J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

Katie Ormerod has become the first British Boarder, and the first British woman, to win a Crystal Globe.

The International Ski Federation (FIS) confirmed Katie as winner of the 2019/20 Snowboard Slopestyle Crystal Globe as she led the points table by a huge 400 points over the second placed athlete before the final event of the season was due to be staged. However that event has been cancelled due to coronavirus prevention measures in the Czech Republic, and will not be replaced.

Speaking after the result was announced, Katie said, "I'm so excited to be the overall World Cup Slopestyle Champion. I have finished this season with 5 World Cup podiums, 3 yellow bibs and my first ever Overall World Cup Slopestyle title and Crystal Globe. My comeback season has turned out to be the best season of my career so far and it's been so much fun."

The only other crystal globe won by a Brit was taken by James 'Woodsy' Woods, who like Katie hails from Yorkshire and who won the ski slopestyle crystal globe in 2013.

Katie was quick to thank those who have supported her on this journey saying: "Thank you to everyone who has supported me, including my fans, my coach Hamish McKnight, GB Snowsport and my sponsors."

Katie finished on the slopestyle podium four times since returning to snow this season after a broken heel sustained on the eve of the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang ended her chances of competing and put her out of the sport for 18 months.

After finishing third in Laax in November 2019 Ormerod has made four straight top 3 finishes in World Cup events. The results included a second place in Seiseralm, Italy and third place in Calgary and Mammoth (U.S).

Katie amassed 2600 slopestyle FIS points and had been World Tour leader since the end of January following her second-place finish in Seiseralm. Going into SnowJam in Spindelruv Mlyn, Katie held a lead of 400 points over second place Laurie Blouin (CAN) and a huge point lead of 1350 over third place Brooke Voigt (CAN).

Katie also finished second – by only 240 points behind winner Cai Xuetong (CHN) - in the overall Park & Pipe standings and fourth in the Big Air standings after finishing second in the Cardrona, New Zealand World Cup in August of 2019.

A date for the formal presentation of the Crystal Globe will be announced soon by the International Ski Federation.

Received in the news office: GB ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS CANCELLED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS

GB Snowsport today announced that the GB Alpine Championships 2020 which were due to be held in Tignes, France between March 29 and April 10, 2020 have been cancelled due to the escalating cases of the COVID-19 virus in Europe.

Following weeks of monitoring and taking government advice - both in the UK and France - the GB Snowsport Board convened along with GB Snowsport Chief Medical Officer, Professor Mike Loosemore, to make the decision to protect those competing in - or planning to attend - the event.

Vicky Gosling OBE, Chief Executive Officer of GB Snowsport, said: "GB Snowsport will not put anyone at risk during these times of heightened health concerns and therefore we have taken the sensible and difficult decision to cancel the British Alpine Championships 2020.

"The annual event is a great celebration of British alpine skiing and a real highlight in the season for British athletes. I want to extend my thanks to all those who had worked so hard in planning the event and for the community of Tignes for their continued support."

All athletes, who have entered, have been notified directly and Vicky Gosling added: "We know this is hugely disappointing for all those who had been looking forward to Tignes but GB Snowsport take their responsibility for the well-being of all athletes, officials and spectators extremely seriously.

"Sadly, due to the continuing threat of the COVID-19 virus and the fact that there are no later dates available in the calendar, the Championships will have to be cancelled for 2020.'

The long running London Ski Show, in recent years run by the Telegraph Group, has been axed.

The show's website was still encouraging people to buy tickets to the Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Festival 2020 yesterday, but the site was subsequently updated.

As 'senior sales executive' for the Telegraph has been contacting stand holders to advise:

"The Telegraph has taken the decision to cancel the event following a review of its strategy which focuses on securing subscribers."

The show had been due to run from 29th October to 1st November this year.

It is unclear if the current coronavirus outbreak was a factor in the decision.

The message also states that the group will be axing its print magazine. Both magazine and show were formerly run by the Daily Mail group.

The London Ski Show has been running for nearly 50 years and at its peak in the 1970s and 1980s attracted more than half a million visitors each year and ran for up to 10 day durations in the pre-internet era.

But now they've made a decision after all... here's the statement...

FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals, Cortina (ITA) Cancelled

Due to the outbreak and situation with the Novel Coronavirus in Northern Italy where there is a concentration of cases in the Veneto province that have led to travel restrictions imposed by an increasing number of nations, on the recommendation of the FIS Council, the Italian Winter Sports Federation and its Cortina 2020 Organising Committee are regrettably forced to withdraw from the organisation of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals scheduled for 16th-22nd March 2020.

The health and welfare of the athletes and all other participants, as well as the general public are in the forefront and the priority of FIS and all stakeholders.The recommendation of the FIS Council was made during an emergency conference call where the latest information and recommendations from the Italian, International and National Health Authorities of participating nations were presented. The main issue that steered the recommendation of the Council affecting the organisation of the Finals in Cortina was the travel restrictions imposed by an increasing number of National Authorities, which would have likely limited the participation of several athletes.

Due to the lack of short-notice alternative locations to stage such a large event and which do not have travel restrictions to enable all athletes to be able to participate or travel onwards after the event, the Finals will not be replaced and the discipline and overall globes will be confirmed after the last scheduled races on 15th March for the women in Are (SWE) and Kranjska Gora (SLO) for the men. An occasion to formally award the winning athletes with their globes will be announced at a later date.

For all other FIS World Cup competitions, FIS will maintain the existing principles that are being applied, which are to fully comply with the instructions and decisions of the National and Regional Governments and their Health Authorities.

Additionally, FIS remains in constant contact with the hosting National Ski Associations and Organising Committees to provide support including information about measures undertaken by other Organisers.

Should any changes to the current competition calendars be necessary as a result of measures imposed by National and Regional Governments, they will be announced as any decisions are made.

Cortina World Cup Finals update tomorrow
The FIS has announced that a decision regarding the status of the Audi FIS World Cup Finals in Cortina (ITA), due to have been given at 5pm CET today, will now be announced tomorrow morning (Saturday 7th) at 9:00.

Snowboxx Festival Goes Ahead But Without Big Name Acts
Following the cancellation of two of the biggest music festivals in the alps announced yesterday (Tommorrowland Winter and Rock The pistes) the smaller Snowboxx Festival in Avoriaz has issued a statement saying that the festival will still be happening – but in a reduced version with most of the main acts cancelled. Those booked to go will get an 80% rebate on the wrist band price.
"On the advice of the French authorities, we have been asked to reorganise the schedule of the music events taking place at Snowboxx due to the current Coronavirus (COVID 19) outbreak. This will involve the performances of Annie Mac, Andy C, DJ EZ and The Sugarhill Gang no longer going ahead this year. The rest of the festival programme is intended to go ahead as planned," the statement reads.

Today's news includes the fact the Britain's Katie Ormerod looks set to become the first British woman and the the first British snowboarder to win a Crystal Globe. Katie was already well ahead in the slopestyle World Cup standings with one event, in the Czech republic, to go. That's now been cancelled for the usual coronavirus fears and the FIS have said its unlikely to be replaced at this stage in the season so final results look set to be determined on current standings. This is yet to be confirmed however.

In a separate development the Altitude Comedy Festival in Mayrhofen say their event is still happening.

There's a new follow-up local news report on another self-isolating school child returning after a ski trip (Austria this time) that has thankfully tested negative for the virus. Again don't think its one of the two schools that got all the coverage a few weeks back. https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/health/pupil-from-springwood-school-norfolk-cleared-of-coronavirus-1-6545482