SnowSure Magazine September 2014

ISSUE 2 | 2014-2015

TA K E HOM ME TO D E AY

HOME OF UK SNOW Ski On Real Snow All Year Round At The Snow Centre In Hemel Hempstead

DOES YOUR EQUIPMENT PERFORM AS WELL AS IT SHOULD...?

Recent innovations in technology means ski equipment is better than it’s ever been before.

Ski boots are much more customizable, as plastic shells can now be heat moulded and shaped to the lumps and bumps in your feet.

Have you improved since you bought your current boots? Are they still comfortable making you reluctant to upgrade them?

A pair of custom fitted boots will be more comfortable than you can possibly imagine and give better performance than your old ski boots ever could.

Have your skis seen better days? Or are you still using rental equipment?

Skis have now become much more versatile and user friendly helping you to ski in all snow conditions.

If you choose the correct ski shape and ability level, you will see huge changes in your progression and enjoyment.

Come and visit us today to ensure you have the correct advice from experienced equipment specialists before you invest in your next pair of boots and skis.

Bringing you the largest specialist range of skis & boots in the UK and advice and expertise since 1965.

We’ll always be here to help and advise you on the correct equipment for wherever your passions and dreams take you.

Custom boot fitting specialists. Ski Industries Of Great Britain official ski testers.

“WINNER OF THE WORLD SNOW AWARDS - BEST UK SPECIALIST RETAILER”

FREERIDE | FREESTYLE | TOURING | TELEMARK | RACE | RECREATIONAL Ski Bartlett, Uxbridge Road, Hillingdon, West London, UB10 0NP T:020 8848 0040 | E:info@skibartlett.com | www.SkiBartlett.com

4 Welcome to The Snow Centre (TSC) 6 Snow Prep Are you ready to session the slopes?

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Learn to Ski and Snowboard ll you need to know about learning A with the Brits

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The Snow Centre Learning Journey iscover the ski or snowboard D progression steps at The Snow Centre

12 There’s No Career Like a Snow Career Why ‘snow’ work is so much fun!

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Making the White Stuff Find out how indoor snow is made

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Everyone Loves a Snow Day How you can sledge all year round

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Here Come The Girls UK snowboarders follow in Jenny Jones’ tracks

20 Support for Inner-city Young People on the Rise Discover how snowsports charity, Snow-Camp make a difference to so many young people 22 The Best Ski Resort or Ski Day Choose the right snowy destination for your next trip

28 Freestyle: The Craze, The Tricks and The Riders With parks, half pipes and boardercross courses, the freestyle scene is growing!

30 Better Than Paintball!

How a ‘snowy’ outing can prove a great team-building opportunity or group day out!

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32 Wacky Races The ‘just for fun’ snow races anyone can enter 34 The Ski World’s Highest Bars 35 Take a Snow Cat Selfie 36 The Diamond of the Alps The resort with all the right ingredients…

39 Sleeping on Snow Swap your apartment for an igloo or snow hotel

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41 A Guinness World Record at The Snow Centre 42 A Taste of the Alps

Enjoy Alpine food and snowy views just outside London 44 Double Paralympian Anna Turney Tells All

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46 Spectacular Slopes

The resorts with the best scenery

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50 WIN Snow Prizes You Can’t Buy

Contents THE TEAM

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PUBLISHED BY In The Snow, The Snow Studio, Kings Lane, Buckinghamshire, HP16 0QY On Behalf Of The Snow Centre, St Albans Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP3 9NH 0844 770 7227 PUBLISHER Dominic Killinger EDITOR Patrick Thorne

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CONTENT EDITOR & WRITER Jenny Bletcher (Senior Marketing Executive, The Snow Centre) CONTENT CO-ORDINATOR Debbie Gabriel COPY EDITOR Nick Jones SALES & MARKETING MANAGER, THE SNOW CENTRE Zoe Green, media@thesnowcentre.com MARKETING EXECUTIVE, THE SNOW CENTRE Rebecca Hicks, media@thesnowcentre.com DESIGNER Gudrun Jobst, yotedesign.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Ross Woodhall, rosswoodhall.com Max Presky, max.presky@hotmail.co.uk Motionstoppers Photography’ © Copyright 2014 No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any way or by any means, either by recording or otherwise, without permission of the publishers in writing.

Printed in the United Kingdom

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WELCOME W

elcome to the second edition of The Snow Centre’s (TSC) magazine, SnowSure. It’s been an exciting year so far and as you read on, we look forward to bringing you the latest news from the ‘UK snow scene’.

After the success of Sochi’s 2014 Winter Olympics there can be no doubt that people have been inspired to try snowsports. Here, at The Snow Centre (the UK’s newest indoor real-snow skiing and snowboarding facility!), we’ve been inundated with lesson enquiries and have seen a lot of people returning to winter sports having not participated for years.

On the back of Jenny Jones winning her bronze at Sochi, we have seen plenty more women trying snowboarding at The Snow Centre, too. It’s also been great to find so many children wishing to try tricks at our freestyle parks and become so-called “fridge kids”!

I am proud that we sponsor some of our successful Team GB Winter Olympians and, as we highlight in this edition of SnowSure, here at The Snow Centre we really do support and encourage everyone from beginners through to elite performers.

We celebrated The Snow Centre’s 5th birthday in May

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2014, and I was delighted at how many of you joined in. I am also proud to say that, in celebration, The Snow Centre and Snowbility broke the Guinness World Record for the longest consecutive distance skied in an indoor centre. Led and coordinated by the additional needs snowsports coaching professionals, Snowbility, the 250 people involved smashed the record, and you can read more about the event on page 41.

Looking ahead, The Snow Centre Team are continuing to develop new snow sessions designed to introduce new people to snowsports in a way that’s enjoyable, while also encouraging learning and development.

These include our new Adult or Junior 6 pack of Ski or Snowboard Lessons, ParkStarz Junior Ski or Snowboard Freestyle Sessions, or our Burton Riglets Snowboard Coaching – for youngsters aged 3 and above. You can find out more about these sessions from Pete Gillespie, our Head of Snowsports, on page 8 and view our learning journey on page 10, or hear from some of our freestyle and snowboard guests on page 28.

Taking ski or boarding lessons before your holiday continues to be the affordable way to learn and is also great for building up your confidence so that you can hit the slopes the moment you arrive and make the most of your trip abroad. But the insider hints and tips from our team can really help too. Our revamped website now includes a learning zone to keep you in the know when it comes to snow!

And in support of The Snow Centre’s Snowsports School, we also continue to work with various external providers to offer adults and juniors all kinds of progression opportunities ranging from race training, freestyle lessons and coaching for people with additional needs. These trainers, course providers and clubs are an integral part of our programme and help us offer a wide range of snowsports disciplines to as many people as possible.

More than ever, we’re finding people want to ski and board all year round! So, it’s no wonder many of you are making the most of our 160m Main Slope with our Adult, Junior or Family Lift Passes. And the increase in numbers of our Summer Monthly Lift Pass guests tells us you’re not just waiting until a few months before your winter holiday to get some practice in on your skis or snowboard.

Ian Brown Managing Director, The Snow Centre (TSC)

Finally, we recognise it is all about fun, and I hope each time you visit The Snow Centre, whether to ski or board, to learn or practise, or simply to relax with a tasty Alpine dish or coffee in The Lodge Bar & Kitchen, I hope you have a great visit!

Thank you for your feedback about our first SnowSure Magazine issue; it’s very much appreciated. Please feel free to email me directly with any comments, ideas or feedback for 2014/15 at md@thesnowcentre.com.

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Snow Prep

Snow Skills At The Ready!

Doug Clayton, Assistant Head of TSC’s Snowsports School “Putting the groundwork in before you go on a ski trip can really maximise the fun you have on the slope! At The Snow Centre, skill preparation could take the shape of starting from scratch on TSC’s lesson programme or a Rusty Refresher Lesson to refine your skills. Whether it’s learning the basics or working on high-speed carving, it’s worth getting an instructor to help develop the skills that allow you to tackle far more of what the mountains have to offer.

For hints and tips without a lesson, The Snow Centre’s website has a Learning Zone with videos and articles on all things snowsports. Whether you’re planning a trip to the Alps or a session at The Snow Centre, it’s definitely worth checking out the inspiring material on the Learning Zone to get some ideas on how to progress.”

Warm Up Your Ski Legs!

Lucy Tape, Sports Massage Therapist and TSC’s Slope Manager “The Snow Centre’s a great excuse to get on the snow before you go away, but it has a lot to offer all year round too. It’s good to start your first ski or snowboard lessons with plenty of time Lucy Tape, Sports Mas sage Therap and TSC’s to build up your confidence before you ist Slope Man ager head to the mountains. In fact, even the most accomplished snow lovers get more from their holidays when they continue to Fit For The Slopes! ski or board regularly.

Keeping your ski legs warm with a weekly Dwayne McConnell, Snowboard Instructor and session at The Snow Centre can, not Personal Trainer only keep your muscles in shape and “Whether you’re snowboarding or skiing, the improve your skills; it also bodes experience on the slopes is physical, so the fitter well for comfortably worn-in boots, you are, the better! If you’re at altitude in the and generally encourages a more mountains, the air will be thinner, so your lungs enjoyable time on your holiday. will be working overtime and your heart will have TSC’s Summer Monthly Passes to keep a good blood supply to your vital organs are a great way to make use as well as all the muscle groups you’re using; so a of the slopes from May to good level of fitness will prove beneficial.

September, and Tuesday And if you’re a first timer, you will probably morning’s Early Bird Lift Passes need to participate in more body preparation offer a quieter slope.” than those already familiar with the movements involved in snowsports. It’s more likely to be f TSC’s o d ea nt H Assista beginners that end up hitting muscular fatigue on yton, l la C g oo Dou orts Sch day two of their ski holiday!

Snowsp There are steps you can take to ensure you enjoy every minute of your time on the slopes, including getting regular exercise, targeting the muscles used during snowsports and eating appropriately! In the weeks leading up to a snowsports trip, you should be fuelling yourself with high-energy foods and following a personal training plan. An exercise programme is not generic to all, but activities such as running and swimming are great for building stamina and cardiovascular strength, which you will need at altitude. Resistance training that will target some of the muscles used in snowsports can include lunges, squats, reverse curls and lumbar rotations, and remember, it’s important to warm up, cool down rd nell, Snowboa and stretch.”

Dwayne McCon al Trainer d Person

Instructor an

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Once the snow’s settled, or when you’re just weeks from your annual ski or snowboard trip, you’ll wonder, have you left enough time to prepare your ski legs, your winter wardrobe and more? SnowSure caught up with a few faces from the UK snowsports industry who explained why “snow prep” starts long before the winter chill.

What To Wear!

Darren Wilcox, Columbia “It’s worth taking the time to plan your mountain wardrobe. When you only have one travel bag for all your ski stuff, you have to choose the essentials.

A good base layer is a must! It’s the first layer of comfort and you’re wearing it all day, maybe all week! It also needs to do so much: keep you warm, dry and look good. Columbia’s Omni-Heat is my favourite; the extra elastin gives it a great fit.

The other thing is a jacket; I find the pocket positioning on a jacket is critical! There is so much I need to carry on the slopes; phone, GoPro and all the other essentials. I’m not one for a rucksack unless it’s a backcountry day, so I like to have a pocket for everything!

You should also consider style; just when you think they’ve designed everything, a new look comes out. The classic ski look is still there – sharp lines, athletic fit and simple colours – but the new trend of ‘skiers looking like snowboarders’ and vice versa flex will make it easier to is ‘uber’ cool too. manoeuvre. When choosing To improve your on-slope your skis, those that are experience, there’s a lot of narrow with a wider tip and snowsports technology to look tail will aid in turn initiation. out for, from MP3s and speakers, As you advance in both electric heating elements and skiing and boarding, you may Darren Wilcox, Columbia built-in body protection. We’ve find stiffer equipment more still not seen a ‘Back To The responsive.

Future’ style self-drying jacket, but Whatever your ability, boots developments have come in warmth to weight ratio; need to be fitted to your foot; be warned, ski and it’s great that we can be so much warmer wearing snowboard boots are not sized like shoes! At Snow less!” & Rock we perform a ‘shell check’ to measure the space around your foot within a boot, without a liner. Fitting a custom insole is always the best way to make your boot more comfortable and improve Equipped For The Snow!

Luke McCarthy, Ski Boot Technician at performance.

Snow & Rock As for helmets, how important is your head? Again “When it comes to skis, poles, boots, boards and it’s all about fit, weight and materials. Some helmets helmets you can either rent or buy. Renting in resort are made from multi-impact materials and others is great for beginners, but as you progress you are single impact. Speak to an in-store snowsports may find that the equipment is not suited to your professional for advice before purchasing – this will needs. If you’re looking for comfort, precision, fit save you money!” and consistency, then buying is definitely the right choice.

Renting or buying, if you’re just starting out, you Snow Admin need a soft snowboard, skis and boots. Soft ski Greg Price, Ski Instructor boots guide you into a forward flexing position and “When choosing the perfect destination for a ski or soft snowboard boots and a board with plenty of snowboard holiday, you should look carefully at what

your requirements are; is the resort family-friendly, has it got a blend of easy and hard runs, are the onmountain facilities good, including toilets, restaurants and lifts, and finally does the resort have a good après scene?

Decide what your budget is and factor this into the equation! Sometimes on first inspection self-catering appears to be cheaper, but if there’s a group of you, a lot of effort can be spent agreeing on a restaurant. I would opt for half board.

For first-time or infrequent skiers, a package deal including lift passes, ski hire and tuition is probably the best option. As a regular ski trip organiser, I’ve established a good relationship with hotels, hire companies and transfer specialists, and have been able to come up with some competitive deals in my favourite European resort Solden. Solden has a range of slopes for all abilities, it’s ‘snow sure’, due to the twin glaciers, has excellent restaurants and lift systems, and a very lively night life.”

For more information on prepping for your trip to the snow, visit The Learning Zone at thesnowcentre.com/learningzone.

And with plenty of time for your ‘Snow Prep’, you can be sure of a smoother run down the slopes!

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LEARN TO Why Learn With The Brits?

Whether you’re planning your first skiing holiday, your friends have recently caught the snowboarding bug or maybe it’s just been a while since you hit the slopes, British ski and snowboard schools can make a considerable difference to your learning experience.

And if you’re looking for an instructor that can communicate more than with the token “Bend zee kneez,” then learning on your home turf can prove a must!

The real-snow, indoor snowsports facility The Snow Centre (TSC) offers exactly the kind of “snow school” experience many adults and children can only wish for in a resort.

Complete with instructors who not only introduce you to your chosen snow sport but get you “mountain ready” with some extra hints and tips, insider knowledge and details of the trendiest snow equipment up your sleeve, you’ll be sure to have a cheerier holiday and spend less time on the nursery slope following some friendly British instruction at TSC.

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The Snow Centre also gives you a chance to try skiing or snowboarding affordably and with guaranteed snow conditions. Standing up on any mountain in unfamiliar boots and being asked to make your first turn down an icy piste is never ideal; it’s much better to practise indoors on the soft stuff and try out your boots when the equipment rentals desk is just metres away.

With the convenience indoor skiing can offer, it’s no surprise that The Snow Centre’s instructors have taught more than a million people to ski and snowboard since they opened in May 2009, prepping many for their holidays and simply offering hours of fun and progression to others.

A Snow School For Every Tom, Dick & Harry!

Pete Gillespie, Head of Snowsports at TSC

From beginner to “pro”, it seems The Snow Centre Team know all about helping everyone get the most

BEEN THERE & DONE IT! Chris Turrell, age 44

Chris Turrell

Chris enjoyed group ski lessons on The Snow Centre’s Trainer Slope and later went solo on Main Slope Lift Passes in preparation for a trip abroad.

“I hadn’t been on skis in over 10 years so I took beginner lessons at The Snow Centre and I was so pleased I did! The experience was so much better than my first lessons years ago. The instructors were much more attentive and interested in your development. It also made a real difference to the fun I had on my holiday,” said Chris.

Emily Cross, age 4

Emily

Cross

Emily is learning to ski and snowboard on private lessons at The Snow Centre.

“Every step is introduced to Emily in a fun and child-friendly way, and her instructor tailors the sessions to make sure she is progressing through the levels at the appropriate pace for her. As a result Emily loves her time on the snow and is doing really well!” said Emily’s mum.

SKI OR BOARD! out of their time on the snow.

Led by Instructor Trainer Pete Gillespie, The Snow Centre’s Snowsports School is recognised as a hub for professional training with its own BASI academy (British Association of Snowsport Instructors).

Offering a range of group and private lessons 7 days a week for varied abilities, they are continuing to grow their programme.

“We pride ourselves on delivering a high-quality snowsports experience, whether it be on skis or a snowboard, for beginners or accomplished performers, to adults or juniors,” explains Pete.

“As a team we really value the capability to differentiate our expectations and coaching techniques for children and adults of varied ages, abilities and personalities, providing everyone with the opportunity to build great skills.

For example, our tailor-made junior level system has more development steps than our adult programme, varied session length and we teach children as young as 3 to ski. Previously, our group snowboard lessons

were available for 7-year-olds and above, but we’ve recently introduced Burton Riglets, to offer tailored equipment and coaching to snowboarders as young as 3; imagine the skills these little ones will enjoy by the time they’re teenagers!

Continuously developing our Snowsports School to enhance enjoyment and the learning process is an ongoing project for us! This year we’ve also added ParkStarz to our junior programme: a brand new Freestyle Coaching Lesson, where advanced junior skiers and snowboarders can learn tricks on jumps and rails. These sessions are a great accompaniment to our existing junior clubs, Ignite for advanced snowboarders and Snowstars for accomplished skiers.

Comparably our adult snowsports lessons are available as 1 and a half hour group lessons right up to full day courses. Furthermore, we offer Freestyle or Slalom Coaching Sessions, private lessons and a number of social sessions, such as our 2 Hour Après Social Lessons or Ladies Morning Lessons, which

include a FREE drink afterwards to give you a real feel for the term “après ski”!

Our family private lessons prove really popular too, and we love bringing families together to enjoy the winter sports we are all so passionate about! Plus, new for 2014, our 6 Pack of Ski or Snowboard Lessons offer adults or juniors the opportunity to develop their skills over a number of lessons, in their own time.

It’s a compliment to our team that so many of our instructors originally visited as guests and more have taken their training courses, instructor exams and developed their professional skills right here at The Snow Centre. We are fortunate enough to have some of the best trainers in snowsports living and breathing The Snow Centre’s Snowsports School, and we remain today just as excited about the future of British skiing and snowboarding as the day we opened.”

To find out more, call 0844 770 7227 or visit thesnowcentre.com

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LEARNING JOURNEY ...........................................

The Snow Centre’s Snowsports School offers ski and snowboard progression for adults and juniors. From beginner to advanced, most lessons are available as Group or Private Sessions.

Considering the differing needs of an adult and junior, skier or snowboarder, TSC’s lesson and coaching programme provides varied session length and progression steps to help everyone get the most out of their time on the snow. So whatever your snow needs, find a session for you below.

Juniors

Adults Snowboard only

Ski only

Main S Rea lope dy

Available as a ski or snowboard session

1 l Leve

2

Level

Freestyle Fundamentals ...............................................

Freestyle Coaching Clinics .........................................

Available to skiers and snowboarders, these adult 2 hour coaching sessions introduce flatland freestyle and the fundamentals of achieving basic tricks.

Available to skiers and snowboarders, these adult 2 hour sessions coach a variety of different tricks on boxes, rails and kickers.

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5

Available to adults and juniors

Leve l

Level

l Leve

4

3

Ignite Junior Snowboard Club ..........................................

Available to snowboaders aged 7-16, these sessions coach advanced snowboard skills in preparation for performance riding and practising freestyle tricks.

Snowstars Junior Ski Club ...........................................

Available to skiers aged 7-16, these sessions coach advanced skills in preparation for a variety of disciplines, including performance skiing, tricks, racing and slalom.

Le v

Level 1 Ski or Snowboard Lesson ..............................................................................

el

Skier or snowboarder, adult or junior, a Level 1 Lesson is an introduction to the snow and the equipment. Progression steps and session length is varied to suit the age group and snow discipline, with additionallevels sitting within level 1 for junior skiers, to benefit their development.

Private Lessons are available for 3 years+, 1 Hour Group Lessons for 4-10 year old skiers and 7-10 year old snowboarders.

11-16 year old’s and adult lessons start from 1.5 hours.

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Level 2 Ski or Snowboard Lesson ..............................................................................

Freestyle

In all Level 2 lessons a level of control and skill is being developed for both adults and juniors. The progression steps and lesson length are varied to suit the age group and snow discipline.

Fundamentals

Ignite Junior Snowboard Club

Level 3 Ski or Snowboard Lesson ..............................................................................

S Jun now ior Sta SK rz i Cl ub

Perfo rm Coa ance chin g

In all Level 3 Lessons learning to turn on skis or a snowboard is a key part of the learning journey for adults and juniors. The progression steps and lesson lengths are varied to suit the age group and snow discipline.

Level 4 Ski or Snowboard Lesson

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For adults and juniors, after getting comfortable with varied skills on skis or a snowboard on the Trainer Slope, Level 4 is an introduction to the centre’s 160m Main Slope.

le sty s e re ic

F Clin

Main Slope Ready Ski or Snowboard Lesson ..............................................................................

Jun Park ior Star Fre z est yle

ing Coach my Acade

Once adults and juniors are confident controlling speed, turning, stopping when required and using button lifts, they can practise on the Main Slope without a Lesson, with a Lift Pass. The Main Slope Ready Level is designed to boost confidence and achieve these skills with an Instructor.

Level 5 & 6 Ski or Snowboard Lesson ..............................................................................

ParkStarz Junior Freestyle Coaching ...........................................

Performance Coaching ........................................

Coaching Academy .........................................

Available to skiers and snowboarders aged 7 -16 these 2 hour sessions coach a variety of different tricks on boxes, rails and kickers every Friday.

Available to adult skiers, these sessions coach advanced skills in preparation for a variety of disciplines, including performance skiing, racing and slalom.

Available to adult skiers, these sessions train and develop existing advanced skills in a variety of ski disciplines, including performance skiing, moguls and slalom.

For adults and juniors, levels 5 and 6 include varied progression steps and tasks based on the snowsports discipline to develop existing skills. From achieving the correct posture, to performance on varied terrain.

Rusty Refresher Ski Lessons .............................................................................

If it’s been a while and you’re looking to get your ski legs back, then this is for you! A 1 Hour Adult Lesson where the Instructor guides you back to the appropriate level.

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Whether you’re a licensed skier or snowboarder, fascinated by the white stuff or just tired of sitting behind a desk, read on to find out why “snow work” is so much fun!

Meet The Snow Centre Team: The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead is home to over 250 snowsports-related jobs. That’s a lot of talented snow lovers all bringing their own set of unique skills to the slopes! From rental ski and snowboard technicians to park shapers, guest service representatives, piste basher drivers, slope patrollers and instructors – there’s a snow load of knowledge in this team and much of it was learnt at The Snow Centre!

DAVID WILKINSON TECHNICAL MANAGER

NICK LARK SKI INSTRUCTOR

Dave is “keeper of the snow”, leading a Technical Team who maintain the quality of TSC’s snow. Having worked at Hemel Dry Slope before it re-opened as The Snow Centre with real snow on its slopes, Dave has worked on the same site for 29 years.

Dave’s favourite thing about snow life “Looking after the snow quality and working with the rest of the team.”

Nick’s a qualified CSIA Ski Instructor and Freestyle Coach. After completing his training in Whistler and working out in Canada and California, Nick has proved to have some awesome tricks up his sleeve! He now coaches Freestyle Ski Lessons on jumps, rails and boxes on Thursday and Friday nights at The Snow Centre.

Nick’s favourite thing about snow life “Getting to travel and meet people from countries all over the world.”

THERE’S NO CAREER LIKE A SNOW CAREER! JACK STICKINGS RENTALS MANAGER

KAYLEIGH DICKSON SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR

Jack joined The Snow Centre in 2011 as a Part Time Rentals Team Member.

Now he’s a man of “snow many talents”!

Qualifying as a ski instructor at The Snow Centre, Jack also manages TSC’s Rental Team who provide equipment for the many snow lovers hitting the slopes of Hemel Hempstead.

During the past 3 years Jack has

Kayleigh learnt to snowboard at The Snow Centre (TSC). After following TSC’s lesson programme, Kayleigh advanced her skills on the Main Slope before later qualifying on a BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors) course, all on TSC’s indoor slopes. Now Kayleigh teaches hundreds of adults and juniors to board each week. Being first aid trained and a member of the Slope Patrol Team, she also takes care of TSC’s guests whilst they’re having fun on the slopes.

Kayleigh’s favourite thing about snow life “Getting to share my passion with people every day and help inspire in them the same love I have for snowsports.”

worked in the Rental, Sales and Technical Teams, and he’s even been TSC’s onsite gardener!

Jack’s favourite thing about snow life “Making people happy every single day.”

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If snow life sounds tempting, find out more about instructor training, first aid courses and roles at The Snow Centre, by following the links below.

Become a Snowsports Instructor! thesnowcentre.com/instructor Join The Snow Centre Team! thesnowcentre.com/jobs

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White Gold Freshly groomed, waist deep or an early morning dusting, snow is a ‘hot’ topic on the slopes, and #snowfall is a popular trend on Twitter all winter long. In fact, these days ever more of us choose our ski trips based, to a large extent, on snowfall expectations, so it’s no surprise that perfect snow conditions are the sought-after treasure of the slopes.

But despite the impression that brochures and ski movies give us, guaranteeing powder in resorts is unfortunately not easy; no one can ever tell when it will fall and what the weather will be like.

The resorts try their hardest, though, and that snow perfection obsession doesn’t end on the slopes of the Alps or the Rockies; visitors of indoor centres also delight in the pure fun to be had on great snow.

However, making and maintaining snow indoors is a challenge too, and if you’ve ever wondered HOW or WHO makes the white stuff on The Snow Centre’s indoor slopes, you should be sure to meet the ‘keeper of the snow’, Dave Wilkinson, and his team.

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How The ‘Snow Man’ Makes White Gold!

Just like on the mountains, indoor snow is made using a cold environment, water and air. Indoors, the challenge is in offering snow conditions to suit everyone!

Keeping Cool Dave’s team create a cold environment in what’s known as the ‘ski box’, an enclosed area around The Snow Centre’s slopes. To keep it cold, 30,000 litres of anti-freeze is cooled in two large chillers and pumped under the slopes and into the area up on the gantry (a walkway that runs along the ceiling).

Because the underfloor coolant keeps the snow cold, the air temperature can be kept at -2 degrees during daytime skiing; this is a lot more agreeable than the night time snow-making chill of -6 degrees.

Making Snow Snow making itself requires water, air, temperature control, timing, a large water tank and pump, eight powerful snow guns mounted on

the gantry, two portable guns and a snow load of knowledge and experience to get it right.

In the mountains, crystals are found in the clouds before they turn to snowflakes, but indoor centres make snow crystals themselves. These pure crystals fall on The Snow Centre’s slopes at night and it takes all ten snow guns running for four hours to create a 2mm layer of snow spread evenly over The Snow Centre’s slopes. With the snow laying half a metre thick there’s a lot of snow making to do!

Keeping It Fresh As The Snow Centre is open all year round, there’s no time for ‘old’ snow to melt, so to maintain good-quality conditions the old stuff must be removed regularly! Snow becomes ‘old’ when it’s skied on or groomed often by the piste basher, which causes the snow structure to break down and become soft and sugary like spring snow in the mountains – and, more importantly, it becomes a lot less fun for snowsports lovers.

Protecting the snow quality is a huge priority for The Snow Centre Team and the reason why after night time grooming the snow is left to settle for at least six hours so it can go hard again.

Dave W The ‘ ilkinson Snow Man ’

White gold for everyone!

Find out how The Snow Centre Team make snow for you!

Training Treasure!

It’s your first time on the slopes, you’re working on your confidence or just getting to grips with your turns – you’re looking for a freshly groomed piste with a dusting of soft snow. Dave Wilkinson says, “The Trainer Slope needs to be soft, ‘grippy’ and smooth to help beginners learn the basics. My team and I make fresh, fluffy snow and groom the slope in the evening to allow the snow time to settle overnight ready for ski and snowboard lessons the next day.”

White Gold For Skilled Skiers And Snowboarders!

For snowsports lovers wanting to take their skills to the next level, The Snow Centre’s Main Slope is where it’s at. Dave explains, “Our snow conditions vary throughout the day due to use by our guests. As we protect our snow quality by only grooming the slope at night, those looking to work on their carving should visit the slope first thing. Anyone hoping for something slightly more challenging

should hit the slopes later in the day, when the terrain has become less predictable. Now and again we build special snow features such as moguls and boardercross courses using the piste basher, digger and some manual shaping.

We try to create something for everyone without disrupting the snow quality.”

Pearls For Park Lovers!

You’re pretty skilled on your skis or snowboard and want to land some tricks – start hitting The Snow Centre’s Freestyle Parks on Thursday and Friday nights! “The Snow Centre Technical and Park Team work together to build the boxes, rails and kickers you see out on park nights. Like the snow after grooming, once the snow and rails have been moved into position and shaped, they need to be left to set. This setting time allows the entries to the features to become hard and smooth and ensures they don’t fall apart during use. Creating large kickers requires the piste basher to move a lot of snow around the slope

and if done too often can damage the snow quality for both our park lovers and other slope users. Building a good park and maintaining the snow conditions is about balance,” says Dave.

Beginner or park lover, powder chaser or piste carver, with so many different ways to enjoy snow, it’s apparent that defining the perfect snow conditions for all is just as simple as making the stuff. That’s not too simple!

It is, however, easy to understand why snow is considered such precious stuff. The Snow Centre Team can tell you about the vast knowledge and equipment it takes to make white gold and even more about the time that goes into taking care of it. It’s a challenge, but one that’s well worth it.

For them, it’s all about watching our gleaming faces as we whizz through our very own freshly made white gold!

Find out more about the ‘Snow Man’, his team and making snow on the slopes at The Snow Centre, at thesnowcentre.com/snowforecast

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You don’t have to hit the slopes on skis or a snowboard to have fun on the snow! Sliding down a slope on a sledge or ringo never gets old!

EVERYONE LOVES A SNOW DAY! No one ever forgets the first time they wake on a cold winter’s morning to find the ground covered with fresh snow! Eager to get out and play, it’s a case of quickly grabbing warm clothes and wellies and getting outside in search of a snowy adventure.

Nowadays, with venues such as The Snow Centre offering real-snow fun all year round, neither kids nor adults have to wait on the weatherman!

That’s good news for Ethan, age 9, and Gael, age 7, brothers from Acuna, Mexico. With their hometown temperature often sitting at 40°C and minimal visits back to their UK roots, they could have been waiting a very long time to guarantee their snow day!

That’s why, amongst visiting family and sightseeing in London, whilst in sunny England

Ethan celebrated his 10th birthday with a Sledging Party at The Snow Centre. Family and friends took to the slopes together, racing to the bottom and enjoying some traditional snow fun, before heading upstairs to The Lodge Bar & Kitchen for an Alpine themed birthday meal.

For some this was the first time they had ever seen snow! Ethan said he’d had a wonderful time and mum Isabelle agreed: “It was fantastic for us to watch the kids having such fun.”

And the choice of sledging experiences at The Snow Centre is not just limited to kids’ parties!

There are a variety of adult and junior sessions available, alongside Team Building Sledging Events and Group Sledging Packages. We’ve highlighted a few below; take your pick or visit thesnowcentre.com to find some ‘Just For Fun’ activities to suit you!

Sledging For All

Ethan’s 10th Birthday at The Snow Centre

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Fun for both adults and juniors!* You can whizz, spin and slide down the real-snow slope on a rubber ringo or sledge for just £5 per person at The Snow Centre. Their 30-minute Summer Weekend Sledging Sessions are great for all. Plus private sessions are available for groups of ten or more people. *For children aged 4+.

Kids’ Snow Parties The Snow Centre offers an assortment of different snow party activities, from sledging to snowscooters, to taking the plunge on the Arctic Alley extreme sledging run. All parties include 45 minutes on the snow, one hour in a private party room with yummy food, a visit from TSC’s mascot, Snow Cat, your own party hosts, party invites and the option of up to four adults going out and joining the party on the snow.

Please note that varied age restrictions and minimum and maximum numbers apply. Arctic Alley is only available during the summer.

Arctic Alley Extreme Sledging For all the thrill seekers out there, you can take sledging to a whole new level with Arctic Alley’s extreme sledging run at The Snow Centre. With one-hour sessions for £10 per person, you can fly down a luge-style run, over and under tunnels in a fast-moving ringo! Not for the fainthearted, sessions are available every Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer.

Due to the speed and length of Arctic Alley, only guests over 1.2m tall and ages 7+ are able to ride.

For more information on The Snow Centre’s sledging activities visit thesnowcentre.com or call 0844 770 7227.

More short ski breaks to top European resorts More choice of chalets, hotels & apartments More flexibility on days & dates More ways to travel, 17 UK airports, overnight coach More hotels from 2* value to 5* luxury More of what you want, when you want it Why only ski once a year?

E M O C E R HE E GIRLSchi!

TH ired by So Insp

Following snowboarding’s debut at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, slopestyle competitor Jenny Jones is now known as the first ever Team GB athlete to win a medal on snow!

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nspiring “fridge kids” across Britain, Jenny’s gripping performance not only got her to the podium; it also motivated many young girls to get out on their boards!

Yet, the UK’s aspiring snowsports talent of tomorrow – both male and female – know all about the limitations of finding mountain riding close to home, so it comes as no surprise that it took us Brits 80 years or more to bring home a medal. But could dry slopes and indoor real-snow centres be starting to change all that?

Each summer, international teams often train in indoor snow centres around the world, as well as on glaciers and in the southern hemisphere. Many of the disciplines seen at the Olympics, such as cross country, downhill and boardercross, require outdoor training, but the slopestyle technique is easier to perfect indoors on rails or jumps which are easier for indoor centres to re-create. For many young snow lovers this allows for valuable practice time on their doorstep, building for the future success of our slopestyle Olympians.

Back before many of today’s indoor real-snow centres were built, Jenny Jones herself started out ‘sessioning’ at her local dry slope on her snowboard, as did Olympic slopestyle snowboarder Aimee Fuller. Now, as Aimee travels the world training and competing, London’s closest indoor real-snow centre, The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead, has become a UK base for her to practise and inspire the next generation of snowboard stars.

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Aimee, The Snow Centre Ambassador, said, “One of the best sessions I had at The Snow Centre was straight after the Olympics, with Jamie Nicholls. We flew back from Sochi, had a day in London and then headed straight out to The Snow Centre for a session. It was so memorable as there were so many people there riding and just stoked on snowboarding, and that was the coolest thing to see, just the place packed with tons of new faces of people trying the sport we love!”

As congratulations pour in from admiring snow lovers, Aimee and Jamie have been busy getting behind The Snow Centre’s Junior Snowboarding Sessions to help shape the future of their sport. There are a number of sessions available to young snowboarders, from beginner to advanced group or private lessons to advanced development clubs, such as Ignite Snowboard Academy on Saturday mornings, Burton Riglets for children aged 3–6 or ParkStarz Freestyle/Slopestyle Coaching on Friday evenings.

Snowboarding’s not just for juniors either; there are plenty of opportunities for adults to get involved too. In fact, The Snow Centre offers a choice of beginner to advanced lessons, including ladies only morning sessions, Freestyle Coaching and the occasional boardercross or mogul’s course.

With today’s growing opportunities to enjoy snowboarding on our home turf, surely the Brits are one step closer to bringing home the next lot of medals on snow!

Olymp ic Sn Aimee owboarder Fuller

Cerys Allen Age: 14 Snowboarding since: Age 9

E R T N E C W THE SNO BOARD! N ls are GIRLThSe SnO ir ow Centre’s g ks…

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trac e Olympian’s th in g in w o ll fo

Alice Blake Age: 22 Snowboarding since: Age 10

About: Cerys had her first snowboard lesson at age 9. A talented young rider, she started landing freestyle tricks the same year.

Now she competes in slopestyle competitions all over Europe.

Her ambition is to compete in the Junior Winter Olympics in 2016 and Winter Olympics in 2018.

Greatest achievement: Being invited to ride at The Burton European Open.

At The Snow Centre: Cerys has been sponsored by The Snow Centre for some time, riding the freestyle parks every Thursday and Friday night to get her practice time in, and her skills have developed with help from her regular gym sessions and National Park and Pipe Team sessions.

Why snowboarding: Cerys says, “I love snowboarding simply because it makes me happy, and I’m so grateful to The Snow Centre Team for helping me achieve my goals.”

Betsie O’Neill Age: 6 Snowboarding since: Age 5 About: A big fan of Aimee Betsie Fuller! Betsie learnt to O’Nei ll snowboard during private lessons at The Snow Centre with instructor Ashley Moulding.

Greatest achievement: Getting her Burton Riglet Park medal and going on the Main Slope with Aimee Fuller and Jamie Nicholls at The Snow Centre.

At The Snow Centre: Following on from Betsie’s private snowboard lessons, she could begin group lessons at the age of 7, continue with private tuition or progress to the Ignite Junior Snowboard Academy. Betsie also hit her first freestyle features at the Burton Riglet Park at The Snow Centre’s fifth birthday celebration, so she will be sure to join the Freestyle ParkStarz sessions one day.

Why snowboarding: Betsie has loved snowboarding ever since her dad brought her to The Snow Centre. Betsie says, “When I grow up I would like to ride for Team GB.”

g ut gettin ore abo m t u o g To find boardin in snow it involved /slopestyle vis le ty s e r e or fr om o centre.c thesnow 70 7227.

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PIC: AIMEE FULLER AND RED BULL

About: Alice’s dad put her on skis at the age of 2, and at 10, inspired by her interest in skateboarding, she Alice Blake switched to snowboarding. She picked it up straight away and started competing in freestyle events at age 14. Alice remembers that great day, just over 5 years ago when The Snow Centre opened, just 5 minutes from her house!

Greatest achievements: Alice was offered a place on the Junior British Snowboard Team at 15. She won 3 gold medals at the BRITS in 2008 and rode at the Snowboard Freeze Festival in London.

At The Snow Centre: Now, Alice rides on The Snow Centre’s Thursday and Friday freestyle nights and helps out with Ignite Snowboard Academy on Saturday mornings to help inspire the next generation of fearless young girls and boys.

Why snowboarding: Although Alice initially tried snowboarding because she thought it was really cool, she later enjoyed the beauty of the mountains and a love became an obsession. Alice said, “Snowboarding’s taken me all over Europe and always makes me happy until I face plant!”

Cerys Allen

SUPPORT FOR INNER-CITY YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE RISE!

The Snow Centre’s long-term charity partner, Snow-Camp, are celebrating the successes of yet another fantastic year.

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M O U N T A I N H E A V E N

Jenny Jones and Jamie Nicholls with Snow-Camp at The Snow Centre

Heavenly Skiing At Down To Earth Prices

he innovative youth charity – who you’ll often see in action on the slope at Hemel Hempstead – celebrated their 10-year anniversary in October 2013 and last year supported over 350 young people from London alone with the use of snowsports and life-skills programmes on their introductory First Tracks course.

full Snowsport England Level 1 Instructors badge.

Sixty of these young people, often from disadvantaged backgrounds, went on to the Snow-Camp Graduate Programme in which they received more intensive lifeskills sessions and motivational appearances from pioneers in the industry. Forty young people, including a handful from Glasgow, headed out to Italy in April 2014 to gain their first experience of the mountain environment with a week-long residential course, with 15 going on to achieve their

Snow-Camp are now well into their new programme year with a group of between 350–400 young people experiencing skiing, snowboarding and accredited life-skills courses for the first time. With the charity’s expansion into new cities across the UK including Cardiff and Leeds/ Bradford, we wish the Snow-Camp team and the young people involved all the best throughout this 2014/15 programme year. For more information and to see how you can support Snow-Camp’s work, please visit snow-camp.org.uk.

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The latest development in the Snow-Camp programmes is the charity’s very own Apprenticeship Programme, which sees five young graduates from the Snow-Camp journey join the team in a full-time role for a whole year. This fantastic initiative sees the lucky young people gain invaluable work experience at industry shows as well as with many of the charity’s industry partners including Skiworld and The Snow Centre itself.

High Quality Catered + Self Catered Accommodation French and Swiss Alps Snow Sure Resorts On / Near Piste locations No Hidden Extras Financially Bonded

Snow-Camp’s newly qualified Instructors

0151 625 1921 mountainheaven.co.uk

PICS: CORTINA AND D G BANDION, CORTINA AND GIUSEPPE GHEDINA, STEFANO ZARDINI

THE BEST SKI RESORT OR SKI DAY

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WORDS: PATRICK THORNE As a ski writer I’m often asked for advice on where to go on a ski holiday. The choice is vast and even though I’ve now visited nearly 300 ski areas, with more than 5000 operating in 80 countries worldwide I’ve really only scratched the surface.

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always try to give a helpful answer, but the real truth is that how much you enjoy your holiday is down to who you are and who you’re with as much as where you are. There are lots of random factors on a ski trip – travel in winter, snow conditions, who you end up in a chalet with, how crowded the slopes are, how much hassle it is (or hopefully isn’t) to get on the slopes each morning, and 101 other things that can affect your holiday enjoyment for the good or (hopefully not) bad.

This means you can have a lousy holiday in an apparently great resort, or vice versa: a wonderful stay in some place the reviewers have told you would be terrible.

I first put on skis 35 years ago before indoor snow centres really existed, so I was on a brush matting artificial surface slope before heading off on a school trip to a little resort in Italy that no one has ever heard of. It was a long coach journey but a lot of fun.

Looking back at all my trips since, I’m pleased to say almost all were good – skiing in the mountains is like eating chocolate: it’s hard to go wrong. Some trips do stick out in the mind as more memorable, for good reasons, than others, but they are mostly down to who I was at the time, who I was with or something else ‘random’, as much as the place.

But here are some thoughts on possible choices:

La Polsa, Italy Second Ski Holiday One thing I love about winter sports is that they can be as much fun on day one as they are when you’re a very experienced skier years later.

I remember that first ski trip very clearly, but the second, thanks to generous fund raising by my mum and dad a few years later, was better still. After that first week of lessons I was really mastering the basics. In fact, at age 17 I was invincible and probably the greatest skier ever (in my mind).

I remember, as do several of my like-minded friends, a level of energy I’ve sadly long since lost, which saw us up and out at 8am to be first on the lift and waiting at the top of the mountain for the lifts to close again at 5, having skied hard all day, so that we’d have an empty run to race each other straight down.

Sölden, Austria Summer Skiing If you’re lucky enough to be in the Alps outside the ski season, you’ll find the mountains are equally beautiful and awe-inspiring in summer as they are in winter.

There are now more places in Europe where you can ski indoors in summer and autumn than there are outdoor glacier areas open to enjoy at that time of year.

One that is well worth the effort perhaps for a weekend from September to November is Sölden in the Austrian Alps.

Its twin glaciers, Rettenbach and Tiefenbach, open at the end of summer, and in October the northern hemisphere’s first World Cup ski races of the season are staged there.

I’ve enjoyed the great festival atmosphere there on

several occasions and got a real buzz out of testing out the new season’s ski equipment, knowing that most people won’t be seeing snow for another few months at least. Quite often there’s fresh snowfall at that altitude even at that time of the year, and it feels very special indeed to be starting the season months before everyone else, up on a sunny glacier high above the rest of the world.

In the afternoon you return to a lush green valley, still in warm summer mode, and can sit out on the terrace for drinks or a meal.

Cervinia, Italy Mmm, Coffee Zermatt has the better views of the Matterhorn, but it also has Swiss prices. You can ski over the border from here into Cervinia on a wonderful, nearly 10kmlong run that drops around 2000 vertical metres.

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On this particular day, during the long climb up to Europe’s highest lift-served point nearly 3900m up on the Klein Matterhorn, we had stopped at a glossy cafeteria in the lift building and paid 5 or 7 Swiss francs (around £4) for an unimpressive self-service coffee in a plastic cup.

After a wonderful 20 minutes skiing from the top, we crossed the border and found a small mountain hut with a little terrace out front where about a dozen people could sit. Here we paid 1 euro (80p) for a perfect handmade Italian espresso while the friendly hostess told us the menu of handmade pastas (it changed daily and nothing was printed). We went back every day during our stay and it remains one of the candidates for the best mountain restaurant I’ve ever dined in, never paying more than 10 euros a time, and that’s having been taken to quite a few gourmet establishments over the years.

Heavenly, California Surreal Slopes

PICS: CORTINA AND PAOLA ANDREA, HEAVENLY AND COREY RICH, CORTINA AND D G BANDION, BIG WHITE

If I were to recommend a resort to anyone, I’d say it was hard to go wrong with Heavenly in California – other than the fact that it’s a 12-hour flight away, across the other side of the US. But once you’re there it has a huge, fun ski area, the state’s largest, with the spectacular Lake Tahoe laid out below you.

The resort itself has hundreds of hotels, restaurants and shops – a great choice with something for everyone.

But I mention it here for another aspect of Heavenly: the fact that it straddles the state line with gambling state Nevada. Mere inches from that line, down at resort level, vast tower block casinos spring up Vegas style, with huge 24-hour gambling halls and also very cheap dining for savvy skiers who can resist the slot machines.

This being Nevada, quick marriages are also performed, and it was here that I saw a quicklywed bride and entourage in full wedding gown and regalia come out of the casino, jump into the Heavenly gondola and head up to the slopes. It was very cool and seemed to epitomise the fun I had both on and off the slopes there.

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The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead Snow In Summer (and every other season) OK, it may seem a bit corny to include The Snow Centre in this list, but I think it is something truly excellent, a pinnacle of achievement for mankind, that I can walk onto a freshly prepared snow slope on any day of the year to make some turns. I particularly enjoy doing so in mid-summer when the surreal aspect of walking in from a hot British day onto indoor slopes really feels very special indeed.

I suppose the most fun I’ve had on indoor snow, my best days, has been skiing in a charity fund-raising team, trying to make as many runs as I can. On one particularly memorable occasion I was dressed in a gorilla costume.

Wengen, Switzerland The Wow Factor Mountain scenery is almost always beautiful and often stunning. For me it’s a big part of the whole ski holiday experience.

But some resorts are more “Wow!” than others, and the first I remember thinking was just jawdroppingly stunning was my first visit to the Swiss Jungfrau region, home to three spectacular peaks, the best known of which is the Eiger. So my first day in Wengen, 20 years ago, was memorable for that scenery. The other ski resorts there, Grindelwald and Murren, are equally impressive.

Since then I’ve been equally blown away by the view from Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, Mt Yotei, viewed from the slopes of Niseko in Japan, and back in Switzerland, the incomparable Matterhorn that towers above Zermatt, among others, but the Jungfrau was first.

Aviemore, Scotland Met The Wife Lots of people, particularly those of a certain generation, have tales of their ski holidays in

Aviemore, skiing at Cairngorm. Often the tales are not terribly positive ones either, with stories of horizontal blizzards and limited snow cover.

I organised a ski trip from my college in the mid1980s, and we didn’t do much skiing. Resorts like Chamonix, Ischgl, Solden and St. Anton might have a better reputation for après ski, but Aviemore can hold its own with pubs like the Winking Owl, Skiing Doo and, since my time, the Cairngorm Brewery supplying the beverages.

Despite the lack of snowtime, I must have liked the place, as I moved up to live nearby when I finished my college course and married the girl I met on that ski trip, so the few ski days we managed meant a lot.

me. Suddenly I could ski perfectly; I was invincible again like back in La Polsa.

I had a similar if less dramatic experience last winter in St. Moritz when I got goggles with prescription-lens inserts inside them and I could suddenly see the scenery. That was good for sightseeing, but less good for facing up to steep blacks now I could see where I was heading.

Big White, Canada Comfortable Skiing This happened to me in Big White but it could happen to you anywhere, including The Snow Centre. After about 25 years of skiing, and many different ski lessons through the decades, I got talking to a manager at a ski shop in Big White who was fitting me with rental boots. He was Australian and was frank enough to tell me my feet were not the most perfectly balanced.

I had realised this from way back when they were measured up for children’s shoes as I grew through school, but it seemed that by this time my feet were skewed at weird angles. I was, in short, a freak. He didn’t say that to me exactly, but he did invite other members of the ski shop team over to take a look at my feet as he put them through various scientific measurements.

He then proceeded to describe to me every problem I had with my skiing despite all those lessons, the key one being I found it a lot easier to turn left than right.

The next step was the creation of custom-made footbeds, which essentially map the bottom of my deformed feet so that they make contact with the base of the ski boots as if they were perfect feet.

That afternoon when I got out on the slopes of Big White after an unexpected two hours in the ski shop (fortunately they weren’t busy) was a revelation to

Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy Surprising Slopes I’m yet to get bored of skiing, even though I have been researching and writing about it 365 days a year for several decades. But when you’ve skied a lot of resorts, the slopes can get a bit ‘samey’ sometimes.

My biggest revelation in recent years came on an Easter trip to Cortina where we discovered the remarkable Hidden Valley descent, a breathtaking 5km-long red run that quite simply is miles from anywhere – ski lifts, other people – although fortunately there is a great restaurant at the top and another at the bottom, both of which I visited.

To make the experience even more special and unusual we paid a few euros to join a line of people being towed a few more kilometres, this time horizontally from the bottom of the run, over to the Sella Ronda, a giant loop of pistes and runs connecting another half-dozen resorts in the Dolomites.

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The BMW X Range removes the need to choose, combining incredible power and efficiency with exceptional luxury and craftsmanship. As soon as you take the wheel, you’ll find inspiration in each and every journey.

Official fuel economy figures for the BMW X Range: Urban 16.1-54.3mpg (17.5-5.2l/100km). Extra Urban 29.4-68.9mpg (9.6-4.1l/100km). Combined 22.6-62.8mpg (12.5-4.5l/100km). CO2 emissions 292–119g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions.

The new BMW X4

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Ross Welch

Meet Ross Welch 23-year-old Freestyle Skier from Hemel Hempstead The skis of choice: Atomic 182 Punx The boots: Atomic Redster 120

THE CRAZE, THE TRICKS THE RIDERS!

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ou may not have heard of ‘slopestyle’ or even ‘freestyle’ before Sochi’s 2014 Winter Olympics, but if you now can’t put your snowboard down or you’ve switched your speed skis for park-proof twin tips, you won’t be surprised to learn that you’re not alone!

Falling into the category of ‘freestyle’, the ‘new school’ Olympic events of ski or boardercross, half pipe and slopestyle, performed by the likes of Team GB snowboarders Aimee Fuller and Jamie Nicholls or skiers James Woods and Katie Summerhayes, have inspired the masses to take up snowsports or vamp up their existing skills.

Practised at tricks on features such as rails, boxes, rollers, jumps or kickers, freestyle skiers and snowboarders are often considered the ‘thrill seekers’ on

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the snow, but this label can only be giving ‘oomph’ to the freestyle craze! The number of adults and kids enjoying Freestyle Coaching sessions is growing fast and The Snow Centre has seen many more snow lovers emulating big stunts on their weekly Thursday and Friday Park Nights.

We caught up with The Snow Centre’s Pro Freestyle Team to find out more about UK Freestyle, landing their favourite tricks and what it takes to speed towards some of the biggest jumps in the world before performing airborne stunts more than 70ft in the air.

To meet the rest of TSC’s Freestyle Team or for more information on learning to freestyle ski or snowboard, The Snow Centre’s Thursday and Friday Freestyle Park Nights, park set-ups or The Snow Centre’s Junior Freestyle Coaching Club, ParkStarz, please visit thesnowcentre.com/freestyle

“I started freestyle skiing 5 years ago when The Snow Centre opened, and I tried my hand at freestyle on one of their Friday night park sessions. Back then, it was mainly snowboarders in the park, but by trying to imitate their tricks I found a new passion in freestyle skiing. I now travel and compete on an international scale following the AFP World Tour (Association of Freeskiing Professionals) and will see the premiere of my film, Perspective, later this year.”

Favourite freestyle stunt? “Cork 9 tail to truck driver.”

Stunt explained: “This is an off-axis rotation with two and a half spins.

This includes grabbing the tail of your ski with one hand before changing mid rotation to a truck driver (grabbing both of your skis at the front).”

Top TSC moment: “Gap Nation!

Gap Nation is a freestyle ski and snowboard competition which I run every year at The Snow Centre.”

Sponsors: Atomic, ERV Travel Insurance, NothinButSnow, Sony, Mons Royale, GetBuzzing, Extreme Sports, The Snow Centre, Ambassador for The Snow Centre’s ParkStarz Freestyle Coaching Facebook: /skirosswelch Instagram: _rosswelch Twitter: @ross_welch Website: rosswelch.co.uk

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14-year-old Freestyle Skier from Walderslade The skis of choice: K2 Empress The boots: Full Tilt “I started skiing when I was 2 on family skiing trips. I got into freestyle through my brother Mike and as I’m a bit of an adrenalin junkie, freestyle proved the perfect sport for me. Over the last couple of seasons I have started to compete abroad in both slopestyle and half-pipe events, making new friends and learning new tricks. It’s been an amazing experience. I’m gutted that I was too young to compete at the Junior World Championships earlier this year, but this enabled me to travel across to Tignes to compete in the Brits, where I retained my British Slopestyle title and managed to bag the Women’s Half Pipe title too!”

PIC: AIVARS ZEE ZARINS

Meet Madi Rowlands

Favourite freestyle stunt? “My favourite trick would have to be a ‘720 tail grab’.”

Stunt explained: “A ‘720’ is just two full spins off a jump! A ‘720 tail grab’ is when you grab the ends of your skis to make your spin look a lot more stylish.”

Top TSC moment: “Every week I seem to get another top moment, but competing at The Snow Centre’s Morrow Jam competition has to be up there. It’s the craziest ‘comp’ of the year and everyone has such a good time. I won the women’s combined ski and snowboard category, which made my night!”

Sponsors: The Snow Centre, K2, Full Tilt, Animal Clothing, Bawbags, Alpoholics, Lazer, Ski Bartlett, SportsAid, Instagram: MadiRowlands Twitter: @madiirowlandss Website: mad4ski.com

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Meet Jamie Nicholls Meet Aimee Fuller 23-year-old Olympic Slopestyle Snowboarder from Kent The snowboard of choice: Roxy 149 Eminence The boots: Vans Aura “I started skiing at age 4 on a dry slope; at 12 I switched to snowboarding. After getting noticed by my first sponsor, Roxy, at 16 I began to travel and have been travelling with the GB Snowboard Team ever since. Now I have competed in events like the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, X Games and the Open series.”

Favourite freestyle stunt? “A ‘front 3’, it feels so good in the air, and then a backflip just to get the crowd going!”

Stunt explained: “To complete a ‘front 360’ or ‘front 3’, as you leave the lip, pop hard and open your body up in the direction of the spin or over your leading shoulder to get your body and your board spinning front side.”

Top TSC moment: “My best moment at The Snow Centre was when I came back from the Olympics with Jamie Nicholls and seeing the buzz and stoke of everyone there. I have never seen the place so packed and had a blast riding with everyone that night. We were on such a high!”

Sponsors: Roxy, Red Bull, Vans, Level, The Snow Centre, Ambassador for The Snow Centre’s ParkStarz, The Snowboard Asylum Facebook: /aimeefullersnow Instagram: aimee_fuller Twitter: @aimee_fuller Website: aimeefuller.co.uk

Aimee

21-year-old Olympic Slopestyle Snowboarder from Bradford The snowboard of choice: Salomon Sabotage The boots: Nike Lunar Endor

Jami

e Nich

olls

“I started riding at Halifax Ski and Snowboard Centre when I was 7 years old and was instantly hooked, riding every day! Now I’ve won the Burton Rail Day’s event in Tokyo and finished in 6th place at the Sochi Winter Olympics. So far, it’s been a crazy journey which has been fun, challenging, but most of all a great experience.”

Favourite freestyle stunt? “I love to do the simple tricks, like ‘switch back 180s’ and ‘frontside 360s’, because you can tweak the grabs really well and see everything going on around you whilst you’re in the air! Big tricks like ‘triples’ are fun, but normally you don’t get to see much while you’re in the air.”

Stunt explained: “A ‘triple’ is basically a 1440 degree spin with three flips in it… and that’s basically it!”

Top TSC moment: “My best moment at The Snow Centre was when I filmed my documentary for release in October 2014. The Snow Centre Team created a line for me to ride that started outside TSC’s building, went down the Trainer Slope, then outside again, and of course included hitting features on the way down.”

Sponsors: Nike, Salomon, The Snow Centre, Ambassador for The Snow Centre’s Ignite Snowboard Club, Sandbox, The Snowboard Asylum Facebook: /jamienichollsuk Instagram: jamienichollsuk Twitter: @jamienichollsuk Website: jamienichollsuk.com

Fuller

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hey might be renowned for ski and snowboard lessons, but there’s ‘snow’ much more going on at The Snow Centre, and it could be the ideal venue for your next group outing! From snow games, skittle challenges, Sledging and SnowScooter Sessions, to sliding down their extreme, luge-style run, Arctic Alley, the choices at The Snow Centre are almost endless.

Knowing that one size doesn’t fit all, The Snow Centre offers tailor-made snow and dining bundles, so whether you’re the next ‘Eddie the Eagle’ or your group contains members with differing ability levels, there’s something for all. And because you can design your own day out, you could start on a snowboard, break for lunch in The Lodge Bar & Kitchen and finish spinning down the slope in a ringo – or you can choose from one of their ready-made packages!

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A Day In The Alps At The Snow Centre This package is crammed with a Ski and Snowboard Lesson and a fun-filled Sledging Session, where you’ll do your utmost to beat your friends to the finish line.

In between all the action, it includes refreshments in the on-slope Schuss Bar and a tasty lunch in the Alpine restaurant, The Lodge.

Equipment included. From £69 per person

Team Nights At The Snow Centre At a Team Night it doesn’t matter whether you’ve got snowsports experience; you won’t need your skis or snowboard when you take on the ‘snowman skittle challenge’, or speed down the slope on a SnowScooter and more. Team Nights are great for getting together with friends for an hour of fun activities on the snow, followed by an Alpine meal in The Lodge.

From £60 for a team of 4 people

Whether you’re looking for a team-building opportunity or just a great time with friends and family, a ‘snowy’ outing can prove a great way to move mountains together!

As an added bonus you’re almost sure to go home with fewer bruises than if you’d gone paintballing!

Better than Paintball!

Venue And Room Hire With A Difference!

From stag and hen dos to birthday parties, corporate meetings and family events, if you’re looking for a venue with a difference, The Snow Centre is just that!

The Snow Centre’s slopes and on-slope Schuss Bar are all available to hire throughout the summer months and can offer you and your group hours of exclusive ski, snowboarding and sledging fun. And you’re in good hands with The Snow Centre Team, who have even hosted an on-slope wedding reception!

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You could also add an après feel to your celebrations and make the most of The Snow Centre’s Alpine-themed bar and restaurant and private room hire! With stunning views over the slopes, The Lodge Bar & Kitchen’s facilities are available for exclusive hire and group bookings all year round, and their Corporate Team plan a unique dining package for every group! That’s your Christmas do, next birthday and annual family gathering sorted!

Slope For more information on The Snow Centre’s group snow or dining packages or venue hire options and pricing, please e-mail corporate.groups@thesnowcentre.com.

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PICS: ST ANTON AM ARLBERG TOUIST BOARD AND JOSEF MALLAUN, LES 3 VALLÉES,

Wacky Races

Some people take competing in the mountains very seriously, including of course our heroic “fridge kids”, who train hard on indoor snow then rip it up on the ski slopes of the world.

B

ut there are races and contests staged each ski season where you don’t have to be super fit or especially competitive to join in, although many of the participants are. They are officially open to all and many taking part are just there for the fun of it, or to raise money for a good cause.

Here are a few of the best coming up this winter:

The Santa Claus World Championships (Late November) clauwau.com Staged in Samnaun, Switzerland (linked by lifts and pistes to Ischgl over the Austrian border), the “Santas” challenge teams from around the world in traditional skills and activities associated with the great man, to be the world’s best. These include delivering parcels up a chimney, mastering parcel delivery using animals (usually donkeys rather than reindeer) and much more. With international teams all in full Santa guise, it’s quite a sight and great fun to be part of.

The Monster Ski & Snowboard Challenge (Mid-March) mistrust.org.uk Organised by the MS Trust, the aim here is to ski the height of Mount Everest every day for three days

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3 Valleys Enduro

(90,000 vertical feet in total) in the famous resort of Chamonix – which fortunately boasts the biggest lift-served vertical in the world.

Since the first event in 2008, 79 people have taken part in Monster Ski for the MS Trust, raising over £407,000 to support the charity’s work.

(Early April) 3valleys.com A fun race attracting 1500 amateur skiers and boarders annually in teams of three. The world’s largest gathering of amateur skiers essentially sends teams, starting at different points, around the world’s biggest ski area with fun challenges along the way. There are different categories of team, including families, and a big awards ceremony and Savoyard buffet to enjoy too.

Luttman-Johnson Challenge The White Thrill (Mid-April) stantonamarlberg.com This end of season dash down to St Anton from the top of the lifts is limited to the first 500 applicants, most of whom take it very seriously. There’s a spectacular mass start from Valluga (2650m) down 9km and nearly 1350 vertical metres – including an uphill section – and it finishes with a 100m dash through the streets to the finishing post. The best complete it in under eight minutes, but you can take much longer.

(February) skiclub.co.uk Staged for more than 30 years, the aim of this annual competition organised by the Ski Club of Great Britain is to cover the most ground, but also stop for a bite to eat at the most restaurants, in the huge Zermatt ski area – so very much a case of pacing yourself in more ways than one. It’s an all-day team challenge in which fancy dress is obligatory, but you have the option of either taking it on competitively in the ‘race’ category or at the more leisurely ‘trail’ pace.

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PIC: ZERMATT

The World’s Highest Ski Bars

I

n recent years, several die-hard skiers have managed to ski the highest peaks on all seven continents, yet surprisingly the ultimate challenge – to drink in the world’s seven highest ski bars – remains an unwritten entry in the famous Guinness Book.

There is some debate about which buildings are bars, whether the bar has any skiing nearby, whether it must

3883m. Like The Snow Centre, it offers drinks, as well as skiing, 365 days a year, but you need more of a head for

skiers. There are higher bars in China and Tibet, but you can’t ski to them.

The small café at Oukaïmeden,

In Australasia you need to take two chairlifts up to the Knoll Ridge Chalet at Whakapapa on Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. At 2020m above sea level it is the highest café on the continent.

The highest drinking hole in the world is, or was, at Chacaltaya, Bolivia (5221m). One visitor described his heroic battle just to get his glass to his lips here due to the oxygen shortage.

Sadly, though, the snow slope there (also the former world highest) has

serve alcohol and whether it is just a bar or part of a restaurant … but here are the most promising candidates.

Zermatt tops the European drinking holes charts with its solar-powered restaurant above its glacier ski area at

heights there.

Giuseppe’s at Telluride (3624m) is North America’s highest, while in Asia the mid-station restaurant of the gondola (3050m) at Gulmarg, India, provides the highest watering hole for

Morocco (3260m), doesn’t serve alcohol with it being an Islamic nation, so the highest beer in Africa is served thousands of miles south, down past the equator, at the Top Chalet (2874m) on the Sani Pass in Lesotho.

melted away due to climate change.

But the lowest highest bar, by altitude and latitude, is at Villa Las Estrellas (population 34) in Antarctica, where a 200m Doppelmayr tow will help you work up a thirst.

7 Km from Chamonix Mont-blanc

les houches

powertrack 89 The Powertrack 89 has been crafted for proficient to excellent skiers in search of high performance on and off the pistes, whatever the snow conditions and terrain. This precision, ultra-versatile and powerful ski features a wood core combined with fiberglass, delivering tremendous fluidity and responsiveness. It also boasts an internal titanium construction for supreme stability. With its 17-meter radius, the Powertrack 89 helps initiate turns on the piste, and its tip rocker provides good lift on powder snow. A ski whose only dream is speed - anytime, anyplace, anywhere!

IT’SNOW

© Tristan Shu / Kalice

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35

THE DIAMOND OF THE ALPS

The resort of Obergurgl-Hochgurgl has all the right ingredients to make it universally appealing to skiers and snowboarders.

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www.obergurgl.com New for 2014–15 there’s an Audi Funpark at the “Bruggenbobenlift” Chairlift, an extension of snowmaking facilities and freeride safety checkpoints by ORTOVOX. GETTING THERE: Obergurgl is about two hours away from Innsbruck by car, the nearest airport, which you can fly to directly from the UK, while the nearest train station, Oetz, is 45 minutes away. There are regular buses from the station.

W

ith its spectacular mountain views, long, snow-sure season with an early start and elegant, peaceful atmosphere, the resort of Obergurgl-Hochgurgl well deserves its moniker, “the diamond of the Alps”. Off the beaten track in the Austrian Alps, Obergurgl is the highest parish in the country. Alongside the satellite village of Hochgurgl, this resort offers a traffic-free retreat which keeps regulars coming back year after year.

So Much To Offer

Early To Open, Late To Shut

A World Away

Obergurgl-Hochgurgl’s location at 1930m means it spends much of the season covered with snow.

Its 110km of pistes, stretching from 1800m to over 3000m, are primed and prepared for the resort’s opening in the middle of November, and the impressive altitude allows them to remain open until May. We’ve experienced it for ourselves when shooting the magazine’s fashion features in late April, when snow quality was still impressive (see this month’s results, p60).

A combination of unspoilt scenery, a traditional Tirolean atmosphere and the friendly, intimate nature of the village makes Obergurgl-Hochgurgl an incredibly attractive destination for those fond of the finer things in life. And though it might feel like a different world, it is conveniently only two hours from Innsbruck. In keeping with its comfortable way of life, the resort offers an indulgent spa culture – or, for more animated après, you can always let your hair down in a host of bars with DJs and dancing.

Not only does the ski area offer a long season of reliable snow, it also provides a great range of quiet and crowd-free pistes. There are brilliant runs for intermediates, beginners and families, while all abilities will enjoy the ski-in/ski-out convenience offered by the resort.

For breathtaking panoramic views of the Ötztaler Alps stretching out to the silhouette of the famous Dolomites in the south, head to the Top Mountain Star viewing platform at 3080m, the summit of the resort’s ski area. Here you can take in fabulous, unparalleled views of 21 mountain peaks higher than 3000m.

1930m Resort 1795m to 3080m Slopes 24 Lifts 110km Pistes 32% blue 50% red 18% black

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PICS: OTZTAL TOURISMS / CHRISTOPHSCHOECH.COM / FLORIAN WAGNER

FAST FACTS

Snow Angel Nannies TipTop Ski Coaching

S

now Angel Nannies are the perfect solution for families seeking childcare in Alpe d’Huez, Les Deux Alpes, Meribel, La Tania, Courchevel, Tignes, Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz.

I

Snow Angel Nannies pride themselves on ensuring that you and your children have the best holiday possible with the children enjoying activities like arts and crafts, snowman building, sledging, treasure hunts etc.

Flexibility is a key part of their service, offering the ability to meet for lunch and adapt to your schedule.

You will be able to relax and enjoy your day on the slopes knowing that your children are having a wonderful time with their fully trained and experienced Snow Angel Nanny.

checked and are carefully selected for their caring, mature and responsible nature.

All Snow Angel Nannies hold relevant childcare and first aid qualifications, are CRB/DBS

www.snowangelnannies.co.uk

f you’re looking to learn to ski better at any level, or even become a ski instructor yourself, TipTop Ski Coaching is your answer.

Run by two professional ski instructors and coaches, Alex and Nele, the company offer a huge range of courses for all ages and levels, every summer on the Les Deux Alpes glacier in France.

Options already available to book for summer 2015 include an 8 week GAP instructor training course. There are also performance and race camps.

SkiA Ski Trainer

On family weeks you can learn alongside your children and race them in a fun family dual slalom at the end of the week!

Courses all involve mornings skiing with your fantastic experienced coaches and the afternoons spent enjoying summer mountain activities. www.tiptopskicoaching.com

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DataWax Supply The Best Wax For Indoor Snow

T

he snow in indoor snow centres can be different in texture to that in regular outdoor ski areas, and the build-up of static electricity can be significant. The addition of graphite to indoor waxes ensures that your bases repel the static build-up.

Performing your own ski or board maintenance is easy – and on indoor snow it is highly recommended, according to DataWax. They are the UK’s biggest manufacturer of ski and snowboard care products, and with 30 years’ experience they are experts on ski and board tuning. It is

essential to know your own kit, so servicing will make your skiing or snowboarding easier, less tiring and more fun.

DataWax Graphite Training and Graphite Race waxes are designed especially for indoor snow use.

Graphite Training is the longest lasting graphite wax there is, making it ideal for training sessions because equipment will have the protection, speed and nourishment for the entire session.

Graphite Race is the hardest of the Graphite waxes, making it the ideal race wax for indoor snow surfaces. This wax has great protective qualities but, more importantly, is fast and hard enough to resist the abrasive nature of indoor snow.

All DataWax snow waxes

are packaged in new 110g plastic clamshells for easy access and safe storage.

DataWax also stock all the additional hardware you require to maintain your gear.

DataWax.com is the place to find all the products you need and contains a helpful and detailed ‘How To’ section.

This takes you step by step, in clear and simple language, through the process required

to service your equipment.

DataWax products are stocked in over 100 shops and snowsport centres across the UK, so look out for them at your local slope or in your nearest shop!

Use DataWax to keep your gear in top condition any time, extending its life and making your skiing or snowboarding easier, safer and more effective.

Datawax Info Email: info@datawax.com Tel: 0784 8106258

Scan for more info on Graphite Races and Graphite Training

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39

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At ALPINE ANSWERS we use over twenty two years of holiday planning experience to offer the ultimate chalet and hotel collection.

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D L R O W S S E N N I U G A E H T T A D RECOR SNOW CENTRE

ople with en coaching pe be s ha y lit bi w t into Sno spiring them to ge in d an s ed ne l additiona s on, they have 2011. Three year e nc si ts or sp ds, and snow any adults and ki m r fo s or do w . opened ne Record on snow ld or W s es nn ui even set a G

The world record on snow Not content with introducing many additional needs students to snowsports and giving them pride in their new skills, Richard and Snowbility worked with The Snow Centre to offer his students the chance to achieve a world record on snow.

The record, officially recognised by Guinness World Records (GWR), was to achieve the “greatest distance on an indoor slope in 12 hours (team)”. This meant completing at least 500km or 3,921 runs, or more, of The Snow Centre’s Main Slope within the 12-hour period as a team.

On 1 May 2014 at 8am, with more than 250 skiers at the ready, it was time to set about completing the record. Skiing down the Main Slope until 8pm, the event saw Snowbility’s instructors, organisers, The Snow Centre’s team members and guests, Snowbility’s students with autism, dyspraxia, ADHD, visual and hearing impairments, dyslexia, chromosome disorders and Asperger’s, all taking part alongside snowboard instructors on skis and Paralympian

Anna Turney. It was evident the attempt was widely supported.

Mike Penning MP, the Minister of State for Disabilities, sounded the horn for the first run of the day and from then on spectators excitedly watched the clock as the board tallied each run. After some fantastic efforts from all the participants and volunteers, the 3,921 runs were completed well within the required time.

There wasn’t much opportunity to celebrate; the skiers kept going right up until 8pm to achieve a total of 5,608 runs, 714km or 444.29m. This was the greatest distance ever skied in 12 hours on an indoor ski slope by any team. In fact, the distance actually skied was just two miles short of reaching Switzerland!

“I’m just so proud of everyone involved and, most importantly, I’m at my happiest when I see all my students achieving something that most people only ever dream about. Just think what they can do if we can break down a few more barriers for them,” said Snowbility founder, Richard Fetherston.

Mike Penning, MP and Richard Fetherston, Snowbility Founder

Snowbility “Because of my poor sight, my friends are always better than me at football, rugby and cricket, but they can’t ski like I can, and I know that if I keep training with Richard I might be able to ski in the Paralympics one day.”

The words of Sonny McAnulty, age 11, a great skier, a Snowbility snowsports student and Guinness World Record holder. There are many people like Sonny who have various additional needs that can mean taking part in team sports is difficult. However, skiing or snowboarding isn’t a team sport; it is an activity where there are no complex rules, just a repetitive pattern that is great for improving such things as

fitness, balance, confidence and self-esteem.

Snowbility is the brainchild of Ski Development Coach, Richard Fetherston, and was established with the aim of using snowsports coaching to help students with additional needs, and specifically autism, to show to themselves and their families and friends that they have amazing natural abilities just waiting to be expressed.

During Snowbility’s coaching sessions, instructors tailor the lessons specifically to each student, working with their parent, carer or school to understand their individual requirements. Taking place at The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead,

these sessions are giving children like Sonny the opportunity to enjoy a sport and excel in it.

“We work with the students to understand how they react, reading their non-verbal communication and ability to balance and relate to other users, and we reward and chart their progress,” said Richard.

For more information about Snowbility’s coaching sessions, please contact Richard Fetherston on 07713 888199 or email richard@snowbility.co.uk. www.snowbility.co.uk Twitter @Snowbility Facebook /Snowbility

41

A TASTE OF THE ALPS IN

THE LODGE BAR & KITCHEN Anyone for après, an Alpine-inspired meal or watching the action on the slopes?

I

t can be as much a part of your trip to the mountains as your time on the slopes; a good meal in the Alps or a thorough Après session can complete your holiday! And at The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead, the team know all about delivering the ultimate Alpine experience on UK soil!

The Snow Centre’s restaurant, The Lodge Bar & Kitchen, boasts a fantastic view over the slopes and offers everyone the opportunity to enjoy a taste of the Alps. Whether you’re hitting the slopes for a ski or snowboard session or not, The Lodge is the ideal place to enjoy a Paulaner, a glass of Glühwein or cup of Eros Coffee. It is also one of the few UK places where you can order an Alpine-inspired Wiener Schnitzel, Tartiflette or Mushroom Stroganoff in a cosy, Austrian-themed setting.

It’s great for families, friends, kids or adult parties, groups and corporate events! With FREE wi-fi, private rooms available for hire, a designated kids’ menu and Sky Sports shown live (for those must-see events), everyone is welcome in The Lodge.

And you don’t have to leave the slopes to enjoy the Alpine warmth of The Lodge Bar & Kitchen; the team also serve

42

FREE hot drinks in the centre’s on-slope Schuss Bar at the bottom of the Main Slope. So you can take a couple of runs and then break for a quick refreshment, without even removing your skis or snowboard.

Keep an ear out for those Bavarian band nights! Since its opening in October 2013, The Lodge Bar & Kitchen has become known for its light-hearted and cheerful Bavarianthemed band nights. And it’s not surprising these events are in great demand; with traditional Alpine dishes and drinks combined with a resident Oompah Band playing throughout the evening, everyone can be sure to get into the Alpine spirit.

The Lodge has also had more than its fair share of celebrity visits, with household names such as Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Melinda Messenger, Amy Childs, Noel Fielding and Sinitta all feasting there – not to mention the steady flow of winter athletes rolling through the doors!

From Graham Bell, Emily Sarsfield and Ed Drake to Jenny Jones, Aimee Fuller, Jamie Nicholls and Billy Morgan, it seems The Lodge is the place to be when you’re not on the slopes.

For more information on The Lodge Bar & Kitchen please visit thesnowcentre.com Facebook /TheLodgeBK Twitter @TheLodgeBK

Make Your Own Tartiflette Tartiflette is one of the great pleasures of a ski holiday lunch by the slopes, so we asked The Abinger Cookery School, an innovative new cookery school in Surrey set up by a niche team of culinary enthusiasts, The school is run by lifetime foodie and majority owner, Lewis Davies, and the gourmet ski chalet company, Fish & Pips.

Ingredients 1.3kg waxy potatoes, skin left on 2 tbsp butter 1 onion, thinly sliced 200g smoked bacon lardons 150ml dry white wine 200ml whipping cream 1 reblochon 1 clove of garlic Method 1. B oil the potatoes in well-salted water until just tender to a fork, but not cooked right through. Drain well and leave to cool.

2. Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a frying pan and sautĂŠ the onions and bacon until the onions are soft and both are beginning to brown. Tip in the wine, bring to a simmer, and reduce to nearly nothing. Stir in the cream off the heat.

3. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark six. Cut the potatoes into smallish cubes (roughly 1cm). Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and sautĂŠ them until golden.

Cut the cheese in half horizontally.

4. Rub an ovenproof dish with the cut clove of garlic, then cover the base with half the potatoes. Spoon over half the onion and bacon mixture and season well. Top with half the reblochon then repeat the layers, with the remaining reblochon half, rind uppermost, on top.

5. Bake for 15 minutes until browned and bubbling (stick it under the grill for five more minutes if you want it really crisp).

If all goes well, this recipe will serve six. If you really want to do it properly, though, best sign up for one of the new Chalet Cookery Courses offered by The Abinger Cookery School via abingercookeryschool.com

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ith six medals, Sochi 2014 proved the most successful Winter Games ever for ParalympicsGB! As the British Disabled Ski Team’s (BDST) official UK training base, The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead continues to work with Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK) to offer and promote opportunities within adaptive snowsports for people with disabilities.

The skier’s and boarder’s charity, DSUK, offers adaptive coaching to allow anyone with a disability to ski or snowboard alongside other people, and it’s initiatives such as these that have and will continue to benefit many people, including The Snow Centre’s Ambassador, Anna Turney, who took 4th in the Super-G, 6th in the Slalom, and 8th in the Giant Slalom at Sochi 2014.

Anna told us about her experiences prior to, during and after the Paralympic Games.

Q: What’s it like to have been a competitor in two Paralympic Games?

AT: Competing in both the Sochi and Vancouver Paralympics were achievements I am very proud of. I was the newest member of the team in Vancouver, the newest skier on the circuit, and I took that experience into Sochi. I did feel a lot more pressure at Sochi and it was much more stressful, but both Games were really exciting.

It was an honour to be part of Britain’s most successful Winter Paralympic Team ever, and I am delighted to have had the opportunity to showcase how extreme disability ski racing can be.

Q: Before an accident in 2006 where you broke your back, you were a Snowboard Racer. Now as a Paralympic Ski Racer, what tips do you have for people with a disability or injury who want to start snowsports?

AT: I think that anyone who wants to compete,

able-bodied or disabled, needs determination, drive and passion for their chosen sport. There are often very real challenges to overcome and turn into opportunities. For example, I have never been a funded athlete and have had to work hard to fund my training, which has meant building relationships with sponsors like The Snow Centre – I have learnt a lot more life skills than if it had been handed to me on a plate. I really think that there are parallels between success in sport and success in other aspects of life such as work. Setting short- and long-term goals can help, but we should never forget to celebrate our achievements along the way!

Q: How has training at The Snow Centre helped your journey within snowsports?

AT: I love training at The Snow Centre; there is such a light and happy atmosphere and it is really important to keep training when in the UK in preparation for skiing in the mountains.

Q: How do foundations such as DSUK and Snowbility provide snowsports activities for snow lovers with additional needs and disabilities?

AT: The beauty of skiing is that anyone can do it,

regardless of disability, and that is the message that DSUK and Snowbility help to spread as well as providing opportunities for disabled people to ski, using the right equipment and learning from experts.

Q: What’s next for Anna Turney?

AT: I’m continuing with the motivational speaking work for schools and businesses and youth work for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, which is a challenge I really enjoy. I am also organising a fundraiser for the Trust in autumn thanks to The Snow Centre. I am really enjoying spending some time with my husband and family. I’m still training at the University of Birmingham, playing wheelchair basketball locally and getting outside, hand cycling and kayaking.

DOUBLE PA ANNA TURNE 44

Disability Snowsport UK adaptive coaching If you’re interested in adaptive snowsports lessons or know someone with a disability that would like to know more, The Snow Centre are proud to work in partnership with Disability Snowsport UK who provide adaptive ski lessons to anyone with any disability on their slopes.

Anna T Para urney lymp ic Ski Ra

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PIC: MICHAEL TRUELOVE PIKEPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

DSUK’s specialist adaptive instructors can provide 1:1 tuition or group lessons at The Snow Centre, and their adaptive equipment ensures that everyone has the opportunity to access snowsports. To book your lesson with DSUK at The Snow Centre or for more information call 0845 521 9338 or visit disabilitysnowsport.org.uk.

Greenland

It’s great to be able to ski or snowboard whenever you like at The Snow Centre, but when you do travel to the mountains it can be extra special if the resort you choose not only offers great ski runs down, but also spectacular scenery to enjoy whilst you descend too.

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f course, most ski areas are situated in beautiful locations, but some are a little more spectacular than others. Here are some stunners to consider.

Lake Louise, Canada Skiers used to the Alps who head ‘across the pond’ to North America sometimes complain that the scenery is a bit bland by comparison. That’s certainly not the case with Lake Louise; the Rocky Mountains here are all you ever hoped for and more. A massive wall of mountains emerges across the plain as you drive west from Calgary. It becomes clearer as epic mountains surrounded by pristine forest and lakes as you get closer, truly awesome.

Alta Badia, Italy Wherever you are in the Dolomites, the mountains are stunning, as the massive pink stone precipices tower up and seem to glow at sunrise and sunset.

The view of the Sella Massif and Marmolada are particularly impressive from Alta Badia.

Sölden, Austria With several lifts and ski runs on terrain extending above 3000m, it’s no surprise that Sölden offers magnificent Alpine views from its slopes. The stylish new Ice Q restaurant, which opened at the top of the slopes last season, has huge glass walls so you can take it all in.

Niseko, Japan Although you’ll have heard the name because of its famous deep powder snow, Niseko’s slopes lie opposite the perfect volcano of Yotei, said to be a 50% replica of Fuji, and an impressive sight from virtually every point in the resort and on the slopes.

Greenland OK, almost no one skis here, but some wellheeled expert skiers do, usually using a helicopter to ascend. They’re rewarded with pristine white slopes of untracked powder leading down to a blue (if slightly cold) ocean, perhaps with a few shining icebergs floating in it. The pictures look amazing if you Google ‘Greenland heliski’.

Pic Du Midi, France Down in the French Pyrenees there’s a centuryold observatory reached by its own cable car which is now adopted by freeriders to make some spectacular descents. The views of the peaks from the top are amazing.

Treble Cone, New Zealand If you’ve been impressed by the scenery in The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings movies, this is one of the best centres for seeing and skiing them first hand.

Zermatt, Switzerland The Matterhorn is something phenomenal. While most mountains are found in a line with their brothers and sisters, this iconic peak stands alone, dominating the skyline above car-free Zermatt and making it a very special place indeed.

Nevis Range, Scotland Yes, there are some spectacular sites close to home – from Nevis Range you can look out beyond Fort William to Scotland’s picturesque West coast and the islands beyond.

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Zermatt

Lake Louise

PIC: HANS SOLMSSEN

Spectacular Slopes

at InTheSnow.com/LTM

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Sleeping on Snow

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hese days you no longer have to choose between an apartment, hotel or chalet for your accommodation in the Alps, as more and more resorts are offering you the chance to stay in an igloo or entire hotel made of snow – perhaps for a one-night novelty during your regular ski holiday or, if you like, the whole week.

It’s more than 20 years since the world famous Ice Hotel was conceived and built in the Arctic Circle of Northern Sweden. It has gone from strength to strength and is now a major facility with its superstructure fabricated in cold storage prior to construction in December, when temperatures are low enough and ice carving artists are hard at work in giant freezers

preparing the artwork that will adorn its interior once open.

Every spring the Ice Hotel melts back into the neighbouring river, and every autumn a brand new one is built.

But over the years more northern communities have built ice hotels, and in the Alps, Dolomites and Pyrenees, more and more resorts are offering igloos in which to spend a holiday.

Whichever you choose, the sleeping experience will be similar, essentially within an ice cave at around -5C, in a thermal sleeping bag. Most of the snowy establishments are home to bars where you can drink coloured vodkas in ice shot glasses.

Some even have hot tubs, and a big advantage of many is that they’re built at the top of the mountain so you can enjoy wonderful clear skies for star gazing then enjoy first tracks next morning while everyone else is down at the bottom queuing for the lifts to

Blue Marine Ice Hotel, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden open.

Resorts With Snow Accommodation: Andorra: Grandvalira Finland: Levi, Yllas, Saariselka France: La Plagne Germany: Garmisch Slovenia: Kranjska Gora Switzerland: Davos, Engelberg, Gstaad, Les Cerniers, Zermatt.

SLOPE OFF THIS WINTER BOOK YOUR TRAIN TO 1000s OF SNOW, SKI & CITY DESTINATIONS THROUGHOUT EUROPE WITH VOYAGES-SNCF.COM START PLANNING YOUR SKI TRIP TODAY ONLINE: VOYAGES-SNCF.COM CALL: 0844 848 5848 Weekdays 9am - 7pm, Saturdays 9am - 6pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays closed

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FIND US ON: facebook.com/VoyagesSncf.UK twitter.com/VoyagesSncf_UK

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Iglu Dorf

LAAX – YOUR No. 1 FREESTYLE RESORT

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WIN

SNOW PRIZES YOU CAN’T BUY!

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The Snow Centre and their ‘snowy’ partners not only like to offer you great snowsports experiences and kit; now and again they like to give it away for FREE! Once a month you have the chance to WIN yourself anything from a Private Ski or Snowboard Lesson at The Snow Centre to the latest snow gear from Snow & Rock. Plus there are prizes you can’t even buy, such as a season pass for The Snow Centre or signed merchandise from Jamie Nicholls and Aimee Fuller.

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For your chance to WIN visit booking.thesnowcentre.com/ui/signup and sign up to The Snow Centre’s newsletter to keep up-to-date with all their latest news and offers.

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THE PRIZES…

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A Season Lift Pass at The Snow Centre

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A BMW car for the weekend

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A Head Snowboard

ski cross coaching session with A Winter Olympian, Ed Drake

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Family Private Ski or Snowboard A Lesson at The Snow Centre

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Salomon Snowboard signed by A Winter Olympian, Jamie Nicholls

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meal for two in The Lodge Bar & A Kitchen

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Private Ski or Snowboard Lesson A at The Snow Centre

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A Winter Jacket from Columbia

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A Travel bag from Snow & Rock

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canvas signed by Winter Olympian, A Aimee Fuller

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wo places on a freestyle course T with Definition Coaching

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Please note competition and prize terms and conditions apply.

Please visit www.thesnowcentre.com/about/terms for details.

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thesnowcentre.com • snowandrock.com • salomonsnowboard.com • jamienichollsuk.com aimeefuller.co.uk • definitioncamps.com • columbiasportswear.co.uk • specialistcars.co.uk eddrake.org | twitter.com/eddrake

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THE WORLD’S BEST SNOW SPORTS BRANDS AT THE SNOW CENTRE, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD • Test all the latest skis and snowboards with our Demo Pool* • Get your equipment serviced at our onsite workshop* • Master boot fitters in-store • Experienced staff

Snow+Rock, The Snow Centre, St Albans Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP3 9NH, Tel: 01442 250099 Eight other stores across London and South East: Brighton • Chertsey • Romford • Port Solent • Covent Garden • Kensington • Monument For a full list of all stores and to see our full range go to: www.snowandrock.com • Hemel Hempstead store includes Cycle Surgery. *Chargeable on site.

THE ART OF LAYERING FALL-WINTER 14/15 ODLO.COM