Ski+board November 2014 by Ski Club of Great Britain

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Editor’s note Just a few weeks ago the Winter Olympics were dealt a crushing blow, when Oslo pulled out of the race to host the 2022 Games. The event went widely unreported. After all, those Games are more than seven years away and there are still two contenders in the contest. But, make no mistake, this was a nail in the coffin for a movement which started with the high ideal of promoting amateur sport and which lost it in Sochi. To remind readers how the process is meant to work — countries submit bids, eagerly hoping that their facilities are good enough to make the final cut. Sochi proved the game-changer. No matter if you as a political leader scarcely had a resort in place before your bid, no matter if your choice of venue was environmentally and meteorologically unsuitable. Now if you wanted to buy your way into the elite club of Winter Olympic hosts, and the kudos that goes with it, you could

EDITOR Colin Nicholson colin.nicholson@skiclub.co.uk DEPUTY EDITOR Rosie Barcroft rosie.barcroft@skiclub.co.uk ART DIRECTOR Annabel Stevens

— with a cheque for £30 billion. So, flaunting his newly bought credibility, President Putin could afford to be arrogant, introducing anti-human rights legislation before the Games had begun and annexing Crimea before the Paralympics were over. In the years following Sochi’s nomination, we have seen the consequences played out in the chaos of the bidding for the 2022 Games. Why should any democracy with good existing winter sports facilities and the right climate now bother to bid for the Games and risk public censure? There is no reason, as long as they are up against autocracies willing to pander to the inflated expectations of the International Olympic Committee, with special traffic lanes for officials, introductions to dignitaries and the promise to spend outrageous sums on a lavish spectacle. Some of the most promising possible hosts of the 2022 Winter Games pulled back before submitting official bids. Worse still, this was followed by the farce of half the nominated cities eliminating themselves before the committee had the chance to make a single decision on the shortlist in July this year. When the due date came, like a talentless, amateur magician, the committee pulled out of its hat the shortlisted entries, which were — voilà! — the only three candidates remaining: Oslo, Beijing and Almaty, in Kazakhstan. As the only democracy left in the race, all hopes were pinned on Norway’s proposal of a cheaper, genuinely populist, Londonstyle Games. But the smell of Sochi lingered and Oslo has withdrawn. At least one thing will allow the members of the committee to sleep more easily in their beds, if not the rest of us. Although the shortlist is now down to two ahead of their final decision on July 31 next year, there is little danger of any more Western-style referendums upsetting the process now. China’s record on democracy is well known, but president Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan equally has little to fear from his populace. In power since 1990, he was last elected with a positively Soviet-style 95.55 per cent share of the vote on a 90 per cent turnout. On a less sombre note, the one continent never represented by the five Olympic rings, and still relatively unsullied by political shenanigans, is Antarctica. And in recent years it has become possible to ski there even If you are not a particularly hard-core skier. That is what writer Jimmy Petterson did, and I hope you enjoy reading about his adventures, even if you are planning your own winter adventures closer to home.

PICTURE EDITOR John Norris MEDIA SALES Publicom agencypublicom.com 020 3177 1167 PUBLISHER Ski Club of Great Britain London SW19 5SB skiclub.co.uk 020 8410 2000 DISTRIBUTER Jellyfish Print Solutions Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Independently audited circulation of 19,880 ( January to December 2013) The Ski Club cannot be held responsible for any unsolicited material. Ski+board is printed by Precision Colour Printing, Stirchley, Telford, Telford and Wrekin TF7 4QQ.

COVER PHOTO: Greg Von Doersten

Colin Nicholson Ski+board editor

Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

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CONTENTS November 2014

Exposure The action shots you won’t find anywhere else… and the stories behind them

You Say The incredible tale of how a Ski Club group was key to a rescue mission

News Chemmy Alcott, an insurance minefield, and the plan to link seven Utah resorts

PHOTO: Greg Von Doersten

You don’t have to be super-fit or an incredible skier to tackle the white continent

THE INFO

Fashion

The ski tests

Snowboard review

Ski technology

High-tech fabrics that will keep their shape… and flatter yours

The raciest of this winter’s pisteperformance skis

Piste-performance and entry-level boards, all for less than £300

The latest in avalanche safety, plus what’s new in helmets

The remarkable expansion of Red Mountainâ&#x20AC;Ś which offers cat skiing for just C$10

PHOTO: Terje Rakke/Nordic life/visitnorway.com

Does anyone want to host the 2022 Winter Olympics as yet another bidder pulls out?

PHOTO: Left, Lucas Jmieff. Right, Shutterstock

Boot yourself up for the winter with some of this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest models

Health & Fitness

Technique

Photography

Resort insider

Simple moves to strengthen your body for the coming season

Learn the drill that will turn around one of your off-days

A masterclass to transform your skills, even on a mobile

Our panel of experts pick their family-friendly favourites

SKIERS Per Jonsson and Tomas Bergemalm BOARDER Daniel Furberg LOCATION Nallo, Sweden PHOTOGRAPHER Fredrik Schenholm Fredrik Schenholm shot the cover of Ski+board last October, skiing a live volcano in Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula. In this shot he was closer to home — in Sweden’s far north. In March this year, he and three friends had been living the good life — ski touring by day, cooking over a fire in an open igloo in the evenings. As the embers died, they would watch the Northern Lights while sipping a whisky before retiring to their tents. Then on the final day of an idyllic week, Fredrik caught this stunning shot as the mist lay heavy in valley around the ‘Nail’ mountain. This is Sweden at its best.

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RIDER Roman Marti LOCATION Lucerne, Switzerland PHOTOGRAPHER Oskar Enander This shot was rider Roman Martiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea, as he had seen the chimney off the motorway several times while driving past, but had never checked it out. Roman and Oskar went together to see what was possible there and, after gathering some snow, had enough for a good transition. Then the police came by, asking what they were doing. But they let the pair carry on, even asking if Roman could do one jump for them to snap on their phones!

RIDER Anne Norris LOCATION Champoluc, Italy PHOTOGRAPHER John Norris If you are a ski photographer, you don’t let the fact you can’t see your hand in front of your face stop you. So John and his wife enjoyed full days of great, uncrowded off-piste skiing in beautiful, low-level powder in Champoluc... until they were eventually swept off the mountain by the ski patrol.

RIDER Matt Davies LOCATION Blackpool PHOTOGRAPHER Henry Iddon We’ll all be hoping for a proper winter in Britain this year, not least because of the great shots from inventive skiers in the UK. And which location could be more unlikely than Blackpool’s pleasure beach, where most ‘riders’ are astride donkeys?

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YOU SAY… SKI CLUB GROUP INITIATES CLIFF-TOP RESCUE When you go off-piste, you generally hope there will be rescue crews on hand in case you get into trouble — but you may not expect to be part of that team yourself.

Yet that was what happened to a Ski Club group in Verbier, Switzerland, this year, when Ski Club Leader David Lewis decided to take his group down the itinerary from Mont Gelé to Tortin. It was a crisp, Thursday morning in early March under a cloudless sky and there had been no significant snowfall since the previous Saturday, so people were skiing ever further from the main trail to find the soft stuff. Half way down the route, David was alerted by cries of “help” from the rocks above. A man was eventually spotted, trapped on a small snowy ledge in the cliff. He had followed a small ridge across the rock face and skied over the edge by mistake, falling a few metres, luckily stopping himself from sliding off the edge. He shouted that he was okay but dared not move. Many onlookers were standing below, all assuming that someone else was doing something about it. David rang the emergency services, but then had the tricky job of pinpointing which cliff in the massive valley was the one in question. Club member Paul Marson-Smith had the bright idea of photographing the location then sending the photos on. Within ten minutes a yellow-coated pisteur was seen skiing across the ridge to the exact spot. Paul’s photo had done the trick! After a brief word with the victim he climbed up the slope to fix an anchor for the rope. While his back was turned, three more skiers approached along the same ridge. Although they were not in yellow, David assumed they were more of the

rescue team. So it was in disbelief and horror that he watched as the first one skied to the top of the ledge, screamed and fell over the cliff, clattering on top of the first victim. Alerted by the noise, the pisteur turned around just in time to shout “stop” to prevent the next man from following his friend’s track. One more falling body would have sent them all to oblivion. During all this, hundreds of skiers were zigzagging their way down the wide, mogulcovered valley, oblivious to the drama unfolding above them. The Ski Club group dared not leave the site — if anything further went wrong, they were the only ones who knew the full story. Eventually, another pisteur arrived and after much shouting of instructions they lowered the second victim by rope to the base of the cliff, though they could not see him from their position. The first man could not be rescued by rope, so a helicopter finally came to assess the situation, despite the many power cables that crossed the valley. After a few moments it disappeared to return with a man dangling from a rope beneath. By this time the victim had been trapped in the shade for nearly two hours and was no doubt suffering from shock and hypothermia, intensified by the down force of freezing air coming from the helicopter’s blades.

The stranded skier

Indeed, there was a real risk the blast would blow him off the steep ledge to which he was clinging. Fortunately, his rescuer finally attached a line to him and he was lifted off and flown to Tortin, followed by David’s group, straight to a café and a hot drink. And the moral of this tale? If you are following a set of ski tracks, do not always assume that the person who made them is alive and well… Off-piste tips — Page 86

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SKI CLUB NEWS CHEMMY ALCOTT BECOMES AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE SKI CLUB By Rosie Barcroft

Four-time Olympian Chemmy Alcott has been appointed by the Ski Club as an ambassador to promote wider participation in snowsports. Having started skiing as a toddler, Alcott began competing in earnest at the age of eight. From this early start to her career, she worked her way up to be ranked eighth in the world. Alcott, 32, competed in four consecutive Olympic Games: in Salt Lake City, Turin, Vancouver and, most recently, Sochi. In Turin and Vancouver she finished in an impressive 11th place. She was also ranked in the top 30 in the world in the disciplines of Super G, Giant Slalom and Combined. Her appearance in Sochi was all the more remarkable after she missed the entire 2010-11 season, when she fractured her leg in Lake Louise, Canada. Undaunted, she returned to racing in the same resort a year later. Frank McCusker, chief executive of the Ski Club, said: “Chemmy is an excellent choice as ambassador for the club, encouraging younger skiers, snowboarders and athletes to pursue their dreams. Her passion and drive in everything she turns her hand to is something all generations can learn from. Alcott will be attending many events and helping the Ski Club deliver on its commitments to members. “Specifically, she will be helping us attract and enthuse a younger audience into skiing, while encouraging existing enthusiasts to develop.” Alcott said: “I am so excited to be working with the Ski Club to spread my passion for snowsports to the younger generation. To be part of a club that shares your passion makes you feel like you belong. And to have a voice and an opinion on all the current trends and goings on in the British winter sports scene is really important.” Alcott is currently training for the Arctic Circle Race in aid of charity. The race (acr.gl) is a three-day crosscountry ski trek held from March 20 to 22 on the west coast of Greenland.

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GLENCOE GIVEN £5,000 The Ski Club of Great Britain has donated £5,000 to Glencoe Mountain Resort for a clean-up mission. The money will fund a helicopter to airlift debris from the mountain this autumn, which has been collected and cut up in situ by about 30 volunteers. In the past, when tows and cables were replaced, the old material was left where it was, as there is no vehicle access above 750m (2,500ft). Despite better practice now, there is still an estimated 30 tonnes of junk — including rusty steel, old cable, unused wiring, collapsed buildings and fencing.

NEW HOLIDAY OFFER This season Crystal Ski is improving its offer to Ski Club members, pledging to give them a five per cent discount on bookings for this winter. To read the full terms and conditions of the deal visit skiclub.co.uk/discounts. There you will also find other tour operator savings, including ten per cent off holidays with Mark Warner and Neilson.

GET A GRIP... Alcott training for her cross-country ski race, top, and at Lake Louise

The total distance is 160km (100 miles) — just under four marathons — and is broken into three stages with camping overnight. She will be raising funds for Ski 4 Cancer, a UK charity that provides Alpine holidays for British cancer patients and their families. It also funds research into the positive effects of exercise on recovery. “I’m extremely excited and nervous about the Arctic Circle Race,” said Alcott. “I’m happy tearing downhill on my skis at 110kph (70mph) for two minutes, but spending up to six hours a day cross-country skiing is completely new to me and a massive challenge.” Visitors to the London Ski Show, which runs from October 30 to November 2 at Earl’s Court 2, can hear Alcott speak on Saturday, November 1, when she will drop in at the Ski Club stand (E44). If you wish to sponsor Alcott on her challenge go to: chemmyalcott.com

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Ski Club members are in with a good chance of winning a set of Goodyear winter tyres worth up to £1,000. The contest, mentioned in last month’s issue of Ski+board, has so far attracted a modest number of entries. To enter, send a photo of your car in an imaginative location clearly displaying the sticker — sent with issue one — in the window. Email it to competitions@skiclub.co.uk, tweet it using #skiclubGBcarsticker, or post it on our Facebook page, by November 30. Full terms and conditions are at skiclub.co.uk. To see Goodyear’s winter tyre range visit winter.goodyear.co.uk One of the current entries in the car sticker contest

NEWS

ANNUAL SNOWSPORTS COVER CAN LEAVE SKIERS UNINSURED

‘NO MORE QUEUES ON POWDER DAYS’ PROMISES CHAMONIX

By Colin Nicholson

A new gondola should run this season on the Grands Montets in Argentière, with Chamonix’s tourist office pledging “no more queues on powder days”. The lift will start at the base station and rise to 2100m — 200m above the Lognan mid-station, which has also had a facelift. It replaces a chairlift. The move is part of a €477 million programme of improvements in yearround facilities in the Chamonix area by the Compagnie du Mont Blanc. This has already seen extensive upgrades on the Aiguille du Midi, among them the glass box ‘Step into the Void’ attraction. Beginner areas will be created in Brévent-Flégère and Argentière and new lifts added, including another on the Grands Montets, this time a detachable chair, and a new gondola at Le Tour. Most of the money being invested will be spent in the next ten years.

Research by Ski+board has revealed that a large number of skiers who take out annual travel insurance with snowsports cover are left officially uninsured after they have been on just two or three skiing trips. Of the first 16 companies listed by popular comparison website MoneySupermarket as offering an annual travel insurance policy including winter sports cover for a single person, both Cheaper Travel Insurance and Virgin Money’s Essentials insurance, stipulated that cover was limited to ten days of winter sports holidays. Most of the rest limited winter sports cover to 17 days, with only two, Jet2 and Ehicexpand, offering winter sports cover of up to 21 days. And a call centre operative for one insurer, Sheila’s Wheels, explained that the quota of days included travel to and from resorts and any days on the trip not spent skiing. So a skier who went on a Saturday-to-Saturday trip (eight days) and a Friday-to-Sunday long weekend (three days) would already have exceeded a ten-day quota. Some skiers expressed surprise at the findings, as the comparison website flagged up that almost all of the policies covered holidays of up to 31 days. However, this is not the case for trips involving snowsports, where more draconian rules apply. It was only by downloading policy

documents in a portable document format (pdf) that the Ski Club was able to search the documents, scanning the text for the key words ‘winter sports’ or even ’17 days’ and ’10 days’, to find the limitations of these policies. Alpha Travel Insurance was one of the few to flag up on the front page of its policy document that winter sports cover was limited to 17 days. Similar scans using the ‘find’ function on the free-to-download Acrobat Reader program also revealed critical caveats when the words ‘off-piste’ and ‘racing’ were entered. Since many policy documents ran to 32 pages, a manual check of the policy exclusions of each policy was rendered virtually impossible. Arguably, if skiers do make a claim, insurers will not know how much skiing they have done that year. But those seeking peace of mind may want to try a specialist winter sports insurer.

MYSTERY REMAINS OVER WHEN TO BOOK FLIGHTS Last season, flight comparison website momondo.co.uk said ‘the cheapest flight prices can typically be found when booking an average 59 days in advance of departure’. The claim was met with scepticism in the industry. A spokesman for easyJet said: “We encourage all customers to book early to secure the lowest fares. Our pricing model is simple and demand-driven, meaning as more people book, the higher the price will go, rising as the departure date nears.”

However, momondo has reiterated its claim, saying 59 days is still the average. It said that in certain cases skiers going to Zurich from London could find the cheapest deal as late as 47 days before departure, but from Manchester it might be 64 days. While budget airlines have simple pricing models — except in the rare cases when they offer special deals — scheduled carriers have a more opaque pricing structure, as they will often work with partner airlines.

CAR HIRE SERVICE FOR TRANSFERS LAUNCHED A Geneva car hire service that promises to remove the hassle of parking fees and digging out your car at the end of a holiday has started this year. Fluidcar offers 4x4s with winter tyres and roof racks that will be picked up on your arrival in resort and returned for your drive back to the airport. The service is to resorts in Les Trois Vallées — including Brides-Les-Bains, La Tania and Les Allues. See fluidcar.com

SOUTH KOREANS ARE KEENEST SKIERS South Koreans are the keenest skiers in the world, willing to wait longer in lift queues than any other nationality, according the World Ski Report. The study, compiled by consultant Laurent Vanat, found the country had the highest number of skier visits per lift: 43,546 a year, compared to 15,640 in France. The findings bode well for public support for the 2018 Winter Olympics, to be held in the South Korean region of Pyeongchang.

NEWS UTAH PLANS TO CREATE BIGGEST LINKED SKI AREA IN AMERICA By Roger Bray

The Québec resorts of Le Massif, Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham have introduced a joint lift pass for this winter. The pass can be bought at hotels participating in a new marketing initiative under the name of St Lawrence Summits. Hotels include some in Québec City, where it is possible to stay and ski all three resorts. Skiers and snowboarders buying it will also receive various discounts on accommodation. Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham already offer a common pass.

Big moves are afoot in Utah to connect seven ski resorts.

Managers at Snowbird, Alta, Park City, Canyons, Deer Valley, Solitude and Brighton want to build a series of chairlifts to create North America’s biggest linked ski complex — twice the size of Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb. One ski pass, named the One Wasatch Concept after the relevant mountain range, would cover 100 lifts and 750 runs. The seven areas could be linked through the addition of just six new lifts, adding 1,000 acres of terrain, or 5.5 per cent of the total created. The work would involve building three new connections, one between Park City and Canyons, one between Park City and the linked runs of Brighton and Solitude, and one between Brighton/Solitude and the already linked areas of Snowbird and Alta. It would also mean allowing visitors to cross the boundary between Park City — recently bought by Vail Resorts — and Deer Valley, a potential headache as the latter still bars snowboarders. Initial estimates suggest the cost could be less than $30million. Marketing body Ski Utah says a recent poll of subscribers to its newsletter showed 73 per cent enthusiastic or

SKI+BOARD ARTICLE WINS WRITER AWARD Alta is one area that could be linked

broadly in favour. But don’t hold your breath. There will be a mass of official approvals to secure — over water supply protection, for example — and legal challenges to overcome, so it could take a decade to materialise. Michael Berry, the president of America’s National Ski Areas Association, said: “One Wasatch would catapult Utah into the category of a true international destination. It will be one of those situations where the sum of the whole is greater than the parts — a game changer.”

JUDGE UPHOLDS SNOWBOARDING BAN IN ALTA By Roger Bray Snowboarders will still be unwelcome this season in Alta. A judge has ruled against boarders who brought a case against the Utah resort, its lift company and the US Forest Service, claiming its ban was discriminatory and outdated. Only two other resorts ban boarders: Deer Valley, also in Utah, and Vermont’s Mad River Glen. The boarders’ lawyers said the ban violated the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution giving the right to equal legal protection. Though the amendment applies only to government action and not private operators such as Alta, they claimed it did apply in this case because the resort was on

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Forest Service land. However Judge Dee Benson said there was no evidence to suggest the Forest Service influenced the decision to ban snowboarders. It was Alta’s alone. The court heard the ban existed for a number of reasons. One was the contention that boarders had a different “blind spot” to skiers causing them to “cut you up”, or “get in the way” and that they chopped the tops off moguls. The snowboarders’ legal team is mulling an appeal. Lawyer Jon Schofield said: “We hope Alta and the Forest Service will reconsider their policy and provide skiers and snowboarders equal access to public land.”

Ski+board contributor David Lindsay has won second place in a popular snowsports journalism competition. His article, which featured in the December 2013 issue of Ski+board, charted his father’s role in the history of Méribel and won him second place in the ‘best magazine article’ category at an event hosted by French ski organisations. Rob Freeman won first prize for a piece on Puy Saint Vincent in Skier & Snowboarder magazine. Read back issues of Ski+board, including David Lindsay’s article, at skiclub.co.uk/skiandboard

FRANCE STARTS BOARDERS YOUNG Children as young as three are now being offered the chance to take snowboarding lessons. In the past, children were discouraged from snowboarding before the age of eight, with lack of strength in their knees, legs or core muscles variously cited as reasons. This season, Les Carroz, part of France’s Grand Massif area, will offer ‘mini-board’ sessions in group sizes no bigger than four, with games to ensure each child can progress in a fun way. Free taster sessions will be held on Wednesday afternoons in the French school holidays, with equipment provided. See lescarroz.com

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NEWS OSLO WITHDRAWS BID TO HOST 2022 WINTER GAMES By Colin Nicholson

Oslo has pulled out of the contest to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

YOUR HIGH-SPEED SUPER-G TO THE SLOPES Take the train to the French and Swiss Alps and your holiday starts before you even set foot on the piste. Straight to the mountains from London or Kent Whether you’re heading to France or Switzerland, choose between boarding in Kent or St Pancras International in the heart of London. If you decide to set off from London, you can start your holiday as you mean to go on with a glass of bubbly at Searcys legendary champagne bar, or relax with a pint at the Betjeman Arms. This season’s ski trains If you fancy the French Alps this season, take one of our direct ski trains, departing every Friday night and Saturday morning from December 19 to April 11. If the Swiss Alps are more your style, our new route takes you to Geneva with a short change in Lille (Starting December), where you’ll have access to the Swiss Valais and great French resorts like Chamonix, the Portes du Soleil and more, all just a little over an hour away. Comfort and style Getting to the slopes by train couldn’t be simpler. After a quick check-in and boarding with your bags, just sit back, relax and take in the spectacular views while we whisk you off to the white stuff. Best of all, your skis and boards travel for free and, if you take the night train both ways, you get yourself an extra couple of days on the slopes. Find out more at eurostar.com/ski

At the start of October, Norway’s Conservative Party withdrew support for the bid and the city immediately withdrew the application. Already unpopular, the bid was not helped when the list of demands from the International Olympic Sochi sparked fears about costs Committee was published. It included cocktails with the king (at his expense), chauffeurs to drive committee members in special lanes with traffic lights set in their favour, late-night bars and control of all advertising in the city. The move leaves just Beijing and Almaty, in Kazakhstan, in the race, despite the fact the IOC has yet to reject a single candidate. Signs that all was not well with the bidding process have been there from the start, with two of the most promising potential bidders pulling out at an early stage. Munich cited fears about the cost of the Games and their environmental impact, criticising the IOC in particular. Similarly, referendums in the Swiss canton of Graubünden voted against funding a bid by St Moritz and Davos. Nonetheless, the IOC had six official bids as of November 2013. Then a referendum in Sweden forced it to withdraw, as Swedes blanched at the cost. And in May, a month before the shortlist was due to be announced, the Polish/Slovakian bid was voted down in a referendum in Krakow, among widespread fears of corruption. This was followed more predictably by Ukraine’s exit. The IOC is now open to the charge that the only countries still in the running to host the Games are those without the democratic systems that would let their populations reject it. Where now for the Winter Olympics? — Page 28

SLOVAKIA WEEKEND BREAKS OFFER 15-MINUTE TRANSFER TIMES Slovakia’s ski areas have been given some good news after being dealt a blow when their joint-bid with Krakow to host the 2022 Winter Olympics was rejected by popular opinion. Low-cost airline Wizz Air will this season fly three times a week from Luton to Poprad, at the foot of the High Tatras mountains in Slovakia and a short hop to several Slovakian ski resorts. Prices start at €30 one-way. Specialist tour operator Mountain Paradise is taking advantage of the new service to offer long weekends there, with travel out on a Thursday and back on a Sunday. The slopes, which predominantly suit beginners to intermediates, are at Tatranska Lomnica, which claims the country’s longest run at 6.5kms (3.5 miles), and Strbske Pleso. Package prices, including the 15-minute transfer from Poprad, ski hire, lift pass and accommodation (bed and breakfast or half board depending on the hotel) range from £499 to £699 in the main season from January 8 to March 22.

RELAX AS HARD AS YOU LIKE 10794

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10/10/2014 12:32

PHOTOS: Jimmy Petterson

IN THE PAST FEW YEARS SKIING THE SEVENTH CONTINENT HAS BECOME A REAL POSSIBILITY AS SPECIALIST TOUR OPERATORS BAND TOGETHER AND OFFER TRIPS FOR RECREATIONAL SKIERS. NONETHELESS JIMMY PETTERSON WAS SURPRISED TO FIND A BRITISH POST OFFICE THERE…

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NOVEMBER 2014

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“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success.” Thus ran a 1916 ad in a London newspaper seeking to recruit a team for Sir Ernest Shackleton’s now legendary expedition to cross Antarctica. Sir Ernest received 5,000 applicants to fill 28 jobs on his ship, the Endurance. Whether the attraction has been pure adventure, the austere and pristine environment, the lure of the unknown, or the convergence of the most powerful forces of nature, there has always been something about Antarctica that has aroused and stimulated man’s curiosity and fantasy. About a century has passed since the heyday of the Antarctic exploration period, but the allure remains. There is a huge difference however. Today, Antarctica is far more accessible than in Shackleton’s era, so much so that in the past 20 years, some specialised travel companies set up the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) to offer such expeditions to an ever-growing number of adventurous and hardy travellers. And, most recently, some of those tour operators have offered skiing trips there. Of course, there are no ski lifts in Antarctica, but because all the climbs start at sea level and are less than a thousand metres in vertical, you do not need to be a super-fit or hugely experienced ski tourer to attempt them. So in November last year I found myself travelling south. The first stop on my journey was Buenos Aires. From there, a nearly four-hour flight still further south lands travellers on the small tarmac patch outside Ushuaia. This is about as far south as you can go with a scheduled airline. In fact, many

signs in this region of Tierra del Fuego refer to this cold and isolated little enclave as “the end of the world”. This is not quite where ships fall off the map, but that spot is not far away. Just 130 nautical miles through the Beagle Channel is the Drake Passage, one of the roughest ocean crossings on earth. If your ship doesn’t sail off the charts, it could well be swallowed up by the angry seas or leave you weak, dizzy and dehydrated after a long bout of motion sickness. For those strong or lucky enough to make it across this seldom-sailed piece of water, awaiting on the other side is Antarctica. Ushuaia is the sort of frontier town you might expect to find at the world’s end. In the harbour, the dock is lined with ships. About 90 per cent of the people who visit the white continent depart from here and I was just hours from stepping on to one of those ships, a Russian vessel named Akademik Ioffe, operated by One Ocean Expeditions. Cruise ships tend not to attract a hardy clientele. But of the 83 guests on board, 16 had signed up to kayak amid the icebergs and many more to go snowshoeing. Still others would spend a night or two camping overnight on the ice. But more enticingly five of us would join Sean Brooks and Matt Wilkensen, two Kiwi guides, to ski among seracs and crevasses on Antarctica’s glaciers. At least, that was the plan. In this part of the world, nothing is certain— least of all the weather. Over my lunch of crab, the ships I had viewed in sunshine at the start of my meal became completely obscured by a blinding snowstorm. On my arrival day in Ushuaia, I met a group just returning from Antarctica who told of a two-day storm with hurricane-force winds that kept them shipbound. And One Ocean includes a disclaimer in its contract that warns that the fulfilment of the itinerary is weather dependent.

This trip was definitely a gamble, but no risk, no gain. By now, my crab had been devoured, the storm outside had dissipated, and the sun was again shining on the ships in the harbour. Soon enough, I would board the Ioffe, and time would tell what the stars had in store for this voyage.

IT WAS GOOD CORN SNOW, TAINTED A BIT BROWN WITH VOLCANIC ASH On the evening of November 8, we set sail. While we were still in the calm waters of the Beagle Channel, our expedition leader, Aaron Lawton, advised us on how to Drake-proof our rooms. He explained: “Be careful if you take any water glasses, coffee cups or other breakable items in your cabin. Place them where they can’t fall down. Do the same with your camera equipment. The sound of an expensive lens falling on to the floor is not a pleasant one. We have no idea whether this crossing will be Drake shake or Drake lake, so it’s best to prepare for the worst before going to sleep.” After dinner, I took my bloody Mary to the ship’s library — a great place to get a variety of perspectives on the continent where we soon hoped to set foot. For photographers, a full array of spectacular coffee-table books were there for inspiration. Those interested in marine and birdlife could research boundless information on the habits of the many different species of penguins,

seals and albatross. Historians or anybody seeking a tale of adventure could easily have spent the next two days reading about the exploits of Shackleton, Amundsen, Scott and other heroes and victims of Antarctica. Then I read how soon we would be out of the protected channel and enter the infamous Drake Passage, where we “could expect to encounter waves as high as 50 feet from tip to trough — the notorious Cape Horn rollers”. That quote sent me immediately back to my cabin, where I downed some seasickness pills. At about midnight, we entered the Drake. I felt the difference immediately. I crawled into bed and was swayed to sleep by the pitching of the waves. The following morning, the wind was blowing at 30 knots, the sky was dark grey and the ship continued to rock from side to side. The crew had conveniently tucked dozens of ‘barf bags’ between the banisters and the walls in all the passageways and staircases, and I could see at breakfast that many passengers had opted to stay in bed. Yet, I was told that the sea was relatively calm for this part of the world. We would spend two more full days at sea before reaching land, but there was plenty to do for those who had developed their sea legs. The ship’s staff offered presentations throughout the day on photography, Antarctic birdlife, penguins, whales, Shackleton and much more. In between, we ate like kings — three buffet-style meals a day with everything a ship-shape stomach could desire. The staff had been picked with specialties in mind. Daisy Gilardini from Switzerland is an award-winning photographer with 26 Arctic and 18 Antarctic trips under her belt. She shared some of her knowledge with many of us shutterbugs. Australian Jonathan Chester made a presentation

MY ANTARCTICA DIARY Set sail from Ushuaia, in southern Argentina, bound for the seventh continent

A few small icebergs float in the turquoise water and the view was stunning

Nov 8

Nov 11 Land on Half Moon Island to be greeted by a welcoming party of funny little waddling penguins

about his first ascent of Mount Minto on one of 30 visits to Antarctica and gave another presentation on the 18 species of penguins. And Norwegianborn Sunniva Sorby was on the first all-female expedition to travel to the South Pole — a four-month trudge on skis dragging a 90kg (200lb) sled of equipment through temperatures that dropped to -55°C (-67°F) against headwinds that hit 80kph (50mph). She gave a spellbinding presentation about that 1993 expedition. If we wanted fresh air, we could go to the bridge, where we would invariably find Dick Filby, a lifetime ornithologist of the highest grade, who could point out every species that crossed our path and what each of his feathered friends had eaten for breakfast. Aided by a staff filled with passion, enthusiasm and an abundance of knowledge, the two days through the Drake passed quickly, and it was not long before we found ourselves in the South Shetland Islands, in a position to go ashore. The ship was equipped with ten Zodiacs — small, motorised inflatable boats — which are particularly durable and well suited for difficult landings in this environment. There are many factors that limit where one can ski in Antarctica, including cliffs, seracs and crevasses, but the first order question is whether a landing is even possible. Much of Antarctica is surrounded by 15-metre-high walls of glacial ice. There is not as much glaciation on the Shetlands and we would be able to make an easy landing on Half Moon Island. We gazed out at the isle from the deck at what appeared to be a hillside with many rocks dotting the snow… not so. Upon closer observation, the hillside was covered by a chinstrap penguin rookery — thousands of funny little waddling creatures to welcome us to Antarctica.

Our team of skiers included Andrée Proulx, a French-Canadian industrial designer, Shirley Howdle, a retired doctor from Vancouver, Nic Teichrob and Anthony Bonello, two pro-skier film-makers from Canada and Australia respectively, fresh from the Banff Mountain Film Festival with their entry about the proposed oil pipeline which threatens Canada’s pristine Great Bear Rain Forest, and myself. Once ashore, we stretched climbing skins to our touring skis and did a brief hike of about 100 vertical metres to get our ski legs and for Sean and Matt to assess our abilities. Or maybe somebody was taking an admission price from the penguins to observe the strange habits of these odd creatures from way across the Drake Passage. They observed us with a bit of interest for a while and then went back about their business. Our group definitely seemed more obsessed with penguins than the other way around. Skiing down, I had to pinch myself. It might have been a small hill, but this was Antarctica! A few small icebergs floated in the turquoise waters below

We skinned up and worked our way to a peak offering an amazing view of Whalers Bay as well as Neptune’s Bellows

Blue seracs creaked and yawning crevasses awaited unsuspecting visitors like the open jaws of a Venus flytrap

Nov 12 Content with our morning skiing fix, we join one of the Zodiac tours to explore some of the most amazing icebergs. The boat wound its way close to the most astounding fairytale castles, Gothic cathedrals, hollows, caves and arches, all carved magnificently in a mix of icy blues Ski+board

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and the view was stunning. I was skiing my seventh continent and I was stoked. In the afternoon, the Ioffe sailed through a narrow inlet called Neptune’s Bellows to land on spectacular Deception Island, an abandoned whaling haven in the middle of an active volcano. Rusting storage vats, a dry dock and other buildings in various states of disrepair stood as a living museum to the days when four-masted schooners would sail into the bay. We skinned up and worked our way to a 250m (800ft) peak that offered a stunning view of Whalers Bay as well as Neptune’s Bellows. On the other side of the peak was another majestic bay where, protruding from the water, was a formation of volcanic towers known as the Sewing Machine Needles. Below us, halfway up, were the snowshoers, and out in the bay our group of kayakers was frolicking about in the dark waters. The sky was a menacing shade of grey, while in the distance the Ioffe lay quietly, awaiting our return. It was good corn snow, tainted a bit brown with volcanic ash. I must admit that I had been expecting almost all

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kinds of snow in Antarctica, but not corn snow. Well, it was springtime. And to be sure, we would not be subjecting ourselves to the extremes of temperature near the centre of the continent. Our expedition was along the western part of the Antarctic Peninsula, and temperatures at this time of year generally only drop to a few degrees below zero. My skis cut into the Antarctic corn, sprayed some ball bearings in the direction of Neptune’s Bellows and all was well with the world. During the night, we sailed further south and the next day landed at Mikkelsen Harbour on Trinity Island, still in the South Shetlands. Dark, ominous clouds filled the sky, and our Zodiac had to cut through a thick layer of broken pack ice to get us to the shore at Skottsberg Point. We headed up on firm, wind-packed snow and made it a few hundred vertical metres above the harbour. But the light was flat and it is not advisable to get too far into glaciated terrain in low visibility. Blue seracs creaked and yawning crevasses awaited unsuspecting visitors like the open jaws of a Venus flytrap. We headed back. Our descent was on the same wind-scoured snow we had climbed and was closer to what I had expected of skiing below the 60th parallel south. One does not get to Antarctica every day and, while we had come here to enjoy the thrill of skiing this wilderness, we were also interested in enjoying other aspects of this remote continent. There really was a little of everything on offer. That afternoon, content with my morning skiing fix, I joined one of the Zodiac tours to explore some of the most amazing icebergs. The boat wound its way amid a sea of ice close to the most astounding fairytale castles, Gothic cathedrals, hollows, caves and arches, all carved magnificently in a mix of icy blues.

History was also part of the tour. The next morning, we passed into the Neumeyer Channel and landed at Port Lockroy, a British base from 1944 to 1962, now manned every summer as a museum and souvenir store. Three young ladies who were passengers on our ship were being dropped there to work for the summer, which gave us a chance to visit this historical landmark. The base is restored brilliantly to recreate the atmosphere that must have existed there in its heyday. The Union Flag still flew proudly above the installation, but a rookery of gentoo penguins had more or less taken over the area, and seemed to have reclaimed the enclave by virtue of their ancestral rights. They, too, put on an engaging show, competing with the museum for top billing. They dived through the water and flopped on to the land, often clumsily stumbling back into the drink, before eventually parading single file to meet their brethren on the hillside. Inside the old wooden structure, all was like a photo from 1958. A couple of 1950s Playboy pinups hung in the latrine, and the bar was lined with bottles. Six murals depicting Sophia Loren, Diana Dors, Marilyn Monroe, Eva Gardner, Doris Day and Elizabeth Taylor in cheesecake poses had been restored and there is a post office at Port Lockroy as well. Yes, that’s right. You can post your letter home from here with an Antarctican stamp and it may even get there before you… but don’t count on it. Still, any communication from here is a bonus. After a morning of history and wildlife, we were ready for more skiing, and our afternoon landing brought us a real treat — powder! I had not expected to ski corn snow in Antarctica, but I must admit that I really had not anticipated powder. The entire continent of Antarctica is considered to be a desert. While the Antarctic

Peninsula, where we were spending our days, does get more precipitation than the regions close to the South Pole, some areas of the interior receive as little as 50cm (20ins) of snow a year. If you want to ski powder, go to Utah or Japan. But if you want to skin and ski amid the most dramatic and most powerful scenery that Mother Nature has on offer, Antarctica is the spot. Powder is a huge bonus. We landed at San Eladio Point on Bryde Island. The morning snowfall had subsided, leaving about 10cm of fluff, but the clouds were still dark and foreboding. Nonetheless, the visibility was good and we hurried up a rolling hill to about 150 metres above the icebergs floating aimlessly below. Quickly off came the skins followed by about 50 turns back to the shoreline. Too good to stop there. Back up again with no further ado. I’m sure everybody could have happily stayed on, but the Zodiacs had a schedule and it was pickup time. But it didn’t matter. Tomorrow was another day and we were already on company time, so to speak. Knowing the whims of Antarctic weather, One Ocean does not promise more than it can deliver. In its ski programme, it offers three half-days of skiing during the week. We had already enjoyed four

half-days and we still had four days left below parallel 60. Day four found us at Neko Harbour— offering a first landing on the mainland itself. The bay was surrounded with enormous glaciers, and walls of blue ice met the sea almost everywhere. There was not a lot of choice as to where to land. Aaron, the expedition leader, was guiding our Zodiac, but the logistics of landing were tricky. A labyrinth of ice mixed with icebergs separated our boat from the mainland, and very few patches of open sea were visible. We zigzagged around in the maze until Chad, Aaron’s right-hand man, climbed

Inside the old wooden structure, all was like a photo from 1958

Nov 13 We landed at Port Lockroy, a British base from 1944 to 1962, now a historical landmark, brilliantly restored. The Union Flag still flew proudly, but gentoo penguins seemed to have reclaimed the enclave by virtue of ancestral rights

the mast tower on the ship, from where he could more easily see the best route, and radioed Aaron. Aaron also had to stay aware of the return trip. When the tide comes in, it often pushes all the ice together towards the shore, closing off any pathways that might have existed a few hours earlier. Visions of Shackleton’s Endurance stuck and eventually crushed into firewood by the ice came to mind. Aaron convinced us that all would be okay and we began a new tour, this time achieving a point about 330 vertical metres above the sea. It wasn’t Mount Everest, and we wouldn’t have won any accolades for endurance with all our climbs being made easier by being at sea level, but it was probably even more beautiful than Everest, if one may be allowed the comparison. Neko Harbour is wedged between the enormous Deville Glacier and the equally imposing Arago Glacier, which each abut the sea with vertical ice walls. By the time we had stripped off our

leopard and elephant seals, Antarctic cormorants, snowy sheathbills and a variety of petrels and albatross. There were many more informative presentations, happy-hour drinks in the bar, after-dinner games of charades and balderdash, and hulahoop competitions led by Japanese staff member Shiho Itooka. Often the day’s activities were capped by a steamy hot sauna or a lazy soak in the hot tub to thaw out after our Zodiac cruises. If the powder on day three was not the apex of our ski experience, then the warm sunshine and spring temperatures on day five were the pinnacle. A day of sunshine and no wind gave us the opportunity to spend a full day away from the ship and attempt a loftier goal than on the

previous days. Shawn and Matt set their sights on Mount Tenant, a glacial 750m peak on Rongé Island. We began with a long, relatively flat walk for about an hour, and then our route steepened as we crossed through a field of crevasses. The view from the top, as on each of our tours, was magnificent, but as we were higher, the spectacular panorama of snowcovered mountains, drifting icebergs and glistening glacial ice stretched out even further than before. To the right was the Errera Channel — a long fjord-like strait that is no more than a kilometre wide. Directly behind the channel was the Arctowski Peninsula dominated by the Wheatstone Glacier and ending where Spigot Peak drops into the sea.

ANTARCTICA — THE 12-DAY VOYAGE Nov 11 Half Moon Island

Nov 11 Deception Island

Nov 12 Trinity Island An ta rtc ti

c le rc Ci

skins and were ready to descend, the ice had floated elsewhere and one lone iceberg drifted calmly in the peaceful harbour. The upper section was tricky with some breakable crust, but as we got further down, the snow pack firmed up and our turns became less tentative. At the shoreline, a long row of gentoo penguins was waiting to wave us goodbye. Back at the ship that evening, we had another treat in store—an Antarctic barbecue. The weather was calm and the staff grilled chops, chicken, steaks, burgers and sausages with all the accoutrements laid out on the deck. The days passed quickly, full to the brim with action and activities until we fell into bed each night at the point of exhaustion. Besides the gentoo and chinstrap penguins, who put on a show at virtually every landing, we observed and photographed humpback, minke and orca whales, crab-eater,

Nov 17 Greenwich Island

Larsen Ice Shelf

Ronne Ice Shelf South Pole

Ross Ice Shelf

Nov 13 Port Lockroy

Nov 15 Rongé Harbour Nov 14 Neko Harbour

Nic found a couple of seracs half way down that he thought he would jump, hanging in suspended animation over the deep blue Antarctic Sea Nov 15 Nov 14

Nov 16

A labyrinth of ice mixed with icebergs separated our boat from the mainland, and very few patches of open sea were visible Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

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I watched sadly as two South Polar skuas — a big seabird — ganged up on a nesting penguin to steal one of her eggs

averages caught up with us, and the conditions forbade any skiing, but on our final day, back in the South Shetlands, the sun shone on us once again as we landed at Yankee Harbour on Greenwich Island. I watched sadly as two South Polar skuas — a large seabird — ganged up on a nesting penguin to steal one of her eggs for a morning meal. Next to her, were three other nesting mothers, but they could do little to help. They were busy protecting their own eggs. We glided silently past the commotion and rose to a hilltop 250 metres above the harbour. The silent tour up gave me one more chance to reflect on the many powerful forces of nature that congregated here in Antarctica — where the wind and the tides face off with glaciers and volcanoes in a daily game of king of the mountain. Gazing out over it all, I felt like a minute speck. I made one final

glide in solitude back to the waiting Zodiac and the Ioffe was soon pointing her bow due north again. That evening, as we entered the Drake, eight of us sat in the hot tub for one last soak as the final few snowcovered islands of Antarctica floated by us. In the tub with me were Nic, Anthony, Caro from Argentina, Bill from the US, one Kiwi and a couple of South Africans. It was a microcosm of the international group that was on the ship. We clinked beer bottles to celebrate our mission accomplished and, as we emptied our beers, the Drake was emptying the tub. The ship rocked and swayed from side to side, and with each tilt, a litre or two sloshed out of our little pool. I thought back to a presentation given by Denise Landau, who has worked as the executive director of IAATO. For ten years she was the tourist industry spokesperson at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative meetings and has given many years of hard work

toward an Antarctica and a world with a sound and thoughtful eye towards conservation and ecology. Her presentation was ‘Who Owns Antarctica?’, in which she explained that the countries of Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Argentina, Chile, France and Norway all have claims to territory on the white continent, but that the Antarctic Treaty, established around 1960, put those claims into abeyance, and established the continent to be open to all people for the advancement of science and research. One does not need a visa or a passport to visit Antarctica. One continent — shared, no ownership. It is a complicated treaty and is purposely vague, but it is a step in the right direction. Maybe there is hope that the world can some day get it right. Nationalism and chauvinism dissipate as borders dissolve — one continent, one world, one people.

The gentoo, the chinstrap, the Adélie, the macaroni and the emperor penguins have forever coexisted here. They have earned the right to own Antarctica. When will humankind earn the right to own the rest of the planet? WANT TO DO WHAT JIMMY DID? HERE’S HOW YOU CAN… Photographer and journalist Jimmy Petterson, left, travelled courtesy of One Ocean Expeditions (+1 351 962 721 836; oneoceanexpeditions.com) on its 12-night ‘Antarctica Off The Beaten Track’ cruise. One Ocean offers 22 cruises to the Antarctic from November to March, but only the Off The Beaten Track voyage, the first of the season, running from November 8 to 20, 2014, offers skiing as an option, as late spring is when the snow is best. It costs an additional $750 (£450) and skiers should be comfortable and competent at ski touring and off-piste. Bring touring skis, poles, skins and boots. Avalanche gear, harnesses, ice axes and crampons are provided at no extra fee.

PHOTO: Tuomas Uotila

We lunched on the peak of Mount Tenant, enjoying the sunshine. I could begin to understand why the seals spend so much time lying about basking in the sun. We took our time on the descent, snapping a lot of photos. The snow was a mix — a sugar coating of new snow in places, some corn, some crust, and a few tricky spots of breakable crust — but how could we complain with the views that encompassed us? Nic found a couple of seracs half way down that he thought he could jump. Shawn and Matt gave him the green light, and he did four laps, hucking the perpetual ice, hanging in suspended animation over the deep blue Antarctic Sea for a moment and then gliding to a graceful stop in the soft spring snow below, before hiking back up for another leap of faith. Once, he missed the landing, did a full somersault and came up on his skis anyway… a round of applause from the penguins. The following day, the law of

Prices for the cruise start at $9,595 (£5,600) per person based on two sharing, $7,095 (£4,150) for a triple share and from $12,995 (£7,600) for a suite, all full board, including Zodiac excursions and landings, hiking programmes, ship transfers and foul weather gear, but neither flights nor special options. The voyage departs from Ushuaia, in southern Argentina, which is served by flights from Buenos Aires via LAN (0800 977 6100; lan. com) or Aerolineas Argentinos (0800 0969 747; aerolineas.com.ar). Other activities include overnight sea kayaking trips, snow shoeing, expedition field photography and zodiac cruising. Want to try ski touring a little closer to home before you attempt an epic voyage? Check out the touring programme in the Ski Club’s Freshtracks service (020 8410 2022; skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks)

That evening, as we entered the Drake Passage, eight of us sat in the hot tub for one last soak as the final few snow-covered islands of Antarctica floated by us

Nov 17 For our final day skiing back in the South Shetlands, the sun shone on us once again

Nov 18 At sea, once again

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WHERE NOW FOR THE

WINTER OLYMPICS?

Anyone following the bidding process to host the 2022 Winter Olympics has good reason to feel confused. Here is how the process is meant to work: Countries submit bids, eagerly hoping that the International Olympic Committee will deem their facilities worthy of official ‘candidate city’ status.

ONE RESORT TOO FAR IN SWEDEN An early casualty, Åre is nice for Britons, but miles from Stockholm, writes Colin Nicholson. andwiched between Norway and Finland, which attract thousands of British skiers a year, Sweden barely registers as a ski destination in the UK. So when Åre staged the World Championships in 2007, it piqued interest. The resort, which has existed for 100 years, would have been well capable of hosting Olympic Alpine events. With its highest run at 1,270m (4,200ft) it has the greater vertical drop in the Nordic countries and caters for many levels of skier. A nice legacy of 2007 is that a series of tunnels, built for spectators, have been turned into pistes under the old race courses. This means beginners and nervous intermediates can pass under the fastest black runs to explore cosier, more romantic trails, zig-zagging through the trees. “But isn’t it dark? Isn’t it cold?” everyone asks. Of course, but in January it is beautiful to watch the spectacular crimson sunrises-cum-sunsets over the Åresjon lake, and many pistes are floodlit. By the end of the season in May, it scarcely gets dark at night. On the slopes there are little huts in the woods,

with open fires crackling outside, offering shelter when the wind picks up. And the wind can close the lifts above the treeline. Or you can take the quaint rack railway dating from 105 years ago up to a popular après-ski spot on the slopes. So would Åre and Stockholm be ideally placed to host an Olympic party like no other? Well, no. They are eight hours apart, or 12 hours by train, making it almost easier for Britons to reach Åre than most Swedes. On this occasion Åre’s ambitious owner, Skistar, which is rebuilding Andermatt in Switzerland, overstretched itself in pushing a bid with Stockholm.

PHOTO: Jonas Kullman

Then follows more elation as two or three make the shortlist, with despondence among those rejected. And finally one delighted winner is announced as the host of the games. This time, the selection process has been turned on its head, as all but two of the bidders have eliminated themselves — the IOC has yet to make a single decision to reject any candidate city. So what is going on? Ski+board asked three writers familiar with the countries or resorts in question to shed some light on the would-be venues.

Skiing in Åre

#2022 CIVIL WAR? WHAT CIVIL WAR? THE MISPLACED OPTIMISM OF UKRAINE Remarkable as it may seem, the last contender to drop its 2022 bid before the shortlist was announced was Ukraine. But we should not applaud this pluckiness, warns Andreas Hofer.

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Ukrainian Carpathians are so low they lack snow already. In 2011-12, a fantastic season in Bulgaria, Bukovel could open only for a short period. It does seem that the Olympics will more and more depend on vanity investments by dictatorial regimes, yet the Ukraine was too quick off the mark in its hope that its lack of Alpine facilities could be ignored entirely. It was never a serious contender to stage an Alpine downhill race. If Lviv had hoped to stage a viable bid then perhaps it, rather than Krakow, should have partnered with Slovakia, where the skiing is marvellous and where those Ukrainians who can afford such a luxury go anyway for their winter holidays.

PHOTOS: Jimmy Petterson

hen Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Ukraine’s prime minister, withdrew Lviv’s candidacy for the 2022 Olympics on June 30 he tried to sound upbeat: “We will bid for 2026...” Even before the Russian annexation of the Crimean peninsula and the ensuing conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Lviv’s bid had looked absurdly optimistic. The country was bust, creditors queued for the exit and Russia had started to demand upfront payment for its gas deliveries. Corrupt politicians and the country’s moneyed elite cared little about their folk since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, leaving people in the street selling handfuls of cucumbers or Chinese trainers, while those who represented them drove Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Even if we would love to see the Ukraine as the oppressed underdog, bullied by its big brother Russia, it is still is a country rooted in cynicism and Communistic mismanagement. And yet it is a region rich in tradition and history. Lviv, the de facto capital of Western Ukraine and proposed Olympic host, still has the distinctive flair of an Austro-Hungarian provincial town. Its 19th Century apartment buildings, art nouveau facades, majestic opera, and narrow, cobbled streets carry the imperial history of its past as the most northeasterly city of the Hapsburg empire until 1918, even if the tram tracks have been out of use for a century. As a regular visitor to Lviv for more than two decades and an avid skier, you might expect me to wax lyrical about the skiing the would-be Winter Olympic host has to offer. But I cannot. Ukraine has, alas, no snowsure mountains to speak of. Some on the Crimean peninsula are quite out of reach. Most, admittedly, are safely in the West, but even then Ukraine’s highest peak, Howerla Mountain, south of Lviv, stands at just 2,061m. These hills are the mere tailpiece of the Carpathians, which are impressive mountains in Bulgaria. Ukraine, therefore, has only a handful of tiny, poorly connected ski resorts. Magura, the resort nearest to the planned Olympic site of ‘Borzhava’, has so far only two lifts reaching from 600m to 850m altitude. Even Bukovel, Ukraine’s most developed ski resort with 14 fairly modern ski lifts, has a base elevation of only 900m above sea level, and its highest drop-off is at 1370m. The

An open-air rental shop in Bukovel and, above, skiing in nearby Slavsko

OF ALL THE FORMER COMMUNIST BIDDERS, SLOVAKIA WAS THE BEST The joint bid between the Polish city of Krakow and well-established resorts in the Tatras range puts the environmental and financial hubris of others to shame, writes Andreas Hofer. nlike Ukraine’s bid, and unlike Sochi, Putin’s overambitious green-field project, no large scale investment would have been needed in the Tatras Mountains for Slovakia to host the 2022 Winter Olympics with Krakow. Jasna, the proposed scene for Alpine competitions, has the potential to attract many more British skiers, with flights to nearby Poprad starting this season. And in the past few years millionaires Ivan Jakabovic and Patrik Tkac have invested lavishly in a range of four and five-star hotels, building 26 ski lifts and ensuring ski rentals and restaurants are well stocked. Visiting this spring with my family, I started at the small, but beautiful High Tatras ski areas, staying in the lavish art nouveau Kempinski in Strbske Pleso, moving to Jasna’s more affordable Mikulasska Chata. From the treeless top station of Jasna, at 2024m, you can reach nine designated freeride sections, with chutes and couloirs at angles of 30 to 60 degrees. My daughters’ guide, Thomas Droppa, Slovakia’s reigning freeride champion, had skied them all, of course, so when we relaxed in the Kempinski’s luxurious spa, or

PHOTO: Tomas Droppa

The summit of Mount Chopok, Jasna

celebrated the day in the wonderfully rustic Pavol’s Coliba restaurant, we could exchange hair-raising tales of descents into the void and runs in freefall. And all over delicious local dishes such as haluski (potato gnocchi) with sheep cheese, spicy cabbage soup, or pierozki (vegetable or meat-filled ravioli). I, meanwhile, wanted to get even further under the skin of the people, culture and spectacular beauty of

the Lower Tatras national park, and ski toured with another guide, Jan Koska. Under a perma-blue sky, we skied Hruba Kopa, the steep chutes between Tri Kopi and Smutne Sedlo — all in the Western Tatras — and climbed Dumbier, the highest peak in the Lower Tatras, all just over 2,000m. On another day, starting from the small resort of Certovica, we tackled the Devil’s Pass, a saddle where the weather can be so unpredictable, they say the devil concocted it. Each day would start with Slivovitz, the local plum brandy: in the ski hut of a friend, from a fellow hiker’s pack, or in the log cabin of the mountain rescue team. “To Krivan,” one friendly old man cried, and down went the shot, leaving the sensation of an alcoholic hot-water bottle. At 2,495m, Krivan is not Slovakia’s highest peak, this is Gerlach at 2,655m, but is its most iconic. It stands alone, a crooked rock steeped in dark pine forests, dominating the landscape. We set off in trainers — skis and ski boots tied to rucksacks full of crampons, ice axes, spare clothes, flasks, shovels, probes and a bulging first-aid kit. Loaded with gear and Slivovitz, I staggered after Koska over the needle-covered forest floor. Birds chirped, rivulets rippled and I daydreamed of ski lifts. Coming out of the forest, we saw for the first time the vast Liptov plain, its reservoir polished by frost, and tiny villages and lanes gleaming in the sun. Across the valley loomed the white walls of the Lower Tatras, where my daughters were having a great time. At 1,500m the pines had shrunk to the size of bushes and the snow cover was solid enough to put the skins on our skis and hike up in ski-touring mode. Traversing a rocky flank we happened on a flock of fat, shaggy chamois, scraping the hard snow surface for grazing and eyeing us with suspicion. When the spring snow became too mushy we had to hike up again, before finally reaching the cross at the summit. After this, we were grateful to finally ski a steep, widening snowfield in perfect conditions. Jan skied long, joyful turns in contrast to my tight and orderly ‘Arlberg’ patterns. Relishing the flow, I quite forgot the strenuous hike by foot which was still waiting for us 900 vertical metres later. At least then we could put on the trainers we had left under a dwarf pine. But what was this? At the spot, we saw the fresh footprints of a brown bear, hungry after months of sleep, who must have hoped they would make a tasty treat. I cannot begrudge the bear. Of all the former Communist nations submitting Olympic bids, his presence was a sure sign that readiness to host Alpine events need not involve sullying an unspoilt landscape.

#2022 THE CHINESE LOVE SKIING, BUT DO THEY TAKE IT SERIOUSLY ENOUGH? Skiing in China is taking off among recreational skiers, but in a population that sees falling over as half the fun, will they ever embrace competitive winter sports, asks Arnie Wilson. t is a rare privilege to have witnessed the growth of skiing from infancy to huge popularity in a country, particularly one as vast as China. Although it is in China that some of the most ancient skis have been discovered, dating back to 2,500 BC, when they were used to help Chinese peasants fish, hunt, farm and even do battle, skiing has only recently caught on. China now has as many as 350 ski areas, but only 20 approach Western standards. Although winters in China are severe, they can also be dry, so snowfall is not as bountiful as you might imagine. In some areas, locals are still employed to move by hand snow ‘harvested’ from fields and meadows to top up the pistes — a primitive, time-consuming attempt to copy a job that we have only ever seen done by snowcats. Many of the resorts are small, popular, beginner areas, and most are in the northerly province of Heilongjiang, where the distinctly chilly regional capital Harbin is known as the ‘Ice City’. It is this remote region, not far from the Russian border, which offers the best skiing. But its bid to be a candidate city for the 2010 Winter Olympics failed, as did its bid to host the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics. For 2022, it is Beijing’s turn, along with the much more accessible mountainous region of Zhangjiakou and its ski areas. Here, two significant mountains, Yan and the towering Taihang, meet the vast grasslands and meandering Sangyang River at Beijing’s northern door beyond the Great Wall. Rising up between the Mongolian Plateau and the North China Plain, these high mountains and deep valleys have been a natural military screen for Beijing for centuries. I first visited China’s ski areas in 2001, when I spent a fortnight skiing in three regions. This was the winter when skiing took off and the first snowdome opened in Beijing. During our visit to Zhangjiakou, we were rewarded with a hilarious and warm-hearted dinner with the local mayor, party chairman and party secretary, who spoke not a word of English between them. The services of two schoolteachers were enlisted, and they spoke just enough English to translate the various toasts flying in our direction. “The mayor wishes to drink a toast to new friends,” came the cry. Hardly had we had a chance to stab our chopsticks into a helping of chicken gizzard, pit of stomach or heart pipe than we were alerted Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

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that the chairman wished to drink a toast to the “old friends”, to which we had by now been promoted. Back then, the ski area was picturesque in a bizarre sort of way: accommodation varied from warm but basic cubicles with ensuite holes in the ground to colourful Mongolian yurts. The architecture was a mish-mash of flint-walled buildings, mediaevallooking street lamps and the odd castle-style folly, giving it the appearance of a film studio between movies. As there was only enough snow for one lift to open, a truck took us much higher up the mountain where there was sufficient snow to go off-piste. The Chinese see skiing as a great leveller. One official we met said: “On slopes, status is not shown by dress. Age and gender are also wrapped in heavy clothing. Everyone is equal on slopes. High-ranking officials can fall, making their subordinates laugh. The tension in relationships is gone with laughter.”

Back then, just six per cent of Chinese skiers had their own skiwear, some skiing in leather jackets and fur coats. Today, skiing is becoming big business. There are an estimated five million Chinese skiers and for the first time in the winter of 2012-13 the number of skier visits topped the ten million mark, compared to fewer than a million on my 2001 visit. But one thing hasn’t changed. The Chinese still see skiing as entertainment, rather than a sport to be perfected with practice. So the smiles of collapsing officials and subordinates are as wide as they were 13 years ago. As for China staging the 2022 Winter Olympics, well, after Sochi last winter and Pyeongchang in 2018 anything can happen. But wouldn’t it be nice for the Games to return to Europe after so long in distant lands? After all, the last time they were in Europe was in Italy in 2006, and before that Norway, back in 1994.

Genting resort, in Zhangjiakou, would host slopestyle and half-pipe events

KAZAKHSTAN HAS MOUNTAINS, BUT THE ‘BORAT’ FACTOR RULES Kazakhstan has beautiful off-piste skiing, but the lengths its lifelong ruler will go to in order to the get the Games puts Sacha Baron Cohen’s character in the shade, says Andreas Hofer.

PHOTOS: Jimmy Petterson

Opposite a Kazakh in traditional dres, and, below, skiing off-piste in Kazakhstan’s pristine national park

hen in 1991 Kazakhstan emerged from the rubble of the Soviet Union as an independent state, most people knew so little about the country that it took Borat — the alterego of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen — to plant this huge nation in our minds. It is more than ten times the size of the UK, yet who knew that the Soviet Union flew into space from this country, tested hundreds of atom bombs in its steppes and extracted vast quantities of oil and metal from its sands? And who could imagine this sparsely populated land — roamed since ancient times by Mongolian nomads and eagle hunters — as a skiing nation? In fact, it was in Kazakhstan that the first ski lifts in the Soviet Union were built, while Stalin was still in power. Until the 1960s it was the only place in the Soviet Union where Alpine skiers could go — if the Communist Party let them. Its vast mountains have countless peaks over 4,000m, forming a natural border with Kyrgyzstan in the south and China in the east. And the Ile Alatau and Kunggoj Alatoo ranges, part of the Tien Shan or Celestial Mountains, are a bus stop away from the former capital, Almaty, still Kazakhstan’s biggest city. Kazakhstan’s president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, a keen skier, and his cronies have invested a fortune in the revival of the old ski resorts of Ak-Bulak and Shymbulak, with state of-the-art ski lifts, fancy hotels and luxury shopping. No wonder, then, that Prince Harry and his girlfriend came skiing here last season: good snow, no queues and really, really first-class security. So what is wrong with Almaty’s bid to host the Olympics?

The Alpine skiing venues, planned as an extension of Shymbulak and in new resorts that are already in construction, are all in a national park of rare beauty: it is roamed by golden eagles and gazelles and is the haunt of the elusive snow leopard. I myself have skied in these mountain ranges, albeit neither in the resorts, nor as a heli-skier, but ski touring in this pristine wilderness, looking down on the vast, seemingly endless mountain-lake YsykKul. It was the president himself who decreed the formation of this national park in 1996. He has now changed his mind. What the president gives, the president takes, If he can build a new capital, Astana, he can certainly alter the boundaries of a park a little. ‘Elected’ president for life he does bear an uncanny resemblance to Borat. It seems we may have to live with the fact that the future host of the Winter Olympics will increasingly be those autocratic regimes that have the vanity, decisiveness and the money to stage the Games. We may not like it, but look at Poland, Sweden and Switzerland: all forced by their electorate to abandon any Olympic ambitions. Citizens in democratic countries are no longer willing to see their hard-earned taxes spent by eager politicians on loss-making enterprises, to see their cities clogged up for weeks and to accept a legacy of empty, useless buildings. My bet is that Kazakhstan will be declared the winner by the International Olympic Committee next year. Unlike Ukraine, its mainly Turkic speaking population remains unmolested by Russia, despite the country’s oil riches and sizable Russian speaking minority. Let us hope it stays that way until 2022.

#2022 Oslo was an ideal candidate, if the Olympics had not lost its ideals, says Colin Nicholson. f the Stockholm-Åre bid seemed over-ambitious because of their distance, the same cannot be said of Oslo and its ski areas, where a 20-minute tram ride takes you from the city centre to the resort of Oslo Vinterpark, with its 11 lifts serving 18 runs which cater for all abilities. When I was there, two local kids saw me eyeing the skiercross track and laid down the gauntlet. So I found myself gripping the rails of the starting gate like so many Olympians I have watched. Of course my rivals were far better than me, but were sporting enough to wait at the bottom to shake my hand. A stone’s throw away is where the Olympic crosscountry events would have been held in the hundreds of kilometres of trails through the woods overlooking Oslo’s fjord, in the shadow of Oslo’s impressive new ski jump. The main Alpine skiing events, however, would have been held at Lillehammer, site of the

1994 Games and just two hours by train — less from Oslo’s Gardermoen airport. The town has five Alpine ski areas covered by one pass. Hafjell and Kvitfjell are the biggest, Gålå, Skeikampen and Sjusjøen are three more. You can also try the bobsleigh on the track dating from when the 1994 Winter Olympics were held in Lillehammer. Would Oslo have been an ideal host for the Winter Olympics? Yes. Rich enough to cope with inevitable extra costs, Oslo ticked all but one of the boxes when it came to meeting the IOC’s benchmarks, whereas Beijing missed three and Almaty nine, both crucially failing to meet the grade on environment and meteorology. And the benchmark Oslo missed? Government and political support — a criterion that both China and Kazakhstan passed comfortably…

PHOTO: Susan Fraser/Visitnorway.com

IT TICKED ALL THE BOXES, BAR ONE

Oslo’s ski jump

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The British have been taking winter holidays in the Swiss Alps for 150 years. Back in 1864 the development of manned flight was in its infancy - just as skiing was. In today’s modern world of planes and pistes, Switzerland’s national airline, SWISS, provides the perfect way to get skiers and snowboarders to the Alps in comfort and style. Ski and snowboard equipment travels free In fact it’s no surprise that thanks to the British love affair with Switzerland’s superb ski resorts, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is known as the skiers’ airline – especially since ski equipment travels free. After all, a ski lift doesn’t charge you extra to carry your skis. And neither does SWISS, as they jet you smoothly and comfortably to the winter sun that makes Europe’s most famous mountains so exhilarating and welcoming. And even if you’re not a skier or a snowboarder, you’ll doubtless find some sort of winter sports activity irresistible, be it tobogganing, snowshoe hiking or just walking along specially cleared footpaths amongst snowladen meadows and forests with a backdrop of splendid mountain peaks. Then, at dusk, there’s the prospect of mouth-watering cuisine and lively après-ski or mellow wellness treatments.

Fly with the ski experts and not only will your skis travel free, but you’ll also be greeted with the same hospitality that awaits you in Switzerland’s iconic ski villages. In fact SWISS will bring you closer than anyone. An enjoyable journey to get you there Being Switzerland’s flag carrier brings with it a certain level of expectation, so you know if you choose to fly SWISS, you’ll be getting a standard of service that’s a notch above the rest. Which means you start your winter holiday not when you touch down in Switzerland, but the minute you step on the plane. Whatever ski resort you choose, you can trust SWISS to get you there. Switzerland’s very own airline always endeavours to reflect the country’s national values of efficiency, comfort and hospitality - with every flight. SWISS’s convenient schedule, with up to 200 flights per week from London Heathrow, London City, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Dublin to three cities in Switzerland – Zurich, Geneva and Basel – gets you to your winter holiday destination with the minimum of fuss and friendliest of service. SWISS flies you to the slopes and takes your ski equipment for free in addition to your standard baggage allowance.

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Swiss quality and full service included The all-inclusive service includes complimentary food and drinks plus - as standard - one piece of 23kg checked baggage in Economy Class and two pieces of 32kg checked baggage in Business Class. From as little as £65 one-way and £99 return (Economy Flex fare) SWISS flies you directly to the Alps. And no matter what you choose, they’ll always include their loveliest Swiss milk chocolate to make your journey even sweeter! So why not experience winter in Switzerland with SWISS? All you have to do? Book your flight on swiss.com and relax.

IN THE UNSPOILT KOOTENAY ROCKIES, ONE CANADIAN RESORT HAS BEEN UNDERGOING A REMARKABLE EXPANSION, GIVING ACCESS TO SEEMINGLY UNLIMITED POWDER. THREE WRITERS GIVE VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON RED RESORT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 36

BY THE TIME YOU MAKE IT THERE YOU’LL FEEL DEAD, BUT YOU’LL STILL LIKE RED, WRITES COLIN NICHOLSON. Red Mountain is far. It’s really far. A tenhour flight to Seattle is followed by an hour’s flight to Spokane. Then you have a three-hour drive, if you’re not delayed crossing the border into Canada. But when you do get to this former mining area, you have struck a rich seam. ‘Are we going to hit the pow?’ asks John, peering at me over his bifocals. John is one of the resort’s snow hosts, who show guests for free around the ski area, as is common in North America. And the quality of the ‘pow’ is the reason why some British are prepared to make this transatlantic trek to taste the fresh, light powder snow typical of British Columbia. Despite being a grandfather in his sixties, John, with his trendy twin-tip skis, takes me down the toughest runs the mountain has to offer. While in many

resorts ski hosts will not take you down black runs, he takes me down double black runs, through the trees, down the steeps, over the moguls, all the time apologising for the unusual lack of snow, despite our finding fresh patches to carve tracks in by the side of runs. Now that the resort has added 1,000 acres of terrain by introducing a seventh lift up Grey Mountain, previously only served by a snow cat (see right) it has 110 trails to conquer so we have plenty left to explore in the coming days. ln theory, Red could be connected by piste to the nearby town of Rossland, where most of the accommodation is, but the mining firm that still owns the land in between is reluctant, having seen recent cave-ins. In its heyday in 1895, during the great gold rush, Rossland was home

to 20 brothels, 40 saloons and 7,000 miners, mostly Scandinavian, who brought with them their passion for skiing. That Wild West spirit lives on in the town’s winter festival, when the remaining 3,500 residents create elaborate sledges — including a Martini bar complete with piano and pianist — to slide through the town’s steep streets. And when more than 10cm (4ins) of snow falls overnight it is customary to see on shop windows a sign saying: ‘Closed for powder day.’

CAT SKIING ON A SHOESTRING

Skiing powder is addictive. Once you get the hang of bouncing through soft, fluffy snow, skiing on corduroy pistes never feels quite the same again. So the next day, I am again sating my craving by carving fresh curves past a massive disused molybdenum mine. What is it that addicts say? As long as you don’t go in too deep, you’ll be okay. And happily I don’t sink too deep into the trail and am able to go for an après-ski beer in between the rafters of the old compressor house, where miners slept in hammocks. Skiing in North America is not for everyone. Its remoteness and rather rough-neck reputation are not unjustified. At least one thing should hopefully become easier some time this season. A much closer airport, Castlegar, known to locals as Cancelgar, is finally due to upgrade its air control facilities to improve reliability. If you too are crazy for ‘pow’, that may just make you want to give Red a go. Ski+board

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If there’s one adventure every ski fanatic has on their bucket list, it’s to jump in a helicopter, be whisked to a remote mountain and make virgin tracks in waistdeep powder. Of course this comes with a hefty price tag. The cheaper alternative — swapping the chopper for a snow cat — detracts a little from the James Bond appeal, but more importantly will still put a dent in your wallet. You have to part with C$500 a day in many resorts. There is, however, a way to get a taste of the dream. Red Mountain offers cat skiing for a mere C$10 per descent. This season the snow cat moves to a new sector, opening up 200 acres of tree skiing, previously reserved for those willing to take on a challenging hike. The service, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday on a first-come, first-served basis, whisks skiers on a ten-minute ascent from Grey Mountain up 500m (1, 600ft) to the top of Mount Kirkup. From its peak you choose whether to tackle the powder on either intermediate or advanced slopes. I hopped on the cat earlier this year in its temporary home serving the terrain of White Wolf Ridge. “Hey, don’t tell your friends in Europe about this, will you?” said the cheery operator when I handed him a crisp C$10 bill. I’d become accustomed to being greeted this way at Red. This is a local’s paradise, and they like it that way. There were just a handful of fellow skiers milling around at the pickup area, allowing PHOTO: Erik Kalacis/Red Mountain Resort

PHOTO: Dave Heath/Red Mountain Resort

BEN CLATWORTHY WAS DETERMINED TO GO HELI-SKIING OR CAT-SKIING. HIS ONLY PROBLEM WAS HIS BUDGET, WHICH WAS, ERM, C$10.

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us to fit comfortably in the 12-seat cat. Leaving every 20 minutes, it rarely has long queues. There can be some hanging around during a dry spell or after a big snow dump when the lift-served powder is tracked. But, as a European holidaymaker of the sort the resort is keen to attract, I had a natural advantage. I could go on a quiet weekday morning when most locals are hard at work. Overnight, we had been treated to just enough fresh snow to replenish the tracked-out areas, and by the morning we had blue skies. At the peak, the race is on: click, I’m in my bindings and away, making huge, swooping turns in a bowl of knee deep powder. Of course, you’re restricted to skiing a pre-defined route, and the cat doesn’t deviate from this, in the way it would if we were seeking out the best snow on a daylong excursion. Similarly, you’re not taken into the vast backcountry wilderness, or offered a picnic in a remote log cabin. But I’m not looking for that — I’m just looking for a taste of proper powder. Half way down we stop to catch our breath. “Again?” I ask my snow host. It seems churlish not to. Anyway, it’ll be a while before I’ve coughed up C$500. WHERE ELSE TO FIND AFFORDABLE CAT ADVENTURES

If you search long and hard, you can find similar deals, perfect for those bitten by the cat skiing bug. Utah’s Powder Mountain (powdermountain.com) offers snow cat access to Lightning Ridge and 700 acres of powder from $15. Loveland (skiloveland.com), in Colorado, offers a short, free cat ride. The ten-minute trip opens up the North View bowl, and a wonderful descent, aptly named the ‘Field of Dreams’. Although a rarity in Europe, there is a sizable cat skiing outfit in... the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia. Eskimo Snowcat Freeriding (eskimo-freeride.com), based in the Sharr mountain range, has packages from €200 per person, per day, which includes cat rides, safety equipment hire, accommodation and all food. The Ski Club’s Freshtracks holidays offer cat and heliskiing. See skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks

IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A SNOWMOBILE? TO GET AN OVERVIEW OF THE KOOTENAY ROCKIES IN WINTER, ALF ALDERSON TALKED TO THE WORLD’S ONLY PARA-SLEDDER, YORKSHIRE-BORN ERIC ODDY

PHOTO: Curtiss

The resorts of Red Mountain and its neighbour Whitewater lie in the interior of British Columbia, in a part of the Rocky Mountains called the Kootenays. And no one is better placed to give you a bird’s eye view of the Kootenay Rockies than Yorkshire-born Eric Oddy. For Oddy flies his snowmobile there. The craggy 45-year-old has taken literally the strapline on the Snowmobile British Columbia website — ‘Climb Your Way into the Sky’. Born in Leeds — you can still detect the traces of the Yorkshire accent — Oddy emigrated to Canada as a lad and now runs a logging business in Brisco, to the north-east of Red Mountain. With 20 years’ experience of ‘sleds’, Eric knows how to handle these beasts. But not content with blasting around on the snow at high speed, he regularly flies his as well. He even features in the ski movie Days of My Youth, which is released by Red Bull on DVD this month. But what on earth, if you’ll pardon the pun, inspired him to try and fly a snowmobile? “I’ve been a paraglider and hang glider pilot for years, and around 20 years ago my late friend Trevor Lillies launched me into the air off the back of his snowmobile on Mount Steven above the town of Golden. That’s when the

idea was born,” says Oddy. Lillies died snowmobiling in an avalanche some 15 years ago. “I’ve also been snowmobiling for 20 years, so I’m familiar with both snow machines and paragliders, but I wouldn’t say it was an easy combination to work with. I had to modify the sled to take an oversized glider and then perfect the art of taking off, flying and landing. “I’ve been flying the sled for about four years now and have managed to develop a machine that handles quite well in flight. The biggest trick is inflating the glider and keeping it inflated whilst driving the snow machine on the ground. Once in flight you only have to control the glider.

“I generally fly off pretty remote peaks in the British Columbian Rockies and have made some decent length flights all the way from the top of

various mountains to the valley bottom, but it’s not something you can just rock up and have a go at,” he advises. Not surprisingly, Eric reckons it can be potentially very dangerous taking to the skies with several hundred pounds of sled slung beneath an oversized handkerchief, but he’s not had any serious incidents as yet. Although on one of his first flights he had a near miss. “The sling attaching the sled to the glider broke just as I became airborne and sent me and the sled tumbling,” he recalls. “But I’ve had more stomach churning moments whilst paragliding and hang gliding.” Eric has now reached the level where he doesn’t just take off and land but, thanks to his paragliding skills, can also catch thermals and ridge soar. It makes for a bizarre sight to see a snowmobile and rider way up above the horizon with snowclad peaks as the backdrop. There are plans to develop parasleds for both leisure and competition, but as pretty much the only person in the world flying a snowmobile at the moment, Eric is generous enough to advise anyone thinking of giving it a go to contact him first. It’s probably fair to say he won’t be inundated with enquiries from Ski+board readers. If, however, you are skiing in the Kootenay Rockies this winter and catch a glimpse of a snowmobile up in the sky, you will at least now know who is at the helm… Watch a short video of Eric Oddy flying his skidoo on the Ski Club website at skiclub.co.uk/news Alf, Ben and Colin travelled courtesy of British Columbia (BritishColumbia. travel), Red Mountain (redresort.com) and Whitewater (skiwhitewater.com). Tour operator Ski Safari (01273 224060; skisafari.com) offers the ten-night Red and Whitewater Safari trip to both resorts, including accommodation at the Prestige Lakeside Resort in Nelson and the Prestige Mountain Resort in Rossland from £1,359 per person, not including food, based on two adults sharing and including flights from Heathrow to Spokane and car hire.

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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”

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SKI IT YOUR WAY IN NORWAY WHERE SKIING IS A WAY OF LIFE – DISCOVER WHAT YOU’VE BEEN MISSING! Skiing in Norway is not just a fashionable pastime or an industry geared to tourism. It’s Norway’s national sport - and a natural part of the country’s history, culture and traditions. It’s also many Norwegians’ favourite means of appreciating the spectacular and unspoilt mountain landscape in the winter. This is true whether you choose to ski or snowboard in major resorts like Hemsedal and Trysil, picturesque smaller resorts like Geilo, or little gems like Beitostølen. Whichever you choose, you can expect some of the best snow in Europe – and a warm welcome from the locals, most of whom speak excellent English. And you’ll be hard pressed to find a more family-friendly ski destination, with free lift passes for children under seven, (provided they wear a helmet) and widely available crèches, nannies and English speaking instructors. Norway’s resorts are pleasantly uncrowded compared with many large resorts in the Alps, with a distinct lack of long queues. And the slopes suit all levels, from beginners to advanced skiers. There are also plenty other winter activities to enjoy – from snowshoeing, ice fishing and horse-drawn sleigh rides to ice climbing and dog sledding. The season typically lasts for six months with reliable snow conditions throughout - the snow remains light, powdery and deep well into May. You will also find a wide range of excellent accommodation options, from ski-in/ski-out lodges and chalets to luxury hotels. And remember that Norway is easy to get to – just a two-hour flight from the UK.

HEMSEDAL – A NATURAL HIGH With long slopes surrounded by dramatic peaks, Hemsedal has some of the most thrilling skiing and snowboarding in Scandinavia. Stand at the summit of Mount Totten (almost 1500m) – and you’ll be looking down at some of the highest slopes in Northern Europe. Hemsedal offers all kinds of runs – from a six kilometre green beginner slope that runs all the way down to the valley, to wide red pistes and a handful of advanced black ones with moguls, plus glorious off-piste descents through picturesque pine and birch forests. And Hemsedal prides itself on having plenty of terrain for children: 7,000 square metres, all told - among the most extensive in Norway. Hemsedal is famous for its superb large ski-in, ski-out cabins with private saunas. There’s also a wide selection of hotels with heated pools in the valley. A free ski bus makes it easy to get around. You’ll find there’s some excellent après-ski, but you can burn the candle at both ends if you want. There’s organised early morning skiing every Saturday from December 20 until March 28, when a selection of the lifts and freshly groomed runs will be open from 7.30 am. There’s night skiing too. On three days in mid-week the slopes stay open till 7pm, and on Friday nights you can even ski till 10pm.

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GEILO – A WARM WELCOME GUARANTEED! Welcome to Geilo national park village - a winter paradise for the whole family with 39 runs (nine green, 10 blue,15 red, five black) served by 18 lifts, six floodlit runs, four terrain parks, and 550km of cross country tracks. If arriving by train, you can practically step straight onto the slopes from the platform. Geilo is an authentic, quaint resort full of charm and surprises – a traditional Norwegian mountain village with high-tech ski facilities. Visitors find the painted wooden houses, white clapboard church and rolling snow-covered landscape with its frozen lakes simply spellbinding. There’s a wide variety of slopes running through the forest area down to the village. A modern lift system takes you swiftly to the skiing area, which is spread out on either side of the valley, and linked by a free ski bus. The slopes are wide open, and without the crowds you often get in larger resorts, they’re great for gaining confidence. Apart from skiing, you can try dog sledding, ice fishing, and snowshoeing. Other activities include kick- sledge safaris, winter-paintball, ice driving, snowmobiling, and sledging. The resort has swimming pools and exercise facilities. Other winter activities include family treasure hunts, tobogganing, and an “extreme safari” that promises close-up encounters with such wildlife as lynx, arctic fox and reindeer. Accommodation is first class, ranging from traditional log cabins with open fireplaces to apartments, B&Bs and welcoming hotels.

For more information on skiing in Norway, ski offers, airlines and tour operators see www.visitnorway.com/skiing Book with: Crystal Ski, Ski Safari, skiNorway, Inntravel, Best Served Scandinavia.

BEITOSTØLEN – SMALL AND PERFECTLY FORMED The cosy, family-friendly resort of Beitostølen is located on the edge of the Jotunheimen national park. You won’t need a car: everything is within walking distance – accommodation, restaurants, ski schools, ski hire and the slopes. And the transfer time from Fagernes/ Valdres airport is just 45 minutes. Beginners thrive on the gentle, uncrowded slopes which are ideal for inexperienced skiers who want to build confidence. There’s also a strong emphasis on safety. Helmets are compulsory for children under seven. All instructors speak English, and everyone has plenty of space to practise in peace and quiet on wellmaintained slopes. Apart from skiing, each day is packed with familyoriented activities, from snow rafting and dog sledding to guided snowshoe hikes, horse-drawn sleigh rides and tobogganing. There are even special snowmobiles for children – and a 25-metre swimming pool. And there’s more: 320 km of cross-country ski trails, a snow park, family-friendly slopes, and a large variety of family-friendly activities.

TRYSIL – GREAT SKIING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Norway’s largest ski destination is the ideal setting for a family skiing holiday to remember. Situated in Eastern Norway, close to the Swedish border, and right in the middle of Scandinavia, it’s only two and a half hours north of Oslo. The season runs from late October to May and snow is actually guaranteed or you get your money back! (See skistar.com for details.) The slopes are on three sides of the volcano-shaped Trysilfjellet Mountain, which forms the hub of the area at 1,132 metres. As much as 90% of the accommodation is ski-in/ski-out, and frequent buses link all areas. Everything has been built around Trysilfjellet, where wide, long slopes snake down the sides of the mountain and continue below the tree line. There are slopes for all levels, four six-seat chairlifts and floodlit skiing three times a week. Trysil has four interconnected ski areas, all with their own unique characteristics - from the black slopes in Høgegga to the red, blue and green runs at Skihytta, Trysil Turistsenter and Trysil Høyfjellssenter. There are extensive children’s areas on both sides of the mountain - where Valle the snowman is the children’s best friend! Apart from great skiing, there are many other activities to choose from - from snowmobiling and dog-sledding to bowling and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Trysil offers a packed schedule of events (many of which are free) with races, big jump competitions, ski demos, treasure hunts and torchlit skiing.

Training Snowsports Instructors Worldwide www.basi.org.uk/content/basi-businesspartners.aspx

Your fast track route to becoming a qualified Snowsports Instructor BOOK NOW for 2014 / 15! Switzerland, France, Italy, New Zealand, Andorra, Canada, & Argentina • 2 week • 4 week • 5 week • 6 week • 10 week courses available

BASI Business Partners 2014 / 15

Photo credit : © ICE, Val d’Isere, www.icesi.org

Skier : Dave Cowell

THE I NFO Our ‘regulars’ section combines fashion tips, boot and board reviews and the results of our celebrated ski tests with new elements, such as a lowdown on the latest gizmos to hit the slopes, how to ensure you’re in shape for the coming season, off-piste tips, resort recommendations and a masterclass in taking better photos on snow

FA B U L O U S FA S H I O N

BOARD REVIEW

SKI TECHNIQUE

What to be seen in this season and how new designs don’t compromise comfort for style. This month our fashion expert warms to high-tech fabrics

Our guru looks at what’s new in men’s and women’s boards, focusing on the incredible value for money that piste and entry-level models offer

Learn one drill that can transform your skiing, plus our top expert shows readers how to avoid the often overlooked dangers of following tracks off-piste

THE BOOT ROOM

SKI TECHNOLOGY

PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS

Comfort is king with this winter’s models combining lighter weights with grippier soles — could ski boots even become a pleasure to walk in one day?

We pick through the glorious gadgets that promise to make your experience on the slopes safer, in this issue looking at avalanche gear, protective clothing and helmets

Ski+board’s picture editor calls the shots as he takes readers through some simple steps to make their holiday photos sparkle… even if they are just using their mobile

SKI CLUB SKI TESTS

P R E-S E A S O N FITNESS

RESORT R O U N D-U P

The Ski Club’s annual tests single out the cream of the 764 pairs on sale. In this issue, our testers put piste performance skis through their paces

Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

Limber up with the exercise dos and don’ts of our new section, which also busts some fitness myths. Plus, an inside view of what it’s like if the worst does happen

skiclub.co.uk

In our new section, our panel of impartial experts help you pick the right resort for an ideal winter holiday. This month the panel dig out some family favourites

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

Photography: MELODY SKY

ALPINE COOL

Fuse understated glamour with performance technology and you have this winter’s irresistibly wearable Alpine ski collections, writes Ski+board’s fashion editor Maisha Frost The look is clean and elegant, and the experience sheer comfort. The smart nip-and-tuck tailoring and intelligent stretch fabrics that are featured on these pages deliver protection for less weight. The latest highlights include new double membranes with merino wool inside and breathable neoprene shells with body contoured padding. There are technical parkas that are great value buys, wearable from autumn to spring, coming in a number of prints. Lastly, this winter is all about shades of blue and grey, with yellow to add a little contrast.

[ANNA] Killy Cute jacket £249, bold statement jacket, sleek tailoring designed both for on the slopes and off, light stretch fabric with adjustable waist and stretch inserts on side for ultimate comfort, insulated with a feminine faux fur trim hood, Killy Eyeliner Pant £249, stretch fabric, adjustable waist and stretch inserts, Eider Montana recycled polyester stretch and breathable layer £60, Olang Musica OC Mole boots £140, water-repellent suede with Sherpa fleece for extra warmth and Vibram self-cleaning sole performs well on ice, Manbi Park Peak Piste sunglasses £19.95

[CATHERINE] Mountain Force Rider III jacket £675, fresh, young look, waterproof, breathable, lightly padded, clean, elegant fit, removeable hood and snow guard for versatility, all (12-way) stretch fabric, Mountain Force Rider III pant £415, casual cut, all way stretch including lining, light padding, and integrated back protection ensure warmth however icy the conditions, Eisbar Jainin headband £27, Sorel Glacy Explorer boots £130, waterproof suede, removeable footbed with arch support, Planks The Freak Out sunglasses £44.95, SmartWool PhD Patrol gloves £74.99

Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

skiclub.co.uk

DIE HAUPTSTADT DER ALPEN UND IHRE FERIENDÖRFER THE CAPITAL OF THE ALPS AND ITS HOLIDAY VILLAGES [TONY] Didriksons Yed jacket £180, superbly practical urban-style waterproof and windproof lined parka, with two-way front zip, adjustable hood and hem, snow skirt, lined pockets, chin guard, ski pass pocket on sleeve, O’Neill Exalt pant £114.99, Oakley Canopy googles £110, on trend with oversize lenses for greater peripheral vision and Prizm lens, new this season for superb clarity and snow definition, SmartWool NTS Reversible Pattern Cuffed beanie £20.99, Armada Throttle Pipe glove £44.95 skis and boots model’s own 46

[CATHERINE] Eider Manhattan jacket £250, zoned insulation and thermal control ensures body stays warm and dry, twill fabric and top quality faux fur trim add to sophisticated urban look that works off slope too, Eider La Molina pant £130, insulated, high back for added warmth, adjustable waist and pre-shaped knees for extra flexibility, Eider Montana recycled polyester breathable base layer £60, Eisbar Jainin soft wool and acrylic mix headband £27, Smith Optics Virtue goggles £110, Olang Patty Silver boots £60, pretty, practical and terrific on snow and ice, Roxy Torah Victoria Mitt £60

F. Marmsater©

Adrien Coirier / Revelstoke jkt / Ski trip Utah.

Want to check your movements on a map after a skiing session ? Or maybe after a bike ride ?

See how far, how fast and how high you have travelled GTrek tracks your movements

and allows you to create a highly detailed graphical record on Google Earth™ of where you have been.

Gtrek is a GPS data logging system which receives data from a constellation of satellites and stores the data in flash memory for analysis later. Skiers, boarders, bikers, hikers and aerial activities like para-scenders want to re-live their day's experiences, GTrek provides the answer. Speed and distance travelled are calculated, maps of routes taken are created and can be exported onto a 3D view of the terrain using Google Earth™. GTrek is small, lightweight (60gms) and easy to use. It works anywhere in the world at all times and there are no add-on costs or subscriptions once purchased.

It’s the perfect birthday or Christmas present

www.gtrek.co.uk Te l : - 0 7 8 0 2 9 8 2 7 7 1

DIE HAUPTSTADT DER ALPEN UND IHRE FERIENDÖRFER THE CAPITAL OF THE ALPS AND ITS HOLIDAY VILLAGES [TONY] Rossignol Virage jacket £400, waterproof insulated jacket, removeable, adjustable hood, removeable powder skirt and goggle cleaner, Rossignol Virage Heather pant £260, insulated, waterproof with welded seams, breathable, vent zips, Helly Hansen Warm Flow merino wool thermal £70, HH’s Lifa Flow technology delivers rocket-fast drying, warm and non-itch, SmartWool Ridgeway hat £29.99, Planks The Freak Out sunglasses £44.95, polarised lens reduces glare and frame’s steel hinges for stable fit 48

[CATHERINE] Rossignol Liz jacket £450, part of its sporty chic 1907 range, waterproof, breathable insulated jacket with powder skirt, goggle cleaner, Rossignol Marilyn Checks pant £260, classic boot cut, insulated, breathable and waterproof, Eider Snowbasin beanie £30 with fleecelined headband, Manbi Park Peak Piste sunglasses £19.95, Manbi Amelia boots £49.95, luxe styling with waterproof, iron grip sole [TONY] Killy Contest jacket £650, subtle three-colour design balances angular, alpha male tailoring, a highly technical jacket for demanding skiers, Killy Full-Speed pant £349, waterproof, breathable fabric with maximum stretch, SmartWool Ridgeway hat £29.99, Planks Eye Force-One goggles £79.95, Sorel Caribou boots £145, waterproof leather with washable, recycled felt insulation [ANNA] Mover Wool Combi £1,168, high tech, only the most minimal of base layers needed, 100 per cent merino wool-lined Gore-tex and wool inserts on the outside for couture styling, Coal Ski Town hat £29.99, Merrell Decora Sonata boots £145, great grip in this waterproof, insulated, leather boot with supported mid-sole and air cushioning in heel for stability and comfort

THE PERFECT COVER FOR YOUR

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

Visit skiclubinsurance.co.uk or call 0845 601 9422 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

SKI CLUB INSURANCE IS ARRANGED BY PERKINS SLADE LTD Information about out 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

SKI INS/OCT 14 SB

5% DISCOUNT

when you buy online Conduct 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.

DIE HAUPTSTADT DER ALPEN UND IHRE FERIENDÖRFER THE CAPITAL OF THE ALPS AND ITS HOLIDAY VILLAGES [TONY] Schoffel Kent ski jacket £390, multi-function investment piece, wind and waterproof, sporty styling with masses of stretch, Planks Eye Force-One goggles £79.95, Eisbar Hayho hat £37, polyester-lined merino wool and acrylic mix

[CATHERINE] Schoffel Alpette jacket £440, one of this season’s star pieces, it features wind and waterproof 2-layer fabric, flattering smocked inserts at elbows and sides, high gloss pocket and front zippers, Manbi Park Peak Piste sunglasses £19.95 new affordable range with lens suitable for slope or park and impact resistant frame, Manbi Iglu faux fur hat £29.95 Fashion Editor: [MAISHA FROST] snow@maishafrost.com Stylist and Shoot Coordinator: [ROSIE BARCROFT] rosie.barcroft@skiclub.co.uk 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 for making this shoot possible

[WHERE TO BUY] Armada: freezeproshop.com, Didriksons: didriksons.com/01275 390451, Eider: eider.com, Eisbar: eisbar.co.uk

Innsbruck is surrounded by a total of nine ski areas and up to 300km of piste, making up the Olympia

and snowandrock.com/0845 100 1000, Helly Hansen: hellyhansen.

SkiWorld Innsbruck (innsbruck.info/en/experience/winter-holidays/ski-areas-ski-passes/ski-areas-ski-

com/0115 979 5997, Killy: killy.com, Manbi: manbi.com, Merrell:

passes.html). From the Olympic slopes of the Axamer Lizum to glacier skiing on the Stubai to the city

jonesthebootmaker.com, Mountain Force at VP Fashion: 07855 959551,

slopes of the Nordkette, all the ski areas are easily accessible using the free bus service and covered under

Mover: mover.eu and matchesfshion.com, Oakley: uk.oakley.com,

one lift pass. These photographs were shot in Kühtai (kuehtai.info) only half-an-hour from Innsbruck,

Olang: olang.com, O’Neill: surfdome.com and oneill.com, Park Peak

with skiing over 2000m.

Piste: manbi.com, Planks: surfdome.com, Rossignol: storefinder.

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 Thanks also to Ispo, Munich, international showcase for snow style: ispo-winter.com

rossignol.com, Schöffel: 01572 770900, SmartWool: smartwool.com /01753 497190, Smith Optics: ultrasporteu.com, Sorel: sorelfootwear. co.uk, snowandrock.com and johnlewis.com, Roxy: surfdome.com

Freshtracks is the formula for the perfect holiday: take compatible skiers of a similar ability and use only the best instructors and mountain guides. The result is a holiday made to thrill and inspire you.

AUSTRIAN HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2014-15 Austrian Achievement

St Anton Adventure

Skiing with instructors and Ski Club Leaders in an extensive ski area, this spa town is the perfect setting to unwind after skiing. Comfortable 4* hotel with extensive facilities, single room included.

Mountain guides and instructors will provide you with six days of exploring the abundance of off-piste opportunities in the fresh powder of this worldfamous resort.

Bad Hofgastein, 10 - 17 Jan

18 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 25 Jan or 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 15 Mar

Call 020 8410 2022 or visit skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks for a full list of our holidays for 2014-15. For prices and full details, visit skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks

Tongue At its simplest, a ski boot is a soft liner sitting in a hard, plastic shell. However, a designer has to ensure each component of a boot provides a direct, intimate connection between skier and snow, combining the automotive functions of a steering wheel with the comfort and suspension of a seat. A well-fitted boot combines the fit of a Savile Row suit with the precision of a Swiss watch.

Power strap

The power strap is a fifth buckle, tightening the top of the cuff around your leg, typically with Velcro and sometimes a more robust elastic strap with a metal, self-locking closure. Tightening your power strap well will take your performance up a gear.

Flex adjustment Boots that are too soft lose performance; boots that are too stiff are difficult to balance in â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as a rule, you should see the hinge move a little when you bend your ankle. Some boots allow you to fine-tune this flex, but in general you should buy a boot that is the right stiffness to start with.

Walk mode The vital stiff back of ski boots makes them no fun to walk in. So a walk switch releases the cuff to move backwards... if you remember to activate it.

Cant adjustment With many boots you can tilt the cuff slightly towards the big toe side or little toe side of the clog, giving you more balance in the boot. This is also known as shaft alignment.

Footbed All boots come with a trainer type insole below the liner. Arguably, the best thing you can do is throw this away and buy a custom footbed to improve stability and give better foot-to-boot contact.

Look at the top of your foot and you will see a range of blood vessels and tendons. They can be compressed by a badly shaped tongue, spoiling your day and taking you from pins and needles to pain.

BOOTS BOOT REVIEW

Shell Shells combine a cuff, on top, attached by a hinge to a clog, below. Some have an external tongue. Any shell should be as anatomical in shape as possible, so movements are transmitted direct to the ski rather than being absorbed by a soft, spongy liner.

Buckles Ski boot maker Henke asked: “Are you still lacing while others are racing?” when it launched the first ski boot closed by buckles. Buckles should evenly wrap the shell around your foot, keeping it snug without pressure points.

Liner The liner is designed to keep your foot warm and comfortable. Some use foams of different densities to cradle the foot. Others are heated then cooled to taking the shape of the skier’s foot. For high performance and unusual foot shapes, custom foam is usually the best option.

Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

These boots are made for… both walking and skiing. Chris Exall reviews this season’s models, which combine comfort with performance. This season’s crop of new boots brings a pleasant surprise for skiers heading under the ropes in search of powder. Not only are all-mountain boots lighter and sporting more grippy, rubbery soles, but in the past the best ones for hiking up rarely offered the same performance with the heels fixed down. Now, when descending with the heels fixed down, boots such as Salomon’s Quest 130 have enough support for performance downhill, but with a shell and liner that can be unlocked for the climb. And Lange has the XC series with cuff release, sticky sole and an accommodating 102mm last — a foot’s notional width at the ball of the foot — while remaining a brand of choice for piste skiers. Piste-orientated boots are becoming a little more tolerant too. Racing boots with an eye-watering 92mm last are becoming a rarity. Instead we are seeing more customisation, with Atomic’s heat-mouldable Memory Fit shells following the path set by Fischer and Salomon. Head has a unique adaptive width system, allowing mechanical adjustment of the forefoot width. Meanwhile industry newcomer Zay has a range of performanceinspired features from a unique cable closure system to a flexible boot board to improve foot stability. In the review on the pages that

skiclub.co.uk

follow, we have picked a number of top models, but you should think of our selection as being first among equals, because the correct answer to the question ‘which boot should I buy?’ is ‘the one that fits how you ski and how your body works’. Today’s ski boots show an evolution of engineering and shell geometry to reflect the introduction of wider, more shaped skis, which are often double rocker. On such models, skiers need a more centred stance with neutral geometry and a flatter sole with a more upright shaft. Generally, the latest boots are laterally stiff, but have a softer forward flex than their predecessors. We frequently recommend two models of boots where they are nearly identical, barring the flex, with the stiffer version usually best for the faster, heavier, but not necessarily more skilful skier. Flex index is the (very) theoretical force required to decrease the angle between cuff and clog by ten degrees. So a Nordica Doberman 130 requires 130 newtons of force to flex the boot ten degrees. However because there are so many variables, such as temperature, treat all such figures with a degree of suspicion. They give a relative guide, particularly within a range, but they are not exact when comparing one manufacturer with another.

ALL-MOUNTAIN ADVANCED BOOTS

You might expect the boots on these pages to be organised into men’s and women’s, as skis are in Ski+board’s ski tests and snowboards are in this magazine’s board review, but they’re not, so why is that? Expert bootfitter Janine Winter explains all. 54

Perhaps curiously for such an intimate item, ski boots are typically not issued by manufacturers in two separate ranges. Instead, most have a women’s version of the same model, sometimes indicated by a ‘W’ after the name, and sometimes with subtly different names. In the past, women’s boots were purely men’s boots in different colours and with different graphics on them. However, women-specific boots have come a long way in recent years, with so much more variety and choice on the market than ever before. Manufacturers now recognise that we are different — our calf muscles connect lower, so often it’s useful to have a lower and more flared cuff. Our heels are also narrower and our extremities get colder, so those faux fur or fleece linings are not just for cosmetic purposes. Plus we are lighter, so this needs to be accommodated. On these pages I have given a women’s account of the female models — where they exist. In some categories, such as race boots, manufacturers don’t really adapt them for women. Janine Winter is ski manager and buyer at specialist bootfitter Profeet (020 7736 0046; profeet.co.uk), having spent 11 seasons fitting boots with the famous Boot Doctors in Telluride, Colorado, four seasons fitting boots in New Zealand, and one in Australia. She has also tested boots for the US’s Ski Magazine. But she learnt to ski much closer to home... on a dry slope in Chatham, Kent.

ALL-MOUNTAIN ADVANCED As with most classifications, the category of all-mountain advanced boots cover a range of skier types. The boots on these two pages are probably the true cross-trainer — as comfortable on as off the groomers — gripping hardpack but tolerant in the deep. Not every boot in this category has a cuff release for climbing — if you hike a lot for powder, turn straight to our ‘under the ropes’ section. However, if you spend 60 to 70 per cent of the time on the right side of the ropes but duck under on powder days, read on.

PHOTO: Aurélien Ducroz/Dan Ferrer

WHERE ARE ALL THE WOMEN’S BOOTS?

LANGE XC 120

ATOMIC HAWK 2.0

£340

£250 to 360

This boot combines Lange’s snug fit with a grippy sole and cuff release for hiking — what’s not to like? It uses Lange’s classic monoshell design, but with a softer instep insert for easier entry and exit. The firm’s proprietary V-lock releases the cuff for climbing and locks it for descent. The ultragrip sole is compatible with traditional Alpine bindings, which is important as boots with rubbery soles may not release as intended with non touring bindings. If in doubt, check. Janine writes: For the aggressive allmountain skier, the XT 110 W LV, allows the upper cuff to be released, making that dreaded hike so much easier, but without compromising performance. Its low-volume 97mm last is ideally suited to narrower feet.

The original Hawk was the best-selling medium fit boot in the world and the tweaked Hawk 2.0 takes it a step further. Memory Fit means the shell can be heated and take the shape of foot and calf, and it comes in a range of flexes from a firm 130 to a cushy 80. Some manufacturers make the sole as stiff as possible, in contrast the Hawk’s sole is programmed to flex, letting skiers feel more balanced in the boot. Janine writes: The top-selling Atomic Hawx 2.0 100W has been re-engineered with Memory Fit and a slightly more generous fit, with added insulation to keep you warm. Its low cuff is great for the larger calf, and its flexible sole is designed to improve balance and control. Aimed at advanced skiers, it doesn’t compromise on comfort.

ALL-MOUNTAIN ADVANCED BOOTS SALOMON X PRO 130 AND 120

SCOTT G1 AND G2 POWERFIT £415

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A PAIR OF SKI BOOTS

£350 to £400

With its slight piste bias, the X Pro merits inclusion here just because it skis so well, with its simple design well thought out. The twinframe shell uses a dual density clog, with the cuff attached to a hard plastic frame to transmit energy to the ski. The oversized hinge means the flex is smooth and progressive, but laterally stiff. Both liner and shell are customisable: simply ‘cook’ them and ski them. Janine writes: The Salomon X Pro 90W is great for intermediate or advanced skiers seeking all-day comfort while cruising pistes. With a more generous fit than the X Max series, it comes as a 100mm last, which can be widened to 106mm with Custom Shell Technology. It has a low to medium height instep, but is generous in the toe box.

Garmont was a great bootmaker, so great that Scott bought it and made it better, with the only complaint being that the G1 and G2 are less widely available than some others in this category. The G1 clog is one of the most anatomical around, close fitting and almost pre-stretched in problem hotspots. Attach to that a cuff with climb mode and you have a powerful all-terrain boot that performs well at close to race levels when gravity is your friend, but is benign when you’re hiking. It is limited by its touringtype, walk-to-ride sole, which is not compatible with all Alpine bindings. Skiers who spend more time on piste should look at the G2 version of the boot, which comes with Din-compatible sole, but lacks the climb mode.

K2 SPYNE

ROSSIGNOL ALLTRACK PRO

£280 to £360 £380

K2’s Spyne has a range of flex options, from 90 to 130, and comes in three widths, 97mm, 100mm and 102mm, just like Clarks children’s shoes! Most designs use material deformation or rivets to limit the flex of the boot, but K2 fits a super-stiff, two-part composite plate to cuff and clog so that, as the skier flexes, they work as one. Add to this a mouldable liner and an Alpine binding-compatible rubber sole and you have a responsive, all-mountain boot. Janine writes: The K2 Spyre 110 W is aimed at advanced to expert female skiers seeking an aggressive, high performance boot. Its Intuition liner is known for warmth and precision. And while the shell’s 97mm last is narrow, the cuff has been lowered for women’s calves. Comes with rubber sole for grip. Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

Though Rossignol and Lange share their race boot design, they part ways here. The Alltrack Pro, which runs from 100 to 130 flex, has a cuff release for hiking and an option to replace the traditional Alpine sole with a more grippy version. The shell is pared down with a web-like series of ridges offering strength and support only where needed. Not a runaway favourite, this still does everything well, from high intensity arcs on groomers to hikes. Janine writes: The Alltrack Pro 110 W, now in its second season, is a winner, combining comfort and performance. With a 100mm shell for the average width foot and a hike mode, it is aimed at the aggressive female skier with muscular calves, as it is cut lower and wider. The plush, furry liner is also a hit!

skiclub.co.uk

Arguably, skiers should not shop for ski boots, instead they should shop for a good bootfitter to help them find the right boot for them. An experienced bootfitter will ask a lot of questions about you, your skiing, and your strengths and weaknesses. They will take a good look at your feet, take some measurements and only then should they suggest a model or two which might fit your needs. When looking for new boots, it’s best to start with as few preconceptions as possible. Manufacturers change their lasts (the shape of the foot they work from) and designs, so the brand that worked for you last time may have changed. Visit a shop with lots of time to spare, and don’t go after hours of walking. Expect boots to feel tight when you first try them on, so if your feet are hot and swollen you are likely to want too big a boot. Once the inner has packed down, what felt as comfortable as an armchair in the shop will leave you skiing like Bambi on ice. You will be offered a custom footbed, at which point your purse or wallet will groan a little, but it’s a small price to pay for the extra control and comfort. If you don’t believe this, then after a few days with your custom footbed, go back to using the standard trainer-type insole that comes with the boot and after the second turn you will realise just how much control you’ve lost. Chris Exall (skipress.co.uk) describes himself as being 40 years into an 80-year apprenticeship in skiing: his first boots were made of leather. He is technical and equipment editor for several magazines and trains and examines coaches and ski instructors. He is a member of the International Federation of Ski Instructors governing committee and has written widely on snowsports safety.

‘UNDER THE ROPES’ EXPERT BOOTS UNDER THE ROPES EXPERT Where an all-mountain advanced boot works fine for forays under the ropes, these boots’ natural home is untracked powder. Yes, they perform on piste, but they have a walk mode and almost all have a sole that grips on slippery rock. However some are not compatible with Alpine bindings. Make sure you check!

FOR THE PERFECT FIT… 56

A good fitter will come up with a wellfitted boot for most skiers. But maybe you have had problems with off-theshelf boots. Or you may know from shoe-buying experience that the shape of your feet is unconventional. Or you want the ultimate in performance. In such cases nearly all manufacturers offer the option of a heat-mouldable liner. Some offer a custom foam liner. Others go further. Atomic, Salomon and Fischer have shells that can be heated to take the form of your foot and leg. Fischer’s unique vacuum fit system even uses a pump so that the warmed shell is shrink wrapped around the foot. There are lots of ski shops who have good bootfitters on the payroll who will be able to advise on this, but for a whole new level of detail try one of the few dedicated bootfitting businesses, such as Solutions 4 Feet, FootStability or Profeet. As with a doctor, make an appointment before you go. They will make a custom liner and footbed, and will fit it to almost any shell you choose. The next level of customisation involves having a ski boot built for you from the ground up. Surefoot, with a head office in Park City, Utah, and a London branch, starts by making a computer-controlled, milled custom footbed, and fitting it into their own brand liner, ready for foaming. It can fit the liner to almost any shell, but has its own branded Surefoot boots to let you chose the flex and last for your ability. Other customisation options come from Sidas, whose black project boots use similar foam liners as Surefoot, but it uses a different system to make its footbeds. And Strolz makes bespoke leather liners in its Austrian Arlberg headquarters, as well as in Yorkshire. Now tell me you’re not happy...

TECNICA COCHISE

SALOMON QUEST PRO

£390 to £500

£450

While the Cochise has a K2-style, threebuckle set-up with a huge power strap to release for climbing, Tecnica offers a more traditional approach of switchable rubber and Alpine soles, with a pull to release climb mode. Under the heel is a supersoft midsole pad to absorb hard landings, and this year’s boot is five per cent lighter. That may not sound like much until it’s the last climb at 5pm... Janine writes: The new Tecnica Cochise Pro W is a great freeride boot for that ripping female skier. Its 98mm shell can easily be adapted to a 100mm fitting for narrow to medium width feet. It comes with Alpine-binding compatible soles, but you can buy rubbery soles. Though the plastic is lighter, it does not compromise on performance with a 105 flex rating.

Arguably the launch of the Quest Pro, designed with Ski Club off-piste expert Nigel Shepherd, moved the ‘under the ropes’ category from specialist to mainstream. Weighing just 1.7kg (3.75lbs), it has a robust hike-andride ‘backbone’ switch to let the cuff and articulated liner flex back as far as 47 degrees for climbing. Warm and waterproof, with an integrated, impermeable gusset, this is a leader. Alternatively, look at Salomon’s Quest Max BC 120 for a bit more lift action. Janine writes: The Salomon Quest Pro 100 W has had some impressive changes this year with a new last. Aimed at medium to wide feet with a 100mm to 106mm shell with Custom Shell Technology, it still has great heel hold. You can buy more rubbery soles.

K2 PINNACLE 130

HEAD VENTURE 130

£420

£350

For years K2 owned extreme skiing, so it’s no surprise its all-mountain and under-the-ropes boots perform well. The soles work with regular Alpine bindings, but integrated metal inserts allow them to be used with technical, touring and pin bindings. The Pinnacle modifies the powerful composite spine in other K2 boots, with an alloy block connecting cuff to clog, until you flip the interlock and release the cuff to climb. Comes in 130, 110 and 100 flex. Janine writes: The K2 Minaret 100 is the long-awaited women’s version of the Pinnacle. Focused on performance, but with built-in hike mode, its 100mm last caters to medium-width feet. It has a warm Intuition liner, and uniquely has Alpine binding compatible soles that let you step into Dynafit-type pin bindings.

Another boot pitched more towards the touring end of the off-piste continuum is the Head Venture 130. It’s super-light with a bi-injected shell, where two densities of plastic are injected and bond together. Head uses the default touring-style toe and heel pads that you would expect in this category, but with the added benefit of a dual-injected arch, so the whole lower shell is shod with rubber, rather than just the toes and heels. An alternative for the skier who is reliant on a chairlift, draglift (or caterpillar-tracked vehicle or helicopter for that matter) to get to the deep stuff, rather than hiking absolutely everywhere, is Head’s Raptor Overkill, which comes in a 120, 130 and 140 flex. It uses the same core technology, but has a more Alpine-orientated shell.

SKI BOOT LAB

www.profeet.co.uk/skiing

PROFEET ARE THE UK SPECIALISTS IN SKI BOOTS, SKI BOOT FITTING, CUSTOM SKI INSOLES & CUSTOM LINERS

CMY

A personal assessment with a skilled ski boot fitter

Biomechanical analysis and ski simulation to test boots

Custom insoles to support your feet and improve fit*

Shell customisation and foam liners for comfort and precision

Call 020 7736 0046 Profeet 867 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5HP *depending on appointment type

SOFT RACE BOOTS SOFT RACE This is a tough category to define. Soft race boots are not as stripped down as their full race relatives. They tend to be higher volume and come with a few bells and whistles that would be a distraction at the start gate. Think of these as coaches’ boots — used by strong and powerful skiers, but wearable all day.

PHOTO: Tristan Shu

ATOMIC REDSTER 120 £400

SALOMON X MAX 130 £400

DALBELLO KRYPTON KR2 PRO £430 to £460

The X Max resembles its race-category X Lab big brother, but has more space. The My Customfit 3D liner is made of a polymer foam which, when heated, expands then cools to take the shape of the foot. This sits in a shell also heated until malleable, so it stretches around the lumps and bumps of your foot. A great combination of features and customisation in a high-performance shell, though your size may be smaller than what a first fitting tells you, as the liner compresses in the fitting process. Janine writes: Out of the box the Salomon X Max 110 W is perfect for the narrow, low instep foot, but is fully customisable. Generous in length, it allows for toe space and is a great option for advanced skiers who don’t want to compromise on comfort.

Dalbello targets all-mountain skiers with this innovative, three-piece shell model, but it works just as well at speed on groomed runs. The shell has a super stiff rear cuff and ribbed external tongue which flexes predictably like a bendy drink straw. The genius of the design is its adjustability. The cuff alignment feature works, bootboards come in performance and comfort densities, one sending power to the ski, the other absorbing shocks. The middle buckle pulls the heel back at 45 degrees right into the heel pocket and the flex can be adjusted from blancmange to bullet-proof. For skiers wanting a more traditional shell, Dalbello has the Scorpion, with the 130 flex combining fit and performance using an anatomical and powerful shell.

LANGE RS 130 AND ROSSIGNOL HERO 130

TECNICA R9.8 £360 to £450

£385 to £400 Atomic’s Redster 170 is almost certainly the stiffest boot on the open market today — that’s a compelling reason for non-World Cup athletes to look elsewhere. Start with the Redster 120. It still uses all of the features of its bruiser of an older brother, but in a flex and fit which is manageable for mortals. The entire Redster series uses an ultra-stiff carbon spine, reinforcing both the cuff and rear of the clog. Because the spine is about six times stiffer than polyurethane it gives the boot an ultra-powerful, lively feel. Add that to a heat-mouldable cuff and clog, and you have a responsive soft race boot that could easily slip into the allmountain category, with a great feel on snow and which you can comfortably ski in all day long.

Both the Lange RS 130 and Rossignol Hero 130 use the classic, performanceorientated Lange RS shell, but with a little more width added. A flex of 130 is firm, but the anatomical design means pressure is distributed evenly in the shin, so the boot feels softer than it is. When flexed many overlap shells have a tendency to open, reducing control slightly, however the RS/Hero shell tightens over the instep when flexed. Janine writes: The Lange RX 110 W is for the aggressive female skier and comes in 97mm and 100mm lasts with replaceable rubber soles for walking. Since the RX series was released, it has been a winner with women for both comfort and performance. The stiffer 110 flex has been introduced by Lange this year for even greater performance.

Tecnica’s R9.3 series are fine boots, but the 93mm last doesn’t give all-day comfort. The R9.8’s 98mm last is more manageable. To resolve the real issue of boot entry and exit, all R9.8s use the propriety Quick Instep system, where a softer piece of plastic is co-moulded into the instep area, making it far easier to slide a foot in and out. For a wider last, try the Mach 1, which beats its predecessor, the Demon, hands down. Janine writes: The Tecnica Crush, based on the R9.8, is a top women’s boot aimed at advanced to expert skiers. It has been adapted by adding Tecnica’s women’s specific Ultrafit liner and softening the flex to 100, but it’s still one of the more aggressive on sale. Its 98mm shell is ideal for women after optimum control and toe space.

E H T O HEAD T

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£34

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One way including taxes. Selected flights only, subject to availability. Price and destinations vary by airport. Correct at time of print (September 2014).

RACE BOOTS RACE Move along, nothing to see here. Unless, that is, you’re a near-fulltime career skier with a passion for catsuits, high speeds and pistes so icy you could put them in your G&T. Full specification race boots are stiff, low volume, take a lot of fitting and — like a misbehaved child — will make your life a misery unless you take charge all the time. However, a true race boot offers a degree of control and precision that cannot be bettered.

PHOTO: Ross Woodhall / rosswoodhall.com

NORDICA DOBERMANN WC EDT

LANGE RS 140/ ROSSIGNOL HERO SI £385 to £450 Lange invented the modern ski boot in the 1960s, reinventing it in the 1970s with the XL1000, the grandfather of almost every overlap boot available. Its RS 140 and Rossignol’s Hero, like twins separated at birth, sport different names and liveries, but are basically the same product. Both are low volume and have a shell so anatomical it shrink wraps the foot. A thin liner and boot board allow the first and fifth toe joints to sit directly on the shell, giving a fantastic feel for the snow. A relatively upright cuff and flat stance make it lively and responsive. New, 97mm lasts give a fit a little higher in volume and more mellow than previous versions, and are remarkably versatile, fitting many foot types. But if in doubt, go for the 130 flex with a wider 100mm last.

HEAD B2 RAPTOR RD £400

£420

If Lange’s shell is the grandfather of the modern ski boot, then Nordica is the milkman with a twinkle in his eye. The Nordica Dobermann has a family tree which runs straight back to the Nordica Grand Prix. This year’s Dobermann is as racy as you can buy, and probably more than you need. With its 93mm forefoot width, you will need to have this boot worked on, so make friends with a good bootfitter. The shell is so race-specific that it’s built with a thicker sole that must be ground down to align the boot before it is used. Inside, a super-stiff bootboard is anchored to the shell to prevent it twisting as the ski loads in an arc. As with other areas of life, the letters after a name matter. The non-WC version is wider and much more user-friendly.

Head comes out of last racing season way ahead of its competitors, having been by far the most successful brand overall in Alpine competition. Its B2 Raptor RD comes with flex from 140 to 160... girder to concrete. For closure, it uses a constant leverage cable buckle that wraps a super-stiff shell evenly around the foot. The boot’s stance is attuned to modern slalom skis and technique, so anyone but a career skier will find this boot a handful. If in doubt, try the higher volume Raptor 130 RS. Janine writes: Head’s Raptor RS 110W is not for the faint hearted. Its low volume fit for ultimate precision and control is aimed at experts seeking a responsive boot to go charging around the mountain, although it does have a surprisingly comfortable liner.

BEWARE EXPLODING SKI BOOTS If you believe a pair of ski boots is for life and only one pair will ever fit you, heed these cautionary tales from journalist Arnie Wilson and ski instructor Chris Haworth, as you lovingly pack your 1980s rear-entry boots. I was skiing happily in Sugarbush, Vermont, when I saw a man whose ski boots had exploded — they had fallen to bits on the spot. Parts were still attached to his feet, but his stockinged toes were exposed and the rest was in pieces in the snow. At the time I didn’t dwell on the reasons for this. My task was simply to help the poor chap back down the mountain safely so he could rent a replacement pair. Somehow, slowly, but surely in a rather ungainly style, we drifted back to base. Later I discovered that after 15 to 20 years some popular rear-entry boots of the 1980s and 1990s were liable to break up after exposure to ultraviolet radiation. This unlucky skier had kept his boots in the attic every summer to dry out fully... with light flooding in from a window. AW Across a range of manufacturers, and until the early 1990s, boots could shatter due to intolerance in plastics. The mountain environment is extreme, with ultraviolet radiation, extreme temperatures and time leading to plastic fatigue and brittleness. I was once the proud owner of a bright orange pair of race boots that met their fate atop one of Val d’Isère’s tougher black runs. My tangerine boots’ suicidal explosion revealed a shattered web of plastic clinging tenuously to the bindings leaving me to tiptoe like a ballerina with corns down the moguls. Modern boots rarely have such issues but as an ex-professional skier I would recommend a maximum of 25 to 30 weeks of skiing on any shell. After that they lose elasticity and rebound, and feel flat. CH

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD SKIING AND GREAT SKIING IS A VERY FINE LINER.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re serious about instantly improving your overall skiing experience then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to upgrade your ski boot liner. Surefoot Custom Liners come in three unique models designed for the nuances of all foot shapes and ability levels. From beginners to experts, a Surefoot Custom Liner is the best way to end the cold, pain and misery of ill-fitting boots. Surefoot liners work with all brands and models of ski boots. To experience the comfort and performance advantages a Surefoot Custom Liner will give you, come see one of our boot fitting experts at Surefoot today.

Skier: Russ Shay, Owner, Surefoot

surefoot.com London

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

Co-director of Matterhorn Diamonds

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

skiclub.co.uk

ldmountain centre.com

matterhorndiamonds. com

icesi.org

SKIS Piste performance has just gone up a level In many ways, piste skis are the oldest category of them all. Manufacturers have been producing skis specifically for on-piste performance for decades, which means big brands have a history of intense research and development in this area, using their technological nous to deliver near-race performance. If you love carving, this is the right place. The latest designs and materials mean most skis in this category use complex core constructions, strong sidewalls and integrated binding systems to achieve race-like accuracy. Although the capabilities of these skis are high, they are surprisingly easy to use for less advanced skiers, due to their lighter weights, tip rocker and new profiles, making for a ‘win-win’ situation for anyone thinking of buying a pair of piste skis this winter. This season sees a continued development of all models. A lot of the construction is derived from race models, with a focus on high torsional stiffness, superb dampening and quick reactions. The design and materials

used can vary, but all have wood cores with extra strengthening layers and sidewalls built to withstand high pressure. All use integrated binding systems that are designed to absorb vibration and allow the ski to flex. Rocker is now pretty standard on any piste ski. This can vary from a minimal amount through the tip right through to an early-rise tip that starts just in front of the binding. This would have been unheard of a few years ago and shows how much rocker has moved on from being purely for freeride skis. This change in profile has made it easier to initiate turns on piste skis and make adjustments while locked into an arc. But don’t be fooled. The complex construction of all of these models still delivers power with high levels of grip and stability at speed. If, after reading the reviews, you’re still not sure which skis you like, check out our tests online, where you can compare past winners, see star ratings and read full test results at skiclub.co.uk/skitests

Lynn Sharpe

Chris Taine

James Allen

Steph Ede

Derek Chandler

Tess Swallow

Basi trainer at Target ski training and ski race coach in Val d’Isère

Ex-Canadian instructor and until recently editor of Ski Club website

FIS circuit racer turned coach

Alpine chef turned ski instructor

Basi trainer at Marmalade ski school in Méribel

Basi Level 4 instructor and trainer at New Gen ski school

targetski.com

Ski+board

skiclub.co.uk

jamesallen skicoaching. com

NOVEMBER 2014

stephede@ hotmail. co.uk

skiclub.co.uk

skimarmalade .com

skinewgen. com

SKI TESTS You’re on to a winner The results of the Ski Club’s popular ski tests are eagerly awaited, not just by the many British skiers looking to buy one of the new season’s line-up, but also by manufacturers anxious to find out who has won our coveted best performance and value awards. Selecting the key models from more than 700 skis produced by the big brands, ten highly qualified testers put 100 through their paces. We test in four categories: piste performance, for near-exclusive piste use; all-mountain, for mostly piste use with forays off the side into fresh snow; freeride, for those who spend 40 per cent or more of their time off-piste; and big mountain for almost exclusive off-piste use. We put at least three testers on each ski and top performers undergo a second round of testing. It could be that only one ski in a category gets an award — if there is only one real winner, we’re fine with that. The other award is for value. Don’t think these are budget skis. They just offer great performance for the price.

Questions you may be too afraid to ask:

What’s all that Din?

You hit a bump and your skis fly off. Time to tighten the bindings, isn’t it? Well, no — not unless you know a thing or two about Din settings. A low Din suits learners, for whom coming out of the binding at low speeds can be safest. A higher Din suits more experienced skiers, who can correct most problems. However, the number, indicated on the front of your binding, also depends on your weight, age, ski boot sole length and height. Every ski shop should have a Din chart, so don’t be afraid to ask how staff worked it out, especially if you have not been asked for your stats. If your boots keep popping out first clear any snow from the sole of your boot. Or it might be that the forward pressure, indicated on the back of a binding, is wrong. Read a full account by Al Morgan of how Din is calculated at skiclub.co.uk/skitests

MEN’S PISTE SKIS: INTERMEDIATE TO EXPERT

Most of the models selected here have been subject to a gradual evolution, rather than massive changes. New lighter core materials have been used, but it’s more a case of shapes and profiles being tweaked than a significant revolution in design. Scott has entered the fray with the new Black Majic, which is significant in that it uses a similar lay-up to its incredibly successful ‘The Ski’. However, it is up against some tough opposition, with the big, well-established manufacturers having logged up a huge amount of research and development within their race programmes.

BLIZZARD POWER 600 FS IQ

SCOTT BLACK MAJIC

£525

ATOMIC NOMAD S TEMPER Ti

The 600’s Full Suspension links the binding plate to piston rods to direct pressure through the ski. Liked by testers, it’s nimble, easy to use, yet is stable and performs well on edge and at speed, even on hard pistes, absorbing vibration to give a smooth ride. The sidecut is well judged and comfortable for riding out long, fast turns, but while it performs well in short turns its lightness makes them feel less planted.

This new ski’s construction gives torsional stiffness, while the sidecut is set up for high performance carving. It’s playful, fun and accessible to a wide range of abilities, with a pronounced early rise tip making turn initiation and adjustment simple. Quick from edge to edge, it doesn’t have the full-length contact and edge hold of racier skis, but is good for short turns, allowing adjustments in chopped up, fresh snow.

This uses a stepdown sidewall to grip hard snow while ARC technology directs pressure from a central location under the binding to load the ski in fast turns. Light and easy to direct, the rockered tip makes turn initiation effortless. It has strong grip directly underfoot and is at its best in medium turns. In shorter turns the tip doesn’t engage as much as is needed in racing, and in fast long turns, its lightness works against it.

BUILD Tip and Tail Rocker/Composite Sidewall IQ/Full Suspension Binding Interface

BUILD

SIDECUT (mm)

121-72-104

BUILD Full-length Wood Core/3Dimension Sidecut/Elliptic Titanal with Sandwich Sidewall 122-78-112

SIDECUT (mm)

124-73-104

TURN RADIUS

16m (167cm)

RADIUS

14m (177cm)

TURN RADIUS

14m (173cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

153, 160, 167, 174

157, 167, 177, 184

LENGTHS (cm)

165, 173, 181

£550 with bindings

E A I B

Light, easy, performs well at speed

Hard to fault. Not so reactive in short turns

WE SAY: Lively, nimble, but stable at speed (Chris Taine) Easy to use at all speeds while maintaining power and edge grip (Pete Davison)

SIDECUT (mm)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

Easy to use, fun, good grip underfoot Could be smoother, grippier in long, fast turns

WE SAY: Great all-rounder, versatile, easy, but struggles on harder snow (Derek Chandler) Easy, playful with good grip underfoot (Mark Jones)

£585 with bindings

E A I B

All Mountain Rocker/Stepdown Sidewall 2.0/Woodcore Ti Carbon

Accessible for all abilities, nice grip underfoot Tip is easy to pivot, but doesn’t engage hard

WE SAY: Easy to use, pivots well, good grip, versatile (Mark Jones) Light, easy, sweet for mid-speed, mid-radius turns (James Allen)

PHOTO: Ross Woodhall/rosswoodhall.com

What’s new in men’s piste performance?

MEN’S PISTE SKIS: INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED TO EXPERT FISCHER PROGRESSOR 900

HEAD i.SUPERSHAPE MAGNUM

SALOMON X RACE

The new Progressor uses tip rocker to aid turn initiation and a Racetrack plate for greater stability, while still allowing the ski to flex naturally. This is a lively, responsive ski always ready for action. It’s fast from edge to edge and feels rock solid in all turn shapes on piste. With its sensitive touch, you really feel the action under your feet. This is a ski that best suits active skiers who use a lot of energy in turns.

This series has been revamped, with wider tips and narrower tails giving a more progressive sidecut. KERS technology stores energy from turns, releasing it on exit. Well-balanced with good edge hold, it has a smooth flex and is very easy to read in the shape of turn it makes and how it reacts to sharper edge angles. At its best in longer turns, it performs well in short turns, but would need a stiffer tip to feel locked down.

The X race takes Salomon’s World Cup race construction and adds rocker through the nose to make it perform well, yet be accessible to all abilities. You really feel the full edge engaging and taking you through the turn, with a sidecut that’s well judged to cope with a wide range of arcs. Quick on to the edge it’s up for action, yet is easy, manoeuvrable and versatile enough to cope with varying conditions. Overall a super carver.

BUILD Rocker/Racetrack Plate/Dual Radius System

BUILD Speed Rocker/KERS Worldcup Sandwich Cap Construction Technology

BUILD

RADIUS

£590 with bindings

SIDECUT (mm)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

£590 with bindings

121-75-104

SIDECUT (mm)

15m (170cm) 160, 165, 170, 175, 180

Quick, nimble, feels strong in all turn shapes and comes at a good price

Some would like it heavier, especially at speed

WE SAY: Highly responsive with a lovely progressive flex that’s easy to control (Chris Taine) Lively all-round ripper, this can do it all (James Allen)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

£570

128-72-106

SIDECUT (mm)

13.1m (170cm) 149, 156, 163, 170, 177

Comfortable in all turn shapes, smooth, great edge hold, predictable rounded sidecut Not inspirational in any one area

WE SAY: Good all-rounder, smooth flex, dependable (James Allen) Solid, tenacious, responsive with lively rebound (Chris Taine)

Active Contact Sidewalls/Full Woodcore Race/Double Ti Laminate

LENGTHS (cm)

I B

15 (170cm) 155,165,170,175, 180

Great edge contact, works really well in all turn shapes

E A

120-71-99 (170cm)

Lacks ultimate grip at speed on hard snow

WE SAY: Solid contact in long and short turns yet still manoeuvrable. (Derek Chandler) Rock solid, great in all turn shapes (Mark Jones)

Book online at skiolympic.com or call 01302 328 820

MEN’S PISTE SKIS: ADVANCED TO EXPERT NORDICA DOBERMANN SPITFIRE PRO EVO

VÖLKL CODE SPEED WALL L UVO

ROSSIGNOL PURSUIT 18 ELITE

The Spitfire Pro combines a GS body with slalom tip for easy turn initiation with high levels of grip. Comfortable in any turn shape, the tip engages as soon as the ski is tilted to take you into a new arc. It nails short turns, where it’s fast from edge to edge and grippy through the length of the arc, with the slalom-like sidecut working hard. In long, fast turns the radical tip may make them more twitchy and trickier to handle.

Now with Ultimate Vibration Object on the shovel, this has a race build, but is wider for versatility and has a new wood core with tip and tail rocker. The result is incredible performance, giving race-like grip at speed on ice, yet fantastic dampening. Unmatched for a smooth, vibration-free ride in the most demanding of situations, it is also versatile and easy at slower speeds, helped by the rocker. The testers were blown away.

The Pursuit has a new topsheet, combining rocker through the tip, traditional camber underfoot and aerospace laminates to reduce its weight. Its high level of edge grip makes it feel rock solid even at very high speeds. Punchy, lively, it thrives on big edge angles and really delivers the goods, with high performance in all turn shapes. Some testers felt it could be smoother and more engaged on the transition between turns.

BUILD

£600 with bindings

A I B

Titanium reinforced Wood Core/ Camrock Profile/EVO Binding Plate

SIDECUT (mm)

126-74-109

TURN RADIUS

14m (168cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

152, 160, 168, 176

Lots of grip and energy, solid feel, very reactive shape

Less stable in long turns

WE SAY: Light, nimble, fun in short turns, its wide tip is easy to engage (Pete Davison) Great for experts beasting out short turns (Al Morgan)

K2 AMP CHARGER

A I B

SIDECUT (mm)

18.6m (178cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

RADIUS

164, 171, 178, 185

Amazing grip, fantastic dampening exceptionally smooth ride, easy to use

Some felt entry to turns could be more reactive

WE SAY: I could trust this ski going to my limits (Mark Jones) Incredible performance on short turns for a ski this shape (James Allen)

Power Turn Rocker/IPS Diamond Minicap Sandwich/Wood Core 17 (170)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

122-76-102

156, 163, 170, 177

Great edge grip, lively and powerful on piste Could be smoother on the transition and not the cheapest on offer

WE SAY:

Fantastic all-rounder, confident if pushed (James Allen) Well-made, great sidecut, strong, solid, dependable (Derek Chandler)

K2’s new ROX technology wraps carbon around the shovel to give lightweight torsional strength, and a hybrid sidewall combines grip with ease of use. With fantastic dampening, it feels vibration-free, even on rock-hard pistes, and a smooth flex pattern feels well balanced. The shovel engages perfectly, driving the ski when it’s tipped on edge, but with a welljudged rocker making it easy to adjust and initiate turns. Brilliant.

Aimed at experts looking for a precise ski, the classic sandwich build and dual wood core have tip rocker to help pivoting and turn initiation. This always feels powerful and ready to go up a gear. It grips along its full length and is rock solid, whatever the speed or conditions. Quick on transitions it delivers race-like performance. Lighter, hesitant skiers will find it a lot to handle, particularly at lower speeds.

The FT8’s carbon fibre-reinforced core gives it lightweight strength. As with all White Doctors tested it oozes quality with a well damped ride building confidence. Tip it on edge and you are rewarded with strong grip and good reaction in any turn shape. Stability at speed can’t be faulted and it’s balanced and smooth. The rockered tip is noticeable and while aiding turn initiation it lacks the full contact of more powerful on-piste models.

BUILD

BUILD Carbon Fibre with Wood Core/ Sandwich Construction/Titanal reinforcement

£590 with bindings

Speed Rocker/Hybritech Sidewall/ Carbon Web

122-74-106

RADIUS

165, 172, 179, 186

Smooth ride, vibration free, great flex. Awesome in long, fast turns

Smooth ride makes it less lively in short turns

WE SAY: Strong, stable in mid to long turns, gripping at speed (Al Morgan) Smooth and predictable, well dampened (Pete Davison)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

£530 with bindings

£600

Sandwich Construction/Dual Wood Core/Tip Rocker

SIDECUT (mm)

17m (179cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

122-76-105

RADIUS

£680 with bindings

WHITE DOCTOR FT8 PRO

RADIUS

UVO/Speedwall Multilayer Woodcore/Titanal Reinforcement

SIDECUT (mm)

DYNASTAR CR 74 FLUID

SIDECUT (mm)

£700 with bindings

124-74-106

SIDECUT (mm)

16m (178cm)

RADIUS

165, 172, 178, 184

Very powerful, lots of grip, full contact along the edge, strong riders will love it Hard to pivot and adjust at lower speeds

WE SAY: Well designed, well made, clean grip (Derek Chandler) Solid, can be pushed as hard as you like, never breaking away (James Allen)

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

118-76-104

17m (171cm) 171, 179

High quality, smooth ride, grippy on the edge, overall a strong ski High price, feels a bit over rockered on piste

WE SAY: Nicely weighted, smooth with superb stability at speed (Chris Taine) Strong, grippy, does everything it should (Mark Jones)

What it takes to get here

pales in comparison to

It’s Bigger Than A Mountain

RELEASED TO VENDOR

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what it takes to leave.

WOMEN’S PISTE SKIS: INTERMEDIATE TO EXPERT What’s new in women’s piste performance?

K2 POTION 74 XTi

ROSSIGNOL UNIQUE 10

SALOMON W-KART

The new Potion aims at precision on the steepest, firmest runs using a metal laminate build and Speed Rox technology for edge hold and confidence. Exceptionally easy to use, steer and initiate turns, it pivots without effort, making it perfect for short turns and quick adjustments. In long turns it feels comfortable and grippy. Good for new carvers, but stronger, more aggressive skiers will lose grip at higher speeds and on harder snow.

This is a new ski with ultra-light core and subtle tip rocker for smooth turn entry. Its weight and waist makes it great for short turns, feeling quick on to the edge, reactive, and able to redirect and change turn shape in an instant. In long turns it feels stiff enough across the ski to maintain strong grip through the turn. Some of our testers would have liked a stronger, more reactive flex for high speeds on hard snow.

The W-Kart is designed as a quick, intuitive ski, with slalom sidecut and rocker responsive turning and playfulness. As a great entry-level carver, the W-Kart has a reactive shape and light build, which gives a lot back to the skier and reacts well on edge. Its soft, forgiving flex gives a smooth ride and reacts well to pressure, feeling happy in all turn shapes and easy to adjust and redirect. But pushed at speed on hard snow it will break away.

BUILD

RADIUS LENGTHS (cm)

A I B

£540 with bindings

£600 with bindings

Metal Laminate/Hybritech Sidewall/ BioFlex 3

SIDECUT (mm)

PHOTO: Ross Woodhall/rosswoodhall.com

In the past, women’s piste skis tended to have, yes, flowery graphics and girly names, but also great design features to match a women’s morphology. These included lighter weights, binding points slightly forward and some raised on the heel contact point to make turn initiation easier and steering less effort. They were very easy to use, but often lacked the power that faster skiers needed. Over the past few years there has been a greater focus on high performance so there are now many skis that can satisfy expert skiers. New, lighter construction methods are really making their mark. Many of the skis we tested manage to be feather-light, but still deliver race-like performance. Some new contenders this season are lighter, yet deliver higher performance than last year.

121-74-107

146, 153, 160, 167

Very easy to use, light and playful, confidence building, works with you Loses grip at higher speeds

WE SAY: Experts will want more power, lacks depth through turns (Lynn Sharpe) Good on long turns, playful, easy to use (Steph Ede)

Power Turn Rocker/Ultra light Air Core/New Air Shape

SIDECUT (mm)

13m (160cm)

E A I B

120-72-101

£375 with bindings

Composite Core/Single Titanium Laminate/Carve Rocker

SIDECUT (mm)

124-72-106 (153)

RADIUS

15m (163cm)

RADIUS

10m (153cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

156, 163, 170

LENGTHS (cm)

145, 153, 161

Light, easy, quick on the edge in short turns, playful and fun

Needs beef at speed on long turns on hard stuff

WE SAY: Suits advanced, rather than expert, skiers (Steph Ede) Makes long turns smooth and works well in short turns (Rowena Phillips)

E A I B

Easy to use, nice consistent soft flex. Works well in all turn shapes, good value for money

Starts to break away at speed on hard snow

WE SAY: Playful, light, easy to use (Steph Ede) A good recreational ski that is easy to steer and grips well at lower speeds (Rowena Phillips)

WOMEN’S PISTE SKIS: INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED TO EXPERT FISCHER IVORY

DYNASTAR ACTIVE PRO

HEAD SUPER JOY

The Ivory uses the latest Airtec technology to cut the weight of the wood core by a quarter without losing torsional stability. Easy to use, especially on turn initiation, it requires no effort to change direction, being strong and smooth in long turns with good grip. At the start of the turn the shovel holds well. Coming out of turns the softer tail makes it easy to adjust, but does wash away when pushed hard.

Aimed at advanced skiers this uses new ultra-light Xpress bindings, light multi-cell wood core and tip rocker. And, wow, it got fantastic feedback from our team, feeling easy to use at slow speed, but if you open it up, it delivers. Despite its weight it gives race-like grip and feels rock solid in the hardest snow at top speed. In long and short turns it’s full of energy and seems perfectly balanced, with its flex and sidecut never out of sync.

The Super Joy uses Graphene, one of the thinnest, lightest materials known to man, and Head’s ERA 3 rocker to give it a greater range of performance and ease of use. Light and easy to manoeuvre, its flex is well balanced through the ski. It feels best in short turns, where it’s reactive, quick on the edge with enough punch coming out of turns to be fun. On longer turns it grips well, but stability suffers as speeds rise and it feels less comfortable.

BUILD Sandwich Sidewall Construction/Poplar Wood Core with Air Tec/On Piste Rocker

BUILD Light Multicell Core/Middle Sidewall Construction/Tip Rocker

BUILD Koroyd Carbon Construction/ERA 3.0/ Sandwich Cap

RADIUS

£460 with bindings

SIDECUT (mm)

£440 with bindings

118-68-100

SIDECUT (mm)

13m (160cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

150, 155, 160, 165 Loses grip through the end of the curve in short turns

E A I

WE SAY: A nice all-rounder, playful,

E A

SIDECUT (mm)

13m (163cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

Easy to use, light, adaptable and comfortable

126-74-104

£595 with bindings

128-75-108

12.5m (163cm)

148, 153, 158, 163, 168

LENGTHS (cm) 143, 148, 153, 158, 163, 168

Powerful and grippy in all turns. Well balanced

Light, easy to use, punchy in short turns

Slightly soft and skiddy at slow speeds

WE SAY: Easy, but shows strength at

I speed (Rowena Phillips) Needed no fun, versatile (Steph Ede) Starts well, soft in the middle, can lose adaptation17:22 of my technique to get SC_ski-board_issue2oct_HP.qxp_SC_ski-board_issue2oct_HP Page 1 B grip at end of turns (Lynn Sharpe) B 29/09/2014 the best out of it (Lynn Sharpe)

E A I B

Works well at slower speeds, but feels less stable at high speeds on hard snow

WE SAY: Works best in short turns, losing stability in long turns (Lynn Sharpe) Punchy, plenty of reaction with good grip (Tess Swallow)

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 PISTE SKIS: ADVANCED TO EXPERT VÖLKL ALLURA

MOVEMENT SHINE Z-LINE

£550 with bindings

The Allura’s light wood core and tip rocker is made for easy steering, and Völkl’s ‘Bio Logic’ technology supports women’s bodies. Like many Völkls, it gives a smooth, stable ride and you feel the high quality, complex construction. In all turn shapes it feels solid with plenty of edge grip, delivering high performance even pushed hard at speed. The vibration absorption is superb, it feels silky underfoot and rides hard snow with ease.

Movement’s new benchmark for its women’s skis has a wood core with glass/carbon fibre reinforcement. It feels different with a stiff flex that makes it reactive and responsive. Though punchy, it’s a fun, playful ski at its best in short turns with grip and plenty of response. In long turns the flex feels less consistent, with high edge angles it can give way, while on lower edge angles it doesn’t feel so easy to release into the new turn.

BUILD

XTD Sidewall/Ultra Light Wood Core/Tip Rocker

SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS

Okume Poplar Wood Core/ Performance Power Rail/ TPT Thin-Ply Technology SIDECUT (mm) 123-77-107

125-75-96

17m (165cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

RADIUS

144, 151, 158, 165

Flex can work against it — could have more snap and life through the turn

13.5m (162cm)

LENGTHS (cm)

Good grip, smooth, capable in all turn shapes

£629 with bindings

149, 155, 162

Reactive, gives lots of feedback to the skier

Can feel less consistent at speed in long turns

WE SAY: Smooth for medium to

WE SAY: Stiff, strong, even in shorter

short turns, stable and predictable in longs (Rowena Phillips) Solid and stable in long turns (Tess Swallow)

lengths (Lynn Sharpe) Versatile and forgiving in short turns, light and playful, gives a lot back (Steph Ede)

ATOMIC CLOUD ELEVEN ARC

BLIZZARD VIVA 600 FS IQ

The all-new Eleven’s ARC technology channels pressure through its centre letting it flex naturally for strong grip and smooth ride. All testers agreed this loves to go fast, when its edge grip really comes through with seemingly no limit on terrain or speed. It’s still fairly easy to use at slower speeds, being light and easy to pivot, but stability and consistency feels less consistent. Overall, a lively, powerful ski that comes together at a strong pace.

The Viva is designed to be an easyto-use, fun carver for advanced skiers, with tip and tail rocker, full suspension system and full wood core. Hard to fault, this is super responsive and easy to drive into the turn. In the arc it has good grip and feels solid in long and short turns, consistently performing well at speed. It’s powerful through the end of turns, and less experienced skiers may find it hard to handle, but overall, a brilliant ski.

£550 with bindings

£560 with bindings

BUILD BUILD

Piste Rocker/ARC Technology/ Stepdown Sidewall 2.0

SIDECUT (mm) RADIUS

LENGTHS (cm)

E A I B

Tip and Tail Rocker/Dura-Tec/Full Suspension

SIDECUT (mm)

123.5-74-104.5

RADIUS

119-72-102

15m (160cm)

13m (165cm)

LENGTHS (cm) 153,160,167

144, 151, 158, 165

Very grippy, powerful in long and short turns Harder to handle for less experience skiers, more demanding through the end of the turn

Very strong at speed, high levels of grip Only happy if you charge everywhere, feels less consistent at slower speeds

WE SAY: If you have no intention of skiing slowly, this will work (Lynn Sharpe) Great for skiing hard and fast all day (Steph Ede)

E A I B

WE SAY:

Playful, consistent on edge, stable, easy to use with grip (Lynn Sharpe) Easy, while being versatile, strong and solid (Steph Ede)

Tester Profile:

LYNN SHARPE Lynn was a member of the British Alpine Ski Team for five years and has won 17 British junior and senior titles, including British Overall Ladies Champion. She now works as a trainer for the British Association of Snowsport Instructors and is a full-time ski race coach and instructor in Val d’Isère, France. Lynn owns and runs Target Ski Training, which offers race training and coaching for all levels of skier. targetski.com

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

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.

WIN A SKI & SNOWBOARD HOLIDAY TO ANDORRA WITH NEILSON Neilson, the active holiday experts, are offering one lucky person (and their equally lucky guest) the chance to win a ski & snowboard trip to Andorra. In its quest to deliver an excellent wintersports experience and value for money, the principality of Andorra has invested millions to ensure there’s something for everyone both on and off the mountain. They’ve succeeded and this is your chance to check it out! Staying at the Neilson Hotel Del Clos in El Tarter, you’ll be perfectly placed to explore the impressive Grandvalira ski area at the heart of the Pyrenees. Across 210km of well-maintained pistes you’ll find a wonderful range of terrain from gentle slopes for beginners through to world-class black runs.

THE PRIZE

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ski or snowboard equipment hire for 2 people are all included too!

For your chance to win visit www.neilson.co.uk/skicompetition and answer a quick question. Good Luck! TERMS & CONDITIONS - The ski holiday prize is subject to availability and must be taken between 4th Jan-8th Feb 2015 or 23rd Feb-22nd Mar 2015. This prize is non-transferrable and there is no cash alternative. The competition will close on 7th Dec 2014. For full competition terms and conditions visit www.neilson.co.uk/skicompetition

MEN’S PISTE/ENTRY-LEVEL BOARDS

Most snowboarders, regardless of their ability, aspire to two things. Either they want to get good at riding powder, or they want to become proficient in the park. Most boards are therefore designed with one of these two aims in mind and, unlike skis, which are often designed for on-piste racing, it’s rare to find a board that’s designed purely with piste performance in mind. However, entry-level boards — designed for those who are just embarking on their snowboarding careers — come pretty close to that description. These boards tend to be built to be simple, durable and inexpensive. They usually have a soft flex, making them easy to turn, and they often don’t have many of the technological features that you find on more advanced, pricier boards.

BURTON CLASH

Most of the bases on these boards are extruded rather than sintered — this means the P-Tex, or high density polyethylene, which makes up the base has been cut from a single large sheet, rather than “sintered” out of molten P-Tex granules. Extruded bases are tougher and easier to repair, making them perfect for beginners. They also perform well, even when they’re not waxed regularly, and are cheaper to make. Admittedly sintered bases are faster, provided they’re waxed regularly, but if you’re a beginner or intermediate you don’t need to go super-fast. Best of all, this technology means that entry-level board prices are still ridiculously low — every board on these pages costs £300 or less, meaning that they are not only easy to ride, but also easy on the wallet.

£290

DC PBJ

PROFILE:

Rocker

PROFILE:

FLEX: SHAPE:

£240

FLEX: Directional Twin

SHAPE:

PHOTO: Swiss Tourism

Whether you want to try out snowboarding for the first time, or are happiest cruising on piste, there has never been a better time to buy a piste or entry-level board. Prices once again this year are astoundingly low. Tristan Kennedy explains why.

RIDE AGENDA FLEX:

Camber True Twin

PROFILE: SHAPE:

LENGTHS (cm): 139, 145, 151, 155, 158, 160 — 157W, 160W, 164W

LENGTHS (cm): 144, 149, 153, 157 — 155W, 159W

PISTES:

POWDER:

JUMPS:

RAILS:

While the technology in this board has come on in leaps and bounds, the designers’ principal aim hasn’t changed. This board is built to be “easy to ride and even easier on the wallet”. This year’s model feature’s Burton’s ‘V-Rocker’ profile, which lifts the contact points at the tip and tail. This, combined with the soft flexing core, gives the board a forgiving feel. The base is extruded, so isn’t the fastest, but if you’re looking for a beginner-to-intermediate cruiser, they don’t come much better than this.

£275

Not strictly speaking an entry-level board — PBJ stands for ‘park board for jibbing’ — many of its park features make it ideal for beginners and those looking to cruise the pistes. It’s soft, with a forgiving flex that makes it easy to turn. The camber helps it feel stable and predictable, and while the contact points are more defined than on many rocker boards, DC has minimised the chances of learners “scorpioning” — catching an edge and hitting the snow hard — with a 3° bevel on the edges.

Rocker True Twin

LENGTHS (cm): 147, 152, 156, 159 — 153W, 157W, 161W

Long part of Ride’s range, the Agenda has first-time buyers in mind. However, just because the soft flex, rocker profile and true twin shape suit beginners and intermediates, it doesn’t mean that more skilled riders can’t enjoy it too. If you’re partial to park riding, and especially rails, you’ll appreciate those very same features. This reviewer has even seen pros hitting 15-metre (50ft) kickers on an Agenda, proving that it’s not what you’ve got but what you do with it that counts.

MEN’S PISTE/ENTRY-LEVEL BOARDS

K2 RAYGUN

ENDEAVOR NEW STANDARD

£300

FLEX: Rocker

PROFILE:

Directional Twin

LENGTHS (cm):

SHAPE:

153, 156, 159, 161

PROFILE: Combo

LENGTHS (cm):

True Twin 145, 149, 151, 154, 157

SHAPE: LENGTHS (cm):

PISTES:

POWDER:

JUMPS:

RAILS:

NOVEMBER 2014

Endeavor says it has made a board that is “aggressive and fun”, “loose and stable” and “soft yet poppy”. These are usually polar opposites, so is the claim true? Well, yes and no. The board feels fun and forgiving to ride, and is more stable at speed than you might expect thanks to dampening in the sidewalls. If you really want loads of pop, go for something stiffer and more advanced, but if you’re looking for an all-round intermediate piste and park performer, you can’t go far wrong at this price.

skiclub.co.uk

£290

FLEX:

PISTES:

Most entry-level and intermediate boards have a freestyle bias. The aspects that make them forgiving and easy to turn also make them good for tricks. The Raygun, however, has a nearly flat profile, which combined with a setback stance, means it performs better in powder than many of its true-twin rivals. While it’s never going to be as good as a swallowtail off-piste, it also costs a fraction of the price. If you’re an intermediate with a penchant for powder, this should suit you to a tee. Ski+board

Rocker

FLEX:

PROFILE: SHAPE:

£299

SALOMON CRAFT

True Twin 146, 149, 152, 154, 156, 158, 160

The Craft’s soft flex and forgiving ‘rock out camber’ profile (a Salomon-specific combo, including camber, rocker and flat sections) makes it easy to ride. However, once you’ve moved beyond linking your first turns, you’ll find this board is a capable, all-round performer. Rubber inserts help absorb the speed ‘chatter’ you get hitting chopped up snow, and the EQ sidecut helps it to hold an edge on ice and hardpack. The extruded base means it’s not the fastest, but it’s a great intermediate all-rounder.

WOMEN’S PISTE/ENTRY-LEVEL BOARDS TIME TO LIGHTEN UP

Women’s entry-level boards are very similar to men’s — only shorter and designed for lighter body weights. These models might have a slight powder or park bias, but most are built as all-rounders, and as such are perfect for piste cruising. One welcome new development this year is that, while manufacturers have traditionally been unadventurous with their graphics for piste boards, this season the Salomon Lotus and Burton Feather have cool new designs, meaning you can look good on piste without forking out a fortune. 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.

NITRO MYSTIQUE

£299

SALOMON LOTUS

Combo

PROFILE:

FLEX:

PROFILE: SHAPE:

Directional Twin

LENGTHS (cm):

142, 146, 149, 152, 155

SHAPE: LENGTHS (cm):

PISTES:

POWDER:

JUMPS:

RAILS:

The Mystique takes a slightly softer approach graphically than many Nitro boards, but it’s made with a hard-hitting rider in mind. The flex is much stiffer than on most boards in this price range, making it responsive rather than forgiving and letting it grip hardpack and ice. The ‘gullwing’ combo profile, with its lifted contact points, means intermediates will still be okay, but it’s definitely designed for riders who want to step it up a gear. If you like charging fast, this will help accelerate your learning curve.

BURTON FEATHER

£220

£290

FLEX: PROFILE: SHAPE: LENGTHS (cm):

Flat Directional Twin 135, 138, 142 , 146, 151, 155

The Lotus is designed to help you “flourish on-hill and experience everything the mountain has to offer”. It has a flat base that is stable and predictable, and a soft flex that makes it easy to turn. Its directional twin shape means your first forays into powder should not be characterised by nosing under, but elsewhere the technology is pretty simple with the extruded base meaning it’s not particularly fast. But if you’re after a piste-cruiser, you’ll be pushed to find anything better at this price.

K2 BRIGHT LITE

£300

FLEX: Rocker Directional Twin 140, 144, 149, 152, 155

PROFILE: SHAPE: LENGTHS (cm):

PISTES:

POWDER:

JUMPS:

RAILS:

The Feather is Burton’s women’s answer to the Clash — a soft, forgiving directional twin that’s a pleasure to learn on and a lot of fun for intermediates too. It features an extruded base rather than the faster, more expensive sintered alternative. The ‘V-Rocker’ profile has lifted tip and tail contact points, making it forgiving, and while it’s not the most stable at speed, if you want a fun board that makes improving easy, Burton’s Feather should definitely be on your shortlist.

Rocker Directional Twin 138, 142, 146, 149, 151, 154

K2 describes the Bright Lite as “a board women can grow with”. It’s not K2’s absolute entry-level board (the First Lite is cheaper) but it’s well within the ability range of most beginners. The base is extruded and there’s no special dampening or stiffening technology in the core. However, this is still a competent allround performer. The ‘rocker’ profile is largely flat underneath the bindings, making it feel stable, which, combined with soft flex, makes this an excellent platform for all-mountain progression.

Ski holidays

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GET YOUR SKIS ON! The new season is nearly here and there’s no better feeling than being back on the slopes. Take advantage of our early booking prices and choose from our portfolio of hand-picked chalet hotels in some of the finest, snow-sure resorts in the Alps.

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SKI TECHNOLOGY

AVALANCHE SAFETY KIT

As increasing numbers of skiers and riders abandon the pistes for the untouched beauty, tranquillity and challenges of the backcountry, avalanche safety equipment is becoming an integral part of the arsenal of wintersports enthusiasts. This winter sees the launch of several new and improved products, such as Airbag systems (ABS), transceivers and probes. Technology editor Gabriella Le Breton investigates further.

ORTOVOX ZOOM+

Gabriella Le Breton

£180

This neat, pebble-shaped avalanche transceiver is ideal for skiers and riders new to beacons as it is, quite simply, the easiest and most intuitive on the market. With just two function buttons and a straightforward display, it’s a great ‘dummy-proof’ option which nonetheless features Smart Antenna Technology, which analyses its position in an avalanche and automatically switches to the best transmission antenna. The Zoom+ does give a fairly limited range (a maximum of about 33 metres) but it’s well priced and makes a great introductory beacon. You can also buy it as part of a full rescue kit, including the Ortovox Zoom+, a shovel and probe for £225. ellis-brigham.com

MAMMUT LIGHT R.A.S. £500 30L RUCKSACK

K2 RESCUE PLUS £45 SHOVEL

Although expensive, an ABS rucksack can increase your chances of survival in an avalanche. All work in a similar way: the pack contains a refillable compressed gas container and one or two airbags. When caught in an avalanche, you pull the activation handle on the bag’s shoulder strap, releasing the gas to inflate the airbag, enabling you to float on, or close to, the surface of the avalanche. A common issue is weight, but Mammut, which recently acquired the ABS specialist Snowpulse, has created the 1.9kg (4.2lb) durable and reliable 30-litre R.A.S. backpack, which further benefits from a well-protected trigger system and neatly organised internal airbag/ canister system. mammut.com

Built from heat-treated aluminium, this multifunctional shovel boasts tried and tested durability while remaining light at 715 grams (1.6lbs). It has an extendable handle, serrated edge (handy for chopping blocks of snow) and can be transformed into a hoe by repositioning the handle, enabling you to move snow downhill more easily. Where it really comes into its own, however, is in its ability to work as a rescue sled when paired with K2 skis. You will find four screws stored in the handle which, when combined with the shovel, a length of cord, ski poles and K2 skis (other screws can be used for different brands of ski) create a safe, sturdy rescue sled in less than five minutes. k2skis.com

BLACK DIAMOND AGENT AVALUNG £175 An AvaLung pack is designed to increase your chances of survival in an avalanche by pulling fresh air from the snowpack. You activate the AvaLung before an off-piste descent, pulling out the mouthpiece and tubing which are otherwise stowed away in the shoulder strap. In the case of burial, you manoeuvre the mouthpiece to inhale fresh air from the bi-valve intake box in the shoulder strap valve box and expel carbon dioxide through the integrated exhaust port. There are arguments that there isn’t time to insert the mouthpiece when caught in an avalanche or treewell, so it’s worth practising the manoeuvre or simply skiing with it in your mouth. A good option for light day trips, it also has a space for avalanche tools, an insulated hydration sleeve, helmet holder and ski-carry cable for hiking. snowandrock.com

PIEPS IPROBE ONE

£100

This innovative probe has a low range beacon in the tip that locks in on any standard transmitting avalanche transceiver, providing visual and audible feedback to pinpoint avalanche burials. Easy to assemble and use — there’s a simple on/off button — the iProbe has a secure latch that’s easy to use with gloves on. Similar to most transceivers, its chirp increases in frequency the closer it gets to the beacon, emitting a solid tone within 20cm to 50cm (8ins to 20ins). In the case of multiple burials, you can suppress the signal from the transmitting beacon you have found so you can search for others, but this only works if they are Pieps DSP and Pieps Freeride beacons. pieps.com

THE NORTH FACE POWDER $1,379/£845 GUIDE ABS VEST Originally designed for ski patrollers, this is worn over your outer shell and is intended to hold all the essentials for a backcountry excursion that you would usually keep in a pack. It has pockets for a probe, shovel handle and goggles, as well as a builtin ABS, and you can attach your skis or board to its straps for short hikes. It’s a handy bit of kit, better suited to short trips than big excursions or touring, but it’s only available in the US. Sadly you can’t buy it online as, just as airlines have rules on carrying ABS cannisters, they can’t ship them abroad. However, there’s talk of a European launch next winter. thenorthface.com Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

skiclub.co.uk

HIT OR MISS?

SIDAS UV DRYWARMER

£25

Founded in 1975 by three ski instructors, Sidas has pioneered the creation of specialist insoles for sports from skiing to hiking. At the end of the ski day, plug in the Drywarmer and slide its lozenges into the toe box of your boots. The warmers generate enough heat to dry them out over an hour or more but are gentle enough not to damage custom liners. They also emit ultraviolet radiation to kill bacteria and germs, reducing odours and prolonging the life of your boots. Start the day with toasty toes by switching on the warmers while you have breakfast and, on cold days, slip the warmers into your backpack and warm up your boots over lunch. The Drywarmers can be used in any type of shoe/boot, so you can use them throughout the year. snowandrock.com

SKI RETRIEVER

£95

Here’s the theory. You’re nailing a virgin powder slope, you catch a ski and you’re flying through the air. So you spend the next half hour hunting for a ski buried deep in the snow. Digging frantically, you hear your mates muttering about having no friends on a powder day… Enter the Ski Retriever: a system which uses a radio-frequency receiver and a pair of transmitter tags to attach to your skis. The Ski Retriever ‘mates’ to each transmitter tag, establishing a unique frequency between the two devices (each receiver can be linked to four tags at one time). When you lose your skis, the receiver directs you to them audibly and visually with LED indicators. So what’s not to like? Well, aside from the fact that the claim it can transmit up to 125 metres (400 feet) in ‘optimum’ conditions has proven optimistic under test conditions, what the maker calls a credit card-sized handset is mobile phone-sized in reality. And for those of us who are always leaving our mobiles behind, what are the chances we’ll have this on us and charged when we need it? Skiers are probably best off using their other ski to slice the snow until they find the lost one. Alternatively, spend a tenner on a Powder Trace, or tie a brightly-coloured ribbon to your skis. skiretriever.com

SKI TECHNOLOGY

THE BEST PROTECTIVE HELMETS AND CLOTHING

Skiing and snowboarding are evolving ever more quickly — speeds are increasing, drops are bigger, jumps higher and rails longer. As exciting as this is, a side effect is the number of injuries. But there has also been a significant development in the quality of helmets and protective clothing. The technology in most cycle helmets, for instance, is far surpassed by that in ski helmets, which alone should persuade you to wear one this winter... The proliferation of helmets on the slopes is the most obvious indicator of the growth of protective kit. A rarity just over decade ago, now most of us wear them. If you haven’t been converted to the joy of helmets for fear they’re uncomfortable, try SALOMON’S CUSTOM AIR FIT (salomon.com, from £110). The inside of the helmet, pictured, is lined with air pockets which you fill using a thumb-sized blister pump, ensuring a good fit each time you put it on and better protection for your head. For technical excellence, it’s hard to beat Swedish brand POC SPORTS (pocsports.com), which has been at the forefront of helmet technology since it exploded on to the snowsports scene in 2004. The POC Lab gathers leading neurologists, back specialists and sports medicine experts to address the increasing risks in wintersports, while POC’s big-name athletes put their products to the test on the slopes. The fruits of this extensive research and development include POC’s pioneering anti-rotational violence technology and Multi-directional Impact Protection System (MIPS), which mimics the movement of brain fluid to protect the brain from oblique impacts, the most common type of head injury. Following the success of its snow helmets, POC also makes highly regarded bicycle helmets, which share much of the same technology and construction methods, which gives rise to the question: “Can I have one helmet for all the sports in my life?” POC’s Receptor range, pictured, features the Receptor+, the only helmet with globally-recognised certifications for skiing, snowboarding, biking, skateboarding and watersports. Thanks to its VDSAP system (Ventilated Double Shell Anti-Penetration), the RECEPTOR+ (from £175) has enough ventilation for both winter and summer sports and comes with a winter accessory kit, including a detachable insulated lining, neck roll, ear covers and goggle clip.

French manufacturer CEBE (cebe.com) also offers a multifunctional helmet, the TRILOGY (£115), which meets European standards for mountain biking, skiing and mountaineering. It features a modular design based around a dome-shaped mountaineering helmet with integrated venting — simply add ear pads and vent plugs for snowsports or a visor for biking. One of the most exciting developments comes from DAINESE, the Italian firm best known for making protective gear for motorbike riders. Working with the International Ski Federation (FIS), it has been developing its D-AIR SKI range, below, based on D-Air airbag technology, for four years, revealing a prototype at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Using an array of sensors and a painstakingly tailored algorithm to detect the exact moment when an athlete loses control, the back-mounted D-Air system instantly inflates around the skier or rider to protect them from impact. The algorithm is the crux of the D-Air system, enabling it to distinguish between normal ski racing forces and those indicating a serious fall. Dainese pulled data from some 250 descents, over 12 hours of ski time and extensive FIS trauma data to develop it. Three accelerometers, three gyroscopes and a GPS system monitor the forces as you ski, which are analysed by the algorithm-driven microprocessor. When the forces fall outside the threshold determined by the algorithm, it triggers the activation of an eight-litre airbag, which wraps around the upper body, protecting the chest, shoulders, collarbones and cervical vertebrae. Dainese claims it absorbs up to 61% of the impact force, and the process, from crash detection to inflation, takes milliseconds. Designed for competition use, it weighs just 800 grams (1.75lbs) and is worn over a back protector and underneath a racing suit. It has an LED indicator to show battery status and a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery charged through a USB, which is also used to upload data from its onboard memory. Dainese is expected to launch a competition-ready system this winter and has already announced its intention to design additional protection pieces for other parts of the body, saying the technology is likely to influence “possible interactions between skis and bindings”. But remember, none of these gadgets can beat skiing safely! Give us your verdict on the latest ski gadgets at skiclub.co.uk/chatforum

South Tyrol ... Italy with a twist

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HEALTH&FITNESS

WAKE UP, BODY

Autumn may be the time when nature is shutting down, but for skiers it’s the perfect point to wake up the main muscle groups required for skiing. The second in our four-past series outlines a basic strength routine that can be done just as easily at home as in the gym.

1 THE SQUAT

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 THE SPLIT SQUAT (OR LUNGE)

A. Start in a neutral posture with you feet shoulderwidth apart. B. Simply bend your knees keeping your head up and arms out for balance.

Craig McLean

2. A.

A. Stand, again with your feet shoulder-width apart B. Put one foot forward, flat on the ground, and the other back, with your heel off the ground

C. As seen from the front, maintain a strong, upright ‘skiing’ posture and squat as low as you feel comfortable. Straighten again in a controlled manner. Do three sets of ten squats.

C. Lower yourself straight down in a controlled manner, ensuring that your weight is equally shared between front and back leg and then steadily lift again. Repeat ten times per leg, and do three sets.

You’re doing it wrong if you allow your body to collapse forward, possibly in an attempt to bend your knees too far.

Myth busters

You need to be flexible to ski or snowboard

You’re doing it wrong if you allow the front knee to fold beyond 90 degrees, as this puts too much pressure on the knee.

Fitness experts are always urging skiers to limber up before the season begins to improve flexibility. So if you’re as stiff as a board is it time to hang up your boots, lest you hurt yourself? Absolutely not. We all know older skiers who can ski hard all day, but are nowhere near able to touch

their toes. In fact, making sure your overall strength is good plays a more important role in keeping you safe on the slopes and making skiing more enjoyable. There is no doubt that certain aspects of technique require flexibility, especially for the ankle and hip joints and lower back. However, you are best off preparing the muscle groups around these to be strong and responsive. If not delayed onset muscle

HEALTH&FITNESS

3. A.

HEALTH&FITNESS

3 THE PLANK AND SIDE PLANK A. Start either in a full push-up position or B. in a half push-up position (on elbows and knees). Then hold this position for as long as you can. Aim for 60 seconds but if ten seconds is all you can manage, then start with that and try and build up to 60 seconds. Repeat three times. C. For the side plank, start with one foot in front of the other, use the inside of the front foot and the outside of the other. Hold your body in a straight line, again for ten to 60 seconds, then repeat on the other side. Do three of each.

4 THE STEP-UP

A. Start by lifting one leg on to a bench, low stool or high step. Ideally your knee should be at a 90 to 120 degree angle, but try different heights of step to find what is right for you.

5. A.

You’re doing it wrong if your knee is so bent it makes an angle of less than 90 degrees, in which case find a lower step.

soreness, or Doms, will be your enemy on the slopes. This is the pain in muscles that we are all familiar with, normally peaking on day three of your skiing holiday. Pain and tenderness peak one to three days after exercise; stiffness and swelling three to four days after exercise. This leads to a perfect snowstorm on day three. The problem with Doms is that it is also associated with muscle weakness, Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

increasing your chance of injury and decreasing your enjoyment. Recovery from Doms can take up to five or ten days, by which time you may be on the plane home. By far the best way to avoid problems is to build muscle strength before your holiday, by cycling, walking, doing hill reps, running or even horse riding. If you do have an attack of Doms on your trip, there is little evidence to show

skiclub.co.uk

5 THE BRIDGE AND ONE-LEGGED BRIDGE A. Lie on your back with your knees bent and arms flat by your side.

B. Lift off the back leg C. Bring it up to join the other one on the step and then return it in a controlled manner. Repeat this movement for each leg ten times (alternating legs if desired) and do three sets.

You’re doing it wrong if you allow your buttocks to rise beyond the horizontal — or equally fall below the horizontal — in either exercise.

B. Raise your buttocks off the ground so your torso and legs form a straight line. Do three sets of ten steady raises and falls. C. To increase the level of difficulty, raise your buttocks again, only this time, once torso and thighs are level, raise one leg off the ground, then steadily drop the buttocks to the ground ten times with one leg remaining lifted so the other leg does all the work, then repeat on the other side and do three sets.

You’re doing it wrong if you don’t lift your body high enough off the ground.

that anti-inflammatories, stretching and massages help. Cold water plunge pools and compression — through the wearing of compression tights, say — may help, though this is usually needed within minutes of doing the exercise. In short, preparation is the best answer, so why not take the chance to get fit now? You may not become super-flexible, but you can build strength relatively easily.

HEALTH&FITNESS

ME AND MY OPERATION Serious ski accidents are rare, particularly when compared to other sports. On average skiers report three accidents to the ski patrol per thousand skiing days, compared to 30 accidents per thousand football days and 60 for rugby. Still accidents do happen, as Roger Bray knows.

There are two things the uninitiated need to know about a serious fracture. Full recovery takes much longer than you expect — and medical advice can be inconsistent. I broke my left hip on a blue piste in Austria. One moment I was enjoying a sunny morning of perfect snow, the next I was trying in vain to heave myself upright. Skiers were practising on the same run for the next day’s famous Weisse Ring race Head of femur between Lech and Zürs. I suspect, though I can’t swear to it, that a competitor may have clipped the back of my left ski, probably without even knowing it. I was stretchered down the mountain and after X-rays in the clinic at Lech came the dread news: it was fractured. I would need an operation and it would be three months before I Femur could put my weight on the leg. I was transferred to Feldkirch, an hour away, switching ambulances en route, while the expenses meter ticked relentlessly. Even before I had entered the hospital the bill was already over £400. Never go skiing uninsured. After more X-rays the surgeon said he might have to fit a new hip. Could today get any better, I wondered? Well, my bone density appeared good for my age (I recently entered my 70s). He might be able to pin the fractured bone. I caught his words from an adjacent room to a colleague. “Ah, well,” he said in English of my mishap, “no risk, no fun.” He came back into the room. Did he have my permission to replace the hip if pinning failed? “After all, I cannot wake you up to check.” In the end, a new hip was not needed. The operation took a mere six minutes. Three big pins, like crossbow bolts, were inserted into the narrow bone beneath the hip’s ball and socket. Next morning the surgeon warned me there was still a medium-term risk that the blood supply would not recover but “vith a bit of luck, it vill be good as new”. Six days followed in a public ward with just one other patient, a local with a cough high on the Richter scale. Was it painful? No. After the first few, sedated hours, the only time I took a painkiller was for cramp in the affected leg. With my introduction to crutches came the first inconsistency. When would I be able to try stairs? Not for some time, said the first physiotherapist. Right away, said the second. It was easy enough on the hospital’s broad steps.

Back home, on my steep, Edwardian staircase, I needed to order an extra rail to hang on to. Unable to put weight on the leg I felt time in a hydrotherapy pool would be beneficial. For some reason to do with NHS reorganisation, my GP could not refer me to St George’s, Tooting, so I had to go private. Exercising the leg in warm water was bliss. Two months after the accident, the GP was able to refer me to St George’s for a check-up. You can walk on it, I was told, to my surprise. But what about the advice in Austria? “We take a different view.” And so began some five months of private physiotherapy: rotating the leg while lying on my side, various movements using stretch bands, forward lunges and, later, step-ups on piles of travel books in my office. Two months after I began weightbearing I had progressed from using two crutches to one, then a walking pole, and was able, gingerly, to go Pelvis hiking. After another two months I returned to Lech to pick up the gear I had been unable to bring home, walked in the mountains and revisited the clinic where the bad news had been delivered. Last winter, nearly a year on and somewhat nervously, I skied again. Though readers will naturally want to block out thoughts that it could happen to them, heed this advice: maintain a good level of fitness off the slopes, because if the worst does come to pass it will ease beyond measure the long slog to rehabilitation.

THE CHIROPRACTOR’S VIEW Craig McLean says: I agree with Roger’s conclusion: strength and fitness are not only important in preventing injury but, if injury does occur, it helps hugely. I work with many people who have hip degeneration. I tell them a hip replacement may be inevitable, but there are many things they can do to improve their strength and flexibility that will not only give them more years from their original parts — their hips — but also aid their post-operative recovery. To add my advice to the various opinions Roger received, I would say do not rush back to weight-bearing if you have fractured the bone of a lower limb. It’s important to ensure a solid union before any stress is placed on it. After breaking my own leg while skiing in 2012, I had the unusual benefit of my own X-ray machine on which I was able to watch at monthly intervals how long the gap was taking to close — six months in all. I applaud Roger in returning to skiing just a year later — not only a physical victory but a mental one. Get expert advice from chiropractor and fitness expert Craig McLean, plus others, at skiclub.co.uk/asktheexpert

ADVERTORIAL

IS IT ANY SURPRISE MOST OF THEM WILL BE COMING BACK?

80% of people who go on a Freshtracks holidays come back for more – we reckon that says more for the experience than we ever could. There are a few things that set the trips apart. Firstly, they’re not your average ski holiday. There’s something to suit all abilities, sure, but what’s really exciting is there’s something to raise all abilities. They say learning new things makes life feel longer, and if there’s ever a part of life that needs extending, it’s holidays. Come home with a goggle tan, well-used muscles and new skills – whether it’s mountaincraft, touring, heli and catskiing, or just getting better at charging around the piste. Come back with new friends too. Freshtracks holidays group people together by ability,

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so you’ll meet a bunch of people like you. There are supplement-free single room holidays if you are coming alone, or if you are coming with people of different abilities, you have a chance to ski at your real level for a change. And if you’re over 50, we have trips designed for you too. New this season we have more development, instruction and guiding to help you take your skiing to the next level, more options for the over 50’s, and more great value trips to Italy, including off-piste in Passo Tonale, development in Folgarida and weekends to Madesimo. Prices start from just £799 including instruction, flights and transfers.

TECHNIQUE:JAVELIN TURNS

TRANSFORM YOUR TECHNIQUE WITH JUST

ONE DRILL

One day you’re skiing brilliantly, the next terribly. What happened? All you need to do is repeat one exercise to regain your balance, says Mark Jones, after the mandatory warm-up, of course 84 There are some key moves you can do to make an instant difference to your skiing ability so that you immediately feel ‘on the money’. But before you tackle them it’s imperative to warm up. Many skiers avoid a warm-up, succumbing to the temptation to slap the skis on and go for a blast. Warming up is critical to getting the best out of your day. Physically, it increases blood flow to your muscles and primes your nerve-to-muscle pathways. Mentally, it prepares you to ski well. Failing to warm up and diving into high intensity skiing is going to make you more susceptible to injury and will reduce your chances of skiing at full potential. This is the sort of routine you can go through before getting into your full skiing day, so you can perform at your full potential.

it slowly, making some easy turns, and focus on feeling the sensations in your body. This is a great opportunity to say ‘hello’ to your feet. You should focus on feeling centered over the middle

first few runs are nice and easy — and well within your comfort zone. This is the right way to prepare your body to ski hard and fast. Once you have warmed up, it’s time to get skiing properly. As with any

of your feet, rather than relying on bracing yourself against the front or back of the boot. You should be feeling pressure through the sole of your foot, rather than through the shins or calves. Whatever you feel, it’s vital that those

sport, you can have days when you feel like a legend, while on others you are forever making mistakes. If it feels like one of your offdays, then it’s definitely time to try something different...

Make sure you are well supported on the upper foot. This will give you the platform to balance

As you lift the ski, focus on being well balanced over the support foot. You should feel pressure through the ball and heel of the foot

Warming up doesn’t have to mean doing embarrassing stretches in front of the cable car. But it will take a bit of time. Try to find a quiet, secluded, flat spot, then take your skis off and get moving. A bit of slow jogging on the spot works well — anything easy to get your heart rate up. Stop once you’re starting to feel out of breath (which doesn’t take long at altitude in the Alps). Now is the time to get into action. Swing your legs one at a time, twist your hips and move your arms. Basically, you are trying to get your joints mobile and raise your heart rate. You won’t be fully warmed up, but it will prepare your body for some work. Now, at last, it’s time to make some turns. For your first run, relax, take

PHOTO: Rupert Tildesley

WARM-UP TECHNIQUES

TECHNIQUE:JAVELIN TURNS

JAVELIN TURNS This is the godfather of all drills — any skier will feel an immediate difference after doing this. You lift the inside ski and hold it over your outside ski, which supports your weight. When you finish a turn put the lifted ski down and immediately lift the other one to start a new turn. Use medium to long radius turns at a slow speed. The lifted ski is crossed over because it puts your body in a more effective position and makes it easier to balance. This drill takes practice and initially balancing is hard work. To get through that frustrating period faster, a few points help: 1. Make sure you are balanced over the middle of the foot and not leaning against the front or back of the boot. 2. Relax the muscles in your foot. If there is too much tension it’s hard for your body to balance and make those constant micro adjustments that are keeping you upright. 3. Use your arms to help balance, keep them forward, away from your body 4. Keep your belly button over your feet. This will place your centre of

TECHNIQUE:JAVELIN TURNS

gravity in a good position, letting you use your frame to balance, rather than rely on muscular strength. Basically, it’s about being upright enough to rely on your skeletal frame, while being low enough to be in an athletic stance ready for action. Though being low and flexed can help with balance, it does create a lot of muscular tension, which makes balance harder. Once you have the drill nailed, then it’s time to get some mileage in. It’s vital that once you have performed the drill accurately, you repeat it. If you get tired, stop, recover, then go again. Using this drill on one long descent of an easy piste should be good enough. If that felt good then try some variations: 1. Go for the same drill with no poles. This will make you even more sensitive to balance and keeping your centre of gravity over your feet.

TECHNIQUE:JAVELIN TURNS

2. If you feel adventurous, continue without poles, but try folding your arms. This really challenges your balance and will deliver great results. 3. Try the standard drill on an easy piste, but increase the speed by riding on the edges of the skis. This will improve your balance at speed. To finish, return to the top of an easy piste and make two or three good javelin turns. Then, without stopping, put both skis down and ski normally. Try to make the same radius of turn you made in the javelins, keeping your skis in contact with the snow and relax. You should notice an instant difference. Your balance should feel more effective and you should be aware of a more sensitive touch over the outside ski. Essentially you should feel that you are skiing really well and that you are ready to take on higher speeds and harder slopes.

Mark Jones is a director and trainer with ICE, a performance training centre and gap course provider in Val d’Isère. Mark is also a trainer for The British Association of Snowsport Instructors. His ski tips can be accessed on icesi.org

Start to counterbalance against the pressure from the ski by moving your hips to the inside of the turn

Stay strong by maintaining an athletic stance while keeping upright enough that you use minimal muscular effort

Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

skiclub.co.uk

TECHNIQUE:OFF-PISTE

WILL YOUR SORTIE END IN A CLIFF-HANGER?

While avalanche accidents often hit the headlines, the dozens of skiers who are injured or killed from falling rarely attract the same attention. Yet hundreds of people every season are evacuated by helicopter out of tricky and dangerous situations in the Alps. One of them was Martin Moody, a keen skier who, with his family, found himself in trouble in Val d’Isère, France, when venturing away from marked runs. “It was sunny with good visibility and we didn’t have a guide,” Martin recalls. “I thought I knew the route. When my 13-year-old son Simon asked, ‘Do you know where we’re going?’ I replied, ‘Of course I do.’” Thirty minutes later, as the consultant urologist and his family were perched on a cliff, he was more contrite, admitting: “It was obvious I didn’t.” Martin and his family were winched to safety by helicopter at a cost of more than €2,000, happily without injury. Since then, he has skied with me back in Val d’Isère, where we went through some basic strategies to ensure that his future choices of route would be more down to science than luck. Secured, ungroomed pistes (called different things in different resorts, from ‘nature ride’ to ‘freeride itineraries’) are secured ‘pistes’ that are not groomed. This is perfect terrain for anyone starting off-piste without a guide. After a snowfall fresh tracks can often be found, but the routes are official, so there are fewer ways to get into trouble if you follow the markers. Since the resort does not send ‘piste-bashers’ down you ski them at your own risk in terms of quality of snow. However, they are avalanche controlled and a pisteur skis down them at the end of the day. If such a run is closed, it is usually because of avalanche danger and should be avoided. Secured, ungroomed runs must not be confused with offpiste itineraries, often marked by dotted lines on piste maps, which in France are genuine off-piste areas, and not secured. What if the unsecured off-piste is the only option open to you? The first rule is: don’t ski a slope if you’re unsure where it goes, even if you see tracks. They could be from paragliding ‘speed-riders’ heading to a cliff they will fly off! And it is vital not to follow tracks on glaciated terrain where crevasses can be hidden. Here you should always go with a mountain guide until you have done courses on crevasse rescue and route-finding on glaciers. Rather, pick slopes you have skied with an instructor, guide or experienced skier, or which you have investigated very closely. The second rule as you start venturing off-piste is: learn to judge slope angles. You should only ski off-piste where slopes — both above and below you — are no steeper than

PHOTO: Jamie Robertson/peakphotographics.com

In the second of a new series on enjoying off-piste safely, expert Henry Schniewind considers the under-reported hazard of ending up in a tight spot.

25 degrees, equal to the steepest part of a French red run. Avalanches don’t occur on such slopes. I will go into the subject of avalanches in the next issue. It is also worth doing a bit of research. In most resorts there are great off-piste books and maps that tell you about off-piste in the area. Ask at the chalet, tourist office or local newsagent if they have any such guides. And remember, even if there are no cliffs around, skiing into the wrong valley can leave you with a huge taxi bill and blisters to match.

AVALANCHE AWARENESS TALKS The Ski Club, in association with Ortovox, Henry’s Avalanche Talk, Ellis Brigham and Val d’Isère, is running avalanche awareness talks on the following dates:

OCTOBER 29 — Essentials Talk, Ellis Brigham, Manchester 30 — Advanced Talk, Ellis Brigham, Manchester

NOVEMBER 4 — Essentials Talk, Ellis Brigham, Covent Garden 5 — Advanced Talk, Ellis Brigham, Covent Garden 6 — Essentials Talk, King’s Arms, next to Ellis Brigham, Bristol 10 — Advanced Talk, King’s Arms, next to Ellis Brigham, Bristol 12 — Essentials Talk, Ellis Brigham, London St Paul’s 19 — Essentials Talk, Ellis Brigham, Cambridge 20 — Advanced Talk, Ellis Brigham, Cambridge The cost is £12 a ticket, but Ski Club members get £2 off. Visit henrysavalanchetalk.com or HenryOffPiste.com

NATIONWIDE SKI FILM CINEMA TOUR NOVEMBER 2014 - JANUARY 2015

FOR MORE INFORMATION & TICKETS

warrenmiller.co.uk

NTB Ski & Board.indd 1

29/09/2014 16:20

PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS

H W T TAKE BETTER PH T S In the second of our articles giving advice on how to take stunning photos on snow, Ski+board’s picture editor John Norris explains how you can improve the quality of shots taken on a compact camera or even just your mobile phone — including the notorious selfie. So, you don’t want to lug around a heavy camera while you ski, with that big lens jutting out at an awkward angle? No matter. By following a few simple guidelines, you can still get beautiful images from modern compact models or even the camera on your phone, as advances in technology make them ever more effective. And remember, the best camera is always the one you have on you! What your shots may lack in resolution they will make up for in spontaneity. However, with such cameras one general rule applies more than ever — if in doubt keep it simple. 88 [1]

PHOTO: JOHN NORRIS ON A FUJI X10

[2] Don’t be over-ambitious with

[2]

zoom — this is where the limitations of both compact cameras and phones become most apparent. Not only does zoom require a steady hand, even if you have image stabilisers, but the ‘digital zoom’ on phones is no substitute for a zoom lens. Better to shoot wide and crop later. In low light always stick to non-zoomed shots to avoid grainy, soft images.

GEAR

TIP

TRY PANORAMIC MODE ON AN IPHONE OR COMPACT CAMERA FOR FUN VISTAS, CROPPING SHOTS LATER. USE PEOPLE, TREES OR BUILDINGS IN THE FOREGROUND TO ADD DEPTH TO THE IMAGE.

PHOTO: JOHN NORRIS ON A CANON G12

[1] Shooting into the sun is always a

high-risk, high-gain tactic, but never more so than on phones or basic cameras, as you are more likely to get ‘flare’ — coloured patches on the image that can either ruin a shot or give it an atmospheric, nostalgic feeling. Which of the two you end up with depends as much on luck as on judgment. Certainly your pictures will have better colour and detail if you avoid pointing the lens into the sun.

[3] For action shots, iPhones and some newer

compacts feature an effective ‘burst’ mode, taking a series of shots in quick succession to increase the chance of success. That said, there is no substitute for good timing, so anticipating the action will help you nail the shot. I find using the ‘plus’ button on the side of iPhones is more accurate than touching the screen as a shutter release. These shots of the Glacier d’Argentière were done on an iPhone 4S. On older iPhones try apps such as Photoburst.

GEAR

TIP

[3]

KEEP COMPACTS AND PHONES ACCESSIBLE FOR SPONTANEOUS SHOTS, BUT ALSO NEAR YOUR BODY AS HEAT MAKES BATTERIES LAST LONGER. A PLASTIC BAG WILL KEEP IT DRY. PORTABLE CHARGERS SUCH AS THE POWER TRAVELLER RECHARGES PHONES AS YOU SKI.

PHOTO: JOHN NORRIS ON A IPHONE 4S

[4]

[4] Even the now ubiquitous ‘selfie’

can be improved by checking what is behind you, avoiding pylons and piste markers poking out of heads, and faux pas like ‘hat gap’ when goggles push [5] the hat back off the forehead. To avoid distorted faces, place your iPhone a full arm’s length away — or further, using the earphone volume control as a shutter release or the self-timer. [4 ]

[5]

PHOTO: JOHN NORRIS ON A CANON POWERSHOT S70

[5] Force the flash — in daylight, fill-in flash will

help not just for people shots against the sun, but it can eliminate unwelcome shadows on faces from goggles or helmets when the sun is behind you, if you are close enough. Night-time mode will also maintain the atmosphere of shots catching falling snow, not just in the dark but in bad weather too, as this shot from Megève shows. The best results will be at dusk. Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

skiclub.co.uk

PHOTO: MATT SPENCELEY ON AN IPHONE 4S

AROSA Why there? Charming Swiss ski area that last season doubled in size

RESORT INSIDER:FAMILY FUN

Last winter the charming wooded slopes of ‘innerArosa’, with its off-piste trails for children, and the wide-open pistes of ‘outer-Arosa’ stretching up to the Weisshorn peak, were linked to the neighbouring resort of Lenzerheide, doubling the size of the ski area. While not overly challenging, the slopes are particularly popular with snowboarders, and mustdos include the fondue and sledging evening, and eating at Grischuna, which serves game shot by the local hunter. Can’t ski, won’t ski: Many miles of well-used walking trails intersect the pistes so non-skiing family members, such as grandparents, can join skiers on the mountain. And all the family can go snowbiking with the ABC ski school — even parents will feel like kids again weaving through the trees. CN √√ Good snow record and now lots more cruising ×× Can be expensive, even by Swiss standards arosa.ch

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

49%

12%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £214 Ski hire £84 Transfer 140mins

ALTITUDE 1,230m-2,865m 4,030ft-9,400ft

PISTES AROSALENZERHEIDE Lifts 42 Piste 225km/ 140miles

FAMILY In the second in our series of resort recommendations, our panel look at family-friendly favourites. It is said that having children changes your life forever, so it should at least make you rethink where you ski. But how many times have we heard of parents who are set on revisiting the same old places, even after they have had children? Even if you are a good skier, going to a family-friendly resort shouldn’t spoil your fun. In this section we look at a few resorts that will give parents and children thrills they can share. In general, look for a resort where beginner and advanced slopes are close. For instance, many North American resorts mark the easiest way down the mountain, which criss-crosses black runs. Writers: Rosie Barcroft, Neil English, Liz Harper, Colin Nicholson, Arnie Wilson Pistes Our infographic shows how resorts grade pistes according to their difficulty, showing what percentage are black, red, blue or green (but there are no green runs in Austria or Switzerland).

15%

30%

33%

22%

AVORIAZ Why there? Convenient, traffic-free French resort with horse-drawn sledges

Avoriaz sits high up in the giant Portes du Soleil ski area and caters for all standards, with miles of intermediate cruising, but also avalanche-controlled off-piste areas. And it’s fun to do the round trips, marked on the piste map, to Swiss villages. New lifts this season are due to connect Châtel to Avoriaz via Linga Pré la Joux, eliminating a bus ride. There are many ski schools, several off-snow activities, including the Aquariaz water park and affordable husky rides for ages one and up. While practical for families, its purpose-built blocks, designed to blend into the mountains only do so from afar. RB √√ Lots of non-skiing activities ×× Hard to lug bags around on arrival and departure days avoriaz.com

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

51%

27% 12%

10%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £238 Ski hire £79 Transfer 100mins

LA PLAGNE Why there? Vast intermediate terrain with many non-skiing activities for children La Plagne boasts a good mix of nursery slopes and intermediate terrain, particularly if you take the cable car to Les Arcs, and the off-piste doesn’t get tracked out as fast as in some French mega-resorts.

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

ALTITUDE 1,250m-3,250m 4,100ft-10,660ft

PISTES LA PLAGNE Lifts 94 Piste 225km/ 140miles

53%

25% 14%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £141 Ski hire £50 Transfer 135mins

The resort: Of the 11 ‘villages’ — or more accurately self-contained resorts — that make up La Plagne, seven were purpose built after 1960 to prevent the valleys from being deserted. The first opened only on December 24, 1961, but now La Plagne has 225km (140 miles) of slopes. The seven purpose-built villages are all on or above the treeline, making them more snowsure than the four ‘real’ villages, Les Coches, Montchavin, Champagny and Montalbert, on the outskirts of the area. In the thick of it sits Plagne Centre, popular with tour operators, and for shopping and après. Handy for amenities, many of its shopping malls have now been renovated, though it is still not the most attractive of resorts. But it is convenient, with lifts fanning out to Aime-la-Plagne, Plagne Villages, Plagne Soleil and, below it, Plagne 1800. The chalets here are a hub for some British tour operators. Though many residences are not quite ski-in, ski-out, there is just a short walk to the lifts. Across the valley lie the smaller villages of Plagne Bellecôte and above it Belle Plagne, liked by families avoiding the crowds. Further over still is the Vanoise Express, a doubledecker cable car linking Montchavin with Les Arcs, opening up 200km more of pistes. With Aime station just below La Plagne, it is easy to take the Ski Train from King’s Cross or Kent in the morning and be in your chalet for dinner, though die-hard skiers and boarders take the Friday night train to get on the slopes the next morning. However, because Aime doesn’t have passport or security facilities you must return via nearby Bourg St Maurice. Pros and cons: It’s not hard to travel between the main villages of La Plagne after the lifts close, thanks to the ski buses, plus many of

Ski+board

NOVEMBER 2014

skiclub.co.uk

the higher villages are ski-in, ski-out, so great for young children. However, crowds can be an issue, with Plagne Centre at times resembling a motorway junction and Plagne Bellecôte struggling in the morning ski school rush. Many families with young children head to the prettiest of the villages, Belle Plagne, which has traditional wooden chalets and a mini resort centre across two levels, though few shops. For beginners, gentle slopes can be found in many areas, especially Plagne Centre. Because the nursery slopes are in central positions parents can sit around in the many bars or restaurants and monitor progress. With four-fifths of the slopes blue or red La Plagne is ideal for intermediates, though boarders should avoid Plagne Centre, where even skiers can be seen poling. Off-piste skiers will find the terrain takes longer to track out than other big French resorts. There is more than meets the eye, so consider hiring a guide. Can’t ski, won’t ski… The new bob raft is a self-piloted, self-braking vehicle in which four people can experience speeds of 80kmh (minimum age 14). Or you can speed down the run in a proper bobsleigh with Olympian Bruno Mingeon. At Montalbert those three or over can hire carts to take down pistes. The sweet-filled cabin at Le Fornelet will introduce families to characters from folk tales. Or try trampolining on new bouncy structures at La Rossa. Plus, the Igloo Village at le Dou du Praz (above Plagne Villages, or reachable on the shuttle bus) offers the chance to stay for a meal or for a night. There are swimming pools, one in Plagne Bellecôte (with indoor and outdoor pools) and one in Montchavin. RB la-plagne.com

RESORT INSIDER:FAMILY FUN

WHAT WE THINK…

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

ALTITUDE

LECH Why there? Snowsure, child-friendly, with new link last season increasing pistes by 50 per cent

RESORT INSIDER:FAMILY FUN

A traditional Alpine village, Lech is also one of Europe’s most fashionable resorts for families. There are a mass of long, wide, well-groomed, gentle runs, and a cap on daily lift pass sales makes the pistes relatively quiet for those finding their ski legs. Two ski schools (in Lech and Oberlech) offer group and private tuition from age three and a half, and Kinderclub Lech looks after those aged two and up. There’s no shortage of places to divert to for a hot chocolate. Though much of the accommodation is ski-in ski-out, cheaper

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

ALTITUDE 1,795m-3,080m/ 5,890ft-10,100ft

PISTES OBERGURGL Lifts 24 Piste 115km/ 70miles

50%

32%

1,450m-2,450m 4,760ft-8,040ft lodging can be a long walk as you try to convince small people “we’re nearly there”. The big downside is Lech comes with a hefty price tag, particularly by Austrian standards. Can’t Ski, won’t Ski... Hotel Monzabon has a large indoor ice skating rink and the floodlit toboggan run from Oberlech to Lech is a big hit with all ages. LH √√ New link to Warth-Schröcken last season added 68km to the Lech-Zürs ski area ×× Tricky blue runs back into the village lechzuers.com

PISTES LINKED AREA Lifts 97 Piste 180 km/ 112 miles

41% 44% 15%

Lift pass £183 Ski hire £115 Transfer 95mins

OBERGURGL Why there? Traffic-free, snow-sure village This popular British hangout at the far end of the Ötz valley, is just 90 minutes from Innsbruck past the resort of Sölden. There are few crowds, particularly at Hochgurgl at 7,050ft, with its luxury ski-in, ski-out hotels. Obergurgl is one of Austria’s most snowsure ski areas and an excellent family resort, due to its traffic-free streets, large range of beginner runs near the hotels and minimal queues. Children aged two are accepted at Bob’s children’s club, while there is the Bobo winter fun park for children starting out on skis. Strong intermediates head for Festkogl

above Obergurgl or the Schermerspitze above Hochgurgl. Advanced skiers go for Obergurgl’s long, steep slope down from the Höhe Mut, or the moguls at Hochgurgl’s Top-Wurmkogl. It’s a nine-minute cable car between the two areas. Can’t ski, won’t ski... Good hiking paths, an ice rink, and non-skiers can ride gondolas free. Some hotel spas, such as those at the Crystal and Bergwelt, are open to non-residents. AW √√ Area is boosted by €10 Sölden lift pass deal ×× Relatively pricy and hotels book up early obergurgl.com

A W

Yo a se

18%

Lift pass £197 Ski hire £78 Transfer 90mins

W o e

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Join the Club today and discover a world of snow. Join online at skiclub.co.uk or call 020 8410 2015

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WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A FREE WEEK ON THE SNOW WORTH OVER £2000? – WELL, THIS COULD BE YOUR LUCKY YEAR Award-winning ski agency Travel Club Elite has partnered with Mark Warner to offer one special reader the chance to win a fabulous week on the slopes, for two, at any Mark Warner Chalet Hotel this winter! You’ll choose from the superb Mark Warner collection of Chalet Hotels and your prize has all of these wonderful Mark Warner Ski inclusions: seven night’s accommodation, flights, transfers, chalet board, welcome drinks and canapés, lift pass, collection and ski hosting. Wow! You’re truly spoiled for choice. Over the past 40 years Mark Warner have developed a fantastic portfolio of chalet hotels in some of the best snow-sure ski resorts in Europe, boasting plenty of snow, exciting runs and fantastic après ski. Visit www.TravelClubElite.com to peruse at your leisure.

Mark Warner’s Chalet hotel L’Ecrin in Tignes Val Claret, the newest edition to their ski holiday collection. It features - Indoor Pool, Sauna, Turkish Bath, Jacuzzi, Twin/Double/ Interconnecting/Family Rooms, Balcony & free Wifi in all rooms.

Travel Club Elite are a top agent for all of the major ski tour operators but of course, Mark Warner is our favourite! We offer very special ski discounts for Ski Club Great Britain members and you can book with full confidence and financial security due to our 29 year ABTA membership. You’ll get friendly, professional service & on-going support until you’re safely home from your ski holiday. How do you enter? Just complete the competition form on the Ski Club of Great Britain’s website and agree to the T&C’s. The lucky winner will be drawn at random on the 7th January 2015. Entry closes 31st December 2014. Good Luck!

Travel Club Elite Team

PILA Why there? Car-free resort with trees, off-piste and historic attractions Pila is a relatively unknown Italian ski area with some excellent off-piste, set in a wide, sunny bowl. Though purpose-built, it’s nicely nestled in the trees and perched high above the old cathedral town of Aosta, a scenic gondola ride away, with stunning views across some of Italy’s highest peaks.

RESORT GUIDE:FAMILY FUN

Can’t ski, won’t ski... Dominated by the Gran Paradiso this really is a beautiful area to explore, with excellent cross-country and snowshoe tracks. The old Roman walled-town of Aosta is fascinating to explore on foot with all the family. AW √√ High treeline particularly good in poor weather ×× Number ’15’ — a vital blue run that connects with all the others — can get busy especially at weekends pila.it

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

LA ROSIERE Why there? More quaint than its giant neighbours, but access to plenty of pistes via La Thuile

ALTITUDE 1,815m-2,700m 5,950ft-8,860ft

PISTES PILA Lifts 17 Piste 70km/ 45miles

78% 11%

11%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £130 Ski hire £70 Transfer 90mins

This small, Savoyarde resort proves plain friendliness wins a lot of hearts. Compared to its vast neighbours, Val d’Isère and Les Arcs, La Rosière is little more than a model village, albeit an attractive one, built mainly in chalet style with local wood, slate and stone. Without the lift link to La Thuile, in Italy, with its more challenging, longer runs and greater variety of mountain restaurants, La Rosière, or its growing satellite of Les Eucherts, might not have fostered such success. But jointly, as Espace San Bernardo, the resorts boast 160km (100 miles) of pistes, catering for all, especially since experts can heli-ski from La Thuile. Can’t ski, won’t ski... Its compact ordinariness, lack of queues, great views, easy pace and generally cheery locals have attracted a loyal clientele, especially young families who like its stress-free nature, but also enjoy the indoor ice-rink, ten-pin bowling, spas and the good value family lift pass. NE √√ Good ski schools ×× Few trees and limited activities in the valley

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

75%

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £180 Ski hire £58 Transfer 110mins

BAD KLEINKIRCHHEIM Why there? Good value for decent advanced intermediate cruising This pretty village in Carinthia’s Nock Mountains is gaining fame thanks to tireless promotion by its native son, racer Franz Klammer. But rather than promote itself to speed fiends, it caters for families. Including St Oswald, a skibus ride away, the area has more than 100km (60 miles) of runs and no fewer than 23 mountain restaurants. Non-skiers could spend hours in the spas at the bottom of the World Cup run and there’s also winter hiking, snowshoeing and curling. AW √√ Good prices for families ×× Not much for experts badkleinkirchheim.at

larosiere.net

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

ALTITUDE 1,850m-2,640m 6,070ft-8,670ft

PISTES ST BERNARDO Lifts 38 Piste 160km/ 100miles

HOW MUCH? Lift pass £155 Ski hire £47 Transfer 175mins

41%

31%

18% 10%

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

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY IN NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE VANESSA MAE’S NEW CHALLENGE Exclusive: The violinist on how her Olympic performance has inspired her to have a go at the World Championships this coming February

SKI TESTS 98

These are the ones you’ve been waiting for — 32 of the best allmountain skis are put through their paces You can receive Ski+board for free by joining the Ski Club and can download it from the App Store (search for Ski+board magazine). Read back issues at skiclub.co.uk/skiandboard

October 30-November 2

November 20

November 24

Ski and Snowboard Show London

Annual General Meeting of the Ski Club

Avalanche awareness lecture series

Earls Court 2, London

The White House, Wimbledon, London

Snow+Rock, Port Solent, Hampshire

The show comes to London in time for half-term. Thursday 11am to 9.30pm, Friday 10am to 9.30pm, weekend 10am to 6pm. £12, two-for-one tickets for Ski Club members.

November 15

Big Ski

Braehead SnowFactor, Glasgow

Try out this season’s skis with Ellis Brigham. 11am-4pm. Free with entry to SnowFactor, which is £36 for 4 hours’ slope time or £31 for 2 hours.

Ski Club members can have their say at the yearly meeting of the Ski Club of Great Britain. 7pm, free.

November 26

Big Ski

Tamworth Snowdome, Staffordshire

Ellis Brigham’s ski demo gives you a chance to try out many of this season’s new models in the Midlands. 8pm to 10.30pm. Free with entry to the Snowdome, which is £37 for three hours’ slope time.

November 11 to January 11

Fashioning winter

Somerset House, Strand, London.

Nine ‘pop-up’ displays showcase winter trends, with one focusing on ski trends and featuring artefacts from the Ski Club. 10am to 6pm. Free, somersethouse.org.uk

The North Face talks are hosted by Ian Sherrington, chief instructor at Glenmore Lodge, Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre, in association with Snow+Rock and the Ski Club of Great Britain. 7pm. Tickets £7, or £5 for Ski Club members, are available from snowandrock.com/thenorthface

November 25 Snow+Rock, Bristol Details as above

November 26 Snow+Rock, Manchester Chill Factore Details as above

December 1 Snow+Rock, Covent Garden, London Details as above

December 2 Snow+Rock, Kensington, London Details as above

For more details visit skiclub.co.uk/eventcalendar or look at the Ski Club’s events page on Facebook — Ski Club members often get preferential rates or can register free.

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