RECHARGE YOUR CAR FOR FREE This winter season 2015/16, Parking Lot 2 of the TITLIS Cableway at Engelberg in Switzerland is equipped with six charging stations for electricity. The only costs for this service will be the car parking fee – recharging is ‘on the house’, thanks to TITLIS Cableway. EWO (Obwalden Electric Company) will provide the natural energy, which is 100% from Obwalden and 100% renewable.
SKIWELT CREATES YOUNG FAMILY TICKET Austria’s SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental has created a new Young Family Ticket – an interchangeable pass for two parents with children up to three years of age who want to alternate slope time and childcare time. The ticket can be bought for 3 to 14 days
THE WELSH ALPINE SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS
and will carry pictures of both parents taken at the ticket office.
NEW BEGINNERS’ AREA AT TIGNES Famed for its high-adrenaline ski slopes and off-slope alternatives, Tignes, in the huge Espace Killy shared with Val d’Isère, has created the new ‘Le Rosset’ beginner area in Tignes-Le-Lac. The chairlift has been realigned to allow for better access at the jardin de neige, and there are two new beginner slopes and a longer covered carpet lift.
N. KOREA ADDS NEW LIFT AT MASIK PASS North Korea’s much publicised Masik Pass ski resort appears to be expanding ahead of this season. Images from Google Earth
T
show a new ski lift on a shorter route to the
month in Champéry, Switzerland,
Top British female in both the
where it has been held annually
GS and Slalom FIS races was
for the past 10 years.
Welsh team member, 21-year-old
This meant that alongside the
Nia Jenkins, followed closely by
races were 10-year anniversary
promising 17-year-old British racer
celebrations including a live outdoor
Katya Bingle-Williams. Best of
concert, a huge Welsh flag cake and
the British males was 21-year-old
The long-neglected Ice Pavillon in the grounds of
a good old Welsh sing-a-long with
Paul Henderson, who not only
the luxurious 5★ Kulm Hotel is to get a new lease
locals, racers and organisers.
came top out of the British in the
of life after the Kulm appointed British architect
The four days of competition
slalom but third overall, beating
Lord Norman Foster, who owns a home in the
included two days of international
some incredibly stiff international
famous resort, to oversee a CHF8 million (approx.
FIS races attracting 20 nations,
competition. In the international GS
£5.4 million) refurbishment and extension of the Ice
he 2016 Welsh Alpine Ski
from as far afield as USA and
it was 19-year-old Robert Poth who
Pavillon in the Kulm Park. The two-storey Pavillon,
Championships, organised by
India, followed by two days of
was not only the best Brit of the
built in 1905, is a synthesis of art nouveau and
Snowsport Wales, took place last
British competitions.
race but second overall.
traditional Swiss style that has been classified as worthy of protection. It stands between the main hotel building and Chesa al Parc, which is one of
MAKING CHEESE IN LA PLAGNE
ski area’s summit. North Korean media has also reported plans to build a second ski resort in the area.
centre has two remote-controlled treadmill slopes, and claims to offer faster tuition
PHILIPPE ROYER
Ski has opened just off the King’s Road. The
the Kulm’s restaurants and the clubhouse for Kulm Golf St. Moritz; in front of it is the hotel’s outdoor ice rink (in winter) and tennis courts (in summer). Currently standing in disrepair and in danger of
INDOOR SKI SLOPE OPENS IN CHELSEA An indoor revolving ski slope named Chel-
OLYMPIC ICE CENTRE TO BE RESTORED
insights into the creation of the
collapse, this architectural gem, which is also of
perfect French fromage every
historic importance having played a key part in the
Tuesday (from 3:30 pm) and
1928 and 1948 Olympics held in St Moritz, will have
Thursday (from 10:30 am).
new life breathed into it by Lord Foster’s design.
Monsieur Loyet demonstrates the
The Kulm itself is historically important, being
skill involved in creating the well-
the resort’s first hotel and, in winter 1864/65, the
known traditional Savoyard cheese,
location of the world’s first ever recorded winter
Tomme, in his free exhibitions,
mountain holiday.
where visitors can learn some of
The Ice Pavillon, along with the Kulm Hotel, is
La Plagne is well known as one of
Montalbert, the lowest and arguably
his special techniques and are at
owned by the Niarchos family, but they have
placed at a gentle gradient and slow speed
the world’s largest and most popular
most traditional of them all, but
liberty to ask Roland questions; he is
promised to open it up to the local Engadine
for first-timers or run at up to 30kph with a
ski areas but perhaps less so for its
linked by a new fast gondola to
always keen to practise his English.
community, making it available for sporting
cheese.
the rest of the network this winter,
One week’s self-catering in La
and other events, including as the venue for
Now the French resort is offering
making access much easier.
Plagne costs from €215 (£158) pp
the 33 medal ceremonies at the Ski World
cheese-making demonstrations at
Roland Loyet, owner of the village’s
(four sharing) including lift pass.
Championships, which are taking place in St Moritz
one of its 10 village bases, Plagne
Le Forperet restaurant, provides
la-plagne.com
in February 2017. kulm.com.
than learning on the snow. Slopes can be
gradient of 40° for advanced skiers. chel-ski.uk
006 // FEB16 // INTHESNOW.COM
@INTHESNOWMAG