News
VINTAGE ski Posters featuring two of the most famous peaks of the Alps – The Matterhorn and Mont Blanc – attracted plenty of interest at a recent online sale held by international auctioneers Lyon & Turnbull in partnership with poster specialists Tomkinson Churcher.
What is currently the UK’s only National Snow Show will be taking place at the NEC in Birmingham on 23-24 October 2021. The organisers are promising that the event will be a mecca for skiers and snowboarders as it will provide them with a comprehensive retail experience, a first-class speaker line-up and interactive features including Rail Jam dry slope, Rider’s Lounge, Shred Stage, Skate Mini Ramp, Alpine Après Bar with live music and a Good Vibes Après Party, all under one roof.
The British Association of Ski Instructors (BASI) acted quickly to distance the organisation from a national newspaper report claiming there had been an outbreak of covid among a group of 26 British skiers on a BASI course near Chamonix in mid-January.
TWO of the biggest names in UK ski & snowboard holidays have announced they are cancelling all trips for the rest of the 20/21 season.
Crystal Ski Holidays and Hotelplan UK, the operators of Inghams, Flexiski and Ski Total, have blamed the continuing impact of covid on travel for their decision.
FITNESS EXPERT: Cara Brown
Cara Brown is a former British ski racer with a cabinet full of trophies. She is a five times Overall British Ladies Champion, has more than 25 other National titles, numerous Europa Cup top 20 and top 30 results, and became the UKs best ranked female speed skier.
by Clare Meaney
There will be no skiing interest in the next episode of Dancing on Ice this Sunday (7 Feb 2021) after Ski Sunday presenter Graham Bell and his partner Karina Mantras went out last weekend in a skate off against Rebekah Vardy and her pro partner Andy Buchanan.
John Yates-Smith of YSE Ski Chalet Holidays reports from Val d’Isere: “We mentioned yesterday (28 Jan 2021) that all of the footpaths around Val d’Isère were closed for avalanche danger. Not everybody realised that this included the Chemin des Coves (though the English name, the Avalanche Path, would have given a hint).
Inghams, Ski Total and Flexiski holidays have now been suspended until 2 April which means customers of these companies will only have around two weeks in which to go skiing at the end of the season – and that’s depends on many ski resorts opening their lifts and UK travel restrictions being lifted by then.
by Clare Meaney
Ski Sunday presenter Graham Bell’s short time on the ITV show Dancing on Ice has already been dramatic.
The former British racer’s professional skating partner, Yebin Mok, suffered a terrible injury to her leg during training which has put her out of action for at least three weeks.
The Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum in the Austrian ski resort of Hochgurgl, which contained hundreds of historic and rare motorbikes, plus other vehicles, has been destroyed by fire.
The museum, located at The Crosspoint on the Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road that links Austria to Italy, was a popular attraction for skiers and snowboarders in the winter season and the 100,000-plus motorcyclists who ride the route from Tirol’s Ötztal Valley to Italy’s South Tyrol in the summer, with many stopping to visit the museum.
by Clare Meaney
Graham Bell’s first performance on this Sunday’s Dancing on Ice television programme has been delayed after his professional ice skating partner, Yebin Mok, suffered what has been described as a gruesome injury to her leg during training.
by Clare Meaney
One of Britain’s best known professional skiers has become an ambassador for top clothing brand Helly Hansen.
Warren Smith (pictured), who has his own Ski Academy, announced that he was ‘over the moon’ with the partnership. The Academy, which is based in Verbier, Switzerland, opened in 1988 and now has 15 instructors.
Rupert Longsdon, the CEO and founder of Oxford Ski, has provided an update on skiing and snowboarding in popular destinations:
Switzerland – Most resorts are open but can vary based on the Canton area, but with key resorts including Zermatt and Verbier operating, there’s plenty of piste to please even the most avid skier. Whilst most restaurants are only able to offer a take-away service, hotel restaurants and catered chalets continue to deliver first class experiences to guests staying with them.
Ski chalet specialist Le Ski has joined the list of companies which have announced they are cancelling all holidays for the rest of the 20/21 season.
The announcement comes in the same week that Hotelplan, the umbrella company for Inghams, Total Ski, and Flexiski, also announced they were cancelling all ski and snowboard holidays until the end of February (see story by CLICKING HERE).
Hotelplan, the umbrella company for Inghams, Ski Total, and Flexiski, has suspended all of its ski and snowboard holidays until 27 February 2021.
It follows a previous announcement in November when the company told its customers that it was cutting the number of ski and snowboard holidays it’s ski companies were offering this season by reducing the number of ski chalets and chalet hotels on offer.
At the last count an estimated 27 European nations will be open for skiing of some kind during the festive period – but the situation is very complicated and with restrictions already in place, and the latest news that many countries are banning visitors from the UK because of the new strain of covid, it is unlikely that British skiers and snowboarders will be able to go to the mountains for Christmas or New Year.
The UK’s longest indoor snow slope, Chill Factore in Manchester, was the scene of another world record on Tuesday (15 December 2020). Snowsports instructor Callum Mackenzie completed his attempt at recording the ‘Greatest Vertical Distance Skied Up and Downhill in 24 Hours (indoors)’ which saw the 26 year-old having to climb up the 180m indoor slope 200 times, totalling a vertical height of 12km.
The ever changing covid rules and regulations surrounding travel means that wintersports enthusiasts are all trying to see into the future so they can decide where and when they will be able to go skiing and snowboarding this season.
Looking for a good book to read? Here are some fact and fiction books that summon up the atmosphere of snow-covered mountains
The Man Behind the Maps – James Niehues
The Chalet – Catherine Cooper
Ultimate Skiing Adventures – Alf Alderson
Swiss ski resorts found themselves in the media spotlight recently when photographs appeared on social media platforms showing what appeared to be skiers and snowboarders in lift queues failing to socially distance.