http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/news/ en wendyking@editors.co.uk Copyright 2010 2010-03-09T14:14:24+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/livigno-festival-revisits-the-70s/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/livigno-festival-revisits-the-70s/#When:14:14:24Z Livigno’s annual ‘Free Heel Fest’ is taking us back to the flower-power days, celebrating the 1970’s – telemark ski style. The Free Heel Festival takes place 20-27 March, when telemark enthusiasts gather for a week of competition and cultural events.  Anyone can join in the fun, though, and have a go at telemark skiing too.   This year’s theme is the 70’s, and the resort will be filled with events from the decade.  Many people like to dress-up to take part, so expect to see the flares, daisies, and turtle-necks. Some of the highlights include mountain dinners, a film and photographic exhibition, various 70’s themed parties and more serious competitions on the slopes.   The festival programme also includes children’s events and equipment testing.  Group lessons in telemark will be available most days; two-day courses start at 45 euros. Read our resort review for more about Livigno www.livignofreeheel.it Events, Resorts 2010-03-09T14:14:24+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/neilson-launches-201011-brochure/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/neilson-launches-201011-brochure/#When:14:08:05Z Neilson Holidays has announced release of its ski and board brochure for winter 2010/11. As usual, there are a host of early booking incentives and low deposits of just £65 per person – if you book before the end of May 2010. One of the key features for many of the larger tour operators has been to introduce all-inclusive packages. Neilson will introduce these for next season: the ‘Ski Inclusive’ prices include lift passes, equipment hire and lessons, as well as the standard flight and lodging deal. The all-in price makes an attractive choice for beginners and families, wanting to know what they are paying for in advance and keeping costs under control.  Also available will be short-stays for 4-6 nights in January, the low season period. Neilson offers 73 ski resorts in 12 different countries, including Bulgaria, Romania and Scandinavia.   General 2010-03-09T14:08:05+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/vail-names-a-piste-after-vonn/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/vail-names-a-piste-after-vonn/#When:13:55:52Z Vail Resorts in Colorado has renamed a ski run after Olympic ski racing champion Lyndsey Vonn. Vail is considered Vonn’s hometown, since she and her family moved there in the 1990’s. And when not away training, Lyndsey and her husband reside in Vail Square and frequent the mountain’s Back Bowls to ski. By renaming the black “International” piste on Vail Mountain “Lyndsey’s”, the resort is recognising Vonn’s achievements as a ski racer – including her recent gold medal win in the Vancouver Olympic Games. The chosen trail was the site of the women’s speed events in the World Alpine Ski Championships at Vail and Beaver Creek in 1989 and 1999. And its central location gives easy access to most visitors. Resorts 2010-03-09T13:55:52+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/podium-wins-for-vonn-svindal-and-cuche/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/podium-wins-for-vonn-svindal-and-cuche/#When:11:47:42Z Lyndsey Vonn looks set to take the overall World Cup women’s title, with another win in downhill that puts her way ahead in the points rankings. The women’s downhill and super-G events took place in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, at the weekend – the penultimate races before the season close-out in Garmisch Partenkirchen on 10-14 March. Vonn took the first place in the downhill, with a second position in the super-G. Friday’s super-combined event was eventually cancelled due to strong winds affecting the Nationale course. In Norway, Aksel Lund Svindal and Didier Cuche dominated the men’s races. Cuche secured a win in the downhill, with Svindal in second place. Svindal then went on to take a third place in the super-g event. Both the men and women’s races will converge on Germany next weekend, where the famous Kandahar course awaits. The course has been improved ahead of the 2011 World Cup, to be held there next February. In the overall World Cup standings, Vonn is the unchallenged leader. Maria Reisch of Germany remains in second position, with Sweden’s Anja Paerson in third. And in the men’s group, Svindal is in fourth place. The current leader is Austria’s Benjamin Raich, although the Austrian’s have failed to shine in recent weeks. It is the Swiss pair, Janka and Cuche that have gone from strength to strength throughout the series. Events 2010-03-08T11:47:42+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/world-cup-action-from-crans-montana/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/world-cup-action-from-crans-montana/#When:12:12:43Z Fresh from the Olympics, the World Cup racing resumes this weekend with the ladies series in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. The racers are in action on the Nationale downhill course, a long and steepish red run that is a key feature in the Swiss resort. This is the last weekend of racing before the World Cup finals. Friday starts with the super combined event. So far, Elisabeth Goergl – bronze medallist in Vancouver – leads the standings after the training runs. Lyndsey Vonn is also back on form, following her crash in the penultimate Olympic race. Britain’s Chemmy Alcott will be hoping for a good result too. The downhill takes place on Saturday and the super-G event on Sunday. Sunny Crans-Montana is still skiing well, with a reasonable cover of snow - almost 2m at the glacier; the lower runs are a little thin at 10cm but the snow remains soft and the runs to resort open. The glacier slopes are currently closed due to poor visibility, as are the access lifts just below it.  The resort is well known for its sunny skiing, and its late season music festival - the Caprices - which this year takes place between 4-7 April. Meanwhile the men’s World Cup has also resumed and moved from Vancouver to Kvitfjell, Norway. Events 2010-03-05T12:12:43+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/ladies-weeks-in-solden/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/ladies-weeks-in-solden/#When:12:03:44Z Solden in Austria is offering good-value ladies-only ski packages between 13 and 27 March, which include a ski or snowboard lesson. If you fancy a short break with the girls, the three or four night packages run from Wednesdays to Saturdays or Saturdays to Wednesdays. The deal includes a choice of accommodation, a lift pass for the duration and the one-day tuition. You’ll also be invited to free nibbles and wine up the mountain. Prices start at 209 euro for a guesthouse, 286 euro with half board. Solden is one of Austria’s liveliest resorts, and with the advantage of high altitude glacier slopes – so makes a good late season choice if you enjoy plenty of après-ski too. All season long there are regular live concerts too: the Bogus Brothers will be playing on 26 March at the open-air stage at Giggijoch. Resorts 2010-03-05T12:03:44+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/cairngorm-attempts-kilted-record/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/cairngorm-attempts-kilted-record/#When:11:52:30Z Quick – men in skirts! There will be plenty of kilts on display in Cairngorm resort, Scotland, this Saturday 6 March – the resort is attempting to set a world record. In a charity event, Cairngorm is inviting visitors to take to the slopes in their kilts to attempt the world record for the largest number of kilted skiers and snowboarders heading down the piste at once. The resort is hoping that the bumper snowfalls of late will encourage over 500 participants in the event, which plans to raise money for the Maggie’s Highland Hospice and junior skiing programmes. The idea is that the kilted group will ski top-to-bottom of the mountain, along the popular Coire Cas and Zig Zag runs – all very well covered with abundant March snowfall. So, if you’re up in Scotland this weekend get along to the Cairngorm in Kilts event and some excellent riding. Oh, and it might be wise to wear some thermals under those kilts – could be quite breezy otherwise! The weather is set to improve for the weekend, less windy and brighter skies. Resorts 2010-03-05T11:52:30+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/busk-for-free-lift-pass/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/busk-for-free-lift-pass/#When:13:23:00Z Here’s a novel idea from the small Austrian ski area, Wildschonau – it might appeal to those visitors who must travel with a guitar everywhere they go … The resort of Auffach is holding a Musician’s Day on 13 March, with live music at most huts and restaurants on its Schatzberg slopes. But to add to the fun, visitors are being invited to ski for free on that day – if they are prepared to busk for the privilege. All you have to do is go to the ticket office and play a tune for them. In return for your musical serenade, you get a lift pass! The Wildschonau region includes the small ski areas of Auffbach, Niederau and Oberau. While only small, they provide novices and intermediates with quiet slopes above traditional Austrian Tirol villages. Resorts 2010-03-03T13:23:00+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/olympians-to-compete-in-verbier-high-five/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/olympians-to-compete-in-verbier-high-five/#When:10:53:07Z Olympic champion Didier Defago will be in Verbier on 27 March – along with Canada’s Michael Osborne-Paradis and Britain’s Chemmy Alcott – for the annual High Five event. The athletes have confirmed their attendance, and will join a long list of big names to take part in the multi-disciplined competition. The concept Verbier’s High Five by Carlsberg has been a unique end-of-season event in the resort for the past ten years; it is fun, friendly and with plenty of competitive spirit. The idea is to bring together professional and amateur skiers and snowboarders, in a mix of relaxed and serious competition. So, alongside the Olympic stars will be 350 enthusiastic amateurs, from which the best will be selected to form a team with the ‘Champions’ in the final parallel slalom event. It all takes place up at Attelas and the Chalet Carlsberg, a great vantage point for watching the action. The Triathlon usually proves the most fun, as the activities are not revealed until the day. The races The competition involves five main components: Giant Slalom:
an 800 meters classic giant slalom with a variable descent. Speed Track: Adrenalin rush! This downhill course has an instant speed-gun at 120 meters. Boarder/Skier Cross:
Experience the thrills and spills of a 400m race in a 4×4 format. Plenty of challenges, big turns and obstacles. Triathlon:
Three secret activities! You need to be an experience skier/rider. Parallel Slalom: 
The Final!
Head to head race between Pros and amateurs. It will take place after the first four competitions have determined the rankings. Verbier party After the serious stuff on the mountain there will be some serious partying. There will be music, interviews with the athletes and other après-ski events taking place in the resort , as well as the award ceremonies. Fancy joining in? The Verbier High Five website has the details: www.verbierhighfivebycarlsberg.com 2010-03-03T10:53:07+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/lifts-damaged-in-pyrenees-storm/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/lifts-damaged-in-pyrenees-storm/#When:18:00:33Z Several ski resorts in the Haute Pyrenees suffered damage as a result of a powerful storm last weekend. Storm Xynthia raged through the mountains, a fierce and abrupt weather front, with gale force winds gusting in excess of 200km/hr. The storm crossed the mountains from the east coast and was so strong that it damaged ski lifts and snowmaking equipment in several resorts – notably in the Haute Pyrenees region. Reports suggest there was between 20% and 80% damage to the worst affected areas, forcing tiny Hautacam (a family area just south of Lourdes) to close for the remainder of the season. Elsewhere, more familiar resorts such as Superbagnères-Luchon, Peyragudes and Saint-Lary all suffered varying amounts of damage. Others, including Luz, Cauterets and the Tourmalet region are trying to repair lifts, where parts were derailed or blown down – some have since reopened. The latest news is that most of these areas are still reporting 80-90% of their terrain open. So, skiing can continue. The storm didn’t dump huge snowfalls but settled snow depths are fairly good, with soft piste conditions at present. Resorts 2010-03-01T18:00:33+00:00