http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/news/ en wendyking@editors.co.uk Copyright 2012 2012-02-04T13:07:37+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/last-minute-half-term-chalet-available/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/last-minute-half-term-chalet-available/#When:13:07:37Z Can you travel next weekend? Due to a rare late cancellation, Ski Amis has a chalet available for HALF TERM week. And they have just cut the total price by £5,000 as a special offer on the whole property (or book individually for £699pp). If you can get a group together and can travel next weekend, 11 February, then don’t miss this opportunity to head for the French Alps. Chalet Sermoz is one of Ski Amis’ premium chalets, and nestles in a delightful spot in Peisey-Vallandry – giving access to the whole Paradiski area of La Plagne and Les Arcs. Sermoz sleeps 14-16 people in en-suite twin and triple rooms, so is a fine choice for a family holiday or a group of friends. The chalet is close to the chairlift up to the Les Arcs slopes, or a few turns from the Vanoise Express lift towards La Plagne. The chalet is now priced at £7,500 for the full chalet (based on 14 sharing), saving £5,000 on the original price of £12,500. Or you can book from £699pp (originally £919pp) – so saving over £200. Facilities include the Ski Amis premium catered service (an additional cheeseboard course with the evening meal plus pre-dinner drinks and canapés and after dinner drinks with coffee and chocolates), plus hot tub, wifi, ski room and comfy lounge. Ski Amis also operates shared minibus transfers from Geneva airport (£75pp return) or Chambéry (£65pp). For more details go to the Ski Amis website or call them on Tel: (+44) 020 3411 5439 General, Resorts 2012-02-04T13:07:37+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/temperatures-plunge-in-europe/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/temperatures-plunge-in-europe/#When:11:04:57Z Temperatures have been falling in the Alps this week, and across much of Eastern Europe. A wintery front from the north-east is the reason, with forecast figures at minus 20 or even lower. This has been causing problems in Eastern Europe especially, where cold related deaths have been reported in Romania and Bulgaria. Authorities in Serbia say some 11,000 villagers are trapped by heavy snow and blizzards as the cold spell grips eastern Europe. “The situation is dramatic, the snow is up to five meters high in some areas, you can only see rooftops,” said Dr. Milorad Dramacanin, who participated in the helicopter evacuations. And in Bulgaria, 16 towns recorded their lowest temperatures since records started 100 years ago. The situation is not quite so serious in the Alps yet. We’ve just returned from France’s Portes du Soleil, where it was minus 7 at valley level on departure. Nice and wintry. And this is keeping the freshly fallen snow in fine shape – light and powdery. Thankfully, the winds have remained light, so the windchill effect is not too severe at present. There was 5-10cm snow on the ground in Geneva, and this could hang around for a while if the temperatures plummet even further. A quick look at the country weather forecasts suggest night time lows of between minus 20 and minus 30 are possible in the next few days, as a high pressure tries to establish itself across Europe. The cold snap follows heavy snowfall for some parts of France to start the week, which delivered more than predicted to north-eastern resorts, and gave the Pyrenees their first significant dump of the season – 40cm in Formgial for example, up to a metre elsewhere. The winter chill is also expected to hit Scandinavia too, where Sweden has issued a level 2 alert for heavy snow and freezing temperatures – influenced by the north-eastern winds that are sweeping in over the Baltic. These will build up snow flurries, and as these hit the coast they will cause the heavy snowfall. Initial predictions are for about 30cm or so. Road and rail authorities are out de-icing and clearing areas where they can, but be prepared if you are travelling to the mountains in the next week; chains and/or winter tyres if driving are a must, for example. We’ll bring you more in our Snow reports. You can check out our recent experience in Les Gets and neighbours in our Blogs, the first of which includes a video report. General, Snow 2012-02-02T11:04:57+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/report-to-us-and-win/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/report-to-us-and-win/#When:21:17:10Z Where to Ski and Snowboard makes heavy use of resort reports from readers. And we’re looking for your feedback again in 2012 – it could lead to a free copy of the 2013 edition of the book next August… and a free holiday, even. This year we have revised our reporting system to make it simpler for you to file the appropriate feedback, and for us to analyse your comments. Your report and prices go straight into our database, where we can view precisely the bits we need at a particular time. Please do give it a whirl to report on your trips, now or later in the season. Our Reader Report System is now reached through the same database entry point as our Resort Price Survey form – so you can file feedback and prices from one link. It gives you a ready-made structure to follow, with review and edit options at the end of a section. Last year’s report form has been removed, so you will need to follow the new link given at the bottom of the page and on our Reporting pages of the site. We have built into the reporting section the means to review and edit your comments, as well as simpler (we hope!) navigation to/from each part. If you have nothing to say for a particular section, you can skip it and move on. You can even file a single comment if you wish. Most of our 100 book-winning reports come in using the detailed form, simply because it encourages reports of the kind we want. But there are two other ways to send us a report: by posting a short review on our website, or by email. Detailed reports on the main system do not appear on our website, so if you want others to read it, then a short summary of your detailed report is a good way to do that. There are links to file a review on all our resort pages. All reports are considered for the free books that we give away in the summer. Important note relating to filing of detailed reports Our database server is set to time out (ie disconnect you) if you have not hit an on-screen button for a while. Theoretically, the timeout has now been increased to 30 minutes – but don’t depend on it. It’s best to sit down to file your report when you are not expecting interruptions. Make your coffee (or trip to the loo) before you start. Resort Price Survey 2012 The Where to Ski and Snowboard Resort Price Survey is the biggest of its kind. Now in its fourth year, we intend to repeat the process in 2012 to provide you with a comprehensive and comparative guide to resort costs. We would like you to gather prices for food and drink at mountain huts or in resort restaurants during the 2011/12 winter season, which you can add to the dedicated section of our new reporting system. Details on what we are looking for can be found in our Price Reporting section of the site. Note: Reports and prices MUST be from the 2011/12 winter season, and be submitted by the end of April 2012. Links: WHERE TO SKI AND SNOWBOARD REPORT AND PRICE FORM 2012-01-15T21:17:10+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/chamonix-ready-for-kandahar/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/chamonix-ready-for-kandahar/#When:12:16:47Z It’s race weekend in Chamonix-Les Houches, as the resorts welcome the world’s best men in Alpine downhill to the legendary Kandahar course. Up to 40,000 spectators are expected to arrive in the area to watch the racing, which takes places on the ‘Verte des Houches’ black piste. All eyes are on French hopefuls Alexis Pinturault and Jean-Baptiste Grange – the country has not had a home win on the course since 1968. But they’ll have strong competition from World Cup leader and winner in Les Houches in 2011 Ivica Kostelic of Croatia, who is hoping for another success. Didier Cuche will be hoping his run of success continues too, in this his final season on the World Cup circuit. Cuche won in Garmisch last weekend so is on top form for his last French descent. The Kandahar has been a part of the international circuit since 1948, founded originally in 1928 by the British Kandahar Ski Club. This year, members of the 2014 Winter Olympic committee in Sochi will be on hand to help at the Chamonix event – an getting a feel for hosting world class races. The Verte des Houches is a 3343m long black run, which combines tactical jumps such as the Cassure and Goulet with an 870m vertical. The weekend gets going today, Friday 3 February, with the previously postponed Val Gardena race. This is followed on Saturday by the Kandahar downhill and on Sunday with the super-combined and slalom races. During the weekend, both Chamonix and Les Houches will lay on plenty of après-race entertainment, including a live band in Les Houches-Bellevue and more fun in the Place du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. The podium award ceremony takes place at 6pm in Chamonix on Saturday, and at 3pm on Sunday at the finish line in Les Houches. Results just in from Friday’s racing: 1- KROELL Klaus (AUT) 2:04.22 2- MILLER Bode (USA) 2:04.23 3- CUCHE Didier (SUI) 2:04.26 Snow conditions are pretty much perfect at the moment, and it’s very cold. the sun has returned and any clear skies will ensure that the temperatures fall significantly at night. 2012-02-03T12:16:47+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/sweden-to-host-crashed-ice/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/sweden-to-host-crashed-ice/#When:13:08:38Z The Swedish ski resort of Are will host the third stop of the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2012 from 16 to 18 February, a fast and furious race that originated in Stockholm in 2001. Red Bull Crashed Ice is a combination of ice hockey, downhill skating and skiercross, and has developed into one of the toughest winter sport events. Four ice-hockey racers at a time hurtle down a 500m long course of bumps and rollers, just in skier cross events, reaching speeds of 70km/hr. And, like its related ‘cross’ competitions, it’s the first person down the course who wins and proceeds to the next heat. Of the 64 starters, only one will be crowned the champion. Back in 2001, the race was won by a Swede too – the ice cross downhill legend Jasper Felder who went on to dominate the sport during the first half of the noughties. In 2012, the event began in Saint Paul, USA, and progressed to a venue in the Netherlands. After Sweden, it’s the final stage in Quebec, Canada. The main event takes place in the evening on Saturday 18 February (6pm-8pm), with a start up the mountain to the right above Timmerstugan; the finish area is in the town centre, at Åre Square. It’s free to watch. The partying kicks off on the Thursday 16 February, with an après-skate gig at the Tott hotel followed by the Crashed Ice party at Dippan (fronted by a popular DJ). Qualification heats take place on the Friday, followed by another dance party (at Bygget). But the best is for last, with an even bigger party in the TV4 Sport Arena in the Holiday Club – doors open from 9pm. Tickets costs 250 Swedish Krone (@£25), and you’ll need to be over 18 years old to get in. For more about Åre resort, check out our Review Links: Red Bull Crashed Ice Events, Resorts 2012-02-02T13:08:38+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/horse-play-in-st-moritz/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/horse-play-in-st-moritz/#When:11:57:18Z Given forecast temperatures dropping to minus 20 or so, there should be no problems with the frozen lake for this weekend’s horse racing in St Moritz. The annual White Turf event will take place in the glitzy Swiss resort with racing starting on Sunday 5 February, and also taking place on 12th and 19th February. The international White Turf horse race is one of St Moritz’s leading events of the winter season, and has been going for 105 years. Its distinguishing feature is that it all takes places on a frozen race course on the resort’s big lake and highlights the resort as a well-bred, wealthy yet modern and comfortable lifestyle. The setting is stunning, the location an upmarket resort where fur coats are as abundant as the good skiing. Every year the exciting gallop and trotting races feature noble thoroughbreds and international jockeys competing in a 1300m sprint. The races keep more than 35,000 spectators spellbound. All this is rounded off with some Skijöring racing, where skiers are pulled at speeds of up to 50 km/h by rider-less horses over an icy and crunchy surface for 2700m. The competitor who collects the greatest number of points over the three race Sundays will be crowned the year’s ‘King of the Engadine’. At stake on the final Sunday is a 30,000 Swiss Franc prize, which is part of the Grand Prix Berlin-Hoppegarten – taking place as part of a collaboration with Germany, and a similar race event in Berlin. To allow spectators to enjoy more of the whole race, the starting line has been moved for this winter. It is now placed between the first and second stands. And, of course, the wider picture is that there will be plenty of action off the course too; trade stands, temporary dining points and exhibitions. Also new this winter is a special ‘kid’s’ day, designed around making the event fun for visiting families. ‘Kid’s Day’ will take place on the 12 February (second race day, and the start of half term for many families) . Entertainment will consist of various children’s attractions, such as pony rides. Visitors will be encouraged to contribute donations to children’s charities, and there will also be a dedicated creche-style tent facility on site. Professional skijöring – © swiss-image.ch Events, Resorts 2012-02-02T11:57:18+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/rally-time-in-st-anton/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/rally-time-in-st-anton/#When:14:30:17Z St Anton’s Red Bull Hut Rally, which sees amateurs take on the professionals at the Freeski 6 Cross Race, has been taking place this weekend. The ‘hüttenrallye’, which is a bit of a free-for-all event and features obstacles and hay barns along its route, is in the Austrian resort for the second year. It is taking place over two days 27/28th January – with a special TV broadcast on Sunday (29th) about the competition. And the top prize is a car – so there will be some thrilling competition as the racers throw themselves at the course. Participants include 24 of the international free ski elite athletes – among them is last year’s winner and super G world champion Daron Rahlves (USA); plus ski-cross world champion Andreas Matt. The pro group forms teams of six with a bunch of amateur ‘hobby’ skiers. Each team includes four pro-skiers and two amateurs. The three fastest skiers among them reach the next round. Each team will race in a fierce showdown along a 2km course on the Gampen mountain, elbowing their way through challenging narrow sections for 450m vertical. There are no rules as such: the fastest times in each round go through to the final, where the overall winner walks away with the top prize. Most competitors are men, but there are a few women taking part too. So far, the women’s results are in: Meryll Boulangeat of France won, with silver and bronze going to Austria. Going into the men’s final today (Saturday), Daron Rahlves said, “It’s a very challenging course. Some of the corners are extremely difficult to ride and you have to really get the best line, otherwise you are definitely out. It’s going to be an exciting finale.’ After the racing, there’s the blowout dinner and partying – which the legendary St Anton does rather well! Here’s a video capturing last year’s inaugural event. Events, Resorts 2012-01-28T14:30:17+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/highlights-from-schladming-slalom/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/highlights-from-schladming-slalom/#When:16:48:54Z Conditions have not been easy for the World Cup racers recently, and Schladming’s night slalom this week was no exception. Heavy snowfall and a rutted course in places challenged the racers in front of a 50,000 strong crowd on Tuesday. But it was local lad Marcel Hirscher who won the men’s slalom, for his sixth victory of the season. The Austrian resort’s Planai mountain guarantees a good turnout and a party atmosphere for its annual night race. It’s a full afternoon and evening programme, culminating in the second round showdown under floodlights. Hirscher clocked a combined total time of one minute 43.01 seconds, hanging on to his first-run lead. His teammate Mario Matt came third. Stefano Gross of Italy came second. Overall World Cup champion Ivica Kostelic of Croatia finished fourth, but remained at the top of the standings – 80 points ahead of Hirscher. Kostelic and Hirscher appeared to settle their recent differences from the Zagreb race, when the Croatian appeared to support claims that Hirscher straddled a gate en route to his recent victory there. The FIS have since cleared Hirscher of any fault. If you are keeping up with the race events, and the ‘who’s who’ of podium winners, next stop is the men’s downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. As for Schladming … the resort has very good snow cover at present, reporting base depths of 90-180cm. The next five days are forecast to be cold and clear, so there should be great skiing on offer over there. Events, Resorts 2012-01-27T16:48:54+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/big-new-terrain-park-for-borovets/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/big-new-terrain-park-for-borovets/#When:10:57:24Z It is billed as the best in Eastern Europe and has opened in Borovets, Bulgaria. It is the region’s big new terrain park. The new terrain park is an extension of last year’s taster park, and is now more challenging. The park is built by an established German company and is on the ski area’s Popangelov run. It has varied lines of jumps and other features, and has three lines of difficulty in its 610m length. The upper part is dedicated to expert riders – arranged along it are a huge ring, rocked jump with split spot and a giant 12m table top jump beside them. The middle line in the park has two separate trails. The first is a slope style trail, with a series of a straight rails, followed by an A Frame Box, small table top jumps a 10m spine feature. There is also a 4m quarter-pipe. The second part of the middle line is the jib line, and with a 9m kinked rail and a 10m kinked box. There’s another pipe at the end. Finally, there is a child’s line with pint-sized replicas of the features already described. So, even novices can have a go on the basics. Another feature of the new park area is that is has its own lift – a surface lift. But visitors to Borovets who enjoy playing in the terrain parks have a second area at their disposal – a floodlit park in front of the Rila Hotel, which has a pipe and a few jumps. With the opening of the new terrain park, comes an event calendar of competitions. Snow Park Borosport will host four freestyle races this winter. First is the Borosport Big Air Open ( 4/5 Feb) , then the Saturday Extreme Session (18 Feb), the Air & Jib Challenge (10/11 March) and, finally, the Dragon Slope Style ( 24/25 March). And snow conditions? Much improved on recent weeks, with heavy spells of new snow. Borovets is currently the best of the bunch in the country, reporting a 200cm top base depth. Resorts 2012-01-25T10:57:24+00:00 http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/medals-for-britain-at-youth-games/ http://www.wheretoskiandsnowboard.com/site/medals-for-britain-at-youth-games/#When:09:30:19Z British pair Jazmin Sawyers and Mica McNeill finished second in the two-woman bobsleigh at the Winter Youth Olympics in Innsbruck, claiming silver medals for Britain. And there were medals too for us in the short skating discipline. Sawyers and McNeill were lying fourth after their first run, but the pair saved their best for last and produced a flying run of 55.66 seconds to split up the two Netherlands teams into gold and bronze positions. Sawyers, who only took up the sport late last year, commented, “After we finished our run we thought it was going to be bronze, which would have been amazing, but to then grab silver, well there is no better moment than this in my life. Mica drove amazingly well on the second run; our first run wasn’t the best, but for her to come back and drive like she did is just amazing.” The second GB bobsleigh team took fourth position in the event. The boys did less well: GB’s Olly Bidulph and James Lelliott came fifth in their competition. The bobsleigh medals made it three for the GB team in Innsbruck. Earlier in the weekend, Britain won a gold and silver in short-track speed skating. Jack Burrows and Aydin Djemal were part of a mixed relay team, which was made up of athletes from different nations. The Games suffered a few delays due to this weekend’s heavy snowfalls in the area, but generally most events have gone ahead as planned. The Games closes on Sunday. Events, General 2012-01-23T09:30:19+00:00