J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

Nearly two months after his accident on the slopes above Meribel the medical attempts to gently wake him from the induced coma he was placed in immediately after arriving in hospital remain on-going according to the Formula 1 star's manager.

A German magazine speculated a few days ago that the attempts to wake Mr Schumacher from his coma, first reported to be under way on January 30th, had been abandoned. Refuting this, his manager said the important thing was not the speed of treatment but that it is carried out in a measured way.

In a separate development, French proscecutors have indicated that management at Meribel's lift company had conformed with French law in terms of piste safety markings and that the rocks Mr Schumacher's head impacted on were at least three metres off piste. Again there had been media speculation that the lift company's management could face several years in jail if legal piste marking requirements were not in place.

Schumacher's current condition is reported to be largely unchanged with close friends who have visited him saying he appears to be sleeping and indicating that there are possible positive signs that a recovery may still be possible and that hope still remains.

Following last winter's furore when British 'ski hosts' were arrested on the slopes by French authorities, it has emerged that last week saw arrests of seven more British ski teachers in France, including tour operator Simon Butler.

Mr Butler has had several 'run ins' with French authorities in Megeve over the years and is currently appealing an existing convictions for employing instructors without an acceptable level of qualification. Mr Butler says he does have the required certification.

Mainstream media reports so far have divided on nationalistic and political lines with British media bringing in Boris Johnson and UKIP for comment.

The Daily Mail had the most vitriolic attack on the French authorities reporting on what they consider double standards and focused on the treatment of Mr Butler who was reported to have been left in a French prison cell overnight with only a concrete slab to sleep on, a dirty blanket and sub zero temperatures. The publication opted to take their independent political quote from a senior UKIP politician who wasn't best pleased with the French attitude. The Mail reported that the company's clients were left to 'fend for themselves; on the slopes after their instructors were led away.

The French news agency AFP made no mention of the actual treatment of the instructors and indeed only mentioned Simon Butler being arrested. They reported that Mr Butler had been fined €10,000 on 'a similar charge' in 2004 and was currently facing another €10,000 fine and a six month prison sentence for another 'similar offence' last year, but said that Mr Butler is appealing that sentence.

PlanetSki gave the most detailed explanation of the extremely complex legal issues involved – which are similar to those currently being tested by the on going 'Le Ski' case – and focus on the numerous different levels of qualification and certification available to instructors in frsnce and from outside France, what their employers must and must not do, and whether or not the French interpretation of those laws are 'fair' according to European law.

Boris Johnson, quoted in The Daily Telegraph, thinks not, but PlanetSki reports that some British instructors concerned about maintaining high standards do see some validity in the French case.

The Daily Telegraph is currently running a "Do you support British Ski Instructors in France' poll which at time of writing had nearly 500 votes with more than 92% voting 'Yes.'

However a large proportion of comments at the end of the Daily Telegraph's report were from British instructors who have worked without issue in France for many years. They said the issue was being hijacked for political reasons and that the laws were original brought in to stop "cowboy French instructors" in France, which remained a bigger issue on French slopes. One said the paper's poll was, therefore, "meaningless."

The 'main case' on this issue is with another tour operator, Le Ski, who were fined by a French court over employing 'Ski hosts' last winter. They are appealing the court's decision and are being supported by most leading British tour operators. The next court case in this dispute id expected to be heard in the spring.

Volunteer ski hosts, employed in one form or another, without official teaching qualifications, operate without problems in many skiing nations around the world, except France.

With Scottish ski areas reporting record business, and record snow cover, it seems a good time to stage a special fund raising day for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Being billed as the biggest day ion the Scottish snowsports calendar, the event, at Glenshee ski area on Saturday 8th March (or on the 9th if the weather is bad) will see a full day of events with Alain Baxter, famously Britain's first ever snowsports Olympic medal winner, the special guest skier.

So far on the agenda for the day is the chance to demo next season's equipment with many brands, including Dynastar, Rossignol and Nordica due to be represented; a ski-in-style competition open to all comers ("no timing, no gates, just ski"), a dual slalom contest; and Disability Snowsport UK will be on the slopes demonstrating their skills, as will Braemar Mountain Rescue team.

Fun events include a sniff-the-whisky-cask-and-guess-the-whisky competition and there'll be a 'whackiest dressed skier/boarder' contest.

There will also be a grand auction of ski equipment to raise funds for Macmillan.

It is a shame that the IOC block people like Eddie and British media attack people like Vanessa as they both represent some of the best aspects of human beings. In consequence the Olympics become more about political power games, corporate sponsorship and (this one) homophobia than sport and endeavour. We should celebrate the best and we should celebrate striving to be the best which in the case of Brits and winter sports includes striving against having no money and limited training facilities.

A new way of reaching the 3 Valleys is about to launch thanks to the initiative of a British entrepreneur, fed up with the usual choices of hire car, transfer bus or private transfer/taxi.

The idea behind 'FluidCar' (fluidcar.com), which launches on March 1st, is that you arrive in Geneva and are met by a Fluidcare employee, who escorts you to your luxury 4x4 vehicle – this season an Audi Q5. You drive to the 3 Valleys, unload your bags and hand over the vehicle to another Fluidcar employee. Then when it's time to head back, the process is reversed.

So it's a kind of one way car rental but with crucial advantages such as no queuing at the rental pick up desk on arrival and knowing your car is ready for mountain driving without paying supplements. It's also far cheaper than conventional rental companies offer, if they offer such a service at all.

In comparison to the alternatives on offer Fluidcar also means no waiting for bus shuttles, no in-resort parking fees, no fixing chains en route to resort, winter tyres are standard on all vehicles, no worrying about a car that has been rented sitting unused during the holiday, no hassle having to dig the car out at the end of the holiday, no hunting for fuel en route to the airport - fuel fees are included in the price and it's door-to-door; no more drop-offs at the centre of the resort.

FluidCar currently costs £225 one way or £450 for a return journey to the Three Valleys.

FluidCar's Audi Q5's easily offering room for a large family or a group of friends with ski-size luggage plus roof racks for ski bags on all vehicles. FluidCar is currently evaluating vehicles from Land Rover and BMW as well as the Audi before making fleet commitments ahead of next season (2014-15) when it expects to offer a much expanded service to a wider range of resorts.

"After extensive research within the ski industry last season, we have launched this trial service in a bid to bring car sharing to mountain resorts which will transform the transfer experience whilst also reducing travel costs considerably," said Mike Rosam, FluidCar founder and Director, "Further, car sharing has been proven to be significantly greener than car rental and will bring additional benefits to mountain resort environments by reducing traffic and parking congestion problems."

"Car sharing delivers an easy and cost effective transfer solution for independent travellers. Forget the hairdryer-style rental cars that struggle up mountain roads to your resort, or paying £700**+ for a family size hire car, our 4x4 SUVs are safe and reliable, plus you won't be wasting time at the airport organising car rental paperwork, or indeed money on a car that sits idle in a car park; our FluidCar reps will be waiting outside arrivals at Geneva airport and come directly to clients accommodation with our luxurious cars, ready to hand over the keys. Nobody else offers this service within the ski industry," Mr Rosam added.

FluidCar is developing a number of new online systems and tools which the company says will enable shared transfers and in-resort occasional hire as well as some additional booking features launching ahead of the 2014-15 season.

A wave of heavy snowfall that has been crossing the Alps has brought large snowfalls to Austrian slopes overnight, after French resorts reported big accumulations over the weekend.

Many resorts across the region are reporting 20-30cm (8-12 inches) of fresh snow in the past 24 hours, including St Anton, Obergurgl (pictured above), Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, Ischgl and the Zillertal Arena. Webcams are now showing skies clearing.

Some Western Swiss ski areas are still reporting big snowfalls too.

Yesterday French and Western Swiss resorts were reporting similar falls with Flaine, La Clusaz and Chamonix all doing well and Avoriaz claiming 400cm (16 inches) of new snow in 24 hours. Webcams are now showing clear blue skies there and superb powder conditions.

http://www.avoriaz.com/en/discovering/interactive-tour/pictures-videos-and-webcam#tab1

Flaine and Avoriaz are both now claiming more than a 3m (10 foot) base which should be more than adequate for the 10 weeks remaining of their ski seasons.

BBC: "Miller becomes the joint second most successful US Winter Olympian alongside short-track speed skater Bonnie Blair, with another short-track star Apolo Ohno leading on seven medals. "Jan Hudec is the first Canadian to win an alpine skiing medal for 20 years, equaling Ed Podivinsky's bronze in downhill in 1994."

Hopefully not tempting fate by publishing this before the race is over...