Mountain Masters ski school in Val d’Isère is offering an excellent new programme this winter. Already famous for training children up to competition standard, they are now offering race training for adults, with a special recreational slalom and giant slalom week starting on 5 February, run by instructor Rupert Tildesley (photo). Train and race each morning, then have the afternoons to ski with friends or ‘classmates’. Contact details are on our Ski Schools page.
Among the weird and wonderful machines on show at the Electric Vehicle Show were solar-powered bicycles and tricycles. When the sun is out, they’re really easy to pedal. And when it rains or snows, they keep you dry as the rider has a solar panel on her head! There are dozens of them, touring the Alps at the moment. Having followed some of them over the Col de l’Iseran, we can confirm what you probably suspect: they are wobbly, unstable and positively terrifying!
If you felt a bit heroic heading off from the top of Bellevarde down the OK or Face on skis, try doing it on a bike, like these competitors in the French downhill mountain bike championships at the moment. Snow is so much more forgiving to fall on than rocks!
The 103 Renault 4Ls of the Rallye 4aLpes passed through Val d’Isère yesterday, gathering their strength to climb the Col de l’Iseran en route for Italy. 100 of them made it without incident, and the owners of the other three just whipped out spanners and screwdrivers and fixed them on the spot. Don’t you miss the days when a bloke with oily hands could mend your car for ten bob, rather than the technician with a computer who orders a new ECU for £1000?
19 November 2016
Val d’Isère has announced:
“The Men’s Downhill, Giant Slalom, and Super-G scheduled for Beaver Creek at the start of December have been cancelled because of lack of snow in North America and switched to Val d’Isère.
Right now the French resort has some of the best conditions in the world with a settled 60cm in town and 90cm on the glacier – and much more snow on the way over this weekend. Thanks also to having the largest snow-making operation in Europe Val d’Isère has a reputation as the most snow-sure destination in Europe where good conditions over Christmas and New Year as well as at Easter are guaranteed. It is also uniquely positioned for race preparation.
The plan is for the races to take place between Friday, December 2 and Sunday, December 4 on the Oreiller-Killy (OK) race course, which stretches from the top of Bellevarde down to La Daille. The schedule for the races will shortly be confirmed by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Pisteurs in Val d’Isère have already been hard at work on the mountain in preparation for the 61st Critérium de la Première Neige. This takes place December 9-18 and features Men’s World Cup Races on the Face de Bellevarde and Women’s races on the OK course.
Official from the FIS inspected the courses in Val d’Isère yesterday (November 18) and commented on the excellent snow conditions and advanced state of preparation.
Vincent Jay, director of Val d’Isère’s Club des Sports said: “Firstly, we’re really sad for our friends in Beaver Creek. We know too well all the hard work that has to go into organizing a World Cup ski race and the loss in energy, time, and money that a cancellation represents. Ski racing is has been in our genes for the past 60 years. In the past we have organized countless World Cup races and we can do this at short notice when we have to. We are proud to meet the challenge of organizing eight races in three weeks.”
Michel Vion, president of the French Ski Federation commented: “The ski industry in France and everywhere else in the world is delighted that Val d’Isère has risen to the challenge and thanks the FIS for giving it the opportunity. It’s crucial for the World Cup that it sticks to the scheduled calendar, even if this means some last-minute changes. So, for three weeks World Cup Alpine skiing will be centred on Val d’Isère. I’m certain that the resort will produce some great races. “
Details of the race programme from Friday, December 2 to Sunday, December 4 will shortly be confirmed by the FIS. Journalists wishing to cover the races should contact the press director, Yves Perret (yves.perret@neuf.fr – for all information: +33 (0)6 07 31 62 72).”
Val d’Isère will also be staging the resort’s own World Cup – the men’s Slalom and Giant Slalom on 10-11 December and the ladies’ Super Combined and Downhill on 16-17 December.
Altitude Biathlon offers a chance to take part in this challenging event, combining walking (or cross-country skiing if you are brave) with shooting from a lying down or standing position.
For families, groups, company outings and even hen or stag groups. Minimum groups of 8, and the sessions last one hour.
