The Ski Blog

Oakley JibVid contest in Mayrhofen - 25th - 27th March

Following our blog about spring ski holidays and cool alpine events, Mayrhofen in Austria has hit the headlines again with the Oakley-sponsored JibVid contest.

JibVid is a chance for all you creative skiers and boarders to get noticed. 15 teams of three have 28 hours to create a 2 minute short film. Filming takes place mainly in the Vans Penken Park, and promises to be a two-day "spectacular" for spectators and team members alike. The resulting videos are judged on various criteria including creativity, storyboard, camera work, editing and tricks.

There is a 10 000 euro prize purse plus gaming consoles for the winners.

The event began in 2005 as a seasonaires’ film competition to celebrate the creative nature of skiing and snowboarding. It has since has grown into one of Europe’s premier riding and filming competitions and is set to grow even more with the support of Oakley.

Evening events will feature live acts brought into resort just for the Oakley Jib-Vid and they can be found playing in the premier locations of Scotland Yard and the Arena Sports Bar.

The projection of all the Jib-Vid’s will be the pinnacle of the competition, which will take place in the Arena Sports Bar on the Mayrhofen main street. GMC Concepts, the organisers, have declared: 

"Once the lucky winners get their hands on their share of the 10,000 Euros prize purse we promise to deliver the biggest party in the Alps this decade."

The Oakley Jib-Vid is open to skiers and snowboarders, guys or girls, in teams of three with a maximum of 15 teams invited to take part. A number of teams are invited, including the top three teams from the 2008 Jib-Vid, whilst 8 wildcard entries will be accepted via the official event website. To enter, or find out more about the event, and to see last year's winning films, go to www.jib-vid.com.

Ski holidays in the Spring - party time!

As much of the UK is shivering under a blanket of snow this week, it's made a lot of people think about going skiing or snowboarding for real. You might have seen the phone video on the news of someone skiing down their street, or you might have skipped work to build a kicker in the park - but didn't that just make you miss it even more? Maybe it's time to fit in a ski holiday or snowboard break?

February traditionally means high prices - but there is still some availability out there, just do a search for February offers on our Promotions page and you'll see that there are some excellent offers, and possibly more availability than you might expect. This weekend in particular, 7th Feb, there are some excellent deals at amazing prices if you can make a quick getaway.

March ski holidays mean that you can usually enjoy more sunshine and warmer temperatures, plus longer ski days as lift opening times gradually extend with longer daylight hours. Skiing or snowboarding in the spring can mean long apres ski drinks on sunny terraces, piste picnics, and alpine barbecues. It's a great time to ski, and there's a relaxed end of term feel about many resorts.

And it's at this time of year when the celebrations begin and it's party time. Some of these parties have now developed into real alpine festivals - with all the cool and glamour of their summer counterparts, and the added bonus of spending the day on the mountain rather than in a muddy field.

If you've not been to one of the alpine festivals here's some ideas - so why not combine your skiing and snowboarding with some extra fun in the snow!

Snowbombing, Mayrhofen, Austria, 29 Mar - 04 April: 
"Keep your full moon parties and tell Ibiza to go jump..once you have danced in an igloo in the Austrian Alps, nothing really comes close", so says TNT Magazine of Mayrhofen's Snowbombing Festival, which is 10 this year. 

There is an impressive musical line up which includes Fatboy Slim, Dizzee Rascal, Ladyhawke, Mylo and loads more bands and dj's. There's also a serious choice of partying going on during the week at various places; The Arctic Disco for example, is an "ice-cool party" at the top of the Ahorn at 2000 metres, or try the Backcountry Party which takes place in a 200 year old converted chalet, reached by going through "the forgotten valley" of Flottental.

As well as the music and partying, there are 625km of ski area to enjoy, and the King of the Mountain Battle of the Bands! 

Take a look at their website at snowbombing.com for the full programme and lots of practical tips.

Altitude Festival, Meribel, France, 28 Mar - 03 April:
Altitude was co-founded by comedian Marcus Brigstocke, a regular on TV (incl Have I Got News for You) and radio, and Meribel bar owner Richard Letts. It is mix of comedy, music and DJ's, and this year's event coincides with the British Ski Championships.

Now in its second year, comedy is the core of this festival - so far confirmed in this year's line up are Phil Jupitus, Rich Hall, Andrew Maxwell, Craig Campbell and, of course, Marcus Brigstocke. There will also be various bands and DJ's performing throughout the festival, including Honey Fungus - one of Meribel's most popular local acts.

Slopeside events include Big Air, boarder cross, classic GS, and more "spectator-centric" happenings too - snowball fights, three-legged ski races etc.

The Altitude website is at altitudefestival.com. For Meribel accommodation try our Meribel search for hotels, chalets and apartments.

Caprices, Crans Montana, Switzerland, 15-19 April:
Now in it's 7th year, Caprices 2009 promises to be bigger than ever, with events spread across several venues.

Headlining in the main venue, Le Chapiteau, is Duffy - for her first ever concert in Switzerland - which opens the festival on 15 April. Other acts confirmed over the four days include Paolo Nutini and true reggae veterans, Toots and the Maytals.

During the 4 days other events include turning the terrace of the Cry d'Err, a restaurant at 2200m altitude, into the highest electro club in Switzerland - with guest DJ's to entertain the afternoon skiers and snowboarders, and fabulous panoramic views over some of the highest summits of Europe.
For more details take a look at caprices.ch

If you are organising, going to or know of any cool alpine events then let us know about it - leave a comment or email surfcat@chaletsdirect.com

World Ski Championships open in Val d'Isere

The 40th Alpine World Ski Championhips opens today in Val d'Isere with what promises to be a spectacular opening ceremony at 6.45pm this evening.

Preparations for the event, which goes on until 15th Feb, have been underway for five years. Held every 2 years, the World Championships is a major fixture in the ski world, second only to the Winter Olympics - and this is the first time it has been hosted in France since Chamonix had the honour in 1962.

The opening show, named Pistes Royales, includes all kinds of street entertainers, artists and musicians, and has been orchestrated by Transe Express, the company responsible for the celebrations for Year 2000 in Paris. Included in the parade are 150 children from Val d'Isere and surrounding villages, who will be carrying the flags for the participating nations.

During the 12 days of racing there are 11 races scheduled on Val d'Isere's two famous mountains - the Solaise will host the ladies speed events, and the Bellevarde the Men's races. Due to the geographical formation these two mountain faces are opposite each other and in the heart of the resort. The first race tomorrow (Feb 3rd) is the Ladies Super G. Around 350 world class athletes will be competing over the 12 days.

Every night a variety of evening entertainment is on the schedule with all kinds of live music - folklore choirs, jazz bands, rock concerts, and even a set by DJ David Guetta on Friday 6th Feb. All events, both day and evening, are free. Each day's victors will be awarded their medals at 6.30pm in a medal ceremony taking place in the "Place des Medailles"!

For more information on the event and to download a full programme go to vwww.valdisere.com

Skiing in Austria? Get your personal holiday ski lines!

If you're skiing in the Austrian Ski Welt area this winter the purchase of a lift pass will now give you access to a lot more than just the lifts.

Skiline is a new service which allows you to see where you skied, for how long, how many kilometres you covered and how many vertical metres you travelled.

All you need to do is go to the www.skiline.cc, enter the code on your lift pass, and hey presto you can view a line graph of your day - with all the lifts you used, the downhill distance and lift distance covered, and the total vertical metres you've done.

It might seem a bit geeky but when you're back at work on Monday morning, you can spend a few minutes looking back at your previous week - looking at the highs and lows, and reliving the moment! You can also register with Skiline and you will then have access to your personal ski diary - where all your skilines will be viewable, along with webcam images of each skiing day. You might also find at the end of the season that you are in the Top 100 of skiers who have covered the most mileage.

It is also hoped that more services will be added in the future - including mobile phone updates letting you know how big the queues are at various lifts!

The Ski Welt is Austria's largest interconnected ski area and includes Ellmau, Sheffau and Westendorf

 

Remake of Wham's Last Christmas video in Saas Fee

Everyone’s familiar with the well-known “Last Christmas” video from Wham, but fewer people realize the film was shot, more than 20 years ago in the pretty Swiss resort of Saas-Fee

Now the Swiss Acappella Band Bliss has filmed an exact reproduction of the famous video at the original locations used at the time.

Originally shot before Christmas 1984, a group of young people, a romantic cabin in the forest, snow-capped mountains, the sky slightly overcast, lots of snow and fun beneath the Christmas tree. Add a tinge of sadness and the result is the Wham video.

The task to recreate the video appeared almost impossible at the start but has resulted in a sensational, entertaining remake of the classic video, staged and executed to perfection, according to Saas Fee insiders. Even the hairstyles and clothing are right, taking the viewer back to the happy time when shoulder pads, leggings and “mullet” hairstyles were all the rage.

This BLISS video can now be seen on TV music stations and youtube and the band will perform live in Saas-Fee on 6 February 2009 with a full programme to include concert, after show party and autograph session with the Band in the Living Room Bar of the Unique Hotel Dom.

To see the Bliss video take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENrZQVGsiAk and the classic Wham version is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3354flS1KJs. The jury's out but at Chalets Direct HQ we do think the George Michael/Andrew Ridgeley original has it's own special magic which is difficult to recreate. We'd love to hear your opinion!

For more holiday accommodation in Saas Fee take a look at: http://www.chaletsdirect.com/saasfee/4strframe.htm

Information supplied by www.snow24.com

Zinal and La Grave - skiing and snowboarding off piste holidays

Chalets Direct has recently added two world famous freeride areas to their list of winter holiday destinations.

Located at the end of the Anniviers Valley in the Swiss Valais area, Zinal nestles in an impressive mountain range which includes the Weisshorn (4506m), Zinalrothorn, Obergabelhorn and Dent Blanche. The north-east facing slopes ensure high quality snow throughout the season - the resort actually opens at weekends on November 8th until December 13th, when it opens fully. There are 70km of pistes and an extensive freeride area of 100 hectares, known as the Garde de Bordon. The resort also has an avalanche training centre.

La Grave has long been a favourite amongst freeride skiers and boarders, and a frequent venue for ski extreme videos. Located at an altitude of 1500m and dominated by the majestic summit of La Meije at 3983m, La Grave has been a well kept secret, shared by those in the know. It is a true mountain wilderness - reached by one cable car, or by a 20 minute hike from the top of Les Deux Alpes.

Both places are off the beaten track and offer a very different kind of wintersports holiday - pack your arvas, and to get the best out of the area book a mountain guide.

Les Deux Alpes - high altitude ski and snowboard holidays!

Situated on a sunny balcony at 1650m Les Deux Alpes is a purpose-built resort with snow sure, glacier skiing. In recent years the resort has developed a reputation as an upbeat and lively destination for ski and snowboard holidays, with events such as the Mondials du Snowboard and Freeski, two pre-season events where the public and professionals alike can test all brand new equipment for the forthcoming season. The glacier means that skiing goes on throughout much of the year, and in late October and November Les Deux Alpes is a popular venue for ski and snowboard training camps.

Located in the Southern French Alps, Les Deux Alpes is just an hour from Grenoble, in the area known as the Oisans, between Alpe d'Huez and Serre Chevalier. The Italian border is also a little over an hour's drive, which accounts for the large numbers of Italian visitors, particularly at weekends.

The skiing is located high above the village and it takes around 45 minutes to get to the top - going up to 3600m. At the top you will find the gentle blue slopes on the glacier, with the steeper, more challenging runs heading down from the glacier itself. So the ski area is, in effect, reversed. This means that from very early on beginners can appreciate the high mountain scenery and snow quality, rather than having to spend days on a shady, nursery slope in the resort.

For advanced skiers and snowboarders there is La Grave-La Meije, reached by a 20 minute hike, with legendary off piste and a favourite amongst professional freeriders.

Although purpose-built, you will not find the concrete blocks common in other French resorts developed around the same time. Instead this large village sprawls along a wide main road, with a massive choice of bars, restaurants and shops. Nightlife is lively but there is enough choice to avoid the crowds if you're looking for something more intimate. There are restaurants to suit all budgets and tastes, including Italian (of course), Mexican and local alpine specialities.

Les Carroz for ski holidays and summer breaks - the Haute Savoie at it's best!

Just a little over an hour from Geneva Airport is the traditional village of Les Carroz, part of the Grand Massif ski area, with links to Flaine, Samoens and Morillon.

Up until recently the village has been less well known than it's "ugly sister", Flaine, around 12km further up the road and 500m higher in altitude, but Les Carroz has been flourishing in recent years, and is certainly a worthy destination in it's own right.

In 2004 a new telecabine replaced the main bubble out of the village, at a cost of 12 million euros, and a further 15 million are being invested over the next 4 years to make the skiing more accessible, and the experience more enjoyable. Developments include replacing old chairlifts with new high-speed 6 packs, improving the snowmaking network, and enlarging and enhancing reception areas and parking. 

The village itself stretches across a limestone shelf and has wonderful vantage points over the Arve Valley below and the Aravis mountain range opposite. The central area has pavement cafes, delightful shops with typical alpine souvenirs, and there is a weekly market selling local produce, including superb saucissons and cheeses from Haute Savoie producers.

There is a good choice of restaurants; the Michelin rated Les Servages d'Armelle for example is an excellent choice for a special night out, and the charming Aux Petits Oignons, just off the central square, has a varied menu and super friendly service - it's often busy so it's best to book. Whatever you're looking for there's something to suit most tastes and budgets.

The village has a year round life - in the summer traffic is diverted around the central area which becomes the focus for village entertainments, with live music, theatre events, even a travelling circus rolls into town. There are numerous festivals and sports events throughout the summer months, including the VTTticime - a punishing weekend for cycling enthusiasts and professionals alike - with both mountain biking and road racing on the agenda.

So Les Carroz has a little bit of everything - great skiing, village atmosphere, and certainly enough to entertain you. Plus it's a short hop from Geneva Airport, and one of the closest ski resorts to Calais if you're driving. There are ski chalets, hotels and apartments on offer for catered and self catered breaks throughout the year.

If you've been to Les Carroz, why not tell us what you think of it - or better still add a review about your stay in the resort.