The Ski Blog

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

Great start to the ski season

So the ski season has officially begun in most resorts, and from tomorrow pretty much everywhere else will be joining in.

It's been a quiet start with limited opening this week but with excellent conditions. In France most resorts were blessed with a little midweek snowfall so the early skiers could practise their powder technique.

Pretty much everywhere conditions are at least as good as last year if not better. The rain snow limit has been as low as 500-600m in some places so even lower resorts can boast good snow cover and great early conditions.

Saturday 20th will see the first big invasion of holidaymakers as they head to the slopes for a White Christmas.

Get fit for the snow with CoolBoard - Part 1

You probably are already aware of the benefits that some pre-holiday training can bring, but possibly don’t realise just how much.

Nic Smith of CoolBoard says:

"Injury is one of the worst ways to cut your holiday short. Preparation can drastically reduce your chances of injury, and as 40% of ski injuries are knee related, the knee might be a good place to start. If you have injured yourself in the past, there is likelihood that although it feels fine for normal life, the injured part is not ready for the demands of the piste making some preparation even more vital. And if none of this worries you, I bet you still want to get the maximum amount of fun from your trip, and finding yourself too tired in the afternoon or as the week progresses seems a waste of what could have been... "

As mentioned in our previous Get fit for winter post, the CoolBoard is an ideal tool to help build up your ski and snowboard fitness.

There are many exercises that can be done with CoolBoard, and CoolBoard’s master trainer, Adam Powell of Powell Fitness, will be showing you the best ways to prepare for your holiday. The first two exercises are shown below, and we’ll give you more as regular updates. Some will be ski or snowboard specific, most will be useful for both.

Exercise 1: Standing balance:

This exercise will take a little time to learn, but you will be benefiting from the moment you start.

Start holding on to a support and progress as you can... start with a couple of minutes, and increase up to 10 minutes as your ability grows.

By balancing on a CoolBoard you are working all the best bits. Your balance is being worked, helping to keep you upright, and increasing agility. Stabilising muscles of all the lower joints will be firing, making them stronger.

Your core strength and stability are coming into play. Dormant muscles (often unknown) will be caused to fire up again.

For Snowboarders, CoolBoard is an ideal movement simulator, especially for off-piste and powder. Rail grinders will also learn to hit that sweet spot and hold it. Grabs can be practiced.

Exercise 2: Tilt Squats:

 

 

The Tilt squat will benefit both skiers and snowboarders as the increased angle at the hips simulates different angles and therefore muscles you will encounter on the slopes.

Ensure one side is on the floor and the ball placed against the ring on the other side of the Coolboard. Keep your weight evenly between heels and toes, keep your shoulders level squat down ensuring your knees don’t track over your toes and your lower back doesn’t hyper extend or flex too much.

Remember the lower you go the greater the effort required, keep your core muscles fired up and ensure good form for every repetition.

Aim for a maximum of 20 reps and 3 sets. Progression is from 1 set of 10 reps upwards.

Also look to do pulses and squat holds at various angles looking to increase your time each session.

If you would like to know more about CoolBoard, click here, http://www.coolboard.co.uk/, and if you would like to arrange a training session with Adam, call 07917 765372 or visit http://www.powellfitness.co.uk . Adam can train you in person at home or at his Fitness Studio if you’re local, or arrange a long distance training program.

And it's still snowing!

France, Italy and Switzerland are continuing to see huge snow falls.

Italy, where Milan airport has been closed by snow, is expecting another 90-120cm (3-4 feet) of snow in the next few days.

Similar falls are expected elsewhere in the Alps. The country’s Passo Tonale ski area has the greatest snow depth of any resort in the world at present with a 370cm (over 12 foot) base.

It’s a similar picture across the Pyrenees, Dolomites too with most major resorts now open for the winter and reporting superb conditions. All the fresh snow has led to a high avalanche risk however and there have been several deaths in recent days so skiers and boarders are being advised to stay on piste.

France has been one of the main beneficiaries this week with Meribel posting the greatest accumulation over the past seven days of up to 1.5m (five feet). Skiinfo issued five powder alarms on Saturday for Les Gets ( 60cm/2 feet), Avoriaz and Morzine both 50 cm(20 inches), Val Thorens 35 cm (14 inches) and Le Grand Bornand (30 cm/12 inches).

More snow is forecast and French resorts opening this weekend include Flaine, Les Arcs, Pra Loup and Valloire and Vars.

Switzerland’s leading resorts have been open for a month now having enjoyed great snow conditions through November. Bases are approaching three metres (ten feet) in many higher resorts. Saas Fee will offer free skiing in Kreuzboden-Hohsaas this weekend December 13th-14^th. It has 80km (50 miles) of piste open from top to bottom.

Zermatt has more than 100km (63 miles) of piste open including the Italian link to Cervinia/Valtournenche and up to 250cm (over eight feet) snow depth. Elsewhere Laax has 170cm (Nearly six feet) of snow on the glacier and St. Moritz 180cm (Six feet) of powder with still more snowfall expected at the weekend.

In Austria the big resort opening this weekend is at Söll on the Skiwelt. The country’s glacier ski areas have the most accumulated snow depth with 195cm (6.5 feet) on the Pitztal Glacier and the same at Sölden. Snowfall has eased in the past week with areas typically reporting 20-40cm (8 – 16 inches) of fresh snow in total.

In North America, temperatures are very low on the East Coast with resorts in Vermont reporting up to three feet of snow. The Rockies have also had snow but along the pacific coast temperatures are above the seasonal average and open terrain is limited.

Report from Skiinfo.com

Get fit for winter with CoolBoard!

The winter season is fast approaching - many ski resorts are on the brink of opening, snow is falling with lots more due this weekend - so if you haven't started to think about upping your fitness levels, then now is the time to do it!

Yes we know Christmas is coming - with all the pressures to eat, drink and be merry that involves, but a little preparation now will mean you'll get much more out of your ski or snowboard holiday. After all we all know that ski holidays are not cheap - particularly in current times, so wouldn't it be great to be able to be on the mountain each day without getting exhausted? Get the best value from your lift pass and improve your fitness at the same time.

So where to start? Well as we mentioned previously in our What makes a great Beginners Week post, ideally you should be combining both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. But simply pumping iron is not the most effective way to fire up your body for the slopes. You should also be doing stuff to improve core strength and proprioception. One of the most effective ways of doing this is by using equipment designed to improve balance and posture.

Featured on Channel 5's The Gadget Show a few weeks ago, the CoolBoard is a great fitness tool for skiers,snowboarders, (and everyone else), and will do the trick if used regularly.

Pretty much every sport and activity you do will benefit from improved core strength - from ballroom dancing to golf, from snowboarding and skiing to horse riding. Having a strong core means that your body can work efficiently, and less strain is put on smaller, naturally weaker parts of your body - such as knee ligaments.

Nic Smith of CoolBoard says:

"Free floating on a ball, kept safe by our cleverly shaped ring, CoolBoard doesn’t suffer the limited movement of other balance boards and equipment. This makes it excellent for balance, core strength and stability, and all those stabilising muscles – the muscles responsible for holding a joint correctly in use, all of which is badly needed for snow fitness."

We are hoping to be showing you more and more ways of using the CoolBoard in the coming weeks and how it can help you get fit, strong and more prepared to have the best winter holiday ever!

In the meantime if you'd like to know more about the CoolBoard and the benefits take a look at their website. It's a portable and fun way to build up your balance skills and improve your core strength, without having to spend hours at the gym!

The snow has arrived....

Early Snowfalls In Europe Hit ‘Historic Levels’!

Europe has experienced heavy snowfalls in the early part of this week. The snowfall has been so great that it has closed roads, brought down power lines and even led to the cancellation of some Swiss rail services.

One of the greatest beneficiaries are the Italian Dolomites where 150cm (five feet) has fallen at Cortina in a 48 hour period up to Monday, with snow still falling.

Alessandro Fregni of Skiinfo.com’s Italian office commented, “In three days ski areas have seen almost as much snowfall as for the whole winter last year.”

The snow has arrived with perfect timing for the ski resorts who are seeing a boom in ticket sales at a time of economic uncertainty. Alessandro believes the snow is enough to last all season and will also mean resorts can save money by not needing to use snow making equipment.

However the snow is causing practical problems for both locals and those wanting to reach the snow with almost every pass in to the Dolomites closed on Monday and many villages without electricity. However the situation will be resolved quickly once the snow stops falling.

It was a similar if slightly less dramatic picture to the north where competitors at the annual season opening Santa Claus World Championships in Samnaun had difficulty getting to and from the event as Swiss public transport in the area struggled to cope with heavy snowfall there.

On Monday rail services were cancelled in the area of Eastern Switzerland due to the snow. “We should have used their magic sleighs.” joked a bemused competitor after missing his flight home as a result.

Most other Swiss resorts have great cover and more new snow. Many major resorts now have snow depths of 2-3 metres (7 – 10 feet).

In Austria the snow cover is also superb with Heiligenblut the biggest recipient of the week’s latest dump, receiving a metre (40 inches) of powder in the past seven days.

Many of the open French ski areas have reported at least a foot of new snow in the past week. Several have much more including Les Arcs, with 80cm (32 inches). New openings this weekend include Les Orres, Chamrousse, Le Grand Bornand, Isola 2000 and Montgenevre. Alpe D'Huez and Courchevel will be fully open and Megève partly open.

It looks like the ski areas in the Pyrenees and elsewhere in Spain which dominated snowfall news in November with record pre-season accumulations leading to early openings of ski areas in the region will continue in to December, as the snow keeps falling.

A new cold front has brought still more fresh powder to Spain (Sierra Nevada has received 70 cm/28 inches more powder in the past week) all the ski resorts in Spain will open for a three day holiday weekend. For Spanish skiers and boarders the Purísima Feast on December 8 is a must every year and represents the official opening of the winter season.

On the French side of the range Cauterets opened last weekend with 80% of runs available on opening day and up to 150cm (five feet) of snow.

Elsewhere in Europe conditions continue to be very good. Norway’s Hemsedal currently has 65cm (over two feet) of snow on its slope. The country’s ski areas have received up to 38cm (15 inches) of new snow in the last week.

Information supplied by Skiinfo.com