Messages posted by : J2SkiNews
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On the downside ever more avalanche stories coming in and road closures so hoping it doesn't get too over whelming. One extreme to the other. Apparently part of Tignes got hit by an avalanche (actual buildings) and Verbier has closed slopes/lifts for time being...
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Less than two weeks after the media was reporting 'No Snow in the Alps' some of the continent's biggest areas are preparing to fully open this weekend, with some reporting accumulations as much as 1.6m (5.3 feet) over the past seven days alone. Paradiski – the large ski domain in the French Alps that incorporates les Arcs/Peisey Vallandry/la Plagne – and its huge cable-car the Vanoise Express will fully open this Saturday the 17th December at 9am. Fully open for the Christmas season, Paradiski can confirm that the entire 425km of pistes will be available to skiers thanks to the recent heavy snow fall resulting in ideal winter snow conditions. Although it may seem to some that this and other areas are opening because of all the snow – which of course they are – it's also the case that in most cases these areas had not in any case intended to fully open until this weekend, with most opening limited terrain over the past one or two weeks to cater for the limited early December demand. Les Arcs and La Plagne are among the resorts that claim to have received the most snow in the past seven days with 1.6 and 1,3nm respectively. The downside of all the snow (yes there had to be one!), is tricky driving conditions to the resorts and a rapidly rising off-piste avalanche danger. Another big region, the Portes du Soleil, which straddles the French/Swiss border, will also fully open all its connections between the dozen or so villages it covers with 650km of mostly lift-linked piste. They include Avoriaz, Morzine, Les Gets, Chatel and in Switzerland, Champery. Both regions say the slopes are currently undergoing a final last check before opening. "With over 70% of Paradiski situated above 2000m, it offers the ideal altitude to make the most of the winter snow conditions [at the moment temperatures are averaging 0 degrees during the day, dropping to minus figures during the night]. At 1200 metres, all activities will be accessible thanks to the recent heavy snowfall," said a statement from the company. For this winter 2011/2012, Paradiski has invested 21,7 million Euro in the construction of infrastructure, upgrading equipment and expansion of snowmaking. |
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Skier Beth Wragg A delegation of 73 learning disabled skiers and 59 coaches and volunteers (see list below by region) are preparing for Special Olympics Great Britain's National Alpine Ski Championship in Pila, Italy next month to take part in vital Qualifiers for the Special Olympics World Winter Games in South Korea in a year's time (www.specialolympicsgb.org.uk). The championships take place from 15-22 January 2012 and according to Head of Delegation Candy Wragg of West Midlands, "This is the largest delegation to date! It's exciting to see the ski programme grow each year – especially in a country with very little snow." The team is made up of five skiers from Scotland, seven from Wales and 61 from all corners of England. The skiers will be representing their regions and are competing for medals as well as the chance to be selected for Special Olympics World Winter Games in Pyeong Chang, South Korea, 26 January - 6 February 2013, the year before the Winter Olympics in Russia. One hundred nations will participate with 2500 learning disabled participants. In fact special Olympics is the largest sports training and competition programme in the world in nearly 200 countries with over 3.5 million athletes. Five-time Olympic skier, eight-time British Champion and BBC TV Presenter Graham Bell (Ski Sunday and High Altitude) is a big fan of the team and hopes to attend, "I have been a Special Olympics GB Ambassador since 2009 and have seen first-hand the team's dedication and fearlessness when it comes to training and competing. This is the qualifier for Special Olympics World Winter Games in Korea and I know that these skiers are there to win!" The athletes will compete in three different disciplines: Super Giant Slalom, Giant Slalom and Slalom in Advanced, Intermediate and Novice levels. Each athlete is divisioned to compete at their ability level. To be eligible to participate in this competition, athletes must have a learning disability (IQ below 75), be at least eight years old and have competed at Special Olympics Regional Skiing competitions. In fact the youngest skier participating is 13 year old David Corr from Chorley, Lancashire who is excited to be participating in his first national competition with his mum cheering him on. Corr's brother skis with the All-England Dry Slope Squad and is the under-16 national champion. The oldest skier is 44 year old Jonathan Frett of New Malden, Surrey who participated at the last Special Olympics World Winter Games in Boise Idaho in 2009. Special Olympics groups across the country have been fundraising to send their athletes to Pila. Special Olympics Surrey skiers and supporters went Bag Packing at a Sainbury's in Epsom and in three hours raised an impressive £550. Special Olympics Great Britain is the country's largest provider of year-round sports training and competition for adults and children with learning disabilities, regardless of their ability and was established over 30 years ago and has nearly 8,000 athletes in 135 clubs in England, Scotland and Wales run by a dedicated army of over 2,800 volunteers that act in a wide variety of roles from sport coaches to fundraisers. Special Olympics competitions are structured so that athletes compete with other athletes of similar ability in equitable divisions. National Games are held every four years alternating between Summer World Games and Winter World Games, and then European and International Games. In Great Britain there are an estimated 1.2 million people with a learning disability. When you consider families, friends and carers, the total footprint of those affected is near up to 12 million people. 200 babies will be born this week with a learning disability. They will face discrimination all their life. The competitors and coaches at the Special Olympics Great Britain's National Alpine Ski Championship in Pila are: ENGLAND Corr, David Joseph 13 Athlete North West Rossendale Corr, Jenni Family North West Rossendale De Vial, Cameron 18 Athlete North West Rossendale Holden, Robert Joseph 21 Athlete North West Rossendale Hopkins, Mike Coach North West Rossendale Kay, Liam 17 Athlete North West Rossendale Kirk, Thomas 16 Athlete North West Rossendale Mcfarlane, Hamish 19 Athlete North West Rossendale Myers, Daniel Ryan 15 Athlete North West Rossendale Owen, Rebecca Jade 15 Athlete North West Rossendale Squire, Andy Coach North West Rossendale Stansfield, Karen Coach North West Rossendale Walton, Michael 68 Coach Northern Seamer Walton, Susan 40 Coach Northern Seamer Walton, Nicholas 36 Athlete Northern Skelton Cardillo-Zallo, Sue 45 Coach South East Kingston Coulon, Carol 67 Coach South East East Horsley Davidson, Malcolm 52 Coach South East Dover Devanney, William 49 Vip South East Bromley Friend, Clive 67 Coach South East Stoke D'abernon Kelly, Roger 41 Coach South East London Lines, Sally 54 Coach South East Woking Oosthuizen, Sonette 47 Coach South East Surbiton Sykes, Chris 55 Coach South East Saffron Walden Tavener, Chris 63 Coach South East London Tully, John 60 Coach South East Tonbridge Way, Judy 72 Coach South East Bickley Dempsey, Hannah 23 Athlete South East Orpington Andrews, Jane F 35 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Beckett, Corinna 29 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Cottrell, William 24 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Coulon, Anthony 26 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Coulon, Denis Michel 62 Volunteer South East Southeastskigroup Cullen, Mark 24 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Franks, Ayesha 25 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Giannini, Kevin Brian 32 Volunteer South East Southeastskigroup Grimes, Keith 53 Coach South East Southeastskigroup Lynch, Lissadell 38 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Martineau, Andrew 20 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Mccarthy, Wayne 30 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Payne, Lauren 17 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Pezet, Glen Gregory 26 Volunteer South East Southeastskigroup Roberts, Henrietta 22 Coach South East Southeastskigroup Sharples, Chloe 26 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Tavener, James 20 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Taylor, Owain 26 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Tully, Alison 29 Athlete South East Southeastskigroup Ball, Caroline 28 Athlete South East Surrey Cardillo-Zallo, Antonio 46 Coach South East Surrey Cardillo-Zallo, Tomas 21 Athlete South East Surrey Frett, Jonathan 44 Athlete South East Surrey Friend, Gregory 29 Athlete South East Surrey Friend, Jane 9 Coach South East Surrey Hastings, Scott 20 Athlete South East Surrey Lehrter, Jonathan David 18 Athlete South East Surrey Lines, Michael 23 Athlete South East Surrey Nakoneczny, Jeremy 52 Coach South East Surrey Nakoneczny, Stefan 21 Athlete South East Surrey Oosthuizen, Karen 20 Athlete South East Surrey Peciuch, Joseph 23 Athlete South East Orpingtonsharks Prior, Kathleen 45 Coach South East. Surrey Prior, Sarah 20 Athlete South East Surrey Sinden, Elanor 22 Athlete South East Surrey Sippets, Alan 29 Athlete South East Surrey Turner, Jonathon 28 Athlete South East Surrey Undrom, Mikael 24 Athlete South East Surrey Velli-Smith, Sebastian 17 Athlete South East Surrey Webster, Peter Joseph 60 Coach South East Surrey Gilroy, Alison Elizabeth 48 Coach Southern Old Netley Dries, Rebecca Ann 41 Coach Southern Southamptonotars Hudson, Neale 41 Athlete Southern Southamptonotars Leavesley, Sarah 42 Athlete Southern Southamptonotars Searle, Samuel 22 Athlete Southern Southamptonotars Benskin, Rebecca 28 Coach West Midlands Sutton Coldfield Clark, Hazel 41 Vol West Midlands/Nat Grid Evans, Mike 47 Coach West Midlands Bromsgrove Gault, Shaun 54 Coach West Midlands Tamworth Hewitt, Ashley 20 Coach West Midlands Redditch Lines, Alan 63 Coach West Midlands Redditch Muller, Francis 27 Athlete West Midlands Stourbridge Odonohue, Fleur 29 Athlete West Midlands Nuneaton Parish, Keith 57 Coach West Midlands Redditch Wragg, Candia 62 Coach West Midlands Kinver Day, Katie 26 Athlete West Midlands City of Birmingham Desmond, Joanne 30 Athlete West Midlands City of Birmingham Honer, Dion 17 Athlete West Midlands City of Birmingham Hannah, Craig 36 Athlete West Midlands Dudley Harrison, Nicola 27 Athlete West Midlands Northshropshire Lines, Clare 28 Athlete West Midlands Northshropshire Burdan, Edward 38 Athlete West Midlands Redditch Mcfadden, Daniel 24 Athlete West Midlands Redditch Eden, Emma Louise 28 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski Evans, Elizabeth 24 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski Evans, Scott 18 Coach West Midlands.Westmidlandsski Hendon, Joannah 21 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski Hendon, Luke 29 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski Holland, Amy 24 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski Holland, Mick Family West Midlands Westmidlandsski Honer, Paul Charles 48 Family West Midlands Westmidlandsski Jones, Craig Coach West Midlands.Westmidlandsski Birmingham Mason-Williams, David 17 Athlete West Midlands.Westmidlandsski Mason-Williams, Marcus 19 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski Mason-Williams, Michael 52 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski Millard, James 22 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski Ratheram, Steven Douglas 50 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski Savage, Leah 16 Athlete West Midlands Westmidlandsski Smallman, Thomas William 20 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski Thomas, Charlotte 18 Coach West Midlands Westmidlandsski Brunt, George 28 Athlete West Midlands Worcestershire Wragg, Beth 35 Athlete West Midlands Worcestershire SCOTLAND Campbell, Malcolm 66 Coach Grampian Aberdeen Purdie, Adrienne 47 Coach Grampian Aberdeen Purdie, Luke 17 Athlete Grampian Aberdeen Salvesen, Stephanie 25 Athlete Grampian Torphins Thompson, Shonagh 45 Coach Grampian Aberdeen Thow, Bob 54 Coach Grampian Belhelvie Wrate, Kristen 30 Athlete Grampian Old Meldrum Jeffray, Ann 66 Coach Lothian Gifford Jeffray, Claire 34 Athlete Lothian Gifford Barclay, Ruth 15 Athlete Grampian Newmacher WALES Bowen, Christopher 19 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire Newell, Philip Neil 58 Coach Wales Crosshands Williams, Alexis 50 Coach Wales Llandeilo Allen, Elizabeth 18 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire Beazley, Lynda Anne 49 Coach Wales Carmarthenshire Harper, Joshua 15 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire Phillips, Kirk 19 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire Price, Neil 17 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire Welton, Peter 37 Coach Wales Carmarthenshire Cropper, Michael 14 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire Edwards, Jordan 17 Athlete Wales Carmarthenshire |
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2012 is (although you may not know it), Olympic year in London. But for skiers and boarders it's also Olympic year in Innsbruck (uniquely, for a third time) as it hosts the 2012 Youth Olympics in January and Park City will be celebrating 10 years since it staged the 2002 Olympics. The first Youth winter Olympic Games from 13th-22nd January will see over 1000 young competitors (aged 14-19) from more than 60 countries across 63 competitions in 15 disciplines. Running parallel to the sporting competitions will be the Youth Olympic Games Culture & Education Programme (CEP) for athletes, spectators and local schools. The aim is to encourage new skills, educate about different cultures and cover important subjects such as the benefits of healthy lifestyles, doping dangers, and the values associated with the Olympics. Tckets are available –free of charge and available to register at www.innsbruck2012.com. Outdoor venues do not require a ticket and spectators will have the chance to witness brand new events such as Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe, Snowboard Slopestyle and Women's Ski Jumping – all part of the Olympic Games for the first time. Meanwhile over in Utah, Fraser Bullock, the former chief operating officer of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC), and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation has announced that the city will host a 10th anniversary celebration of the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February 2012. Organizers plan to commemorate the start of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games with a "Relighting the Flame" ceremony and on February 8th 2012, at the 2002 Olympic Cauldron Park at the south end of the University of Utah's Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. In addition to events in downtown Salt Lake it is expected that additional specific community celebrations will be organized in venue communities including Park City and as details of these events are finalised information will be made available at the original Olympic website www.saltlake2002.com It is not yet known whether Alain Baxter will be given his bronze medal back that was unfairly taken from him by the IOC. |
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The Pyrenees in Snowier Times First the Rockies then the Alps have had their big snowfalls to start the season, but so far it's not looking so great in the Pyrenees. None of France's two-dozen ski areas in the southern European mountain range which divides France and Spain have opened for the season yet, and the large resorts in Spain have been uncharacteristically quiet too. Although ski areas in Andorra have opened, terrain available is limited. At Grandvalira temperatures have been hitting 13C and the last snowfall was reported on 2nd December when 5cm (two inches) fell after a warm November. Currently the snow depth at the highest part of the Pyrenees' largest ski area, which aims to open 205km of runs this season, was reporting snow-depths of 10-35cm. That's at Pas de la Casa, Soldeu and El Tarter' was reporting 0cm. Things are looking better for later this week with some snow forecast and temperatures dipping to -6 at night – good news for the mighty snowmaking arsenal that needs colder temperatures to operate. |
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It is an art form finding a good day. It's not so much roads being closed (it happens but not that often or for long, usually) as that when conditions are good the places are heaving and you spend your day queuing to park, queuing for the bus from the overflow car park to the lift ticket office, queuing for a ticket, queuing for rentals, then queuing for a lift - you really can spend half a day actually getting to the top of the slopes. The ideal is to come mid-week, non-holiday when those problems don't usually arise. I've had some truly glorious days on empty slopes in Scotland including a great Halloween at The Lecht and spectacular views over the West Coast from Nevis Range. Had some truly terrible days in howling blizzards too - it's all part of the rich tapestry that's Scottish skiing :)
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Three of Scotland's five ski areas have opened this weekend following snowfalls through the past week (very like the Alps, but slightly less extensive!). All five ski areas were going to open but two were thwarted by storm damage during the gales on Thursday. Surprisingly perhaps, Cairngorm, where gusts peaked at a widely reported 165mph – a little less than the official British gale force wind record, wasn't one of them and more than 400 skiers and snowboarders took advantage of clear skies and pisted powdery snow conditions to get CairnGorm Mountain's 50th season off to a great start with, the centre reports, excellent conditions in the Coire Ciste and Ptarmigan areas of the mountain. "After the stormy days of the last week it was great to be able to open for our first day of this special season with some excellent skiing albeit in a limited area of the mountain. On 23rd December we will be celebrating 50 years since the first mechanized uplift – the White Lady chairlift – first ran and also the 10th anniversary of the opening of the funicular railway," said Cairngorm's Marketing Manager Colin Kirkwood. The two centres that could not opened as planned were Nevis Range, where the gondola lift cable was derailed by the gales and Glencoe where two mountain huts disappeared from the mountain during the gales. Glencoe had still hoped to open today (Sunday 11 December) but report they still have no electricity four days after the storm. Nevis Range has decided to delay until next weekend as this is its usual closed period for annual maintenance anyway. The two other areas to open were The Lecht and Glenshee, both reported partial opening with a few hundred metres of vertical and good conditions on the runs available. |
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Although the onus of the past seven days has switched from, North America to the Alps in terms of dramatic snowfall, conditions still remain excellent in most Western Canadian and US resorts. Marmot Basin by Jasper in Alberta, Canada reports it has already received half of its average annual snowfall and there is still over five months of skiing and snowboarding remaining in their season! Over six feet (two metres) of snow had fallen up to December 5 compared to 111cm on the same date in 2010 and excellent 'mid-winter conditions' are reported to exist throughout the entire ski area. Marmot Basin has also opened two new chairlifts this winter, the Paradise high speed quad chair and the School House chair. An official grand opening event is taking place this weekend - Saturday, December 10th and everyone lucky enough to be in Marmot on December 10th and 11th can enter to win a two day ski holiday for two people including lift tickets and rental equipment with accommodation at the Best Western Jasper Inn & Suites. Most runs and six of seven lifts have been open, with the final lift, the Knob Chair opening today, December 10 now that grooming and avalanche control crews have completed their work in that area. So much snow fell during November that groomers were struggling to make it up to the top of the Knob Chair to pack out the "cat track" which is a requirement for getting the lift open. Likewise the avalanche control team has been challenged to get all their work done simply due to the abundance of snow in the alpine bowls. With the Knob now opens, skiers and boarders can again be thigh deep in powder snow. The Rogers Terrain Park will open soon as snowmaking resumes in full force tomorrow December 11. Large mounds of snow will be blown into the terrain park so groomers can sculpt various features and jumps and so terrain park staff, known locally as "the Park Rangers" can set up rails and boxes. The Rogers Terrain Park will open well before the holiday season. |
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