J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by J2SkiNews

There's a new spin on the big mountain Freeride competition at Squaw Valley in California USA this Saturday, March 19, 2011, thanks to new technology.
Helly Hansen's wildly successful 'Big Mountain Battle Powered By Flaik' (www.bigmountainbattle.com) returns to Squaw Valley USA for the third year – it was in fact due to have been staged earlier this winter due to heavy snowfall at the resort.
A favourite among local skiers, the event is similar to other big mountain contests in that it challenge teams of two to ski and snowboard a big-mountain course on Squaw Valley's famous terrain.
What makes it different from most is that the teams are tracked in real time by Flaik GPS devices as they hit virtual checkpoints, strategically placed across the mountain.
Winners will receive $2,000 worth of Helly Hansen gear, prizes from sponsors Thule, Powder and Dakine, and free entry to the final Battle in the Bowls in Aspen/Snowmass on March 27th. Second and third-place finishers will also be awarded an array of prizes from sponsors.
It costs $85 per team to enter but all entrants receive two Helly Hansen base layers valued at $45 each as well as a year-long subscription to Powder magazine.

The new Café de l'Arve (www.cafedelarve.com) in Chamonix has won the resort's, and the region's, sole 'Michelin Bib' for its superb cuisine.
This prestigious rating means the restaurant is an inspector's favourite not just for top notch nosh, but for good value to boot.
Young chef, Julien Binet, with the support of Michelin star chef Mickey Bourdillat (the Bistrot), has developed a 'locavore' concept. This means they source quality local produce exclusively from the Mont-Blanc region (mountains and lakes).
The Café de l'Arve was only new restaurant in the whole Haute Savoie region to receive a Bib in 2011.
Other Bib Gourmand restaurants in Chamonix include the Maison Carrier, the Atmosphere, the Cabane and the Gorges de la Disosaz.

Obertauern in Austria's Salzburgerland (which we all remember from Boxing Day shows of Beatles film 'Help!' on BBC2 before the Sky era) is quite an unusual resort in the country as the high valley begins 1700m or so above sea level and the resulting good snow conditions from late November to early May have earned it the nickname 'Austria's snowbowl'
While resorts like Ischgl have chosen the highlight their long seasons by staging big concerts at the very beginning and end of their five month opening, Obertauern has hit upon the idea of burying treasure chests in the snow and having treasure hunting fans arrive to try to dig up a prize.
Just to make it really worth the effort the prize in recent seasons has included keys to a Porsche Boxster and top a Hummer H3! This year it's a top-of-the-range BMW.
So it is that during the end-of-season promotion up to 1,000 people can be seen manically digging away on the slopes searching for the 30 treasure chests, one of which holds the key to the luxury car.
This year the 'snow robbers' will be in town over Easter weekend from April 21st to 24th.

In a world first for Scotland and the Mr Men franchise, Mr Happy took to the slopes of Cairngorm above Aviemore earlier today as part of an effort to run 1000 miles from John O'Groats to Land's End doing a lot of activities en route including the Virgin London Marathon.
Weighing in at over 7kilos and 90cm wide, Mr Happy was the first of the Mr Men to attempt skiing, but stayed on his feet throughout.
Mr Happy, aka Andy Jackson, is on his epic quest to raise awareness for Britain's most common childhood cancer.
"It was great fun and a huge thanks to all the team at Aviemore Ski Resort for looking after Mr Happy so well. It's actually a shame I've got to continue running, as I was really enjoying myself and could have skied all day!" said Andy. "I never thought, when I started this run, that I'd be spreading the word about Children with Leukaemia at the top of a mountain, but everyone was very supportive, albeit a little curious!"
After skiing Jackson headed straight back on the road and aims to reach Dalwhinnie (around 20 miles south of Aviemore) by the end of the day.
Jackson was 19 when he ran his first London Marathon, just 7 months after being diagnosed with leukaemia and two weeks BEFORE his life-saving bone marrow transplant. Andy astounded doctors by producing his first 'healthy' cells in record time, just in time, as days after leaving hospital Jackson's mum died of cancer.
To sponsor Mr Happy you can text HAPPY to 70003 (£3 donation) or go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/mrhappyrunsbritain

Lift manufacturer Doppelmayr recently announced the order for a major project in Sochi, the longest 3S gondola lift type installation in the world, ahead of the 2014 Olympics, but now a new and even bigger order for the Olympic region has been placed.
Olympstroy, the Russian governmental organization for Sochi 2014, has placed an order for Doppelmayr to build another '3S' giant gondola lift installation similar to the Peak2Peak lift at Whistler Blackcomb, with two sections from Krasnaya Polyana to the skiing area Rosa Khutor where the alpine competitions of the Winter Olympics 2014 will take place.
The 3S installation will lead from Krasnaya Polyana to the Rosa Khutor Olympic Village (first section) and on to the so-called Rosa Khutor Finish Zone (second section). In Rosa Khutor, the alpine competitions of the Olympic Games of Sochi will be held.
Of particular significance the installation is designed in such way that it can also transport cars. Furthermore, this installation will be the most efficient ropeway in the world to date with a transport capacity of 4,500 passengers per hour in each direction. The start of the building works is scheduled for 2011 and the completion and start-up are planned to take place in 2013.
Besides its function as access lift to the skiing regions and the Olympic village, the installation is also an integrated and indispensable element of the Olympic transport logistics. In case a road leading to the skiing area or the Olympic village is not passable, the 3S ropeway serves as the "back-up system" the IOC requires. Therefore, the ropeway design allows the transportation of cars and enables switching from passenger to car transport within a short time.
The world's first 3S installation with two sections has an overall length of 3,100m climbs 700 vertical metres within 10 minutes. 53 cabins are provided for the transport of passengers and 25 special carriers are available for the transportation of cars.
In the awarding of the contract by Olympstroy (governmental organization for Sochi 2014), said Doppelmayr's profound know-how in ropeway technology, their reputation for high quality standards, their often proved implementation competence and not least with their worldwide experience with major projects were all factors. The cost of the lift has not been disclosed.

It is one I can't quite get my head round! I completely agree with Andy's comments. But then I try to join parallels with other sports. If we take tennis, interest in the sport in the UK has risen a lot (I understand) with Andy Murray doing so well, and his early year success was down to public funding (I understand again). So there is public payback a little in terms of entertainment, national pride and national health. You could argue we don't have many high profile snow sports people to get behind and fewer people following it anyway, but then the counter argument is more public money might make better skiers and a snowball effect (sorry). But then I watch a lot of biathlon on Eurosport and get behind non British teams because they're such great athletes, as well as the Brits who usually place in the 50s. I suppose you have to look at what the public funding is buying in terms of public entertainment, public health and national pride and that remains open to debate. Also how much should ski resorts, tour operators and media that can cash in on any national pride and public interest generated by the elite athletes contribute. But despite all this soul searching, cutting all money and giving such proportionately huge sums to ice sliding sports doesn't seem right/logical/fair.

Cairngorm

Several seasons of consistently good snowfall across Scotland has led to a return of FIS sanctioned racing in the country for what is believed to be the first time in more than a decade.
For the first time in many years, FIS (Fédération Internationale de Ski) races will take place in the Scottish mountains. "FIS competitions used to take place on a regular basis in Scotland", said Chair of ski-scotland Heather Negus, "but with marginal conditions, organisers of these races and other events moved them overseas. However, with great snow again this winter, arguably better than last winter's outstanding conditions, confidence, competitions and events have returned to the Scottish ski areas."
In fact the FIS races, which take place this weekend at Cairngorm, are just one of multiple events taking place on Scottish ski slopes over the next two weeks.
The Scottish Snowcross Championships will also be staged this weekend and are sure to bring added excitement to the slopes of Glenshee. The centre will be staging the Scottish Masters Championships the following weekend followed by the North East FIS race on March 16th and 17th.
At The Lecht the North East Children's Championships will take place on 12th and 13th March.
In addition the Ski Club of Great Britain and Scott Skis are offering Ski Club Leading and ski testing at Glenshee on the 12th and CairnGorm on the 13th of March.
And there's more! CairnGorm is also staging their (hopefully) world-record-breaking kilted skiers descent this Saturday while a fourth centre, Glencoe, will stage a jam in their new terrain park. Glencoe is also hosting a charity ski in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, with skiers and snowboarders sponsored to ride the height of Ben Nevis, Mont Blanc or even Mount Everest, and a Cross Country Scandinavian-style endurance event with an expected 30 – 40 participants skiing as many laps as they can in 4 hours. Snowsport Scotland, the sport's governing body, is also progressing its "Highlander Slopestyle"
"Although these events all add an extra buzz to the ski area on the day, the rest of the pistes are still open for skiers and boarders," continued Heather. "So they can have a great day out in the fresh air of the Scottish Highlands and enjoy watching all or part of these events if they want to."

I believe the awards are based on results to some extent. We won medals in ice sliding events and curling of course so they get more, but got none in skiing and boarding so they get nothing. That is the rationale being used I believe. The problem of couse then is how you're supposed to turn the situation round when you're even worse off. Oh and some of the athletes point out they have 'podiumed' - just not in the Olympics but in other world class events. But then there's the bigger question of which sports should be funded anyway and which are the more popuylar - presumably the existence of 'Ski Sunday' and 'J2Ski' rather than 'Bobsleigh Sunday' or 'J2 Bobsleigh' means ski and board are more popular ad the great British public would rather see us do well in them. Quite like the lottery idea! Someone told my Wayne Rooney gets more a week than the UK ski and board team used to get each year before the cut so maybe he could help out?