J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

Selfie sticks, mankini's and even a life-size cut out of Eastenders' Lucy Beale, the UK's largest ski holiday provider, Crystal, which accommodates more than 200,000 skiers and snowboarders each winter, has published a list of some of the items left behind in the hotels, apartment and chalet rooms it operates holidays to.

Along with predictable items like goggles, thermals and 756 empty alcohol bottles, among the more unusual items on the list were a Fire Constabulary badge, 4 Christmas jumpers, 13 Mankinis, 3 Pairs of Spanx, 98 Santa Hats and two unwrapped Christmas presents – the contents of which still remain a mystery say the company. There was also as size 7 left ski boot and a size 8 right ski boot.

"We expect a number of ski-related items to be left behind, but the life-size cut out of Lucy Beal was somewhat of a surprise, especially as none of our staff saw 'her' entering the chalet," said a Crystal spokesperson.

(Jasmin pictured yesterday with FIS Telemark Chairman Andrew Clarke and her coach Seb Mansart)

Jasmin Taylor, 21, has won Great Britain's first FIS Telemark World Championship medal in Steamboat Springs, USA.

Jasmin had arrived in Colorado just a few days ago from her training base in Les Houches, France, and was competing against the world's fastest Telemark ski racers at the World Championships.

Following official training on Monday, racing commenced yesterday with the Telemark Sprint race – the shortest of the three FIS Telemark disciplines with each run typically lasting 45 seconds.

Starting bib number 7, Jasmin skied into third position after the first run, just seconds behind Argeline Tan-Bouquet of France and Switzerland's World Cup leader Amélie Reymond.

During the second run Jasmin skied well in the GS gates before storming through the skating section at the bottom of the course and finishing with a combined time of 2:03.35 for the two runs.

"It's great to finally ski the way I know I can ski," said Jasmin after the race, "I felt so solid on the jump and went long. I'm so pleased to have won a significant medal at this level – feels awesome!"

Telemark skiing originated in Norway in the 1860s, around forty years before Alpine skiing, practiced by the majority of downhill skiers, came along.

"I am so very proud of Jaz; she has given it her all since starting her journey with telemark," said FIS Telemark Chairman and ex-British athlete, Andrew Clarke, adding, "What a transformation from the unsteady telemarker myself and Jack Harvard Taylor took for a trial ski in 2010. She deserved that today! When you put it into perspective considering the competition and see they all come from countries where skiing is almost second nature it makes it all that much sweeter."

Telemark racing is very similar to conventional downhill skiing and involves going through a number of gates with red and blue flags. Where telemark varies is the way in which the athlete has the extra challenge of negotiating a large jump half way down the slalom course as well as a cross-country skating section towards the end of the course to really test the competitor's endurance.

Jasmin has been a member of the British Telemark Ski Team since 2011. Jasmin lives and trains in Ipswich (Suffolk) during the summer months and competes on the FIS Telemark World Cup circuit from December through to May. Jasmin is sponsored by: Trowers & Hamlins, Landwood Group, TDS Safeguard, Skiers Trust, Ladies Ski Club and Laser-Life.

www.jaztelemark.com

FIFA have announced that the 2022 Football World Cup will take place in November and December 2022, at the other end of the year from the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics which will be staged in February/March of that year.

The decision on the timing is likely to upset European teams who had wanted a May 2022 tournament after the normal summer days were ruled out as unsafe for players and fans due to the extremely high temperatures in Qatar. It is unclear so far just how upset European teams will be, and whether they will attempt to change FIFA's mind on the date decision or pull out of participating.

After it was initially decided that the tournament would be moved to the winter, the IOC expressed concerns of a dates clash with the Winter games, citing issues with sponsors and television rights. This scenario now appears to be largely avoided, with the two tournament actually being staged further apart in the year than normal.

The IOC will decide this summer on 31st July whether China or Kazakhstan will host the 2022 Winter Olympics, after Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Ukraine, Sweden and Poland pulled out of the bidding process due to lack of popular support, in some cases partially blaming excessive demands by the IOC for their decisions.

This means the 2022 Winter Olympics will be the third in a row to be staged on the Asian continent, although Sochi was technically in Europe, just. Neither of the two remaining candidates currently have the infrastructure in place to stage the Games, China in particular lacks a mountain in its bid cities' area big enough to hold the Downhill, although an area of national parkland has been identified as a possible location. A report in the China Daily newspaper also pointed to problems with natural snow cover, a shortage of water to supply snow cannons and of smog in the area where the country hopes to host the 2022 Games.

There has been a fresh wave of significant snowfall in the Alps over the weekend and continuing this week.

The heaviest snow was as usual at higher elevations and initially in the Western and southern Alps, snow at lower elevations and further east has been described as "wet" in places.

Most areas have reported between 15 and 40cm of snow so far in the French Alps with Avoriaz (pictured above from yesterday) topping the table with 30cm of that accumulated yesterday.

Italian resorts have reported the biggest snowfalls however with Cervinia claiming 90cm/three feet over the weekend. Courmayeur and Madonna di Campiglio reported 40cm a piece yesterday.

Swiss resorts have had similar snowfall figures to France, with Saas Fee reporting the most there with 40cm – the same as the snow storm a week ago, and it looks like a similar trajectory.

As with the storm a week ago, Austria has so far not benefited so much. Again it's Obergurgl in the south reporting the most there – 15cm/6 inches yesterday.

There's been a good deal of fresh snow in the Pyrenees too. In Andorra, Grandvalira (Soldeu and Pas de la Casa) report 45cm (18 inches) over the weekend and Cauterets says it had 60cm (two feet) in 24 hours over Sunday/Monday.

The snow is still falling in many areas.

Resorts in Alberta and BC have been excitedly posting pictures and video of fresh snowfall in the last 36 hours following damaging mainstream media reports of warm weather and rain in the region normally famed for its abundant light powder snow, and, although less of a publicity priority, often double digit sub-zero temperatures in mid-winter.

A warm weather pattern off the Pacific has led to a bad snowfall winter right along North America's west coast with Californian areas suffering again and several smaller resorts from California right up to BC either failing to open at all this winter, or as is the case for 2010 Winter Olympic venue Cypress Mountain near Vancouver, being forced to close until more snow arrives.

The poor conditions had been largely confined to coastal areas up to January however, but in the past month had come in land as far as the Rockies and increasingly become 'an issue' with resorts including Panorama, Marmot Basin and Banff all issuing statements that they had good conditions despite media reports which gave the impression all areas were suffering.

The new snow is welcome news however for those inland Western resorts (the coastal area continues to suffer) and the ski areas have been quick to highlight it with social media posts and press releases. Kimberley in BC and Nakiska both reported 20cm of fresh snow in 24 hours with Sunshine Village at Banff, pictured yesterday, reporting similar numbers.

The snow has fallen in the US too – although there had not been the reports of poor conditions there - with many resorts in Colorado, Utah and Montana reporting 20 to 30cm of new snow with more falling.

"Breckenridge has received nine inches/23cm (so far) from the winter storm slowly moving across the Colorado Rockies. Breck has received 25 inches (62cm) of snow in the past week, with more forecast through the weekend," said the resort's Kristen Petitt Stewart.

Work will begin on an all new state-of-the-art he-tec 3S gondola lift on Mayrhofen's key route to the Penken ski area as soon as the season ends in April.

Plans for the new lift were announced in 2013 and the design for the bigger, faster lift have been confirmed for over a year, but a dispute with a local landowner, now resolved, delayed the construction.

The new Doppemayr-built lift, which should open in time for next winter, will make the more than 1,150m vertical ascent in just 8.2 minutes and have cabins each capable of seating up to 24 people for a world class hourly queue-gobbling uplift capacity of 3,840 passengers.

Among numerous innovations will be separate entrances for ski schools and the lift will feature two independent extra back up drives which will kick in in the event of any technical favour to ensure the lift keeps operating.

Monarch (monarch.co.uk) have released its first swathe of destinations and 60,000 tickets for its ski routes for winter 2015-16 for those who like to book early.

The route options include two new routes from London Gatwick to Geneva and Innsbruck. Also available to book now are Birmingham to Grenoble and Salzburg, Manchester to Grenoble or Innsbruck and Gatwick to Grenoble.

"We know our customers like time to plan their holidays well in advance to guarantee the best deals, we are therefore pleased to be able to release a substantial part of our ski programme for 2015/16 for advanced sale to give our customers a head start when planning next year's break," said Adrian Tighe, Monarch's Chief Commercial Officer .

It has been snowing again in the Pyrenees and in other parts of south western Europe after a dry week.

Resorts on the French side of the south western mountain chain reported the biggest fresh snowfall accumulations, with Cauterets reporting the biggest falls of 40cm (16 inches) in the past 48 hours, a foot of it (30cm) in the last 24 hours.

Snowfall in Andorra was lighter, with about 12cm (5 inches) of fresh snow. Most areas in Spain received similar snowfalls, although Formigal says it has had 40cm since Sunday evening.

The snow has continued in to the southern Italian Alps with Limone Piemonte reporting a foot (30cm) of snow in the past 24 hours.

In most places the snowfall has finished fort now and the sun is out again giving great conditions at Vallnord (Arinsal, Pal and La Massana) in Andorra, above.