to try to learn faster than I could, I ended up skidding around like a banger race car on a track. On the final day in Les Arcs, I could contain the urge no longer. I took my snowboard out of the locker room — greeting it like an old friend — and headed up for a final blast around the resort. Confidence surged though me, but snowboarding now felt fresher too. My awareness of the edges of the board seemed heightened by my week focusing on the edges of my skis, as if skiing had given me a new insight. But something else had changed, too. I was no longer just a boarder any more. I’d simply chosen to snowboard today. And now, when people ask whether I ski or board, I will be able to tell them I do both.

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SKI SCHOOL

LEARNING TO RACE… FOR THE PUSHY SKIER

AFTER THAT FINISH IN SOCHI, SKI CROSS HAS BEEN GAINING IN POPULARITY, WITH SEVERAL SKI SCHOOLS OFFERING TASTER LESSONS OR EVEN WEEK-LONG COURSES. JASON FARRELL FORCED HIS WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE QUEUE 36

Jason Farrell gives chase to his instructor Roman Devouassoux

IT WAS WATCHING THE OLYMPICS THAT fired my ambition — the madness and chaos of that level of speed and those hair-raising jumps raced in such close proximity. But above all that face plant photofinish, with three men tumbling for the line, and qualification stolen by an outstretched glove. This was the sort of undignified, uncoordinated scramble that I could imagine actually standing a chance at, as opposed to all those orderly races where technique appears king and most of us just serfs. I was far from alone in wanting to give ski cross a go post-Sochi. You don’t have to be an Olympian to take part in this madness. No sooner were the Winter Games over than skier cross courses started springing up all over the Alps, with British ski cross racer Emily Sarsfield even offering a weeklong course in the discipline during the summer on Les Deux Alpes’ glacier. However, approaching the end of the season it wasn’t easy to find a course

that would fit with my more workaday duties, so it was only in late April that I found myself in the French resort of Chamonix, where the Argentière ski school offers freestyle lessons, part of which includes ski cross. Weeklong group lessons are on offer, but with only a weekend to spare before the lifts closed for spring, I signed up for private instruction with Roman Devouassoux, brother to Jonas, who was in the French Olympic Skier Cross Team in Sochi. The Lognan Freestyle Park is on the Grand Montets. On my arrival some of it was already being sectioned off in preparation for a new multi-million pound lift-system for 2014-15 and other parts were in chopped, icy lumps. Even so, Roman surveyed the 850m course with the words: “Everybody can learn something in there.” So off we set. I had the impression that Roman could handle two planks of plywood with the grace of a dancer, while on such early morning, icy terrain, my

skis clattered down the course. The first jump dumped me on my tails and further down a steep bank threw me into what a golfer might describe as the rough. “You have to compress humps and deal with centrifugal force on the banks,” mused Roman. The course had fairly gentle rollers at the top but then came a kicker leading into a series of interlinked high-sided banks similar to a bobsled run. I had skied ruts on a slalom course before, but this was different. “If you spent the whole day in here you would come out a different skier,” Roman told me. And I do believe he is right — just like if you skied in a washing machine for a whole day you’d come out a different, cleaner skier. “It’s not like skiing the piste. It’s more disciplined. It forces you to adjust your weight over your edges and your skis into the fall line, otherwise you will come out.” This, I found, was no easy task. It’s hard to find the fall-line when you’re on one big helter-skelter. “First you just need to get used to the different angles of the slope,” said Roman. “But like Alpine racing, you set up wide into the turn, cut inside, then go outside again for the next turn.” With some practice I got the hang of it but there is another dimension to ski cross — the other racers on the course with you. The point of this game is that racers go head-to-head four at a time. What I had not confessed to Roman until this point was that I had briefly taken part in a ski cross competition, before my humiliating exit. A couple of years before, heart in mouth, I had taken my place against three others in the Verbier High Five, which pits 20 World Cup racers against 150 mere mortals like myself in five disciplines, in a competition anyone can enter. One of the problems is that you have no idea of the standard of the others in the start gate. But as I pushed out like a piston I remember the instant buzz of taking the lead. I was winning. Winning! As I hit the first bend I could feel the

Recreational skiers can compete in a ski-cross race at the Brits held every March

PHOTO Bob bob

breath of the other competitors on my neck. For a while I kept a decent line, not too high on the banks, absorbing the humps. I held them for about half the course but glancing over my

fight it out, and wait for your chance.” I had left it too late to enter a competition last season. There are ski cross competitions for skiers and boarders in Chamonix, including

shoulder I made the fatal mistake of veering wide — I’d opened the door. A tall Scandinavian muscled past, but not just that — his boot smacked my binding and somehow activated the ski-brake. I could feel it drag in the next turn. By the lower section it was over. I went high on the last jump and another racer ducked past. I came in second from last and didn’t qualify for the next round. It was time to talk tactics with Roman. “It’s like Formula 1 racing,” he told me. “If you are behind a guy who is taking a perfect line you can only pass him if you do something different. Challenge the rules. “He’s going outside, inside, outside — so you go inside, outside, inside — or even inside, inside, inside.” “But the first tactic is to get in front. Then hold the line and block. But if you are second, you get in the slipstream of the other racer to make a pass. We call this ‘following the aspiration’. If you are third or fourth, you let the ones in front

the French National boardercross Championships, but my visit was badly timed for any events. However, there are opportunities for me this season, including The Brits, held in March in Tignes, which is open to skiers of all ages and abilities. And this time I am all set to hold my lead. Or am I? On the lift up for the final run, we bumped into Roman’s mother, Katrine, who is also an instructor and fiercely proud of both her sons, but terrified they will come to harm. The conversation quickly turned into a dispute with Roman over whether ski cross was more dangerous than downhill racing. A debate not helped by the fact that neither Roman nor I were wearing a helmet. Roman rattled off some mortality statistics to suggest it wasn’t, and settled the argument with “personally I’ve only ever broken my back on a mountain bike”. Ah, well, Roman did say there were benefits to hanging back…

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SO YOU WANT TO TRY SKI CROSS? Grindelwald, Switzerland There is something spectacular about racing in view of the north face of the Eiger. The 800m snowpark has two ski cross courses — one for beginners, the other for more advanced skiers, and is rated one of the best in the Alps. Details: A day’s ski-cross and snow park tuition costs CHF90 per person if you have a group of four. (00 41 33 853 33 53, burisport.ch). Val Thorens, France This resort hosts the World Cup Ski Cross in early December and after that the course is open to recreational use. Details: Five days’ freeride instruction, including ski-cross, for those aged 13 to 18 costs, from €134 (00 33 4 79 00 02 86, ski-school-valthorens.co.uk). Big White, British Columbia, Canada Big White’s jumps, bumps and rolls are open for recreational use if the resort is not hosting competitions on the course. Details: Half-day ski cross lessons cost from C$95 per person if you have a group of three (bigwhite.com). Ben Clatworthy

SKI SCHOOL

LEARNING TO SKI… THE YOGA AND YOGHURT WAY

Skiing in Lech and, below, limbering up

PHOTO: Lech

CHEESE, WINE, APRES DRINKS, MORE FOOD — JUST HOW GOOD FOR YOU ARE SKIING HOLIDAYS? LIZ HARPER TRIES A HEALTHIER WINTER SPORTS EXPERIENCE It is not often that your instructor takes a keen interest in what is going on deep inside you. But Bernd was different. A personal trainer and nutritionist, he took health and fitness very seriously. Far more seriously than four girls on a weekend away. “It’s all part of our mountain retreat package,” the owner and manager of the Kristiana Hotel in Lech, Austria, told us over our ‘green life’ juice at breakfast. “It’s about the outdoors, fitness, detox and healthy eating.” We looked at the pond life in our glasses with some scepticism, having already approached the trip with mixed feelings. After all, aren’t ski holidays as much about schnitzel and glühwein as the skiing itself? And we worried that a fitness and detox weekend would be a compromise not just on the food front, but on the skiing front too. Did we really want to give up precious skiing time to do other activities?

But our drink tasted better than it looked and Bernd was there to meet us first thing each morning so the exercises wouldn’t impinge on skiing. Sometimes it was for squats and lunges in the snow, with the mountains as our backdrop — a far cry from a sweaty gym. On other mornings it was for snowshoeing, with Bernd crying: “Follow me, we’ll go to the deeper snow — it’s better”. We were already up to our knees and were unfit, overdressed, a little hung over and near spontaneous combustion under the depths of multiple ski layers. What did I say about sweaty? But in each case, we were ready for skiing by mid-morning. Lech ticks most boxes when it comes to ski resorts. A beautifully authentic, sophisticated and atmospheric chocolate box village, it has extensive and varied ski terrain, fast modern lifts, beautifully maintained pistes, and scope for lots of off piste action. I had thought that after personal training and pond scum, I would be gagging for real food by this point. But in fact I found the early morning workout enhanced the skiing and the carefully planned composition of proteins, fats and carbs gave me enough energy to keep on going. And keep going you can, now a lift has linked Lech with its unassuming neighbour, Warth-Schröcken. The new

chondola, a chairlift-cum-eight-seater gondola, was opened a year ago, after 39 years in planning, giving us a choice of conditions for the time of day. The slopes around Warth were perfect warm-up runs — wider and gentler than in Lech, which had more challenging runs for later in the day. Many of Warth’s slopes are north facing, so conditions stay good until late spring. And both boast impressive snowfall records — more than 10.5m a year — far more than neighbouring St Anton, which is covered by the same lift pass. On our last evening, after skiing to the very last lift, we finally gave in, deviating from the hotel’s ‘diet menu’, and opting for the distinctly ‘undiety’ fondue. Failing to agree on whether we should go for cheese or chocolate fondue, we decided that if we were in for a penny we were in for a pound, and did both. Four hours and 10,000 calories later, too full to even contemplate the stairs, we took the lift up the two flights to our rooms. Bernd would have been so proud.

Bernd leading the exercises

Liz travelled courtesy of Flexiski (020 8939 0864; flexiski.com), which offers three nights half board at the Hotel Kristiania (+43 5583 25610; kristiania.at) from £895 per person not including transfers. The Mountain Retreat package costs from €430 a night per person without ski tuition (€730 with) for two sharing. In a seven-night stay guests receive six sessions with a personal trainer, six days ski guiding, a meditation session, and three 30-minute massages. The Ski Club’s Freshtracks holidays include development courses. See skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks

SKI BOOT LAB

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ADVERTORIAL

SWITZERLAND THE COUNTRY THAT INVENTED GOOD TIMES ON THE SNOW

Engadin/Val Roseg

150 years ago, the first winter tourists discovered Switzerland’s enchanting mountain landscapes and returned home raving about the joys of tobogganing, skating and curling. Then, when skiing caught on too, there was no end to the exhilaration to be found in Switzerland’s snow and sun-drenched mountains. Today the prospect of a Swiss winter holiday is more compelling than ever. The UK’s long love affair with Switzerland is thriving like never before. Just select the ideal Swiss resort on MySwitzerland.com/winter by choosing the atmosphere, offer and activities that matter to you. Gstaad

Engadin St Moritz

Enjoy a superb winter sports experience in Gstaad from the end of October until the beginning of May. Whether it’s downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, winter hiking, snowshoe or husky tours or freeride thrills – the range of activities is exceptional. And with 250km of pistes up to 3,000m, Gstaad provides the ideal backdrop for splendid holidays with more than a touch of glamour.

This is where winter tourism was invented in 1864, and nowhere else is it celebrated in such style. As the birthplace of winter tourism, St Moritz is set to take centre stage this season. The anniversary starts on December 5 to 7. Snowsports enthusiasts can enjoy 350km of immaculately groomed pistes, three snow parks and a choice of 34 mountain restaurants with wonderfully enticing sun terraces. The opening event in St Moritz takes place on the first weekend in December with teams competing in various snowsports based on the traditional Snowsports Opening and City Race events, with evening concerts in the village.

Splitboards are to snowboarders what touring skis are to skiers. The Gstaad snowboarding specialist “Pure Snowboarding Shop and School” is following this freeride trend and will offer splitboarding courses for beginners.

If Engadin St Moritz invented winter tourism, Davos Klosters quickly followed suit! The first winter guests arrived in the Landwasser Valley on February 8, 1865 — the date now considered to signal the beginning of winter tourism in Davos. New: Jakobshorn cable car (first section) — from the coming winter, this cable car will provide fast and easy access to the Jakobshorn ski area. Cosy mountain hut: Enjoy après-ski in the rustic new mountain hut at bottom of Rinerhorn.

HOTEL AND SKIPASS OFFER Stay more than one night in Engadin St Moritz at any participating hotel and you can purchase a Hotel Ski Pass for 35 Swiss Francs: available throughout the 2014–15 winter season per person per day for the duration of your stay at around 100 participating hotels.

Davos Klosters / Parsenn

SPLITBOARDING – WHY NOT TRY IT?

Davos Klosters

ADVERTORIAL

The Jungfrau Region The legendary Jungfrau Region encompasses so many famous names — including the most famous trinity in the Alps: Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Together with the resorts of Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and Mürren, the Jungfrau Region is a winter holiday region secondto-none!

WENGEN To commemorate the 150th jubilee of winter tourism in Switzerland, nostalgic skiing afternoons will be held every Friday in the centre of Wengen throughout the entire winter. Under the watchful eyes of ski instructors, participants in period clothing, skis and boots can attempt to ski down the training slope, and even take part in a ski race.

Verbier/Nendaz – 4 Vallées NENDAZ From a plateau in Valais, overlooking the Rhône Valley, Nendaz offers a magnificent panoramic view over the Alps. Its ski domain, vast and extremely varied, ranges in altitude from 1,400m to 3,330m and lives up to all expectations. Everyone – from experienced skiers and boarders on the slopes of Mont-Fort to beginners on the frozen lake of Tracouet – can find the terrain they’re looking for.

ENJOY THE MONT-FORT DESCENT! The two main characteristics of the Mont-FortGentianes-Tortin run are its steepness and altitude (3,330m). Unlike so many ski runs, Mont-Fort is not prepared mechanically – it’s too steep for that! Preparation is limited to securing the area around the slope after each snowfall.

VERBIER One of the world’s premier resorts, Verbier has recently invested heavily in new, fast lifts and connections to further enhance the skiing experience. The area offers superb terrain for all levels, with strong intermediates and advanced skiers and snowboarders enjoying snow-sure high altitude slopes around the Mont-Fort glacier.

APRÈS-SKI VERBIER The legendary après-ski here starts in the on-slope bars as you ski back to town and continues into the early hours with an array of bars, nightclubs and live bands. Discover the atmosphere of Verbier’s bars and pubs: Don’t miss the Pub Mont-Fort, the Fer à Cheval and the Farinet.

HASLITAL FOR FAMILIES

Verbier / Mont-Fort

The Haslital area is rich in tradition and also regarded as the ‘sunshine terrace’ of the Bernese SNOWPEN Oberland. The AIR : April 11, focus here is on 2015 family-friendliness The highest-altitude and authenticity, open-air concert in a underlined by the breathtaking setting in ‘Families welcome’ the snow. quality mark.

ACCOMMODATION TIPS

HOTELS RECOMMENDED BY SWITZERLAND TOURISM Typically Swiss: Parkhotel Schoenegg, Grindelwald This year the family-run Parkhotel Schoenegg won the title of most welcoming Swiss hotel in its category. The hosts, Anja and Thomas, pay particular attention to welcoming each guest as their friend. The hotel offers bright modern rooms in a central location. The wellness centre has a fine view of the North Face of the Eiger.

Travel through time: The Chesa Grischuna, Klosters Steeped in tradition, the Chesa Grischuna has been owned and managed by the Guler family since 1938. The architecture and interior design have been carefully preserved and nurtured. The restaurant is recognised for its architectural authenticity and fresh market produce cuisine. The Chesa is sometimes known as ‘Hollywood on the rocks’: movie stars, producers and directors from around the world love to stop off for a bite.

The ski-in, ski-out Saanewald Lodge A mountain hotel at the heart of Saanenland, right by the pistes and footpaths. The 30 rooms, all with their own bathroom, combine a 60s style with Alpine comfort. There’s a large sun terrace, restaurant serving regional specialities, a spa and fireplace lounge. For more hotels recommended by Switzerland Tourism, visit MySwitzerland.com/besthotels

SWISS As the airline of Switzerland, SWISS is your specialist to the Alps. With more flights from Gatwick to Geneva this winter (up to five weekly) and around 200 flights a week to Switzerland, SWISS will take you and your skis (for free) closer to the slopes, from £65 one-way including taxes. swiss.com

THE SWISS TRAVEL SYSTEM Swiss railways are well known for their punctuality, efficiency and comfort so why not travel to your favourite Swiss resort by train? The

Swiss Transfer ticket is the ideal and most costeffective way to get to your resort. It takes you from the airport or border railway station directly to your destination and back again. Prices start at £92. Tourists can take advantage of an efficient Fly Rail Baggage service, offered by no other country in the world. Regardless of the airline they fly with, visitors can have their baggage sent from any airport in the world via Zurich, Geneva or Bern Airport to their Swiss destination railway station. MySwitzerland.com/rail Contact Switzerland free on 00800 100 200 30

Bernese Oberland / Gstaad

HOW TO GET THERE

ICE DIVING

TIGNES

TIGNESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; NEW RESORT RISES FROM THE DEPTHS A new village, Tignes 1800, is being created around the church that is the only surviving reminder of the original community, now submerged underwater. Colin Nicholson dons aqualungs to find out more.

PHOTO Tignes.net

PHOTO Evolution 2

A ski resort might not appear the obvious place to go for a spot of diving. But as the water gently rose above my eyes and I sank beneath the ice, I briefly reflected that it couldn’t be more apt, given that technically the French village of Tignes is under several fathoms of water. The 13th century settlement was flooded in 1952, when a hydroelectric dam was built across the valley that leads to the linked resort of Val d’Isère. Of the original buildings, only the church was recreated further up the mountainside. For a long time the church stood alone, the other side of the road from the little community of Les Boisses. It is only now that a new village, Tignes 1800, is being built around it. A new eight-seater lift links it to Les Brevières below, while a speedy gondola connects it to the main resort higher up. Although the village is still taking shape, from its beautiful, stone-fronted hotels you can already tell the difference between it and the 1960s apartment blocks higher up in the purpose-built conurbations of Val Claret, Le Lavachet and Tignes Le Lac, where I was about to take to the waters. The instructors, Ben and Pedro, put me at ease with their japes — as if being shown how to use a diving mask while wearing ski gear wasn’t absurd enough. Their briefing was indeed brief — no diving qualifications are required — so in no time I was donning a dry suit over my thermals in the little hut by the shore of the Lac de Tignes. And ironically it was there that the claustrophobia first set in. Ben tried to pull the suit over my head a couple of times and, submerged in black rubberiness, I resisted, until on the third attempt I finally emerged to hear his triumphant cry of “it’s a boy”. And then, in the fading twilight, we walked to a hole cut in the ice, where I had aqualungs strapped on me, a weighted belt tied round my waist and felt, to all intents and purposes, like a beached seal. It was there that I faced my second challenge — the face mask. Somehow the regulator didn’t seem to supply me with enough oxygen and I had to take it out a couple of times to calm my nerves. “Don’t worry. It works much better underwater,” said Ben laconically. I guessed I would just have to take his word for it. As I gingerly lowered myself into the lake I was at least as warm as if coated in blubber. And with a final plop I was christened into the underwater kingdom. My big problem, I soon found, was that in my newly weightless state I had all the coordination of a newborn pup. I flailed my fins this way and that in a hopeless attempt to stay upright, only to find myself in a rather undignified semi-upside down position. Understanding my problem, Pedro wrapped his arms

around my legs to lead me around the sights: in this mystical world such intimacy didn’t appear unusual. If you are lucky you may see the odd trout, as the light from your torch pierces the fog. But the main attraction lies overhead. The air I was expelling at a rate of knots, given my nerves, formed big bubbles racing overhead, trapped as they were under the sheet of ice. So above our heads it appeared as if a petri dish of giant blobs of molten metal were swirling above us. Waving his hand in circles, Pedro showed me how to create beautiful whirlpools that spun in front of us, like little will-o’-the-wisps dancing before our eyes. Curiously, there was something about being in the water — reliant as I was in this pre-natal state on the umbilical cord attached behind me — that helped me to relax. And, on a more practical level, I could glimpse little beacons dangling from safety holes cut at five-metre intervals in the ice. If the prospect of entering such icy blackness is too daunting, you can also go ice-diving by day — all told it takes less than an hour out of your skiing time, even with the briefings and getting changed. By day, the light changes according to snow conditions, so

The instructors put me at ease with their japes — as if being shown how to use a diving mask while wearing ski gear wasn’t absurd enough

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43 Opposite: Ice diving in the lake at Tignes. New lifts connect the village of Tignes 1800 with Les Brevières below it, and the main village of Tignes, higher up

Mystery surrounds falling water levels at Tignes dam… Supernatural goings-on linked to the flooded village of Tignes have been observed… by viewers of the awardwinning TV drama The Returned. After a successful first series on Channel 4 in 2012, the broadcaster plans a second series in 2015. The French drama is set in a small mountain community where local people who are presumed dead reappear at their homes. The ghostly characters appear not to have aged and are unaware of their deaths, so are determined to reclaim their lives. All of this is linked to the dam in the Isère valley — between Val d’Isère and Tignes — the building of which submerged the village under the newly created Lac du Chevril in 1952. In The Returned, the dam’s water levels are mysteriously dropping despite no detectable cracks. The Returned is atmospheric, beautifully filmed and staged to give you hidden clues throughout. The soundtrack was recorded by Scottish post-rock band Mogwai and adds to the haunting storyline. Created by Fabrice Gobert, the series is based on the 2004 French film Les Revenants directed by Robin Campillo. The Lac du Chevril is drained every ten years for maintenance work, and people are allowed to walk around the remains of the village. Rosie Barcroft

ICE DIVING

The new village of Tignes 1800 has been built around the replica of the old church, the original of which is under water

that when it is sunny shafts of light from the safety holes pierce the brume, while if it is snowing the light is an eerie blue. Only the bubbles overhead are slightly less impressive than the silvery globules of the night. When Pedro and I finally surfaced, I heaved myself unceremoniously out of the water on to my belly and felt like a stranded seal once more. However, as I peeled off the rubber suit a sense of exhilaration filled me. And back in my day clothes I went off to

TIGNES celebrate my achievement and calm my still jittery nerves with a large, warming raclette and a glass or three of red wine. Read details and reviews of hundreds of resorts and post your own opinions at skiclub.co.uk/skiresorts. Ice diving costs €80 by day and €100 by night, see tignesplongee.com. Colin travelled courtesy of Savoie Mont Blanc, which is home to 110 ski resorts and 18 fully linked ski areas. For more information go to savoie-mont-blanc.com. For more on Tignes and Val d’Isère go to tignes.net and valdisere.com. He stayed at L’Ecrin du Val Claret in Tignes: hotels-mgm-groupe.com and Le Grand Paradis in Val d’Isère: hotelgrandparadis.com

PHOTO Tignes.net

When you’re heading off to the mountains, it’s important to know that you’ve got the cover you need. By choosing Ski Club travel insurance you’ll be sure you’re getting a policy designed by knowledgeable snowsports experts. All of our policies cover on and off-piste skiing and snowboarding (with or without a guide), plus a variety of other winter and summer sports activities – so whatever your travel plans this year, get covered with Ski Club insurance. Policies include: + Single or Annual Multi-Trip + Skiing and snowboarding off-piste without a guide + Individual and family policies available IMPORTANT INFORMATION + Age limits and loadings apply + Certain hazardous activities may require a supplement + Insurance is subject to completion of a medical declaration + Not available to residents outside the UK, Channel Islands or the Republic of Ireland

GET THE COVER YOU NEED THIS YEAR 5% DISCOUNT

when you buy online Visit skiclubinsurance.co.uk

or call 0845 601 9422

SKI CLUB INSURANCE IS ARRANGED BY PERKINS SLADE LTD Information about our providers: Ski Club travel insurance is arranged by Perkins Slade Ltd and issued and fulfi lled by P J Hayman & Company Ltd. Ski Club of Great Britain Ltd is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Perkins Slade Ltd, Tricorn House, 51-53 Hagley Road, Birmingham, B16 8TP which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Perkins Slade Ltd Financial Services register number is 302886. P J Hayman & Company Limited, Stansted House, Rowlands Castle, Hampshire, PO9 6DX are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Their Financial Services register number is 497103. Sections 1-13 of Ski Club travel insurance is underwritten by AGA International SA and is administered in the UK by Allianz Global Assistance. Allianz Global Assistance is a trading name of Mondial Assistance (UK) Limited, Registered in England No 1710361 Registered Offi ce 102 George Street, Croydon CR9 6HD. Mondial Assistance (uK) Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct

+ Quick online medical screening for pre-existing medical conditions + Covers summer activities as well as winter sports

Authority. AGA International SA is authorised by Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et Résolution in France and authorised and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details about the extent of our authorisation and regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request. Allianz Global Assistance acts as an agent for AGA International SA for the receipt of customer money, settling claims and handling premium refunds. P J Hayman & Company Limited acts as an agent for AGA International SA for the receipt of customer money and handling premium refunds. Section 14 of Ski Club travel insurance is underwritten by Lloyds Syndicates and is administered by International Passenger Protection Limited, IPP House, 22-26 Station Road, West Wickham, Kent BR4 0PR. International Passenger Protection Limited and Lloyds Syndicates are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. International Passenger Protection Limited will act as agent for Lloyds Syndicates for the receipt of customer money and settling claims. On behalf of International Passenger Protection Limited, Allianz Global Assistance and AGA International SA and P J Hayman & Company Limited will act as agent for the receipt of customer money and handling premium refunds. You can check this on the FCA’s Register by visiting the FCA’s website www.fca.org.uk or by contacting the FCA on 0845 606 1234. Policy details correct at time of going to press. Rates valid until 31 July 2015.

SKI INS/AUG 14 SB

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DOES YOUR EQUIPMENT PERFORM AS WELL AS IT SHOULD...?

CMY

Recent innovations in technology means ski equipment is better than it’s ever been before. Ski boots are much more customizable, as plastic shells can now be heat moulded and shaped to the lumps and bumps in your feet. Have you improved since you bought your current boots? Are they still comfortable making you reluctant to upgrade them? A pair of custom fitted boots will be more comfortable than you can possibly imagine and give better performance than your old ski boots ever could. Have your skis seen better days? Or are you still using rental equipment? Skis have now become much more versatile and user friendly helping you to ski in all snow conditions. If you choose the correct ski shape and ability level, you will see huge changes in your progression and enjoyment. Come and visit us today to ensure you have the correct advice from experienced equipment specialists before you invest in your next pair of boots and skis. Bringing you the largest specialist range of skis & boots in the UK and advice and expertise since 1965. We’ll always be here to help and advise you on the correct equipment for wherever your passions and dreams take you. Custom boot fitting specialists. Ski Industries Of Great Britain official ski testers. “WINNER OF THE WORLD SNOW AWARDS - BEST UK SPECIALIST RETAILER”

ADVERTORIAL

Short Breaks to the

Austrian Tirol If your budget or time constraints won’t quite stretch to a full week’s skiing this winter, why not consider a shorter stay and benefit from some attractive incentives offered by the local tourist boards in Austrian Tirol. The Tirol region of Austria is a prime destination for a short break, thanks to daily flights to Innsbruck and short transfers to many of the ski resorts. Short-stay packages offering one night free, or including lift passes, add great value and make for an affordable short break. The number of people taking short breaks to the slopes is showing a marked increase, according to research carried out by the Ski Club of Great Britain. In the winter of 2011-12, just 11 per cent of skiers opted for a short break. This increased to 18 per cent in 2012-13, and last winter (2013-14) the figure leapt to 31 per cent. Here are some of the Tirol’s prime targets for short ski breaks.

ALPBACH, Alpbachtal Transfer time from Innsbruck airport: 50mins A favourite with the British, Alpbach has never lost sight of its mountain heritage and continues to be one of Austria’s most picturesque villages. On the slopes, there’s plenty to keep skiers and snowboarders happy, with a combined total of 109km in the recently linked Ski Juwel Alpbachtal-Wildschönau skiing area. Add to this a wide range of non-ski activities, from snowshoeing to sleigh rides and tobogganing, and it’s easy to see why this charming village is a top choice for a short break. How much? The Alpbachtal tourist board offers a ‘SKI & MORE’ package from €182 per person, which includes three nights’ accommodation, a three-day Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau ski pass and an Alpbachtal Seenland Visitor Card – including access to indoor swimming pool, ski bus, free activity programme and more. Valid from December 5 to April 12.

INNSBRUCK, Olympia SkiWorld Transfer time from Innsbruck airport: 15mins City skiing at its best, Tirol’s capital Innsbruck is easily accessible and has slopes and snow on its doorstep. In fact, it takes only 22 minutes to get to the slopes of the Nordkette from the city centre. The Tirolean capital is surrounded by a total of nine ski areas and 285km of piste, making up the Olympia SkiWorld Innsbruck. From the Olympic slopes of the Axamer Lizum to glacier skiing on the Stubai, all the ski areas are easily accessible using the free bus service and covered on one lift pass - the Olympia SkiWorld Pass.

How much? The Innsbruck Tourist Board offers an ‘Olympia SkiWorld’ package from €369 per person, including four nights’ B&B accommodation in a hotel in Innsbruck, and includes an OlympiaWorld Skipass for nine ski resorts. Valid from December 8 to April 5.

ADVERTORIAL

SÖLL, Wilder Kaiser Transfer time from Innsbruck airport: 50mins

WILDSCHÖNAU VALLEY, Ski Juwel Transfer time from Innsbruck airport: One hour The Wildschönau is a really good choice if you’re looking to relax (or rip it up) on the slopes for a few days away. Stay in one of the charming ski villages of Niederau, Oberau, Auffach or Thierbach in the Wildschönau valley. Each resort has its own local slopes and ski schools. Take your time to explore the newly created ‘Ski Juwel’ area, linked with the Alpbach valley, or enjoy some of the additional winter activities on offer. How much? The Wildschönau tourist board offers a ‘Ski Short Break’ package from €156 per person, including three nights’ B&B accommodation in a guest house or farmhouse and a two-day Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau ski pass and Wildschönau Guest Pass. Valid from January 7 to March 13.

Looking to pack a week into a few days? Then the resort of Söll is a good choice. Here you can clock up the miles and burn the candle at both ends. Beneath the mighty Wilder Kaiser mountain range, the resorts of Söll, Going, Ellmau and Scheffau have access to Austria’s largest interconnected ski area — the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental, with 279km of slopes. After dark, try the 3.8km moonlit toboggan run at Hochsöll or enjoy the lively après-ski in one of the resort’s many bars. How much? The Wilder Kaiser tourist board offers a ‘Ski Short Trip’ package from €408 per person, including four nights’ accommodation at the three-star Ferienhotel Fuchs and a three-day lift pass for SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser/Brixental. Valid from December 20 to February 28.

OBERGURGL-HOCHGURGL, Ötztal Transfer time from Innsbruck airport: One hour 10mins High at the end of the Ötz Valley, the resort of Obergurgl-Hochgurgl stirs up a passionate loyalty with people returning year after year. A few days in the resort will make you want to stay for longer. With its snowsure slopes, immaculately groomed pistes, welcoming ski instructors and an ultra-modern and high-speed lift system, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. Don’t miss heading over to Hochgurgl on the Top Express gondola to admire the breathtaking view from the Top Mountain Star restaurant at 3,080m. How much? The Ӧtztal tourist board offers a ‘Winter Magic’ package from €236 per person, including three nights’ B&B accommodation in a guest house and a three-day Obergurgl-Hochgurgl ski pass. Valid from January 10 to 31 and from April 12 to 26.

Daily flights are available from London Gatwick and twice weekly from Bristol and Liverpool to Innsbruck with easyjet.com from £60 return. British Airways (ba.com) flies five times a week from London Gatwick and Monarch (monarch.com) flies from Manchester airport. Affordable resort transfers are available through transfer.tirol.at For more information on the Tirol region visittirol.co.uk or keep updated at facebook.com/visittirol or @VisitTirol on Twitter

WHERE HAVE ALL THE SKIERS

GON

GONE

LARGE SWATHES OF THE ALPS IN PIEDMONT, WHICH RECENTLY FORCED BRITISH TRAVEL FIRMS TO WITHDRAW THEIR POPULAR HOSTING SERVICE, HAVE NO PISTES, NO LIFTS, NO APRÈS, NO FUN. BUT THEY ARE WILD. The ski instructors’ association of the Italian region of Piedmont has threatened to take British tour operators to court unless they cease their ski hosting programmes, and Crystal, Inghams and Neilson have responded by withdrawing this popular, free service for guests. The move has led some British skiers to ask whether resorts in such regions want our business at all. It is more than a rhetorical question in the case of Piedmont though. Here the situation is very different to France, where many modern ski resorts were founded in the 1960s and 1970s to prevent communities disappearing, as villagers migrated down the valley. La Plagne, for instance, with its motorway-style pistes, risked being deserted until Emile Allais, a champion racer, initiated the construction of seven purpose built ski resorts in 1961 to save the valley from being abandoned. Vast swathes of Piedmont, however, are deserted, with this prime section of Alpine heartland between Turin and Nice unknown to downhill skiers. So should we decry the result of commercially disastrous decisions, of which the hosting ban is only the latest installment, or should we celebrate the pristine beauty of this wilderness? Andreas Hofer reports.

ALL PHOTOS Peter Vogt

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It was dark when we pulled out of the car park at Turin airport, and the small country lanes which the satnav had chosen for our journey south, towards Monte Carlo and the Côte d’Azur, seemed to lead nowhere. The small Piedmontese towns that Marco Zaffiri, my mountain guide, and I passed through were empty. The roads carried no traffic, weathered façades had their shutters down, and uneven, cobbled pavements were crusted with piles of snow. When the lonely ‘SP422’ turned into the ‘SP113’ following the Torrente Marmora — a torrent we could hear

even through closed windows — and the road narrowed to become a steep, twisting, single lane, it felt more sinister still. The headlights of our van beamed over cliffs, yawning voids and into the black vortex of tunnels wainscoted with tree-high icicles. The van ploughed on, through thick layers of snow, and when the satnav finally indicated that we had reached our destination of Locanda Ceaglio it was snowing so heavily that we had to grope our way to reception. This country inn, a gathering of sturdy rock dwellings comprising half the village of Vernetti, was where we planned to stay for ten days of ski touring in the Valle Maira and the Cottian Alps. The inn is a ‘posto tappa’, a pit stop for hikers doing the Grande Traversata delle Alpi. In summer, it is the base camp of choice for hard-core mountain bikers who roam these mountains between Piedmont and Provence on a maze of old smuggling trails and military gravel roads built by Mussolini for his failed campaign to conquer the south of France in 1940. But in winter it is a Valhalla for ski-tourers from France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Austria and even the US — I saw a large group of investment bankers and hedge fund managers lured here by their mountain guides from Verbier and Chamonix. They were hooked on this lone wilderness. The Cottian Alps are the

size of Wales and the steep gullies, powder slopes, many 3,000m (10,000ft) peaks and tree skiing and are worthy of British Columbia. For them, the fact that you would struggle to find a vast, Alpine terrain in the middle of Europe has never had a single ski lift built only adds to its allure. The Maira valley was, until recently, the setting for Europe’s most dramatic rural exodus. With a population density of two people per square kilometre — four times more lonely than the Scottish Highlands — it would have become the world’s biggest, unplanned ethnological museum, were it not for the efforts of people such as the hardworking Ceaglio family and Peter Vogt, a retired engineer from Zurich. Vogt came as a tourist ten years ago, fell in love with the valley and never left. He gives advice on tourism standards and is tireless in marketing the inn (the wines on offer are Piedmont’s best), so that while most of the slate-covered farmhouses are crumbling monuments to a forgotten culture, the inn teems with guests from early February on. There is now a glimmering of new life in Europe’s oldest peasant republic (dating back to the 12th century) and the Republica Valle Maira of unyielding Second World War partisans. When we woke, the crags and cliffs of Torrente Maira were still immersed in darkness. As we drove off, the spotless

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE Older people living in the lonely valleys of the Cottian Alps still speak Occitan, or more specifically, a dialect of Occitan, called Vivaro-Alpine. Occitan culture, for centuries in decline, has experienced a revival lately: films, music and novels use Occitan, and many farmsteads and number plates display the unofficial flag of the Visigothic kingdom of Toulouse, the equal-sided yellow cross on a red field. It is in the remote high-altitude world known to skiers where the world’s oldest, rarest and most endangered languages, have survived longest. Skiers can encounter Aranese and Basque in the Pyrenees, Rhaetho-Romanic and Ladin in the central Alps, Aramaic in the Lebanon range and Laz in the mountains of Turkey’s Black Sea coast. The biggest treasure trove for linguists is without doubt the “mountain of languages”, the Caucasus. Pliny the Elder claimed that traders taking their wares to the coastal cities of today’s Georgia needed 130 interpreters to get along. Today the ski areas of Russian Dagestan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia and Sochi still boast 37 entirely different languages, some spoken by millions, others by only a few people in a single village. In some criminal cases the accused cannot be tried because no interpreter can be found for them.

morning sky to the east was turning from early powder blue to intense azure, and driving up the mountain we marvelled at the rocky valley steeped in snow and studded with an army of tall, immaculately erect spruce trees. The ridged roofs of the roadside town of Bassura beneath us carried thick, snowy pillows upon them, sitting among what must be vegetable gardens in summer. Looking up we watched the drama of the awakening day: the top of the shadowy ridge was on fire, lighting up the church of San Maria di Morinesio on a sickle of burning light. At the bottom of the first farmsteads of Cucchiales, Marco wedged the van into a heap of snow, where a parking

The Locanda Ceaglio is fighting to attract visitors luring ski tourers

sign stuck out incongruously. We buckled our ski boots, stuck the hiking skins to our touring skis and started on steep, snow-choked paths through the silent, medieval village. Massive, unrendered houses, with trusses and huge beams, long wooden balconies and rickety staircases all around, seemed to have been hibernating for centuries. Only the barking of a dog hidden in the labyrinth of corners and overhanging eaves indicated that at least one last owner must still be living. It was eight in the morning and the mountain tops were windless and dipped in white gold. At the last stable, we followed an alleyway of rigorously pruned ash trees uphill to a medieval Calvary buried in snow. Most early churches and sacred buildings in the valley resemble the farmhouses around them — square, sturdy, built of raw stone with heavy slate roofs supported by a central pillar. They date back to a time when the Cathars, famous for the Albigensian heresy that proclaimed the physical world was evil, had not yet been

GONE

Though the Valle Maira is in the heart of the Alps between Turin and Nice the only skiers you can expect to see are tourers

slaughtered by the crusades of Pope Innocent III and the marauding troops of the king of France, and before the proto-protestant sect of the Waldensians suffered on the stakes of the Inquisition. Their façades were partly plastered and adorned with rich biblical frescos and saintly graffiti commemorating a time, when Occitan was still the language spoken from the Pyrenees to Turin. After half an hour of climbing, we stepped from deep-freezing shade into blinding sunlight. The summit of Mount Nebin, standing at 2,514m, and still 1,000 vertical metres above us, seemed nonetheless reassuringly close, and the wide, open slopes sweeping down to all sides beamed invitingly — spotless sweeps of deep, glistening powder snow. We had set a good pace: breathing easily, with deliberate movements, yet gaining altitude speedily, at about 700 vertical metres per hour. As I climbed I considered the people who had populated this idiosyncratic world of pride and poverty, and who for hundreds of years had tamed this beautiful landscape. Today, the Occitan banner of a yellow cross on red once again waves haughtily in front of a few farmhouses and country inns. In a minor revival, some musicians and filmmakers are asserting their cultural heritage in Occitan, and the few frail old ladies and surviving shepherds who still speak the language are courted as local heroes. They remember a time when Ski+board

they could migrate freely over the steep mountain passes as herders and labourers between Marseille and the Po Valley, plying their unique trades: the coopers from Alboretto; the anchovy sellers from Celle; the salt smugglers; the child labourers in the lavender fields of Provence; the cleaning ladies in the chic hotels on the Côte d’Azur; the railroad navvies from Prazzo toiling for Napoleon III; the little begging girls with their dancing marmots; the hair merchants from Elva supplying the wigs for the British House of Lords for centuries; and the partisans, fighting the Germans with ruthlessness and tenacity. Now, in a Europe without borders, they could in theory do so again. But the vast mountain pastures are today roamed by hikers rather than sheep, and the sons and daughters of Maira have moved to Fiat in Turin, Michelin in Cuneo, or emigrated to the New World. “We had no electricity until 1992,” an old lady told Marco. “And now we have it, nobody is here any more.” The other peaks we scaled in those ten days, such as Mont Cervet (2,984m), Mont Viraysse (2,838m), Punta Tempesta (2,679m), or Rocca delle Sommette (2,482m) were either steeper, or more technical to climb than Mount Nebin, or involved much longer hikes, but they too bear the weight of history, as on Colle del Sautron (2,687m), where so many nomads and migrants have trod, and where Italian soldiers lost their lives in senseless

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

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mountain battles, and skiers, like us, trespassed with impunity into France. What made Nebin unique was its panorama. From the summit cross we could look north far over the Varaita valley towards the frozen Lago di Castello and, reigning supreme, the awe-inspiring, dark flanks of Monte Viso. To the south and west spread the crenellated walls of the Cottian Alps, a sheer, never-ending band of porcelain teeth and turrets, encircling Piedmont, Turin and the Po Valley like a glacial amphitheatre for gods and giants. We made our turns on virgin powder, two lone, curled, parallel lines gliding over steep slopes, and through narrowing gullies to the gushing torrent of the dark valley below. Andreas Hofer travelled independently. British Airways (ba.com), Thomas Cook (thomascookairlines.com), easyJet (easyjet.com) and Ryanair (ryanair.com) all fly to Turin. Fares start at £62 return. Hofer stayed at Locanda Ceaglio (ceagliovallemaira.it). Half-board starts at €69.50 a night per person, based on two sharing. His guides were Marco Zaffiri (marco. zaffiri@gmail.com) and Erich Sommer (erich.sommer@4000plus.ch). For details of 108 ski touring routes, read Charamaio Mai en Val Mairo, by Bruno Rosano. The Ski Club’s Freshtracks programme includes several ski touring trips, including one to the Valle Maira from February 28 to March 7. See skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks

Adrien Coirier / Revelstoke Jkt / Ski Trip Utah F. Marmsater速

#WideAngleLife

THE I NFO Our ‘regulars’ section contains the latest fashion tips, the results of our celebrated ski tests and board reviews, as well as a lowdown on some of the latest gadgets appearing on the mountain, exercises to prepare you for the coming season, a skills section, off-piste tips, resort recommendations and a masterclass in taking better photos on snow

FA S H I O N W I T H FUNCTION

SKI TECHNOLOGY

RESORT INSIDER

How this winter’s gear allows for greater range of motion and copes with all sorts of weather conditions — while still maintaining flattering, figure-hugging lines

We select some of the best video cameras for capturing slopeside action and make child’s play of understanding all the various innovations aimed at little ones

Our panel of impartial experts help you pick the right resort for an ideal winter holiday. This month the panel dig out those offering the best value for money

SKI CLUB SKI TESTS

H E A LT H A N D FITNESS

PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS

These are the ones you’ve been waiting for... this year’s 27 best skis in the most popular all-mountain category are revealed here after extensive testing by the team

Exercise dos and don’ts to prepare you for your trip, fitness myths, plus a gripping first-person account of what happens if your spectacular 360 goes horribly wrong...

Guest contributor and professional action photographer Melody Sky takes readers through the process of capturing those elusive motion shots on piste

BOARD REVIEW

SKI TECHNIQUE

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

This season you can expect to see some crazily shaped all-mountain boards on the slopes and — says our snowboarding guru — they actually ride rather well

Ski+board

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

Learn how to handle speed safely by indulging in a spot of lateral thinking, and follow our definitive guide to spotting key avalanche danger signals off-piste

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Small is beautiful in our advertisers’ selection of chalet breaks, specialist holidays and training aids, followed by details of the next issue of Ski+board and how to read it online

PHOTOGRAPHY: MELODY SKY

DIE HAUPTSTADT DER ALPEN UND IHRE FERIENDÖRFER THE CAPITAL OF THE ALPS AND ITS HOLIDAY VILLAGES

JUMP TO IT

This winter’s fashions combine form and function, giving you greater scope for movement in all conditions, while hiding handy extras under smart, simple lines says Maisha Frost.

[CATHERINE] Horsefeathers Zoey jacket £169.99, regular fit, insulated, wind and waterproof, adjustable hood, Horsefeathers Serena pant £119.99, cuffs and hem slim fit, waterproof, breathable, inner thigh vents and Roxy Victoria mitt £59.99 elastic gaiters with boot hook Smith Optics Virtue waterproof, nose and google wipe Right: Eisbär Arvin hat £35 goggles £110

Make new moves this winter with the latest super-functional freeride and touring wear. Those deliberately simple silhouettes allow for more motion and greater range of use. Sealed seams, detachable powder guards and jacket-and-pant zip connections are fundamental, but this year’s multi-stretch and faster drying outfits also provide excellent insulation. Waterproof and breathable technologies push back the cold, while jackets also conceal a wealth of smart secrets. They have a wider cut to accommodate back protectors and pockets are within easy reach, even if you’re wearing a backpack. And it’s easier to see, with helmet-compatible hoods that can be adjusted three ways. Combine those with soft shell fabrics and you will be covered against the elements and have less to carry too.

[CATHERINE] Salomon Soulquest jacket Soulquest BC Gtx pant £350 £470 super-technical back country combo packed with features, Gore-tex allweather protection, Salomon’s Motion Fit designed to allow body to move freely making big lines and descents, articulated sleeves and knees, jacket has helmet compatible hood, also compatible for harness and backpack, pant has crampon and boot protection and adjustable gaiters for spring and winter Planks The Freak Out sunglasses £44.96 polarised lens reduces glare and steel hinges for stable fit, Eisbär Giso merino and acrylic lined hat £40 SmartWool Patrol gloves £74.95

[ANDY] Picture Park Avenue jacket £219.99 and pant £189.99 roomy freeride/freestyle fit made from 50 per cent recycled polyester, waterproof, breathable, taped seams, lining using factory off-cuts otherwise heading for Picture Doom gloves £55 landfill Salice Flash 619 goggles £90 unisex, lightweight, no distortion, maximum helmet compatibility

[ANNA] Arc’teryx Meta jacket £600, compact winter protection, Gore-tex insulated, waterproof, slope to street allArc’teryx Raveena pant £340 stretch Gore-tex with rounder SmartWool Patrol gloves £74.95 brushed flannel backer Shred Monocle googles £110

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DIE HAUPTSTADT DER ALPEN UND IHRE FERIENDÖRFER THE CAPITAL OF THE ALPS AND ITS HOLIDAY VILLAGES

[TONY] The North Face Fuse Brigandine jacket £520, new fuseform technology weaves two fabrics into one reducing number of seams, jacket is lighter, lower bulk, more durable The North Face Free Thinker Bib £400 a snowsports multi-tasker, allmountain comfort and performance with strategic reinforced fabrics and Arc’teryx Nordiq numerous pockets Oakley A frame 2.0 goggles hat £25 Armada Throttle Pipe gloves £89 Shred Slam Cap helmet £39.95 Osprey Kode pack £120, £140 separate wet and dry gear sections, design can rig skis diagonally or board vertically, rapid deploy helmet carry and hydration, optional ABS

[ANNA] Armada Synth pant £174.95, waterproof, breathable, insulated two-layer fabric, not too loose or tight (known as signature) fit, extra length for comfort and Shred Monocle goggles £110 mobility Shred Slam Cap anti-fog, zero distortion helmet £140 structure spreads impact multi-directionally to minimise force and Osprey Kode pack £120 protect head SmartWool Patrol gloves £74.95, jacket model’s own [ANDY] Quiksilver AG47 Movement Gtx 31 Pro jacket £500, an offpiste special with three-layer Gore-tex shell fabric, two-way adjustable hood and jacketto-pant system, Quiksilver Planner 10k pant £115, insulated, waterproof, breathable Oakley Flight Deck googles £150, low profile frame and extended lens optimise peripheral vision and helmet compatibility, conforms to face even in extreme cold SmartWool Patrol gloves £74.95

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DIE HAUPTSTADT DER ALPEN UND IHRE FERIENDÖRFER THE CAPITAL OF THE ALPS AND ITS HOLIDAY VILLAGES

[ANDY] Nobis The Barry down parka £962.50, wind and waterproof, breathable, sealed seams, faux fur Volcom Wall pant £159.99, articulated fit for easy movement, ruff, massive pockets, adjustable waist Oakley A Frame 2.0 goggles £89 SmartWool Patrol gloves £74.95 Sorel two-way stretch shell Caribou waterproof leather boots £145 [ANNA] D7Duvillard Melissa stretch twill waterproof parka £589, Merrel boots Decora Sonata waterproof, high traction boots D7Duvillard Ingrid Fuseau snug fit pant £219 Manbi Park Peak Piste sunglasses £19.95 new affordable multi terrain lens Eisbär Glamour Crystal £145 merino wool and acrylic mix super warm and sparkling beanie £66

[ANNA] Patagonia Untracked jacket £420, tough, supple, freeride and woman-specific fit for hiking or powdery descent, low bulk three-layer shell with Recco reflector and easy Helly Hansen Switch adjust cords Cargo pant £140 new, insulated all mountain stretch pant with stylish Eisbär Klio Lux faux fur feminine cut pompom hat £50, lined, acrylic and Smith Optics Virtue merino wool mix Armada Throttle Pipe goggles £110 gloves £39.95 [ANDY] Arc’teryx Lithic Comp jacket £340 and pant £280, designed for back country full-on action with composite fabric shell, maximum stretch and breathability Planks Eye Force One google £79.95 SmartWool Patrol gloves £74.95

Fashion Editor: [MAISHA FROST] snow@maishafrost.com Shoot Coordinator: [ROSIE BARCROFT] Photography: [MELODY SKY] melodysky.com/melodysky@ timelinemissions.com Hair and Make-Up artist: [GEMMA LOW] makeupbyglow@gmail.com Models: [ANNA SMOOTHY] annasmoothy@gmail.com, [CATHERINE PECK] sandrareynolds.co.uk/catherinepeck@hotmail.co.uk [ANDY MATTHEW] andywmatthew@gmail.com, [TONY WALKER] anthonywalker79@hotmail.com

With thanks to the Tirol Tourist board. Innsbruck is surrounded by nine ski areas which offer up to 300km of piste, making up the Olympia SkiWorld Innsbruck (innsbruck.info). From the Olympic slopes of the Axamer Lizum to glacier skiing on the Stubai to the city slopes of the Nordkette, all the ski areas are easily accessible using the free bus service and covered under one lift pass. These photographs were shot in Kühtai (kuehtai.info) only half-an-hour from Innsbruck, with skiing to heights greater than 2,000m. Daily flights are available from London Gatwick with easyJet (easyjet.com) and twice weekly with British Airways (ba.com). Direct flights are also available from Bristol and Liverpool to Innsbruck with easyJet and from Manchester with Monarch (monarch.com). Further information on Innsbruck: innsbruck.info or about the Tirol region: visittirol.co.uk See also: Ispo, Munich, international showcase for snow style: ispo-winter.com Ski+board

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

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[WHERE TO BUY] armadaskis.com, freezeproshop.com, arcteryx.com, D7Duvillard: at VP Fashion: 07855 959551. Eisbär: snowandrock.com, specs4sports. co.uk, Hellyhansen.com, 115 979 5997. Horsefeathers: theriderslounge.com, 01732 866989. surfdome.com, manbi.com, merrell.com, nobis.ca, uk.oakley.com, ospreyeurope.com, patagonia.com, picture-organic-clothing.com, absolute-snow.co.uk, carters360.com. Planks: surfdome.com. Roxy: surfdome.com, quiksilver.co.uk. Salice: manbi.com, salomon.com, Shredoptics.com, smartwool.com, 0800 03226499. Smith Optics: ultrasporteu.com, sorelfootwear.co.uk, snowandrock.com, thenorthface.co.uk, 01539 822155. volcom.com

MEMBERS’ BENEFIT

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Yet to book your ski trip? Ski and snowboard holidays aren’t always the easiest thing to organise, especially when you consider that everyone has different requirements. Perhaps it’s the cost that’s putting you off, or a lack of snow-loving friends to go with. Or maybe you want a trip that will improve your skiing, or teach you a bit more about the mountains. Or possibly it’s not that at all — you’d just like to be able to relax somewhere beautiful without being surrounded by adrenaline junkies. Or perhaps you are starting to wonder if you are too old to go skiing, or are too shy to go on a solo ski trip…

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I’d love to be skiing, but…

If what you need is some sort of club that has come up with the perfect holiday formula. Well — you’re in luck! That’s exactly what we’ve done, with our very own Freshtracks holidays, exclusive to Ski Club members — and people like you.

WHAT IS A FRESHTRACKS HOLIDAY?

An enormous 80 per cent of Freshtracks travellers rebook every year, and there is already a waiting list for many of our holidays for 2014-15. We’ve clearly got something quite special going on. Over the years we’ve listened to our members to create a formula for the perfect holiday: invite compatible skiers of a similar ability and use only the best instructors and mountain guides; choose world-class resorts and ensure your host is an experienced, friendly Ski Club Leader, and then let you have the type of holiday you want, whether it’s a relaxing spa trip, a thrilling off-piste course, a festive family break, or a solo adventure with like-minded skiers and no single-supplement. With 172 holidays there really is something for everyone, and the result is a ski holiday you’ll never forget!

Deep p owder in Cham onix Great for the fit and fearless From couloirs to powder bowls to dramatic glacier routes, every day is different in Chamonix – one of the world’s most exciting ski resorts. With Freshtracks you get expert guides, a similar-ability group, and a minibus to make the most of the world-famous terrain. There are several dates and hotels on offer, search by entering ‘Chamonix’ at skiclub.co.uk/skiclubfreshtracks or see page 24 of the Freshtracks brochure.

MEMBERS’ BENEFIT

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A relaxing ski-and-spa trip

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pa s d n a i ng sk i x a l e r A

If you like to make the most of a vast and varied ski area, and then come back to the hotel and put in some decent time in the spa, this is the trip for you. Chose from the spa at the hotel or Bad Hofgastein’s famous spa, the Alpentherme with its radon-rich waters. It’s a Peak Experience trip, designed for the over-50s, with no single supplement. Whatever the pace of your skiing, the only time you need to be fast is when booking. These holidays book out quickly! There are three week-long trips in January and February, search by entering ‘Bad Hofgastein’ at skiclub.co.uk/ skiclubfreshtracks or see page 78 of the Freshtracks brochure.

Great for solo travellers Top up your ski technique by day with a BASI instructor, and make the most of this stylish resort’s best restaurants, bars and clubs by night. There’s no single supplement for your own en-suite hotel room, and your evening meal with wine is included – you’ll have no trouble making new ski friends. There are three weeklong trips in February and March, search by entering ‘Courmayeur’ at skiclub.co.uk/skiclubfreshtracks or see page 72 of the Freshtracks brochure.

Which holiday is right for you? Keep browsing – these holidays are just a few of the 172 we have on offer at skiclub.co.uk/skiclubfreshtracks. For a brochure call 020 8410 2022.

Turn radius If you run a marker along the length of a flat ski, it will trace a curve. If you continued this curve it would draw a circle, the radius of which is called the turn radius. A smaller turn radius produces tighter turns and vice versa. In practice, you can make tighter carving turns than the stated radius, because the skis flex when they are tilted on edge.

Sidecut

Sidecut shows the width of the tip, the waist and the tail of a ski in millimetres. Generally, a wide shovel will move through to a narrow waist, and then flare out again through the tail. These three widths are indicated in millimetres by each ski, for instance 135-108-123, creating the turn radius. But these figures reveal something else. Skis designed for deeper snow have an overall wider shape for better floatation, while a narrower shape overall makes them more reactive, moving faster on to the edge, which suits piste performance.

Binding plate On high performance piste and race skis, a plate on which the binding is mounted will allow the ski to flex naturally, without hindrance from the binding. Also because the boot is mounted higher off the ski it gives greater leverage and gets more power down to the edge. Freeride and big mountain skis usually have a simpler set-up to keep weight down.

Camber When you put your skis together to carry them, you may notice a gap between them at the waist. This is because they have a camber, which means they lie flat under your weight. In contrast, many freeride and big mountain skis now have flat camber or full reverse camber, which gives greater float and ease of steering in deep snow.

Rocker Rocker is when the tip or tail of a ski rises earlier than on a traditional camber ski, making it easier to pivot and float in deep snow. Piste-orientated skis generally use a small amount of tip rocker to help initiate turns, while retaining traditional camber through the rest of the ski to keep good contact with the snow. At the other end of the scale, full reverse camber skis have huge tip and tail rocker, giving massive float in deep snow, but minimal contact with the snow and control on piste.

Sidewall The sidewall is the side of the ski, above the metal edge. Some skis have cap construction, where the top layer is pulled over the side of the ski down to the metal. It makes the top sheet less vulnerable to damage and allows the ski to be lighter and easier to turn, but torsional rigidity is not strong so levels of grip are lower. Sandwich construction and ABS sidewalls are where each layer within a ski is flat and their sides protected by a vertical sidewall. This is typical of race and high performance skis, resulting in a more sensitive interaction between snow and skier. The semi cap hybrid combines the two to give good levels of grip while keeping softer flex patterns and lighter weights.

OUR TESTERS...

SKI USER RATING... We rate each ski by the type of skier it would suit. So in the example below, the ski would suit early intermediate to advanced skiers, but it’s not so well suited for beginners or experts. Generally, the skis tested are aimed at those who have skied before.

BEGINNER

INTERMEDIATE

ADVANCED

EXPERT

Al Morgan

Pete Davison

Rowena Phillips

Mark Jones

Ski Club head of Member Services and ex-ski service manager

Owner of LD Mountain Centre and exaction model

Ski school director in Zermatt

Director of ICE training centre in Val d’Isère and trainer for Basi

skiclub.co.uk

ldmountain centre.com

european snowsport. com

icesi.org

SKIS All-mountain models get into the swing of things All-mountain skis are designed to be ‘anywhere, any-time’ skis, promising to grip the piste, while softening to powder — and all from the same ski. In this way, they differ from the three other categories we test, which are much more specific. These are piste performance, for near-exclusive piste use; big mountain, for almost exclusive off-piste use (which we will cover in the next issue); and freeride, for those who do more than the occasional foray off-piste. By contrast, all-mountain skis are for predominantly piste use, while at the same time allowing for sorties off the side into fresh snow. In many ways, this is the area where most skiers are keen to make their first purchase. The idea of having just one pair of skis that can tackle anything the mountain can throw at them is an attractive one. Most of these skis solve the problem of how to perform in all conditions by taking a strong piste performance construction, widening the platform for more floatation in powder, and adding the right amount

of rocker for good turn initiation in the soft stuff. The resulting skis tend to be very strong for fast skiing on groomed runs, but still have enough versatility to handle softer snow with ease. This season in particular has seen the use of lighter materials, with newer models taking weight out of the nose and tail. It gives them a lighter swingweight, which makes it quicker and easier when starting the turn. If you are looking for something that can be awesome for a full day in powder, then these skis are too narrow, and it’s worth moving up to something with a waist wider than 100mm. But for a bit of mix’n’match skiing the models listed on the following pages are a great choice, delivering good levels of grip and stability at speed. If, after reading the reviews, you are still not sure which skis you like, check out our tests online, where you can compare past winners, see star ratings, read full test results and watch video clips filmed during the test at skiclub.co.uk/skitests

Lynn Sharpe

Chris Taine

James Allen

Steph Ede

Derek Chandler

Tess Swallow

Owner of Target ski training and ski race coach in Val d’Isère

Ex-Canadian instructor and former editor of the Ski Club website

FIS circuit racer turned coach

Alpine chef turned ski instructor

Director of Marmalade ski school in Méribel

Basi Level 4 instructor for New Gen ski school

targetski.com

Ski+board

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jamesallen skicoaching. com

stephede@ hotmail. co.uk

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

skimarmalade .com

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skinewgen. com

SKI TESTS There are no awards for guessing… Readers of Ski+board can take much of the uncertainty out of buying skis by turning to the Ski Club’s popular ski tests, which guarantee an impartial account of the performance of the latest models. Selecting the key skis from more than 700 models produced by the big brands, ten highly qualified testers put nearly 100 of them through their paces at the Austrian resort of Kühtai every winter. Standout skis get an award for top performance. These are skis we would confidently recommend as giving readers a superb time skiing, with no hidden surprises, or real weaknesses. The other award is for top value. These are skis we consider to offer outstanding performance for the price. If cost is a factor, you would have to go a long way to beat these.

Questions you may be too afraid to ask:

Can I try before I buy? You might want to rent skis as a way of trying out different models with a view to buying. However, be aware that there may be differences in the construction of rental skis, even if they have the same or similar names to the model you find in the shops. In the past, the most significant difference was that rental binding set-ups were much heavier, and put skiers higher off the snow. This was because of the rail-mounted system needed to accommodate different boot sizes. But modern rail-mounted binding systems are much lighter and less bulky than before. A new problem is knowing which skis you will get. Nowadays, you can save money by booking ski hire online. But, you will not know for sure which skis you will be given until you are in the shop. Rather like booking a hire car, you usually rent a level, rather than a specific model. Also bear in mind that rental skis may not be serviced as often as you might hope, which can make them harder to ski on.

MEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED What’s new in men’s all-mountain skis? This season has seen a lot of fine tuning for optimum performance, and the introduction of lighter materials and easier swingweights. Swingweight is the amount of force needed to twist a ski. A lot of the newer models take weight out of the nose and tail, so they require less leverage to turn. Overall, Scott’s The Ski still seems to be leading the charge, but the rest of the pack are catching up fast. The new Nordica NRGy, Salomon X Drive and Dynastar Powertrack are good examples of this, all feeling much lighter underfoot than you would expect for this type of ski, while still being able to deliver superlative carving on piste.

PHOTO: Ross Woodhall/rosswoodhall.com

HEAD REV 85 PRO

Tester Profile:

DEREK CHANDLER Derek has been based in France’s Three Valleys for the past 14 years. He is a director of Marmalade ski school, a wellrespected ski school offering specialist courses in Méribel, Courchevel and La Tania. He is also a trainer for the British Association of Snowsport Instructors and has worked worldwide as a coach and instructor. A natural freeskier, Derek loves skiing all types of conditions, from bumps to powder. And he always manages to make it look fun and effortless. skimarmalade.com

The all-new Motive uses Air Tec and a titanium layer to reduce weight. Its lightness makes it easy to handle and it feels userfriendly the instant you snap in and ski, gripping well in long and short turns. Forgiving, versatile and playful, it feels on your side due to its ability to make instant adjustments. Off-piste its weight and rockered shape make it easy to use in crud. Experts may prefer something stronger at speed.

BUILD

Wood Core/Allride Rocker/Titanal Reinforcement

RADIUS LENGTHS (cm)

A I B

£600 with bindings

The Rev keeps its award-winning design, with rocker through the front fifth of the ski and traditional camber along the rest. With high levels of edge grip, the shovel takes charge at the start of a turn, smoothly engaging the edge and leading the ski into a beautifully rounded arc. It’s in long to medium turns on piste and in chopped up snow that it really scores, being solid on edge and easy to use, boosting confidence.

SIDECUT (mm)

FISCHER MOTIVE 86Ti

£550 with bindings

132-86-114

SIDECUT (mm)

15.9m (177cm)

RADIUS

163, 170, 177, 184 Very smooth, great turn shape

Grabby on this test, but tuning was erratic

WE SAY: Still a great ski, smooth and well damped (Mark Jones) Great all-round piste ski, harder work in short turns (James Allen)

Air Tec Ti/Poplar Wood Core/ All Mountain Rocker

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

128-86-116

17m (175cm) 161, 168, 175, 182

Very light, easy to use, great in all conditions Lighter weight makes it twitchy at speed

WE SAY:

What it lacks in grunt it makes up for in ease of use (Chris Taine) Easy to turn, light and loose on transitions (James Allen)

MEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: INTERMEDIATE TO EXPERT SCOTT THE SKI

NORDICA NRGy 90

£500

New last season, when it was an award-winner, this now comes in an 180cm length. It is still a ski which grabs you with its supersmooth ride, while the complex construction connects you fully to the snow. Perfect in medium to long turns, where that silky ride and edge grip boost confidence, it lets you enjoy great sensations underfoot. Off-piste it still excels, feeling easy to use with enough float for powder. Awesome.

The new NRGy matches a light core with a torsion bridge. Its rockered nose makes it effortless to steer with that ease of pivot making it good off-piste, where you can makes quick adjustments and control speed with minimal effort. On groomers it is surprisingly good in long turns, with lots of grip at speed. In short turns it’s quick to pivot, but needs a beefier build for more edge grip. But a brilliant new addition.

BUILD Sandwich Sidewall Laminate Elliptic/ 3 Dimension Sidecut/Full Wood Core

BUILD Lightweight i-Core Ti/Torsion Bridge/ Camrock

RADIUS

SIDECUT (mm) LENGTHS (cm)

130-91-120

SIDECUT (mm)

16m (175cm) 155, 165, 175, 180, 185 Hard to fault

E A

WE SAY: Nice on and off-piste,

grips well (Mark Jones) Amazingly solid and well balanced, fantastic all-round versatility (Pete Davison)

K2 AMP RICTOR 82 XTi

I B

E A I B

Almost too easy to pivot for short turns

WE SAY: Good all-rounder, nice grip, floaty in powder (James Allen) Perfect blend of agility and power, punchy and playful (Chris Taine)

SALOMON X DRIVE 8.8 FS

£550 with bindings

£520

This new ski has a light wood core and honeycomb tip, but adds stiffness using diagonal carbon reinforcement. Much lighter than last year’s Enduro, it’s easier for short turns and smoother at all speeds, firing long grippy turns with ease. In short turns its width makes it slower from edge to edge, but it can punch its way out of turns. In powder, its weight and rockered shape make it effortless to steer and adjust.

BUILD AT RoX Technology/Metal Laminate/ Hybritech Sidewall

BUILD

RADIUS

LENGTHS (cm)

161, 169, 177, 185

Light, adaptable, strong in long turns

Using a Rictor chassis, the new 82 XTi puts a carbon wrap in key areas for greater edge hold and response. K2’s legendary dampening gives a vibration-free ride and it rolls on to an edge beautifully, creating grippy round arcs. It is rock solid in long, fast turns, but more cumbersome at slower speeds and in shorter turns. In deep snow the rockered nose and smooth ride blast out big arcs, and it is easy to redirect.

SIDECUT (mm)

126-90-110

17.5m (169cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

Smooth, sensitive, easy to use in all conditions

£420

127-82-112

163, 170, 177, 184

Harder to shift at slower speeds or in short turns

WE SAY: Fun in big turns on piste and blasting crud (Mark Jones) Smooth, solid at speed, enjoyable and dependable (Derek Chandler)

Ski+board

SIDECUT (mm)

17m (177cm)

Super-smooth ride, rock solid at high speeds

X-Chassis/Honeycomb Tip/Light Density Full Woodcore

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

130-88-116

17.8m (179cm) 165, 172, 179, 184

Smooth and light. Really nice in long turns Feels less wieldy in short turns on the piste.

WE SAY:

Smooth and fast in long turns — a great ski (Mark Jones) Solid on piste, it feels punchy and grippy (Derek Chandler) skiclub.co.uk

Now how do I get my skis to the slopes? So you’re buying a pair of skis? Goodbye rental shops... and hello to the tricky issue of ski carriage. The issue is back in the spotlight after the untimely demise this summer of Valet Alpin, a British firm that aimed to end the hassle and cost of frequent skiers flying their skis back and forth with them every time they went skiing, by storing them in Switzerland. Ski carriage fees have become the norm for airlines in recent years. But aside from the cost, many skiers have taken issue with the lack of clarity over the rules, as many airline staff themselves seem unsure of the exact conditions. Now the handy website skyscanner.net has come up with a ‘guide to airline ski fees’, which can be found in its Travel Features and News section. Search for ‘ski fees’. The rules are complex, but essentially, among the biggest carriers, Swiss and British Airways do not impose extra fees for skis. (Swiss also offers Ski Club members a £25 discount on flights to Switzerland.) However, skiers should note that these count as part of your overall weight allowance, and BA will charge you if you want to check in a separate bag as hold luggage. Both airlines recently introduced hand luggage-only fares, which naturally do not cover ski carriage. Not included in Skyscanner’s list are flights run by tour operators. Thomson and its sister company Crystal, Inghams and Neilson all charge £35 per ski bag for a return trip, but in all cases you should ring in advance to book. This is because it may cost more to check in an unreserved ski bag at the airport or, worse, a ski bag may not be allowed on to the flight. Eurostar’s Ski Train does not charge for ski carriage. For those looking to ship skis (or other items) out separately, Luggage Mule offers Ski Club members a 15 per cent discount.

MEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: ADVANCED TO EXPERT ATOMIC NOMAD CRIMSON Ti

ROSSIGNOL EXPERIENCE 88

£590 with bindings

The new Experience uses Air Tip Technology to reduce weight, and a more progressive rocker for float and control. A solid, strong performer, it suits skiers who love the feel and performance of a piste ski. Thanks to its strong sidewall and robust flex pattern it delivers powerful edge grip even at speed on icy snow, but also irons out vibrations and is silky on all terrain. Off-piste it powers through deep snow with ease.

Updated with a stiffer tip and softer mid-body for a smoother ride and more reactive response, the new RTM uses a wood core with titanium for extra power. On groomers it is powerful, matching great grip in long and short turns, with a smooth ride. It feels easy to use on piste, with the rocker making it simple to move into the turn. Off-piste that stiff flex works against it and it’s harder to handle and better suited to expert skiers.

BUILD

BUILD Auto Turn Rocker/Minicap Sandwich/ Air Tip

BUILD

RADIUS

ARC Technology/Stepdown Sidewall 2.0/All Mountain Rocker

SIDECUT (mm)

132.5-86-115.5

RADIUS

16.1m (178cm)

SIDECUT (mm)

170, 178, 186

Could be more reactive coming out of the turn

(James Allen) A great all-mountain ski, excellent grip on piste, usable across all terrain (Al Morgan)

muscle off-piste (Derek Chandler) Smooth, stable, sensitive with nice grip in long turns (Mark Jones)

£400

SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS

C O M P A N Y

F R E E S K I T H E

F R E E S K I

118-85-108

19.5m (171cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

BUILD

161, 166, 171, 176, 181

LENGTHS (cm)

Good for a play in the park and at speed on piste Tricky in shorts turns and powder

WE SAY: Good on piste, particularly in long turns (Derek Chandler) Set like a park ski, so struggled with all-mountain terrain (James Allen)

RADIUS

BUILD Powertrack Profile/Sandwich Sidewall/ Tip and Tail Rocker

136-85-117

SIDECUT (mm)

16m (173cm)

RADIUS

164, 173, 182

LENGTHS (cm)

A powerhouse of a ski, fast and strong

E A I B

WE SAY:

Flawless. Easy at all speeds and holds a solid edge (Pete Davidson) Grippy, full-on power on piste (Mark Jones)

Powertrack is a new all-mountain range from Dynastar, with the 84 Fluid adding tip and tail rocker to a traditional camber underfoot. It turns on a sixpence, feels light underfoot, while the rocker makes it easy to steer. Playful and versatile in deep or cut-up snow, on piste it grips well in long turns and is easy to pivot In short turns. The tip and tail lack a bit of contact, but it responds well. A real achievement in combining piste and soft snow performance.

Light Rocker 8/Poplar and Power Rail Beech Composite/Dynamic Tri-Axial

SIDECUT (mm)

Trickier to handle in deeper, off-piste snow

£480 with bindings

This matches rocker in the nose with a wood core and stronger wood rail along the sidewall for grip. A no-nonsense, all-mountain charger, it is powerful on piste, with good edge grip and a strong tail to accelerate out of all turn shapes. In deeper snow it’s playful enough to smear and adjust as needed, though it can feel mismatched between tip and tail, with the tail taking charge through the exit of the turn. A powerful ski suiting strong, fast riders.

T H E

Traditional Camber/Laminate Matrix/ AR50 Sidewall

Tail can grip too hard coming out of the turn

WE SAY: If you can handle it, there’s no better ski (Al Morgan) Powerful, solid, can drift and smear like a freeride ski (Chris Taine)

166, 171, 176, 181

DYNASTAR POWERTRACK 84

£465

173

BUILD

MOVEMENT JAM

Armada’s flagship park ski has a traditional camber and firm flex for groomed runs. For a twin tip with a centrally mounted binding, this performs well on piste, with good grip. In long turns it feels comfortable in high-speed arcs, where you feel the lack of rocker, with full length edge contact. In short turns the mounting point works against it and it over-pivots, which also caused problems in deeper snow, where it needed more shovel length and rocker.

WE SAY: Feels strong, but requires

129-84-111

16.9m (171cm)

Super, race-like performance on piste in all turns

LENGTHS (cm)

WE SAY: Smooth, solid all-rounder

ARMADA AR7

156, 164, 172, 180, 188

Harder to steer in slower manoeuvres

Dual XTD Transmission Sidewall/ Sensorwood core/Full Rocker

SIDECUT (mm)

Powerful, grippy and smooth on piste

173

135-88-124

17m (180cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

Great all-rounder, copes with all conditions

£650 with bindings

This uses a wood core with just one mounting point on the ski to allow it to flex naturally. This beefy ski was a solid performer in everything we threw at it, feeling dependable and trustworthy in all conditions. The width and sidecut carve out nice medium to long arcs, while in short turns it feels nimble enough to move fairly fast from edge to edge. The flex and rockered shovel gives easy lift and playfulness in deeper snow.

LENGTHS (cm)

VÖLKL RTM 84

£575 with bindings

123-84-106

16m (176cm) 162, 169, 176, 183

Easy to pivot, light, good grip in long turns

E A I B

Could be a smoother flex, feels like a shorter ski

WE SAY: Grips well in all turns, easy to use, fun (Mark Jones) Light, nimble, easy to pivot and smear if pushed (Pete Davison)

MEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: ADVANCED TO EXPERT BLIZZARD X POWER 810 Ti IQ

This has a flat tail for grip coming out of turns and like all White Doctors uses a classic torsion box: a light wood core wrapped in glass fibre. This has a quality feel. The ride is smooth and vibrationfree, and on edge it blasts out big arcs on piste, feeling bombproof at speed. But with a flat tail and no rocker it is trickier to manoeuvre at slower speeds or releasing out of the arc. In powder, its width lends it some manoeuvrability.

BUILD Wood, Titanium, Carbon Core/Sandwich Compound Sidewall IQ/Tip and tail rocker

BUILD Torsion Box/Poplar, Beech Wood Core/ Traditional camber flat tail

RADIUS

LENGTHS (cm)

A I B

£430

The new X-Power uses the IQ binding system on a track moulded into the ski to allow it to flex free of a binding mount. It is another ski strong on piste, quick on to the edge given its width and with good edge grip, even at speed on hard snow, where it gives a smooth, classy, vibrationfree ride. Off-piste it feels less playful and easy, and too beefy for short turns, but it can cope. Best for high-speed blasting on piste.

SIDECUT (mm)

WHITE DOCTOR FT9

£675 with bindings

125-81-108

SIDECUT (mm)

16m (174cm) 160, 167, 174, 181

Really strong on piste, grippy, smooth and fast Too stiff and narrow for powder and deep snow

WE SAY: These skis have bite! Smooth flex and solid at speed (Chris Taine) Strong on piste, fast from edge to edge (Al Morgan)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

128-92-118

19.4m (175cm) 163, 169, 175, 181, 187

Smooth ride, grippy and stable at speed Less easy to pivot and steer off-piste

WE SAY: Smooth, strong, beautiful in all turns on piste (Mark Jones) Best at speed, great grip and nice contact with snow (Chris Taine)

Where can I find these skis? Several of the retailers present at the ski tests offer discounts to Ski Club members. They are: Absolute Snow: 10 per cent off absolute-snow.co.uk Craigdon Mountain Sports: 15 per cent off craigdonmountainsports.com Edge and Wax: 10 per cent off edgeandwax.co.uk Ellis Brigham: 10 per cent off ellis-brigham.com Freeze Pro Shop: 10 per cent off freezeproshop.com Glisshop: 10 per cent off glisshop.co.uk Lockwoods: various discounts lockwoods.com Sail and Ski: 10 per cent off sailandski.co.uk Ski Bartlett: 10 per cent off skibartlett.com Snow & Rock: 10 per cent off snowandrock.com Snow Lab: 10 per cent off, 15 per cent for servicing snowlab.co.uk Snowtrax: 10 per cent off, 15% off for servicing snowtrax.eu Surfdome: 10% off surfdome.com

Book online at skiolympic.com or call 01302 328 820

WOMEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: INTERMEDIATE TO EXPERT What’s new in women’s all-mountain skis?

SALOMON QUARTZ

BUILD

BUILD Air Tec Ti Construction/Freeski Rocker/ Sandwich Sidewall

BUILD Super Lightweight Distribution/ERA 3 Profile/Koroyd Carbon Construction

RADIUS

14m (159cm)

RADIUS

LENGTHS (cm)

150, 159, 167

LENGTHS (cm)

Semi Sandwich/Light Density Woodcore/All Terrain Rocker 2.0 129-83-112

SIDECUT (mm)

14.4m (167cm) 153, 160, 167

Great in short turns, fairly capable generally

£610 with bindings

The new Total Joy uses superlight, super-strong graphene and Head’s ERA 3 profile specifically aimed at women. Exceptionally light, it is as good as it looks. In fresh snow the wide shovel rose quickly to let the skis get into action, making it easy to steer and very playful. On piste the grip was good, but strong skiers will want more beef for better stability at speed. Overall, an interesting addition to the Head range.

LENGTHS (cm)

HEAD TOTAL JOY

£470 with bindings

The new Koa’s Air Tec reduces the weight of the wood core by a quarter without losing torsional rigidity. This a very light ski and can change direction fast. The surprise is its strong performance on piste, with seemingly limitless grip in long turns, and feeling snappy and responsive in short turns. It engages fast when tipped on edge and feels reactive and up for action. In powder and crud it feels playful and floaty, too.

RADIUS

FISCHER KOA 84

£500 with bindings

The most versatile of Salomon’s women’s skis, the Quartz uses the new X-Chassis for reinforcement. Light and responsive it makes easy work of short, punchy turns on piste, feeling reactive, fast on transitions and carving tight arcs. In long turns it responds and grips well but stability fades at speed — on and off-piste. Off-piste the allterrain rocker helps with steering, while a rounded tail makes for a forgiving exit out of the arc.

SIDECUT (mm)

PHOTO: Ross Woodhall/rosswoodhall.com

A lot of the skis on the following pages are women-specific, that is to say their weight, sidecut, shape and binding placement are all set up to match a women’s morphology better than their counterparts in the men’s section. In terms of development from last year, it’s a similar story to the men’s skis — we’re seeing lighter weights for off-piste floatation with the use of new materials, while they still manage to step up performance on piste. The Head Super Joy and Dynastar Neva are particularly good examples of this. However, our test results reveal that none of the skis featured on these pages will disappoint readers with their abilities — they really cut it on piste, while still managing to be good fun for the odd off-piste foray.

Loses stability at high speeds on and off piste

WE SAY: Responsive, light, great at short turns on piste (Rowena Phillips) Reactive, but hard to trust in long, fast turns (Tess Swallow)

E A I B

126-84-112

Light, strong, good performer on and off-piste Tip can catch in skiddy, slower turns

WE SAY: I kept waiting for such light skis to fail under pressure. They never did (Lynn Sharp) Fun, playful in all conditions (Tess Swallow)

SIDECUT (mm)

E A I B

134-85-114

14.5m (168cm) 148, 153, 158, 163, 168

Incredibly light, amazing looks, good fun Could be more predictable at speed on piste

WE SAY:

Fun and light in fresh snow (Lynn Sharp) Light, but quite slow on to the edge for short turns on piste (Rowena Phillips)

WOMEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED TO EXPERT DYNASTAR NEVA 78

MOVEMENT POP

SCOTT LUNA

This uses a stance, sidecut and sidewall optimised for women. Fun, fun, fun, said our testers, strong and reactive on groomers, not unlike Dynastar’s piste ski the Active Pro. It is fast on transitions, while edge grip is high in long and short turns. It also works well in deeper snow, with its rockered profile and weight making it agile and adaptable. It needs more width for the deepest powder, but works well for the odd foray.

The new Pop is aimed at those getting into dynamic all-mountain riding, with a wide shovel, light tip rocker and strong sidewall to grip pistes. In long turns on piste it grips well, holding an edge at big angles, even on icy snow, with the tail speeding it out of turns. In short turns the shovel didn’t bite so much, but it’s nimble enough to be fun. In powder the shape works against it, though the shovel quickly gets the ski to rise.

The Luna’s Venturi tip rocker and two titanal layers aim for versatility and stability, with precise edge control. The tip really does set the Luna apart. In powder it makes it faster for the ski to rise as it gains speed, with enough width and shape to float and be manoeuvrable. On piste, edge grip is high and it loves to carve medium to long turns. A fantastic well-balanced ski that works in all conditions.

BUILD Middle Sidewalls/Light Wood Core/Tip and Tail Rocker

BUILD CTS Performance Light/Poplar ECL/ Dynamic Light Tri-Axial

BUILD

RADIUS

14m (163cm)

RADIUS

LENGTHS (cm)

155, 163, 172

LENGTHS (cm)

£350

SIDECUT (mm)

A I

125-78-105

SIDECUT (mm)

13m (159cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

£465

145, 152, 159, 164, 170

Great fun on and off-piste, strong character Needs more width for deep powder

WE SAY: This is shaped like a piste

136-85-117

Grips well on long turns, shovel helps in powder Feels less stable at speed off-piste

E A

ski but don’t be fooled, it adapts I to powder (Lynn Sharp) Reliable, B good value for money (Steph Ede) SC_ski-board_issue2oct_HP.qxp_SC_ski-board_issue2oct_HP B

WE SAY: Surprisingly strong in long turns on piste (Lynn Sharp) We just had the 155cm to try but it did grip 29/09/2014 17:22 Page 1 the end of turns (Tess Swallow)

£475

SIDECUT (mm)

E A I B

Venturi Tip Rocker/Titanal Reinforcement/Wood Core

126-85-116

14m (166cm) 156, 166

Tip works brilliantly in powder, strong on piste Tip can flap at high speeds on piste

WE SAY:

Odd shape makes this ski come alive in powder (Lynn Sharp) Easy, relaxed ski that grips well on piste (Rowena Phillips)

90%

of visitors can’t be wrong*

“We will return and will definitely recommend the resort to others.”

“Suits all levels.”

“It’s a gem of a place.”

“Great ski area – you have to ski hard and fast.” *Based on survey of British skiers December 2013. **s/c accommodation inc. 6-day lift pass. Selected dates apply.

7-nights

€207p**p

from

including yo ur lift pass

“This resort represents great value for Brits compared with many of the other big French resorts and it has an excellent ski area and unique ambience,”

says Dave Watts, travel writer and Editor of Where to Ski and Snowboard

Call our English speaking Reservations’ desk for this season’s special offers on 0033 (0)4 92 24 9898 or book online: www.serre-chevalier.com • Tree-lined pistes from 1200-2735m • Easy access: travel by road or rail • Airports: Turin 1.45hrs, Grenoble 2.45 hrs

Photo accreditation: Agence Zoom

FRENCH ALPS

WOMEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: ADVANCED TO EXPERT ROSSIGNOL TEMPTATION 88

I B

£480 with bindings

All-new this winter, the Viva has a traditional camber, early rise tip and Blizzard’s integrated IQ binding system, women-specific core, flex pattern and sidecut. The Viva is strong, supportive and grippy for carving at speed and is very focused on hardpack. It is quick edge-to-edge, stable and takes speed and big edge angles with ease. Off piste it lacks floatation and manoeuvrability. Best suited to high-speed carving.

The new Affinity Storm is superlight. It got a great response, adapting to many conditions and turn shapes. On groomers it has bite going into the turn, is strong, grippy and reactive in carved turns, and feels especially strong in short arcs. In powder and crud the soft front works well and lets the ski rise, with the wide platform performing beautifully, with great float and the ability to drift and smear with no effort.

BUILD Air Tip Technology/Auto Turn Rocker/ Minicap Sandwich

BUILD

RADIUS

LENGTHS (cm)

ATOMIC AFFINITY STORM

£675 with bindings

The all-new 88 has a rounder tip using Air Tip Technology to reduce weight. It feels nicely geared for long, fast turns on piste, with a reactive flex. You can really trust its edge hold when it is tilted over, especially in bigger arcs, though in short turns it still grips well. In deeper, chopped up snow it feels clunkier underfoot, but the rockered shape and width make it versatile enough to handle whatever is thrown at it.

SIDECUT (mm)

BLIZZARD VIVA 810 XTi IQ

£575 with bindings

135-88-124

SIDECUT (mm)

17m (180cm) 156, 164, 172, 180

Strong on piste in long turns, reactive and lively Feels heavier in deeper off-piste conditions

WE SAY: Sturdy edge hold on piste, but lacks floatation off-piste (Lynn Sharp) Great for flying around on long turns on piste (Tess Swallow)

Tip and Tail Rocker/3Matrix/IQ Binding System 124-81-107

LENGTHS (cm)

A I B

Tester Profile:

STEPH EDE Steph worked in the Alps as a private chef, until her desire to spend more time on the slopes took over and she started her ski instructor training. She is currently preparing for the tough European race tests and is going through the British Association of Snowsport Instructors level 3 exam. This year was her first experience ski testing and she did a brilliant job, being a very strong skier who has a great feel for how a ski works. stephede@hotmail.co.uk

E A I B

151, 159, 167

Great all-rounder, good on piste, fab in powder Nose can be soft for fast, long turns

WE SAY: Great off-piste, strong and zippy in short turns and bumps (Tess Swallow) Carved well in chopped up pow (Rowena Phillips)

LINE SOULMATE 90

£420

130-84-109

15.7m (167cm)

£435

This uses a women-specific core with early rise tip for easy release and entry on turns. On piste its stiff flex holds a strong edge. Oddly, given its width, it feels most comfortable in short turns, where it has a quick response and grips steeper terrain. In long turns dampening could be better; it can feel jittery at speed on hardpack. Off-piste the wide platform gives it float, but the flex works against it and makes it feel less playful.

The Soulmate aims to be fast and solid on piste while maintaining float in soft snow. It’s another ski that’s fun, playful and easy to manoeuvre with the rockered tip initiating and instantly redirecting turns. A wide waist gives it quick, easy float, but means it takes time to get on edge on piste. It feels grippy in short turns, but in longer, faster turns the tip felt less secure. Strong skiers will seek more power on piste.

BUILD

Camrock Profile/Poplar Ash Wood Core/Ti Reinforcement

LENGTHS (cm)

back what you put in (Lynn Sharp) Great on piste, but heavy and hard to handle off-piste (Tess Swallow)

RADIUS

153, 160, 167

WE SAY: Fab on piste, stable, gives

SIDECUT (mm)

RADIUS

Trickier to handle in deeper snow

NORDICA WILD BELLE

SIDECUT (mm)

15m (167cm) Powerful, fast, lots of edge grip

All Mountain Rocker/Stepdown Sidewall/Woodcore

124-88-108

SIDECUT (mm)

14m (153cm)

RADIUS

145, 153, 161, 169

WE SAY: Better off-piste, now it’s wider but stiffness makes you work (Rowena Phillips) Good value, nice on piste for short turns (Steph Ede)

125-90-113

14m (158cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

Good on piste, quick rebound Ride could be smoother

Early Rise Tip/Aspen Macroblock Wood Core/Capwell Sidewall

151, 158, 165

Good fun, playful in the powder

E A I B

Loses stability at higher speeds on piste

WE SAY: Fun and playful in bumpy crud, easy to manoeuvre (Steph Ede) Love the graphics, but the ski felt a bit dull to me (Tess Swallow)

WOMEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN: ADVANCED TO EXPERT K2 POTION 84 XTi

The new Charisma uses an ultralight wood core, tip rocker and Doublegrip sidewalls to boost grip. This is a powerful ski. If you have the balance, it has a lovely, even flex which packs a punch in the meat of the turn, making it exhilarating on piste. Edge hold is impressive on both short and long turns. In softer snow the beefy build and flex work against it more, making it hard to adjust. It only feels playful at speed.

BUILD

BUILD Tip Rocker/Double Grip XTD/Light Wood Core

Metal Laminate/Hybritech Sidewall/ MOD Technology

RADIUS LENGTHS (cm)

A I B

£600 with bindings

K2 has a history of developing women-specific skis and the new Potion is one of a big range. It is very easy to use and has a lovely connected feeling initiating turns, feeling solid and capable making all shapes on piste. Experts may want a stiffer flex at speed on hard snow, but overall it performs well. However, it’s off-piste that the Potion really excels, feeling floaty, easy to steer and capable of dealing with deep snow.

SIDECUT (mm)

VÖLKL CHARISMA

£540 with bindings

128-84-112

SIDECUT (mm)

14m (160cm)

RADIUS

146, 153, 160, 167

Capable in all conditions, great fun in powder Need to be stronger at speed on hard snow

WE SAY: Floats well in soft stuff, light, easy to use (Tess Swallow) So laid-back and friendly anyone will enjoy using it (Lynn Sharp)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

127-79-100

15.2m (156cm) 142, 149, 156, 163

Powerful on piste, loads of grip, nice even flex Suits aggressive, balanced skiers, tricky in pow

WE SAY:

Strong, stiff, works well charging around on piste (Lynn Sharp) Fast, grippy on piste, but harder to steer in crud (Steph Ede)

Ski test sponsors Thanks to Eider, Salomon and Scott, who provided clothing for our test team in Kühtai, as well as for the Ski Club’s brand photo shoot 2014. Ski Club members can get savings on Eider, Salomon and Scott through the many shops in the UK which offer member discounts. See skiclub.co.uk/discounts EasyJet flies to Innsbruck from London Gatwick, Bristol and Liverpool. Flight prices start from £32.99 per person (one-way, including tax). Visit easyjet.com to book.

MEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARDS

PHOTO: Kaunertal Gletscherbahn

Snowboard makers are throwing some crazy shapes on the slopes this season. But they are all designed to give you a better ride if you spend most of your time on-piste, but are partial to powder forays too, writes Tristan Kennedy. Everywhere you look this season you will see strangely shaped snowboards. It’s a trend that represents possibly the biggest shake-up of board design since the early 2000s. Up until a few years ago, only specialist powder sticks deviated from the ‘classic’ shape, with a rounded nose and tail, and a narrow waist. But the past few seasons have seen an explosion in the number of brands producing experimental all-mountain shapes, and this winter the weird-looking boards will almost outweigh the ‘normal’ ones. The reasons for this are various. The nose and tail of the Ride Helix for example reflect its asymmetric sidecut. The toe and heel edges have different sidecut radii to reflect the way a rider’s weight is distributed differently on their toes and heels. A similar thing can be seen on the Yes The Greats, and on

many of the boards made by Gnu, who first pioneered the concept. Meanwhile boards such as the Capita Ultrafear, and to a lesser extent, the Burton Lipstick feature a tapered nose and tail shape. The idea is that the pointed nose is easier to keep afloat in powder. The tail is shaped the same so that you can ride them switch — strong foot forward. For all this experimentation though, the basic rules are still the same: longer boards with extended noses tend to be stronger in powder, where their greater surface area helps them float. Shorter, twin-shaped boards are lighter and easier to spin, and so are better suited to freestyle riding. And if it’s carving ability and edge-toedge speed you’re after, the deeper the sidecut the better. Most all-mountain boards aim for a mix of all three.

BURTON CUSTOM

£500

FLEX: LENGTHS: 148, 151, 154, 156, 158, 160, 163 — 158W, 162W, 169W PROFILE: SHAPE:

Camber

Directional Twin

PISTES: POWDER: JUMPS: RAILS:

Burton’s Custom is the best-selling snowboard of all time and with reason. Released in 1995, it was the first ‘all-mountain’ board and its fabled ability to handle all types of terrain has won it countless fans since. This winter it keeps the directional shape of previous models, but with a slightly elongated nose that allows it to float easily in powder. Burton’s patented ‘Squeezebox’ core means it’s great in the snowpark. It also excels on pistes. The original allrounder and still one of the best.

MEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARDS CAPITA ULTRAFEAR

£420

FLEX: LENGTHS:

PROFILE:

SHAPE:

True Twin

PISTES: POWDER: JUMPS:

RAILS:

FLEX:

LENGTHS: 151, 153, 155, 157, 159, 156W, 159W, 162W

LENGTHS:

SHAPE:

Camber

£455

Slash is the relatively new brand founded by Austrian snowboard superstar Gigi Rüf. The pint-sized powder Jedi takes a keen interest in the design of every Slash board, but this one more than most — it’s his pro model. It’s a powerful beast designed for the combination of ‘backcountry freestyle’ that Gigi specialises in. Thanks to its stiff flex and camber profile, it holds an edge brilliantly on ice and hard pack too. The cutaway nose and tail help in keeping your back foot down in powder.

SALOMON MAN’S BOARD

Combo

Asymmetric Twin

LENGTHS: PROFILE: SHAPE:

PISTES:

POWDER:

JUMPS:

RAILS:

Yes Snowboards is a brand run by three pro riders, so it seems appropriate that the graphics on this — one of its flagship models — pays homage to some of the all-time greats of the sport. As with the Ride Helix, this boasts asymmetric sidecuts, which, combined with its stiff flex, means that it holds an edge well on hard pack. It’s probably too stiff for most riders to use on rails, but if you want a board that’s strong in powder and eats big kickers for breakfast, consider The Greats.

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

skiclub.co.uk

£380

FLEX: 152, 154 156, 158

PISTES:

This is the first year Ride has made this model and the fact it’s billed as the replacement for their hugely popular DH board suggests that Ride has high hopes for it. And it’s right to. The unusual shape is the result of differing sidecuts on the toe and heelside, designed to reflect the different distribution of weight on your toes and heels to make turning easier. This makes it feel solid in the carve and it was comfortable in soft powder, chopped up crud and on the icy pistes that it was tested on. Ski+board

PROFILE:

Asymmetrical Twin

Camber

Directional Twin

JUMPS:

FLEX:

PROFILE:

151, 154, 156, 158, 161 — 165W

POWDER:

YES THE GREATS

£440

LENGTHS:

PROFILE: Combo

The Ultrafear has been part of Capita’s line for a few winters now. Despite the name, it’s not scary to ride. Far from it. The flex — arguably closer to five than six out of ten — is fairly soft for an all-mountain board, making it forgiving and easy to turn. The softer flex can make it less stable than other boards at speed, but Capita has reinforced the core with a strip of the high-strength aluminum alloy Titanal so it still feels snappy and playful. Whitelines magazine said: “It feels alive under your feet.”

£440

FLEX: 147, 149, 151, 153, 155, 157

PISTES:

RIDE HELIX

SLASH ATV

156, 159 162, 165

Camber

Directional Twin

As the name suggests, this board is designed for ‘real’ men. That is, riders who want to charge around the mountain at high speed and don’t consider their day complete until they’ve straight-lined a powder face, or sent it off a sizable kicker. The camber profile and mid-stiff flex make it snappy and responsive, while the directional twin shape helps the nose float more easily in powder. Beginners may struggle to harness its power, but if you can handle that, and the blatant sexism, this board is a lot of fun.

WOMEN’S ALL-MOUNTAIN BOARDS ENJOY THE NATURAL CURVES

The new crop of women’s all-mountain boards may appear slightly more traditional than the men’s. However, if you look beyond their conventional shapes, you will find plenty to get excited about. Jenny Jones’ Salomon Gypsy looks better than ever in the wake of her Olympic success and comes in at an affordable price too. Meanwhile boards such as the Burton Lipstick and Roxy T-Bird are benefiting from the ‘trickle down’ effect of the latest technology reaching more affordable models. Tristan Kennedy is editor of action sports and adventure website Mpora.com and former deputy editor of Whitelines Snowboarding magazine. He has reviewed boards for the past five years at the Snowboard Spring Break event in Kaunertal, Austria.

WHAT IT ALL MEANS FLEX:

Like all our star ratings, this is from one to ten, with one indicating soft and ten meaning a board is stiff.

PROFILE:

Camber profiles rise up between the rider’s feet and have four contact points — two at the nose and two at the tail at the end of the effective edge. Rocker or reverse camber profiles are the opposite — the main contact point is between the rider’s feet, while the ends of the effective edge are lifted. Combo profiles combine elements of the above, and flat profiles are flat under the feet, with the board rising only at the tip and tail.

SHAPE:

Directional boards have a setback stance, true twin boards have a centered stance with an identical nose and tail, while directional twin boards combine elements of both.

LENGTH:

The ‘W’ signifies that the length of board that precedes it comes in wide, so is suitable for riders with big feet — UK size 11 or over.

SALOMON GYPSY

£320

FLEX: LENGTHS: PROFILE: SHAPE:

ROXY T-BIRD

£385

FLEX: 138, 143, 147, 151 Combo

True Twin

LENGTHS: PROFILE:

PISTES:

POWDER:

JUMPS:

RAILS:

ENDEAVOR BOYFRIEND

£330

FLEX: LENGTHS: PROFILE: SHAPE:

Combo

SHAPE: True Twin

PISTES:

It’s the board Jenny Jones rode all the way to a bronze medal in Sochi, and will surely be one of the most sought-after sticks of the season. Its mid-soft flex reflects the fact that it’s a woman’s board (so is designed with lighter riders in mind) and its freestyle focus. Having said that, you don’t need the skills of Jenny Jones to have fun on this. Its features make it easy to turn and forgiving on the piste, and while it’s not really designed with off-piste in mind, it can hold its own in powder.

142, 145, 149, 152

Roxy may be a sub-brand of Quiksilver, but its boards are produced by what is now an independent firm — Mervin Manufacturing, the people behind Lib Tech and Gnu. As a result, the T-Bird boasts many of the tech features you find on Lib boards, such as the wavy magne-traction edges that help it grip hardpack like a breadknife and their C2 combo profile. Designed by Olympic halfpipe superstar Torah Bright as a slightly more accessible version of her pro-model, the T-Bird is a great all rounder.

BURTON LIPSTICK

£400

FLEX: 142, 145, 148, 151 Combo

True Twin

LENGTHS: PROFILE: SHAPE:

PISTES:

POWDER:

JUMPS:

RAILS:

Vancouver-based brand Endeavor calls this board the Boyfriend because “it does absolutely everything and spoils you rotten”. It may not be able to replace the man in your life, but it certainly lives up to the first part of that promise. Complete beginners will find it a little stiff, but intermediates and experts will love it. There’s plenty of power and pop thanks to carbon inserts in the core, so it’s great for tricks. The sintered base and deep sidecut make it speedy and quick edge-to-edge.

141, 145, 149, 152 Flat

True Twin

The Lipstick has been a feature of Burton’s line for a few years now, and features some of its best graphics. This year’s design by Chinese artist Hua Tunan is no exception. But it’s not all about looks: this board has the performance to match. The flat profile spreads a rider’s weight evenly along the edge, making them hard to catch. And the flex is soft enough to ride in the park, yet stiff enough to remain stable at speed, making this an excellent all-rounder for intermediate to advanced riders.

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SKI TECHNOLOGY

ACTION CAMERAS Taking videos as you ski and capturing action shots is becoming easier thanks to technological advances. Yet cameras are delicate creatures, susceptible to moisture, with batteries that lose power in the cold. All of this means that you need to select a camera for the slopes with care. Technology editor Gabriella Le Breton selects some of those best suited to the slopes.

GOPRO HERO4 SILVER 76

Gabriella Le Breton

(£289.99) AND BLACK

(£369.99)

GoPro is the world’s best-known action camera producer, and with good reason. Its latest offering, the ultra high-definition Hero4, is hard to beat. The silver model is ideal for discerning sharp shooters, while the black model is an even more technical piece of kit, delivering the latest ‘4K’ video resolution at 30 frames per second. It also has new low light settings and night lapse options, and you can manually control the exposure, ISO limit and sharpness. Both models are Wi-Fi enabled, allowing you to use the GoPro App to remotely control them. Alternatively, try the simpler new GoPro Hero at £99.99. It delivers rich quality footage with low light settings, burst photography and QuikCapture mode, which turns your GoPro into an intuitive, one button camera. gopro.com

DRIFT HD GHOST (£249.99) (£329.99) AND GHOST S Drift took the action sports camera market by storm a few years ago with its LCD display, which is now virtually standard. But the Ghost still stands out for its relatively large 2in scratch-proof screen, its remote control (with 10m range and LED lights to indicate when you’re recording) and a 3.5-hour battery life. Both cameras are Wi-Fi enabled, so you can use an iPhone as a remote control, and as a screen on which to stream footage, preview your shots, adjust camera settings and share images using social media. There’s also video tagging, continuous loop recording and various lighting presets. Both cameras take 12-megapixel stills with burst and time lapse options. The controls could be more intuitive, but overall both cameras offer a good all-round package. actioncameras.co.uk

CONTOUR ROAM3

£189.99

Contour, the second biggest player in the action camera market, creates compact and lightweight — yet highly durable — cylindrical cameras that fit neatly on to the side of your goggle-strap or helmet (and several mounts). The Roam3 comes with lots included: an 8GB memory card, two mounts, a 170-degree wide angle lens and shockproof, waterproof housing. It also features a 270-degree rotating lens (enabling you to film upright regardless of the camera angle) and a laser to help align your shots. Contour’s claim to have created the world’s “easiest-to-use action camera” is largely accurate: simply slide the switch on top of the camera forward to start recording. A similarly dummy-proof button at the back switches between photo and video mode. The Roam3 might not match the top GoPro models for image quality, but is good for usability and value for money. contour.com

ION AIR PRO3 WIFI £349.99

GARMIN VIRB ELITE £299.99

The newbie on the action camera scene, iON arrived with a bang in 2012 when it introduced the first Wi-Fi enabled camera, which allowed users to upload footage direct to their phone and social media platforms. Given that the cylindrical camera lacks a display screen, the Wi-Fi compatibility is welcome, but the functionality of the iON App (iOS and Android) could be improved. Waterproof to 15m without outer housing, the easy-to-use Air Pro3 features anti-shake image stabilisation, a 160-degree super-wide angle lens — which can be reduced to 140 degrees or 150 degrees using the app — and can shoot 12-megapixel stills. Although streamlined, the Air Pro3 is heavier than similarly priced competitors and the battery typically only achieves 150mins of HD filming. uk.ioncamera.com

Thanks to the oversized slider switch on this helmet cam, you won’t keep asking: “Is it on?” The VIRB records up to three hours’ footage. Its 1.4ins colour display makes it easy to set up shots, play back footage and adjust menu settings, which include digital image stabilisation and lens distortion correction. It also functions well as a camera, shooting 18-, 12- and 8-megapixel stills with options for photo bursts and time lapse sequences. Durable, waterproof and user-friendly, the VIRB also features wireless connectivity, albeit Garmin’s own ANT+, which only works with Garmin compatible products such as fenix, Oregon and Edge. garmin.com

LIQUID IMAGE APEX HD WI-FI ENABLED CAMERA £350 GOGGLES If you don’t fancy braving the helmet cam ‘unicorn’ look, these goggles might be for you. With a camera located above your eyes, what you lack in vertical angle adjustability (only 30 degrees) you gain in flexibility and ease of use. A battery with two hours’ life sits in the right goggle strap, and the control mechanism, complete with a tiny 0.5in by 0.5in LCD, sits on the left. The Apex HD shoots film at the same resolution as most of the cameras on these pages (1,080 pixels at 30 frames per second), takes 12-megapixel stills and offers a 135-degree, wide-angle lens. It’s Wi-Fi compatible through the ActionConnect App (iOS and Android) and comes with an 8MB MicroSD card. actioncameras.co.uk

HIT OR MISS?

CHAVAL RESPONSE XRT INTUITIVE HEATING SYSTEM GLOVES $390/£245

Even the hardiest skiers can suffer from cold hands, making heated gloves an appealing yet elusive option. These leather gauntlets avoid the most common problem, overheating, by using Chaval’s alphaHEAT technology: slim, flexible, conductive traces transmit power inside the glove rather than the bulky wires used by other brands. Furthermore, while most heated gloves require you to manually adjust the heat according to your activity levels, the Response XRT gloves feature microregulating technology to keep the temperature at 16.5°C (62°F). So the heating element only powers up if you’re not generating sufficient heat of your own. This makes for efficient battery use, with the gloves operating for six to seven hours, three times longer than other brands. The charging system (a slightly bulky, wall-plugged affair) also generates gentle heat, drying the inside of the gloves, reducing odours and bacteria. chavalusa.com Ski+board

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

skiclub.co.uk

MOBI-STRAP

£15

We’re all in favour of supporting homegrown talent, but can’t help thinking the mobi-strap is a little too homemade to entrust expensive bits of kit to. It’s essentially nothing more than an elasticated strap you wrap around your arm, chest or head with a Velcro fastening. To this you attach your smartphone with another Velcro strap, facing the mountain, for use as a cheap alternative to a sports action camera. However, the set-up leaves your phone vulnerable to being crushed and scratched, or simply dropping out in a fall, and it’s hard to wrap the strap tightly enough to avoid excessive camera wobble. Even if you do secure it tightly, the strap only covers a 2ins middle section of the phone, meaning its ends (where the camera is) shake about as you move, particularly on larger phones such as a Samsung Galaxy S5, giving poor quality footage. Moreover, unlike sports action cameras, few smartphones are waterproof, so the mobistrap would only be an option on clear, sunny days when there’s no risk of snow blowing on to your phone. amazon.co.uk

SKI TECHNOLOGY

THE BEST CHILD-FRIENDLY KIT Teaching your children to ski or snowboard can be both one of life’s most rewarding and terrifying activities. The delight you take in watching your little angel graduate from snowplough to parallel turns is matched by the terror of watching them hurtle out of reach or take a big tumble. Fortunately, technology is on your side, helping you keep a smile on that little face.

MAGNESTICK (magnestick.net) was one of the earliest innovations dedicated to children’s safety on the slopes. Chairlifts are equipped with electromagnets and children wear high-visibility back protectors containing a metallic plate. When little Johnny sits on the chairlift, the magnet attaches to the plate, securing him for the duration of the ride to avoid any chance of him slipping beneath the bar. The electromagnet is only deactivated when Johnny puts his skis down on the snow at the top of the lift. The system was launched in Courchevel and is now available in six other French resorts, including Méribel and Megève, as well as in Westendorf, in Austria, and Ovronnaz, in Switzerland. Hire firm Skiset (skiset.co.uk) has partnered with geolocation service provider Ma P’tite Balise (‘my little beacon’) to create an App which enables parents to track their children’s location on the slopes. Simply rent a MA P’TITE BALISE GPS beacon at a participating Skiset shop, slip it into your child’s pocket, download the free app and track your little nipper’s progress around the mountain in real time. A lot of kit that helps keep your precious snow bunny safe doesn’t require technological genius. Simple things such as screw-on tip connectors keep the tips of your child’s skis together to avoid leg-splayed falls. You can purchase these from the dedicated children’s outdoor kit website LUCKY BUMS (luckybums.com). A ski harness is also a superb idea for toddlers, enabling you to control their speed as they start to tackle more challenging pistes. Lucky Bums makes a comfortable, sturdy harness with an integrated handle, two detachable ski leashes and a small stow pack for snacks and tissues. You can buy the harness and tip connectors for £39.99 from UK-based children’s specialist Little Skiers (littleskiers.co.uk). We also like the LUCKY BUMS T-BAR TRAINER ($49.99/£31), a handheld device with one padded bar that fits under your child’s bottom and a second bar that acts as a handle. This enables you to get your little ones accustomed to riding a T-bar as you pull them along the nursery slopes. The brainchild of British mountain-dwelling mother-of-four Jo Marro, GOTCHAKIDS VESTS (right, £40, gotcha-kids.com) are

Hands-free devices — Gotchakids, left, and the Babysnow

for children aged three to eight. Available in dinosaur (green and blue) and butterfly (yellow and pink), the vertical strap on the back of the highly visible, adjustable vests makes for a sturdy handle for guiding your little one on the slopes and helping get them on and off chairlifts. Larger tots can also use it as a ski carrier. Other touches include a clear plastic pocket on the front of the vest for emergency contact details and two plastic D-rings at the back, to which you can attach a separate harness (not included). Another novel contraption, BABYSNOW (babysnowandco.fr — the website is in French only) was invented by mountain guide and ski instructor Eric Arnot for his daughter in 2008. Looking much like a narrow snowboard, the Babysnow has a long U-shaped handle extending at 45 degrees backwards from its centre and a vertical T-bar extending straight up towards the front, with a hammock-like stretch of material between the two. Place little Emily with her feet on the board, legs straddling the hammock and holding on to the front handle, and propel the board along the snow from behind, either on foot or skis. Ideal for children aged one to four, the Babysnow has proved so popular that it’s now available for purchase and rental in more than 20 French resorts, including Val d’Isère, Alpe d’Huez and La Plagne. If the Babysnow inspires your little one to take up boarding, the French resort of LES CARROZ (lescarroz.com) is offering lessons for children aged three and up on miniboards. These pint-sized boards are perfect for introducing children to snowboarding — traditionally a sport taken up by older youngsters. Classes are limited to groups of four and combine boarding instruction with games. Free taster sessions will take place on Wednesday afternoons during French school holidays, with equipment provided. Budding boarders will also enjoy Burton’s Riglet range of boards and parks (burton.com). The RIGLET BOARD is the ideal introductory board. Small and lightweight, it comes with an inbuilt Riglet Reel — a strong, retractable cable, which makes it easy to tow or chauffeur your nipper around the nursery slopes. Once equipped with their Riglet Board, children aged three to six can hone their skills in dedicated Burton Riglet Parks around the world. These mini parks are fun and safe environments staffed by professionals, who will introduce their wards to the mini park features. It’s a sure fire way to get your mini-me shredding. Give us your verdict on how well the latest ski gadgets work at skiclub.co.uk/chatforum

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HEALTH&FITNESS

WAKE UP, BODY In part three of our four-part series to get you in shape for the slopes this winter, the focus is on dynamic strength movements. These involve replicating skiing movements on dry land so that they don’t take your body by surprise when you are on the slopes.

1. LATERAL (SIDEWAYS) JUMP A. Start by replicating the skiing stance, with your feet shoulder-width apart, your knees bent and arms ready for action B. Bend your knees further while keeping your head up and eyes forward, spring up and jump to one side. On landing, be sure to remain strong with feet still shoulder-width apart, knees bending to absorb the impact, with your core staying strong. C. Get ready for the return jump in the opposite direction. Again be strong on landing. Try to do ten jumps in each direction and repeat three times.

1. A.

The chiropractor and fitness expert has been in the ski industry for 15 years, working with ex-Olympians Konrad Bartelski and Graham Bell, and consulting for the Warren Smith Ski Academy.

2. A.

2. FORWARD JUMPING A. Start in a strong skiing stance again, only this time you are jumping a little differently B. Jump forward. You can be as dynamic as you want with this exercise. Start with small jumps and, as you gain in confidence, increase the height and length of the jump. C. On landing stay in a strong and confident position. Attempt to do ten jumps in a row, following one long line and repeat three times.

C. C.

You are doing it wrong if you collapse your body, use your arms excessively or keep your feet too close together.

Myth busters

Craig McLean

Accidents always happen at the end of the day

You’re doing it wrong if you collapse your lower back or core or keep your feet too close together.

We all fear the big wipe-out on the last run of the day. In response to the exhortation ‘come on, let’s do one last run’ we are all tempted to ignore the combination of fatigue, greater speed and the carefree spirit that familiarity with the slopes brings to finish with a final blast.

However, though big accidents can happen at the end of the day, it is more common for accidents to occur first thing in the morning and soon after lunch, when we are stiff and cold. A little bit of jogging on the spot, say, plus a few active stretches, such as the ones shown above, will help warm you up far more than big, static stretches and prevent injury. By increasing blood flow to the

HEALTH&FITNESS

3. A.

HEALTH&FITNESS

3. A.

HEALTH&FITNESS

3. MY FAVOURITE CORE WORKOUT (THIS BEATS SIT-UPS...) A. Lie on your back with your arms and thighs perpendicular to the floor and your knees bent. B. Lifting your head and shoulders slightly off the ground, slowly lower your arms and feet towards the floor. Keep your lower back flat. Don’t let it arch at all. Return to the start position and repeat ten times. C. Then go straight to the cross crawl version of this exercise where you start with one hand and the opposite knee raised. Repeat ten times each side. Do three sets.

4. A.

4. SCISSOR JUMPS (LUNGE JUMPS) A. Get into the split squat or lunge position to start this exercise. Be sure not to let the front knee bend past 90 degrees. B. From this bent-knee position jump straight up into the air and scissor or swap the back leg to the front and vice versa. C. Land with the opposite foot forward and again be sure not to put excessive pressure on the front knee. Attempt to do 20 jumps in total for one set, and repeat three times.

5. A.

You’re doing it wrong if you’re doing sit-ups, as these risk putting too much strain on your lower back.

5. HIP ROTATIONS A. Start in a regular standing position, feet a little less than shoulderwidth apart. B. Lift one leg up so the knee is bent and your foot is behind the other knee. C. Then rotate your knee out from your body so your hip opens to maximal stretch. Repeat this movement ten times each side, if necessary saying to yourself “up, out, down, repeat” to remind yourself of the movement.

You’re doing it wrong if your front knee goes past 90 degrees or you allow your torso to collapse in any way.

muscles, it makes them more elastic and makes you less prone to strains or tendon injuries. This sort of warm-up will also improve your joint flexibility and nerve signal transmission — sensory, motor and proprioception (the ones that tell you where your limbs are). It will also clear your head, allowing for better concentration. And don’t neglect to warm up after lunch. If nothing else, Ski+board

it will help prevent you from getting too cold as all your energy goes into digesting that steak or rösti. Aside from the obvious caveats about skiing at high speed and after a few drinks, you can reduce your risk of injury hugely by preparing well before you travel out to the mountains with the sort of exercises shown above. You can also find more drills to practise

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

skiclub.co.uk

You’re doing it wrong if you move your torso instead of your hips. This is a hip exercise to gain increased flexibility, helping you ski without hip restriction.

in previous editions of this magazine at skiclub.co.uk/skiandboard. And if you’re still fearful of the danger of that final run, it is wise to follow the mantra of the growing army of skiers who never do a ‘last run of the day’. How is that possible? It’s because they only ever do a ‘second last run’, then, without fail, decide to finish with that penultimate run. It may sound odd, but try it — it works!

HEALTH&FITNESS

ME AND MY OPERATION Skiers are far less likely to injure themselves than is commonly believed. Figures from the US suggest most of us would have to ski for a million days before we died skiing. Journalists, however, are a breed apart, as luckless Neil English can testify.

Neil says: Common sense told me, unequivocally, not to do it. I was already facing back surgery later that spring because of spinal stenosis, causing nerve impingement in my lumbar region. I’m 51, my seasons as a ski Clavicle instructor are far behind me, and Subacromial bursa my 6ft 1in, 15-stone frame doesn’t Rotator cuff land softly these days. But having survived a great morning off-piste in fresh powder on a blue-sky day in mid-March in Courchevel, France, the rational and irrational had fused. Humerus Our group had gathered by a giant airbag on to which children, mostly under ten, were whooping with delight as they soared through the air on inflated inner tubes launched from a steep ramp and kicker, landing on the airbag. Some of our group were going to try it on skis. It looked fun, but I was wise enough to recognise this as a classic ski situation where a group eggs themselves on to doing things they shouldn’t. Then somebody blurted out: “It’s impossible to hurt yourself.” Those words should have only strengthened my resolve not to do it but instead I found myself walking up, skis in hand, to the launch pad. Worse still, I decided to outdo my comrades, who had done simple jumps, and try a 360, also known as a ‘helicopter’. After all, I couldn’t possibly hurt myself. I got good height off the kicker, completed a full airborne 360 to huge cheers, but upon landing, my right arm got snagged in a fold in the airbag as I landed while my body carried on. Instantly, I knew something bad had happened — I had no power in my right arm. My body started to tremble and a sense of pain was fast engulfing me. Feeling woozy and nauseous, I held out my left arm saying I needed help getting off the airbag. Eased on to a nearby chair, I was trying to support my dangling right arm with my left arm when a female voice gasped: “Oh God, look at his hand!” Becoming ever more faint and detached from my surroundings, I remember looking down at my frantically twitching hand, which looked curiously like it belonged on someone else’s wrist. Then, with a rush of nausea, a strange slithering sensation occurred in my shoulder. Simultaneously, I felt a wave of relief, my hand ceased to spasm and I knew it was mine again. Despite the skill of the ski patroller, I hated the journey down the mountain, strapped into the ‘blood wagon’, where I felt every ripple of the piste through my shoulder. I learned

from the Courchevel doctor what I had suspected — that my shoulder had relocated itself as I sat on the chair. What I didn’t suspect was that I had snapped off part of my scapula. Back in London, I was told general anaesthetic was required and I was given the option of a morning operation with same-day departure. Then came the next challenge, which was physiotherapy with my excellent physio Amy, from Body Logic in Battersea. “Keep that arm nice and straight, thumb up, rotate your shoulder like I showed you, keep it level — good. No, keep it level, that’s better, raise it all the way up, I know it hurts, just stretch a little more for me now — gooood.” The worst was: “I just need to do a little manipulation to increase your range, lie on your front please, arms out in front of your head, yes I know that hurts” — as my feet thumped away at the end of the bed like a defeated wrestler signalling submission, but on it went. Glenoid In the end, I have come to feel almost grateful for the pain, Scapula as it seems to symbolise minibreakthroughs in my rehabilitation… and punctuates the sheer monotony of all those exercises. But at least I can go skiing again this season.

THE SURGEON Andrew Forester is a consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, specialising in shoulders and elbows at The Lister Hospital’s Chelsea Outpatient Centre. He is also a keen skier. Forester says: I advised Neil to wait until his back operation was complete in case he needed use of both arms for crutches, which would not be possible for some time after shoulder surgery. It also gave him time to let the shoulder settle down in a sling, have gentle physiotherapy to prevent stiffness, and for me to conduct comprehensive imaging by injecting a contrast agent into the shoulder just prior to the scan. With Neil’s back surgery complete, but no improvement to his shoulder, I operated this summer, three months after his ski injury, to repair the fracture to his glenoid (socket) and to retension the ligaments, also damaged in the accident. After one month immobilised in a sling, Neil progressed with physiotherapy. After his most recent check — three months post-surgery — he has recovered well, but with some anticipated weakness, stiffness and restricted range of movement. These will further improve in the next three months with continued exercises. He can already play golf without risk of redislocation and will be able to return to contact sports and the slopes in time for this winter. However, being a keen skier myself and of a similar age, I advise Neil to avoid airbags and 360s! Get expert advice from a surgeon, as well as chiropractor and fitness expert Craig McLean at skiclub.co.uk/asktheexpert

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TECHNIQUE:SPEED

YOU CAN HANDLE THE SPEED To maintain superb control when travelling fast, you actually need to let go a little and indulge in a spot of lateral thinking, says Mark Jones. 84 Commit more on to the uppermost ski in preparation for the new turn

PHOTO: Rupert Tildesley

Start to engage your hips

Stay committed laterally but start to add pressure to the uppermost ski

Getting the best out of your skis when you’re moving fast is incredibly important. If you can lay down a big edge angle it gives you lots of grip, confidence-inspiring stability and a huge amount of speed through the arc. When skiers do it right, it looks amazing, fast and easy. When skiers do it wrong, it’s not a great experience. High speed skidding feels unsafe, scary and you become a liability on the mountain. To make sure you fall firmly into the first category, follow these tips. First, ask yourself this question: If you were to break it all down, what’s the main movement that is key to laying down some great tracks? The answer is lateral movement, which means that you tip your body sideways, leaning into the turn. It’s only

by moving laterally that we can tilt the skis on to the edge and get them to bite into the snow. So how do we do this?

BUILD A PLATFORM Start by making sure you are standing on your top ski. This will give you some support and a platform to balance against. From the old turn you can start building this platform by adding pressure to your top ski as you move across the slope. By the time you are at the end of the arc you should be fully committed to your top foot.

START TO TOPPLE “Topple? Tip over?” you may ask. “I thought we were talking about staying in control?” Perhaps counter-intuitively, once you’ve got that support from the top foot it really is a case of letting

gravity play its part and going with it. This means allowing your body to topple over your skis and fall towards the centre of the turn you are starting. This movement starts at the feet and continues up the body until the whole body is tipping away from your skis. The word ‘fall’ can sound a bit drastic, but this is actually how it should feel. Your body is in freefall across your feet while you move into the new turn. The more you do this, the more you commit to the turn and the bigger the edge angles your skis create, cutting a tighter arc. Essentially you are allowing your body to fall while your feet and skis hurtle around the arc before catching up with you towards the end of the turn and preventing your body from actually hitting the snow.

TECHNIQUE:SPEED

Keep moving laterally, making sure you maintain pressure with the outside foot

Make sure that you have a solid platform over the outside foot Incline the whole body towards the inside of the turn

KEEP MOVING To stay balanced against the outside ski, and as you move deeper into the turn, you will find it easier if you rely on making much of this lateral move with your hips, while the upper body stays a little more upright and counterbalances the forces. This movement is known as ‘angulation’ in skiing terms. As confidence builds, you will be able to commit more with the whole body and create bigger angles. This will increase the power going through the skis and will put your body in a stronger position to deal with the pressure going through it. This type of movement is known as ‘inclination’ Advanced skiers will sometimes talk about the merits of ‘inclination’ versus ‘angulation’ as if they were too different religions. However, the reality is that most skiers will use a combination of the two, tending to use angulation more at slower speeds, or on steeper slopes, and preferring inclination in a more stable, predictable environment. The important point is that you move your body in the right direction: laterally and to the inside of the turn.

hard to rectify, is that your mind tells you that you are moving laterally, but in practice it is your body and feet that are twisting into the turn. This is common in skiers who are used to skiing a lot of steep terrain and offpiste, where such techniques are useful to control their speed quickly. A surefire way to break this habit is by making sure that you are practising on really easy terrain — a big, open, well-groomed green run is perfect. Rather than committing to a whole turn, try facing down the hill and gently carve across it. If you look back at your tracks you should see two clean lines in the snow. If the tracks are skidded, then you are still turning your feet. Keep practising until you get clean lines, then start to try the whole arc, check the tracks again and only then move on to steeper terrain. Another common error is simply not moving laterally enough. The problem here is that because the edge angle of the ski is small, unless you really put your skis on edge they will naturally carve out a huge arc. This can be scary, because speed

COMMON MISTAKES What if you’re still not getting it? The classic error, which can be surprisingly Ski+board

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

will continue to build until you start travelling back up the hill, and that can be a long wait… particularly when you are going faster than you would like. There are techniques to remedy this and keep you moving laterally, especially in the final third of the turn: First, think about shortening your inside leg, this will drop your body more to the inside of the turn. Second, imagine you are trying to get your inside hand closer to the snow — but without stretching it out — rather letting your body help it to get there. Third, focus on pointing the knee of the inner leg towards the centre of the circle you are creating. This will free up the outer leg and give you greater control than the ‘A-frame’ stance. Finally, try looking towards the inside of the arc. This may twist your torso a little, but it will encourage you to move further to the inside of the turn. It can take a while to get the feel for this, but the rewards from carving a clean pair of edges is amazing. Your speed is tripled, while at the same time your skiing feels quieter, more stable and safer, too.

Mark Jones is a trainer and assessor for the British Association of Snowsport Instructors. He is also a director of ICE, an instructor training centre and performance centre in Val d’Isère, France. icesi.org skiclub.co.uk

TECHNIQUE:OFF-PISTE

AVALANCHE ALERT In the third of our articles on how to avoid hazards off-piste, expert Henry Schniewind looks at the big one — avalanche risk.

PHOTO: stefcande.com

You cannot rely on an organised rescue party to turn up and save you if you have been buried in an avalanche, as you typically have just 15 minutes to survive under the snow The danger of being caught in an avalanche is often cited as the reason you should never go off-piste without a professional. Yet most skiers who go off-piste do so without a guide. So how should they manage their safety and that of a group? Rather than being a whim of nature, avalanche accidents are almost always initiated by the victim or someone in their group. So in response to the question ‘is it safe to go out there?’ the answer is very much that it depends on you. More specifically, it depends on where you go and when; how you go down (or up); and how well prepared you are. To start with the issue of where you go, this very much depends on slope angle. In my last article, I pointed out that if you are just starting off-piste, you should ski only where the slopes — both above and below you — are no steeper than 25 degrees, equal to the steepest part of a French red run. Here there is no avalanche risk. As you gain knowledge and experience, you can venture on to steeper and more varied terrain, but it’s best to start off with a good professional who can teach you off-piste technique at the same time as ensuring you have a great time. How you go down (or up, if you’re ski touring, remembering that sometimes you have to go up to find good snow in safe areas) is about minimising your exposure to avalanches while choosing the best route. There are a number of important points to remember when travelling through terrain steeper than 25 degrees, here are two key ones: First, keep a distance between yourself and other skiers, so that only one person is exposed to danger at any one time. This also minimises the weight on any potential weak spot on the slope, lessening the chance of triggering an avalanche. Keeping each person’s tracks no more than a

metre (3ft) on either side of their companions’ tracks, rather than spreading them far and wide, helps too. Second, avoid skiing above avalanche terrain-traps such as cliffs, holes and troughs. If you get carried towards these by even a small avalanche they can and do prove deadly. If you are caught in an avalanche and buried, there is a very strong chance that you will be alive and conscious. However, you have only about 15 minutes before you suffocate. This is not long enough to rely on an organised rescue. So you need to be able to get your companions out — or your companions need to be able to get you out — from under the snow, fast. Even light snow is so heavy that if you are buried under just 10cm (4ins) of snow or 25cm of relatively light avalanche debris, the chances are that you won’t be able to move more than your little finger. Your best hope of finding a companion buried in an avalanche starts with a visual fix, focusing on where you last saw them and never taking your eye off that spot. That glove or that ski pole sticking out of the snow may be attached to the victim, and might otherwise go unnoticed in the general debris of an avalanche. Don’t be afraid to go to the rescue immediately, but only if it is to a point directly below where the avalanche released and only if there are no unreleased parts of the slopes above. Once an avalanche has been triggered it is very unlikely that another one will follow immediately in that exact spot, but lots of times there is snow ready to release from above or from the sides. That unreleased snow can easily be triggered and slide over the rescue area and bury the victim deeper or bury searchers. So choose a route down where the avalanche has gone and not on any fresh snow above or to the sides of it. If it is not possible to go straight down without threatening the victim and rescuers, choose a longer route around that doesn’t threaten people below. If you don’t have a visual sighting, you need to start using your avalanche transceiver to find your companion’s location to within a couple of metres. If you have been travelling a good distance apart, as suggested above, then only one person should be affected, which will make the search much easier. You will need a probe to pinpoint them exactly and a shovel to dig them out in time. There are lots of good products on the market, which are a fraction of the cost of skis, boots and most clothing — and they last much longer. So buy the right kit and learn how to use it. In the next article, I will investigate why most avalanche accidents happen to people who ‘should have known better’. We will look at why learning procedures by rote is not enough. You have to have a plan for applying your knowledge and experience. Research shows us that we are regularly prone to not using our better judgment of a situation, because of the greatest risk factor of all — the human factor. Learn more about staying safe on the mountains at skiclub.co.uk/safety and find out more about avalanches at henrysavalanchetalk.com

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BOROVETS Why there? Can’t be beaten on price

RESORT INSIDER:TOP VALUE

Despite its 1980s functionality, older lifts and limited snowmaking, Borovets, nestled in dense pine forest, has a more discreet charm than Bulgaria’s other principal resort, Bansko, and its lifts are better placed. It has three connected ski areas: Markudjik, above the tree line; Yastrebetz, down the steepest, tree-lined runs; and the gentler snaking trails of Sitnyakovo, which take you home past the brightly coloured lights of tiny wooden huts serving home-made brandy. The former state tour operator Balkan Holidays has great half-board deals in decent hotels, and the Bulgarian ski school has a good reputation. Can’t ski, won’t ski: There are candle-lit walks in the woods, cross-country ski trips on the White Plateau, and even budget package hotels have good spas and pools — where having a massage every day isn’t going to break the bank. CN √√ Your spending power means you live like a king ×× Food is basic borovets-bg.com/en

WHAT WE THINK… Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

32%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £116 Ski hire £40 Transfer 70mins

ALTITUDE 1,350m-2,560m 4,440ft-8,400ft

PISTES BOROVETS Lifts 12 Piste 58km/ 37miles

32%

T P VALUE Ski holidays have a reputation for being expensive, but this is not always deserved. Of course you can spend huge sums in swanky French and Swiss resorts, but there are some amazing all-inclusive deals offered by UK tour operators, in many cases costing less, even with flights and transfers, than if you only book accommodation direct. And in Italy and Eastern Europe your spending power on the slopes increases markedly too. In this, the third in our series of resort recommendations, our panel look at places that offer particularly good value for money. This doesn’t necessarily mean cheap. There are some great quality half-board deals in Austria in particular, where you don’t have to sacrifice comfort or stint on good food. Writers: Rosie Barcroft, Ben Clatworthy, Colin Nicholson, Arnie Wilson Pistes Our icons show how resorts grade pistes according to difficulty, showing what percentage are black, red, blue or green (but Austrian, Swiss 15% 30% 33% 22% and some Italian areas don’t have green runs). Ski hire We put the list price of six days’ ski-only hire at Skiset, but Ski Club members can get up to 50 per cent off if they book online. Lift pass Prices are for a six-day adult pass during high season.

SAUZE D’OULX Why there? Excellent value restaurants and lively après-ski with access to a huge linked ski area

This charming village has mellowed, but it’s still a party town — and cheaper than its French neighbour Montgenèvre at the other end of the 400km (250-mile) linked Milky Way area. Intermediate skiers will be in their element here: much of the terrain is ideal for cruising around, although less confident skiers might find some of the reds a little challenging. Most of Sauze’s restaurants are in the old town, with its cobbled streets and medieval houses. The choice of mountain restaurants is even better, with Sauze’s prices a third of equivalents in upmarket French resorts. AW √√ Extensive skiing, inexpensive drinking and eating… ×× … but little else turismotorino.org

WHAT WE THINK… Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

51%

28% 18%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £148 Ski hire £48 Transfer 60mins

Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

ALTITUDE 1,500m-3,250m 4,920ft-10,660ft

PISTES HINTERTUX Lifts 21 Piste 60km/ 38miles

28% 4%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £180 Ski hire £55 Transfer 80mins

Ski+board

HINTERTUX Why there? If you don't want to sacrifice reliable snow conditions in your search for a resort that will stretch your pounds further, you could do worse than the Tux valley and Hintertux. Costing less than £200, the Super-ski pass Zillertal covers 487km (300 miles) of unlinked piste while the Hintertux glacier offers 365 days a year of skiing, making affordable, low-season trips possible. The villages are quiet, so you won't get the nightlife of some better-known resorts. The resort: Hintertux, at the head of the Ziller Valley, is a resort of two halves. On the glacier you’ll find the steeper, more challenging terrain, while the lower-altitude slopes offer more mellow ground for those less confident. The elevation of the slopes — which reach 3,250m — makes the resort one of Europe’s most snow-sure, and a particularly safe bet for early or late season trips. The downside is that during poorer winters, when lower altitude stations are bereft of snow, the area tends to get crowded, especially at weekends, when day-trippers from Innsbruck, 80 minutes away, and Munich, two hours’ drive away, converge on the high-altitude slopes. Those in search of powder will be well entertained here. The area boasts some excellent off-piste terrain, including some fun routes through the forests at lower attitude. Much of the off-piste is in open surroundings, particularly the section served by the Kaserer 1 T-bar, and so makes losing your way a rarity. There are some cosy, good value restaurants dotted across the glacier — the Tuxer Fernerhaus at 2,660m is a popular lunch stop and serves delicious hot chocolate. The much smaller TuxerJochhaus — sitting just off the blue run which descends from the top of the Tuxerjoch chair — has marvellous views of the glacier and serves a well-priced soup of the day. Arriving early is recommended as the restaurant is small and fills quickly. Skiing back down into the valley can be a tricky affair, so it is recommended to eschew the notoriously icy Trail 1 — which everyone takes into the village — and instead opt for Trail 1a, which many visitors overlook, despite

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

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the fact that it’s far more forgiving on the legs and offers fabulous views across the valley. In the days following snowfall it’s possible to dip off 1a and find some wonderful pockets of powder among the trees. There are many good value accommodation options, however most of these are in the village of Hintertux, a 15-minute walk from the lifts. Alternatively, it is possible to stay further down the valley, in one of the small villages, such as Lanersbach, which also has its own small ski area. A free ski bus links the villages by day, while at night there is a less frequent service, costing €1 each way. Pros and cons: Few resorts have such reliable snow, however, the pistes do become crowded at weekends. That said, the modern lift system copes well with the high demand. The on-mountain restaurants — including the two larger self-service eateries — often reach capacity, and so it’s advisable to lunch before noon or after half past two. A day trip to nearby Mayrhofen, served by bus, allows for a change of scenery. Can’t ski, won’t ski… A trip to the ice palace, where visitors can climb 25m into the ice using steps and ladders, is a must. There are three tobogganing areas, the longest of which starts at Grieralm. For a more relaxing experience, nearby Kirchler is home to a thermal bath and spa. Many of the hotels near the main lifts in Hintertux also have excellent spa facilities and allow public access. RB hintertuxergletscher.at

RESORT GUIDE:TOP VALUE

WHAT WE THINK…

WHAT WE THINK… PHOTO: SkiWelt-Brixental/Christian Kapfinger

Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

ALTITUDE

SÖLL Why there? Austria’s biggest linked area but with affordable après and half-board packages Tirol’s SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental area is the largest linked region in Austria. And Söll is the most popular gateway to it for Britons wanting to explore the 280km (173 miles) of mostly fairly easy pistes and more than 90 lifts — including many high-speed quads and sixseater chairs. These take you to seven more villages including Ellmau, with its funicular railway, Hopfgarten, with its twin-towered church, Brixen, Scheffau and Westendorf, with its short bus link to Kitzbühel. A scattering of steeper black runs, such as the descent from

WHAT WE THINK… Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

ALTITUDE 1,800m-3,015m/ 5,905ft-9,890ft

PISTES PASSO TONALE

Lift pass £158 Ski hire £40 Transfer 150mins

√√ Good snowmaking despite low altitude ×× Not much for experts skiwelt.at

One of the highest resorts in Italy, Passo Tonale is an unpretentious, inexpensive, purpose-built conglomeration. It has 30-odd hotels, few of which are in the luxury range, making it a favourite destination for school groups. Its great advantage is its proximity to the glacier, ensuring good snow and a long season. It offers some challenging offpiste possibilities, with a new gondola this season taking skiers and boarders from Passo Paradiso at 2,585m (8,500ft) all the way to the top of the north-facing Cima Presena glacier

56%

15%

Can’t ski, won’t ski... There’s a swimming pool with a sauna and solarium, bowling, an ice rink, tobogganing, snowshoeing. AW

Why there? Snowsure skiing on a budget for all abilities

Lifts 30 Piste 100km/ 62miles

29%

Söll’s Hohe Salve at 1,829 metres (exactly 6,000ft) should keep advanced skiers amused. Reasonably priced refreshments abound, with a choice of over 70 mountain restaurants, and a pint generally costs less than €4, particularly in the après-ski hotspot of Söll.

PISTES LINKED AREA Lifts 91 Piste 280 km/ 173 miles

48% 46% 6%

Lift pass £178 Ski hire £40 Transfer 60mins

PASSO TONALE

PHOTO: Graziano Filippini

RESORT INSIDER:TOP VALUE

700m-1,956m 2,310ft-6,420ft

at 3,015m. The much larger, lower area has an impressive array of lifts and wide-open, ‘motorway’ pistes for intermediates, with a fast six-seater lift serving the nursery slopes. The runs at Ponte di Legno provide some welcome tree-lined terrain. Can’t ski, won’t ski... There’s a natural icerink, swimming pool in Ponte di Legno, as well as snowshoeing and snowmobiling. AW √√ Something for all abilities and conditions ×× Not a village you will fall in love with passotonale.it

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Why there? Old-world charm at a good price Beautiful, traditional French villages needn’t come with a big price tag, as the rustic village of Valloire, in the Maurienne Valley, demonstrates. Small shops and reasonably priced restaurants are set around the bustling market square and the ski area is relatively large. Intermediates will find plenty of gentle terrain that is ideal for cruising, whilst there are decent off-piste opportunities for experts, especially in the Valmeinier sector.

Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

ALTITUDE 1,430m-2,600m 4,690ft-8,830ft

PISTES LINKED AREA Lifts 30 Piste 150km/ 94miles

√√ Traditional architecture and a charming market square ×× Few on-piste challenges for advanced to expert skiers

37%

31%

10%

valloire.net

22%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £145 Ski hire £60 Transfer 95mins

LIVIGNO Why there? Modern lifts from traditional Italian villages

Though the transfer from Innsbruck takes up to four hours by bus, when you finally get to this remote ski area dubbed ‘Piccolo Tibet’ by locals, it’s worth it. The extensive ski area with its modern lifts manages to retain much of the traditional character of the original three villages. And it’s moderately priced. Granted duty-free status in Napoleonic times, the resort offers excellent shopping — the bustling, traffic-free centre of the village, which is strung out for almost 20km (13 miles) along the valley, offers good-value stores, designer boutiques and a variety of bars, cafés and restaurants. The skiing — mainly above the treeline — is on both sides of the village, the main area being Costaccia and Carosello, while Mottolino, on the other side of the valley, has extensive off-piste. Can’t ski, won’t ski... There’s husky sledding, snowshoeing and horse riding. And the Aquagranda spa centre is worth a visit. AW

PHOTO: B. Grange

RESORT GUIDE:TOP VALUE

Can’t ski, won’t ski... Ice and snow sculpting competitions are held in January, there is an outdoor ice rink, dog sledding and two spas. BC

WHAT WE THINK…

PHOTO: Meneghello

VALLOIRE

√√ Charming village centres ×× Ski areas are not connected

WHAT WE THINK… Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

34% 29% 20%

PAS DE LA CASA Why there? Good snow at the budget end of Andorra’s biggest ski area Prices have risen in Andorra to fund the stone-cladding of ugly blocks and install excellent snowmaking and fast, modern chairlifts. But you can find deals in the party capital Pas de la Casa, which also has the surest snow and steepest runs of the Grandvalira area. Powder hounds will head to the new freeride area, and boarders will find few draglifts and no flat spots. The people are shy, yet polite and helpful, and the state-run ski school is excellent. CN

17%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £214 Ski hire £57 Transfer 130mins

√√ Nice, modern self-service restaurants on the slopes ×× Lots of nasty sports bars in town grandvalira.com

ski-livigno.com

WHAT WE THINK… Snow Lifts Lack of queues Restaurants Mountain food Charisma Ski schools Low budget Off-piste

ALTITUDE 1,816m-2,800m 5,960ft-9,190ft

PISTES LIVIGNO Lifts 32 Piste 115km/ 71miles

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £172 Ski hire £52 Transfer 150mins

47%

37%

16%

How would you rate the resorts you’ve visited? Read details of hundreds of resorts alongside Ski Club members’ reviews at skiclub. co.uk/skiresorts then post your own review

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PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS

H W T TAKE BETTER PH T S Taking amazing photos of snow scenes is not easy, but taking action shots is harder still. In this issue, Melody Sky, a specialist in action photography in the mountains, explains how to get the most out of your camera. We’ve all been there. We have an idea for a fantastic action shot, which then translates into three pictures: a speck on a snowfield coming towards us, a blur of ski jacket whizzing past, and a speck on the mountainside again. So how can you shoot better action photographs? Though I spend a lot of time shooting pro skiers and boarders with a telephoto lens in spectacular mountain landscapes, there are several rules I employ that will serve recreational skiers just as well.

TOP

[1]

jump, get down low. This will make the jump appear higher and more impressive. It will also eliminate many distracting features and may provide a blue-sky background focusing attention on the action. Use a wide-angle lens, if you have one, as this will emphasise the height of the rider and their distance from the kicker.

[ 2]

PHOTO: melodysky.com/timelinemissions.com

TIP

MANY TIMES YOU WILL SEE A PHOTOGRAPHER MICROMANAGING THE POSITION OF FRIENDS WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER TO MOVE.

[1] When shooting a

PHOTO: melodysky.com/timelinemissions.com

Melody Sky specialises in action sports, travel and lifestyle photography and filming. She is launching a new snowsports film and photography stock archive on timelinemissions.com and travel and lifestyle stock archive on melodysky.com

[2] Look around. Inevitably, the view in one direction will be pretty

spectacular. If you are taking a shot of your friends or family skiing, don’t just look at getting them right, but look at what’s around them too. That might be key to making your image look better. It’s more than likely that you could improve your images by moving the camera just a few inches left or right.

PHOTO: melodysky.com/timelinemissions.com

[3]

[3] To get a crisp action shot of fast movement, set the camera on TV or ‘time

value’ mode and select a high shutter speed. The faster the shutter speed, the crisper the action. The good thing about this semi-manual setting is it adjusts the aperture, or f/stop, for you, so you don’t have to think about it (and it’s a stepping stone to using a full manual setting). Your depth of field will be reduced, but this may be good, since an out-of-focus background can focus the eye on the skier.

[4]

TOP

TIP

ONCE YOU HAVE FOUND A SPOT THAT WORKS, THE SKIER WILL PASS BY REALLY FAST, SO IT IS VITAL TO DISCUSS WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO MAKE THEIR TURN.

[5] If you are shooting a rider on a steep line, you want a feeling of scale. If you crop in too close, not only is it harder to keep them in the frame, but it doesn’t show how steep the run is. If you have a telephoto lens, this compresses the image and makes the line look steeper for freeride or big mountain ski action.

[4] Don’t assume that the skier must be in the middle of the

frame. You can half press the shutter button with the skier in the middle of the frame to get the focus on them, then, still holding your finger there, re-compose the shot before fully pressing the button. To achieve a magazine or poster-style shot it’s nice if a single frame tells the story of where the rider started and where they will end up.

Ski+board

DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

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PHOTO: melodysky.com/timelinemissions.com

[5]

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IN YOUR NEXT ISSUE SUCH VERY BRITISH FESTIVALS Is this the year that Alpine festivals became truly British? ...and without a muddy field in sight

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LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO READ SKI+BOARD? Ski Club members can read the current issue of Ski+board free by logging into the website at skiclub.co.uk/ skiandboard where they can also browse back issues. Alternatively download it free from the App Store (search for Ski+board magazine and log in at the top right hand corner with your usual Ski Club website log-in). Non-members can buy it from the App Store for £2.99 an issue, or £9.99 for a whole season.

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