BRITISHFREESKI CAMPS - Dark Summer

DARRYL BALL
WHISTLER/CANADA
DAN CARR/THEORY-3

DARRYL BALL
WHISTLER/CANADA
DAN CARR/THEORY-3

DARRYL BALL
WHISTLER/CANADA
DAN CARR/THEORY-3

Editor
Zack Wragg
zack@darksummer.co.uk
07815 888 157
Creative Director
Daniel Crawford
daniel@naughtyrobot.co.uk
07986 669 244
Marketing Manager
Andrea Conneely
andrea@darksummer.co.uk
07968 479 503
Senior Photographer
Ross Woodhall / Kumara Images
ross@islide.co.uk
Director
Adrian Swift
adrian@darksummer.co.uk
Editorial Assistants
Ruth Martin
Amy McGuire
Editorial Contributors
Baz Roberts
Warren Smith
Pat Sharples
Jon White
Julian Topham
Julian Thorpe
Camilla Stoddart
Photographic Contributors
David Baird
Melody Sky
Chris O’Connell
Yves Garneau
Tash Armitage
Pally Learmond
Dan Carr
Vicci Miller
ESPN Images
Flip McCririck
Bakke
Tomas Zuccareno
Tony Donaldson
Matt Morning
Weisse Arena /
Swiss Images
Henry Meredith-Hardy
Baz Roberts
Camilla Stoddart
Published by
Dark Summer Ltd
143 Walkley Crescent Road
Sheffield S6 5BA
United Kingdom
www.darksummer.co.uk
Printed by
Williams Press Ltd
T 01628 622 345
www.williamspress.co.uk
THIS MAGAZINE IS PRINTED ON PAPER THAT IS
SOURCED FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTS. PLEASE
RECYCLE IT BY PASSING IT ON TO A FRIEND (OR
YOUR DOCTORS / DENTISTS SURGERY) WHEN
YOUʼRE DONE. UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU ARE
PROUDLY KEEPING THEM ON YOUR COFFEE TABLE!
PLEASE RESPECT OUR BEAUTIFUL PLANET. ✌
Contributors
To say Julian Topham loves skiing would be an
understatement. Not only has Julian been an avid skier
from his early childhood, but he also worked hard to
secure the funding for Armada Skis. As one of the
current directors of Armada, Julian helps to promote
freeskiing around Europe and the US.
Having spent 9 years working in all types of action
sports, he is also currently a Director of Sports Vision,
the management consultancy behind the Rip Curl
Boardmasters (Europe’s biggest action sports and
music event), as well as numerous surf, snowboard,
ski and other action sports events.
Last season Julian was our resident movie reviewer
but here he gives us his insight to the X Games 2006.
As anyone who has met him will know, Warren Smith
eats, sleeps and breathes freeskiing. Warren is one of
Britain’s leading professional freeskiers riding for Oakley
and Volkl and an Internationally Certifi ed Performance
Coach. He has spent many years teaching professional
skiers, developing ski instructors and coaching
members of the British freestyle team.
Somehow, Warren also fi nds time to build Freeski
Britain and organising the Ride series of events (Verbier
Ride, London Ride, Saas Fee Ride, Davos Klosters
Ride, and the Big Mountain Heli Ride), which are world
renowned. He can also be seen starring in, fi lming and
editing instructional ski DVDs and some of the UK’s
fi nest freeski movies, including the Snow’s in the House
trilogy, Coeffi cient Drag, and Winter Requiem.
In this issue, Warren gives us some tips on skiing deep
powder, and the low-down on the London Ride 2006.
Editorial
Baz Roberts has been sponsored by The North Face
(UK) for three years and Sky Paragliders for one. In that
time he’s been on 5 expeditions, including two to
Greenland, one to Shishapangma in 2003 and one to
the summit of Everest in May 2004, bringing his total
number of expeditions to 22. He has led diving research
in Belize, built a hut on Mt. Kenya and been a glacier
scientist in Nepal and Pakistan.
Baz runs All Terrain Ski (www.allterrainski.com) in
Chamonix and Wilderness Medical Training (www.wilder
nessmedicaltraining.co.uk). He lectures internationally
about his adventures through his leadership company,
Corporate Interventions (www.corporateinterventions.
com). He’s also a BASI ski instructor, a sky diver, scuba
diver and a very recently a father (to Sophie).
In this issue Baz talks us through his lightweight trek
along the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt.
Based in Verbier for the 2006/07 season, Camilla is
a graduate of Central St Martins Art School. Not being
overly fond of art school she decided to take off to the
slopes of the Alps and try her hand at photography.
She’s gotten pretty damned good at it and now does
back-to-back seasons in Europe and New Zealand
capturing images of some of the world’s best skiers.
Camilla recently had her work appear in an international
Salomon advertising campaign and was also the offi cial
photographer at the NZ Freeski Open.
We’ve always been a fan of Camilla’s photography,
and you can see some of it for yourself alongside her
review of the NZ Freeski Open 2006.
Every New Year I get an overwhelming desire to reach out to people I haven’t contacted for
a while and this year was no exception. As soon as the hangover had cleared I was on my
computer typing out emails to all the people I met during my seasons in resorts. This got
me reminiscing over the people I have met over the years.
We naturally form strong bonds with those people in our lives with whom we have a shared
passion. I think this comes from a mutual respect of each other based around that shared
passion which leads us to hold these people as kindred spirits.
If you are reading this then I think it is safe to say that you probably hold skiing as a passion
in your life, and I’m sure that you will, as I have, made many good friends through skiing.
I’d also bet on you having lost touch with a fair few of them. It may be days, months or
years since you contacted some of them. Friends from seasons, friends you used to ride
with, people you met on a ski trip but never really stayed in touch with.
The friends I’ve made through skiing are some of the best people I’ve met, yet my typical slackness
when it comes to keeping in contact with people has left us out of touch. This week I emailed
everyone I met whilst doing my seasons, and for the past few days my eyes have lit up each time
my computer pings with its ‘New Mail’ alert. I’m back in touch with the people that I spent some of
the best years of my life with, and as we catch up on old times, it seems as if we’ve never parted.
So, as the ball has dropped in Times Square and the New Year has dawned, type an email,
pick up your phone, or go old school and write a letter. Get in touch with the friends you
have lost contact with and put a smile on their face. Then get busy out on the slopes
making more friends through our shared passion of skiing.
– Zack
WWW.DARKSUMMER.CO.UK

Editor
Zack Wragg
zack@darksummer.co.uk
07815 888 157
Creative Director
Daniel Crawford
daniel@naughtyrobot.co.uk
07986 669 244
Marketing Manager
Andrea Conneely
andrea@darksummer.co.uk
07968 479 503
Senior Photographer
Ross Woodhall / Kumara Images
ross@islide.co.uk
Director
Adrian Swift
adrian@darksummer.co.uk
Editorial Assistants
Ruth Martin
Amy McGuire
Editorial Contributors
Baz Roberts
Warren Smith
Pat Sharples
Jon White
Julian Topham
Julian Thorpe
Camilla Stoddart
Photographic Contributors
David Baird
Melody Sky
Chris O’Connell
Yves Garneau
Tash Armitage
Pally Learmond
Dan Carr
Vicci Miller
ESPN Images
Flip McCririck
Bakke
Tomas Zuccareno
Tony Donaldson
Matt Morning
Weisse Arena /
Swiss Images
Henry Meredith-Hardy
Baz Roberts
Camilla Stoddart
Published by
Dark Summer Ltd
143 Walkley Crescent Road
Sheffield S6 5BA
United Kingdom
www.darksummer.co.uk
Printed by
Williams Press Ltd
T 01628 622 345
www.williamspress.co.uk
THIS MAGAZINE IS PRINTED ON PAPER THAT IS
SOURCED FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTS. PLEASE
RECYCLE IT BY PASSING IT ON TO A FRIEND (OR
YOUR DOCTORS / DENTISTS SURGERY) WHEN
YOUʼRE DONE. UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU ARE
PROUDLY KEEPING THEM ON YOUR COFFEE TABLE!
PLEASE RESPECT OUR BEAUTIFUL PLANET. ✌
Contributors
To say Julian Topham loves skiing would be an
understatement. Not only has Julian been an avid skier
from his early childhood, but he also worked hard to
secure the funding for Armada Skis. As one of the
current directors of Armada, Julian helps to promote
freeskiing around Europe and the US.
Having spent 9 years working in all types of action
sports, he is also currently a Director of Sports Vision,
the management consultancy behind the Rip Curl
Boardmasters (Europe’s biggest action sports and
music event), as well as numerous surf, snowboard,
ski and other action sports events.
Last season Julian was our resident movie reviewer
but here he gives us his insight to the X Games 2006.
As anyone who has met him will know, Warren Smith
eats, sleeps and breathes freeskiing. Warren is one of
Britain’s leading professional freeskiers riding for Oakley
and Volkl and an Internationally Certifi ed Performance
Coach. He has spent many years teaching professional
skiers, developing ski instructors and coaching
members of the British freestyle team.
Somehow, Warren also fi nds time to build Freeski
Britain and organising the Ride series of events (Verbier
Ride, London Ride, Saas Fee Ride, Davos Klosters
Ride, and the Big Mountain Heli Ride), which are world
renowned. He can also be seen starring in, fi lming and
editing instructional ski DVDs and some of the UK’s
fi nest freeski movies, including the Snow’s in the House
trilogy, Coeffi cient Drag, and Winter Requiem.
In this issue, Warren gives us some tips on skiing deep
powder, and the low-down on the London Ride 2006.
Editorial
Baz Roberts has been sponsored by The North Face
(UK) for three years and Sky Paragliders for one. In that
time he’s been on 5 expeditions, including two to
Greenland, one to Shishapangma in 2003 and one to
the summit of Everest in May 2004, bringing his total
number of expeditions to 22. He has led diving research
in Belize, built a hut on Mt. Kenya and been a glacier
scientist in Nepal and Pakistan.
Baz runs All Terrain Ski (www.allterrainski.com) in
Chamonix and Wilderness Medical Training (www.wilder
nessmedicaltraining.co.uk). He lectures internationally
about his adventures through his leadership company,
Corporate Interventions (www.corporateinterventions.
com). He’s also a BASI ski instructor, a sky diver, scuba
diver and a very recently a father (to Sophie).
In this issue Baz talks us through his lightweight trek
along the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt.
Based in Verbier for the 2006/07 season, Camilla is
a graduate of Central St Martins Art School. Not being
overly fond of art school she decided to take off to the
slopes of the Alps and try her hand at photography.
She’s gotten pretty damned good at it and now does
back-to-back seasons in Europe and New Zealand
capturing images of some of the world’s best skiers.
Camilla recently had her work appear in an international
Salomon advertising campaign and was also the offi cial
photographer at the NZ Freeski Open.
We’ve always been a fan of Camilla’s photography,
and you can see some of it for yourself alongside her
review of the NZ Freeski Open 2006.
Every New Year I get an overwhelming desire to reach out to people I haven’t contacted for
a while and this year was no exception. As soon as the hangover had cleared I was on my
computer typing out emails to all the people I met during my seasons in resorts. This got
me reminiscing over the people I have met over the years.
We naturally form strong bonds with those people in our lives with whom we have a shared
passion. I think this comes from a mutual respect of each other based around that shared
passion which leads us to hold these people as kindred spirits.
If you are reading this then I think it is safe to say that you probably hold skiing as a passion
in your life, and I’m sure that you will, as I have, made many good friends through skiing.
I’d also bet on you having lost touch with a fair few of them. It may be days, months or
years since you contacted some of them. Friends from seasons, friends you used to ride
with, people you met on a ski trip but never really stayed in touch with.
The friends I’ve made through skiing are some of the best people I’ve met, yet my typical slackness
when it comes to keeping in contact with people has left us out of touch. This week I emailed
everyone I met whilst doing my seasons, and for the past few days my eyes have lit up each time
my computer pings with its ‘New Mail’ alert. I’m back in touch with the people that I spent some of
the best years of my life with, and as we catch up on old times, it seems as if we’ve never parted.
So, as the ball has dropped in Times Square and the New Year has dawned, type an email,
pick up your phone, or go old school and write a letter. Get in touch with the friends you
have lost contact with and put a smile on their face. Then get busy out on the slopes
making more friends through our shared passion of skiing.
– Zack
WWW.DARKSUMMER.CO.UK

SKIER TJ SCHILLER
LOCATION NEW ZEALAND
PHOTO CHRIS OCONNELL

SKIER EDDIE SLAVEMONKEY THELWELL
LOCATION LAAX / SWITZERLAND
PHOTO DAN CARR

SKIER JP AUCLAIR
LOCATION BC POWDER
PHOTO CHRIS OCONNELL

SKIER LEIGH POWIS
LOCATION WHISTLER / CANADA
PHOTO DAN CARR

SKIER WARREN SMITH
LOCATION BACK OF MONT FORT / VERBIER
PHOTO MELODY SKY

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DAVOS KLOSTERS RIDE
The first ever British Big Mountain Championships will be held
in the world-renowned Davos Klosters mountains during the
19th – 22nd March 2007. The event, titled the Davos Klosters
Ride, will be a World Tour Qualifier with the top three male and
top two female skiers gaining entrance to the qualifiers of the
World Tour event, the Big Mountain Heli Ride 2008.
Event directors Warren Smith, Chris Southwell and Nick
Southwell believe this will be a huge opportunity for UK
freeskiers and snowboarders to be judged with IFSA sanctioning
as well as gain TV exposure and to eventually take their level to
that of a European and World athlete.
The Davos Klosters Ride will incorporate a new judging system
that includes a freestyle aspect. Each athlete’s descent will be
judged on:
• Line Difficulty
• Control
• Fluidity
• Form & Technique
• Freestyle
As with the other Ride events, the Davos Klosters Ride will be
covered by a 26-minute television programme and shown on
YOZ and the Extreme sports channel.
If you want to be part of the event, the organisers have put
together an amazing package. Event director, Chris Southwell
said “We will offer a package for British snowsports enthusiasts
to fly out to Davos and be part of the event. An attractive side
programme during day and night will keep the crowd entertained
throughout the week.” The package includes flights, transfers,
accommodation, lift passes, freeskiing classes, access to all
official parties and more. Information about the package will be
available on www.stc.co.uk soon.
For more info visit www.davosklostersride.com
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ARMADA ARG “LA GORDA”
Once again, we’ve another exclusive for you. Presenting
the uniquely shaped Armada ARG ‘La Gorda’ (right).
With a heart of Armada’s Ultra Light Wood Core and
a capped construction, the ARG comes in a 185cm
and a reverse camber in the tip and tail (the dimensions
are 125-135-133-134-120).
Armada are hailing the ARG design as a breakthrough
in powder ski technology. It will naturally float in deep
snow; keep the ski from hooking in top layer crust, and
provide unmatched deep snow stability, while the minimal
sidecut gives the ski manoeuvrability on the hardpack.
We can’t wait to get our hands on a pair to test.
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024
WWW.DARKSUMMER.CO.UK
ISSUE 11
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ORAGE EUROPEAN FREESKI OPEN
After a successful first event, the Orage European Freeski Open
will be returning to the slopes of Laax, Switzerland from
21st–25th March 2007. With $50,000 up for grabs the field of
skiers will include some of the top in the World.
The event will once again
comprise of halfpipe and
slopestlye competitions, and
last years champions will be
making an attempt to defend
their crowns.
Registration for the Orage
European Freeski Open takes
place between 1st February and
1st March 2007 on the events
website. For more information
visit www.laax.com/
freeskiopen
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SNOW-CAMP LONDON
Youth charity Snow-Camp has teamed up with Snowsport England
to launch Snow-Camp London, a project which will use dry ski
slopes and snowdomes to teach 500 disadvantaged inner city
young people from across London to ski or snowboard. Snowsport
England will provide access to dry ski slopes, snow-domes and
instructors for the new project, whilst Snow-Camp will provide the
youth workers and the Lifeskills training, which enables young
people to reflect on the key issues in their lives.
Snow-Camp director, Dan Charlish said, “This is an exciting new
direction for the charity. Over the past three years we have been
focused on taking young people to the French Alps to learn to ski,
snowboard and develop as individuals through a Life-skills course.
This project will enable us to take the Snow-Camp idea and
replicate it in this country, reaching many more young people.’
Trish Chalk, Chief Executive at Snowsport England said, “We are
very keen to see access to Snowsports widened to those who
would not normally have the opportunity to learn to ski or snowboard.
Snowsports can have so many positive impacts on young
people and we are looking forward to the first Snow-Camp
London courses starting in summer 2007”.
For more info, contact Snow-Camp director Dan Charlish
on 07930 695 384, or Press Officer Anna Carey on 07903
806 979 or visit www.snow-camp.co.uk
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DARK SUMMER FREESTYLE SKI TEST
On Saturday 25 November we held the first Dark
Summer Freestyle Ski Test in association with Ellis
Brigham at Tamwroth Snowdome. We had a great night
with almost every freestyle demo ski available in the
UK. Everyone who turned out seemed to have a great
night on the terrain park that was kindly laid on. We’d like
to thank the guys at Tamworth Snowdome for letting us
use the slope, all the skiers who turned out to test the
skis, and to Steve Wells at Ellis Brigham for organising
the night.
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THE RIP CURL HIMALAYA SEARCH
PRESENTED BY SPRITE
After a World Record rail slide attempt at Milton Keynes, and
endless photos of skiers throwing huge airs, where, you may
ask, can skiing go next? Well, the answer is up, and up, and up.
Try 5,000m up, in fact. From 10th–26th February 2007, four Rip
Curl riders (two snowboarders and 2 skiers) will be making
their way up the slopes of Annapurna in an attempt to build
and jump off the highest kicker on Earth.
The team will consist of Andy Finch (USA), Chris Booth (AUS),
Per Loken (NOR) and Baptiste Collomb-Patton (FRA). To keep
up to date with their progress visit www.ripcurl.com/himalaya
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COLUMBIA FREERIDE WEEK
You may have read about last year’s Columbia Rideweek in
issue 10 of Dark Summer. Well, after its successful inaugural
event, the second edition is ready to take place in Courcheval
from 11th–16th March 2007. Ten teams from around the world
will be competing and try to steal the crown from the Japanese
team, winners in 2006.
Teams consist of 2 riders and a cameraman. Their task; to
create a 5 minute movie highlighting both freeride images and
technical performance. The 5th day is set aside for editing with
a jury of international athletes and journalists judging. For more
information visit www.courchevel.com/rideweek
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RIDER NEWS
Avalaan have added Joonas Kuoksa (below) to their pro team.
20 year-old Joonas hails from Finland.
Avalaan have also hooked up young Norweigan ripper, Gaute
Haaker. Check him out in the European flick, Three For Flinching
(www.regimechangeproductions.com)
UK rider Ben ‘Bungle’ Hawker has just signed up with Smith
eyewear. You can see Ben on the slopes of Mayrhofen parading
around in his shiny new Smith Prodigy goggles.
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Apologies to the lovely Chloe Crewe-Read whose photos
we credited in previous issues as plain ol’ Chloe Crew.
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NEW INJURY BLOW FOR MIKE WAKEFIELD
Mike Wakefield’s run of bad luck continued when he recently
broke his back whilst skiing. One of the UK’s best freestyle
skiers, Mike is a former British Halfpipe Champion and always
a contender in the Big Air and Slopestyle events. Injuries last
season (two broken collar bones) prevented him from entering
most events and comps. Things were looking up when Mike
competed in the Best Of British event at London’s Daily Mail
Ski & Snowboard Show during October, but the seriousness of
this latest injury will be a big set back for Mike.
In a recent email, Mike said “I have broken my C6 vertebra which
is just at the bottom of my neck. I got away really, really lucky
too... I hit a rock with my skis just at the side of the piste, riding
a little bit of powder which flipped me over onto another rock
(with my head breaking all the way through my helmet). If I severed
the spinal cord of the bone I broke, I wouldnt be able to move
from the neck down. If I broke a vertebra higher I would be dead,
and if I didnt have my helmet on I would be dead for sure. I can
still walk and move everything as usual, I just need to get lots
of rest and recover... The specialist hasn’t given me a date
when I’ll be able to ski again yet as it’s so early on but he said
that I should make a full recovery.”
I’m sure we speak for everyone when we wish Mike a speedy
and healthy recovery.
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JUNKIGEAR
Icelantic AT Boards, winner of ispo “Best Brand New Hardgood
of the Year” for 2006, has just announced that their foray into
the UK will be taken care of by their new distributor, JunkiGear
UK. Icelantic is a young, revolutionary ski company based in
Colorado that makes All Terrain skis based on surface area
rather than length.
JunkiGear is a new company that focuses on the exciting, fresh
brands that you don’t find in every ski and snowboard store.
They have a passionate curiosity for seeking out new up and
coming brands, and are also environmentally conscious through
their alliance with ‘1% for the Planet’.
Icelantic is currently on the hunt for team riders and would love
to see your smiling face huckin’ it for the camera. For more
information visit www.icelanticboards.com/sponsorship.htm
or contact andrewphyn@junkigear.com.
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NAOMI EDMONDSON ROCKS THE US!
Having recently graced our pages, British Big Air and Slopestyle
Champion, Naomi Edmondson has been busy fufilling her
potential with some spiffing displays at various events in
Europe and New Zealand. However, all results so far have been
eclipsed by her incredible performance at January’s US Open
in Copper Mountain, Colorado. Naomi was the first British skier
– male or female – to be invited to compete in the US Open,
and in what is becoming typical of her understated confidence,
she walked away with a top ten finish in the Womens Slopestyle.
The US Open attracts only the cream of the world’s freeskiing
talent and is second only to the Winter X Games in terms of
media exposure, which makes Naomi’s result all the more worthy.
To underline her achievement, Naomi finished ahead of established
US skier Sarah Burke, whilst Anna Segal, Michelle Parker and
Kristi Leskinen filled the top 3 spots respectively.
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ISSUE 11
025

PRODUCT
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OVERHEARD IN THE FORUM...
WINNER
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WARREN SMITH YVES GARNEAU
Unlike the previous two events, The London Ride 2006 was staged
on a purpose built quarterpipe with an artificial surface. Once
again, the Metro Ski & Snowboard Show hosted The London Ride,
the UK leg of the Ride series, which incorporates The Verbier Ride
and The Saas Fee Ride.
The quarterpipe gave London a taste of international level freestyle
skiing with riders such as Flo Wieser (Völkl), Andy Bennett (Line),
Alexis Mouthon (O’Neill), Paddy Graham (Line), Vivian Gex (Head),
Mike Wakefield (Oakley) and Murray Buchan (Nike ACG) displaying
huge height and awesome style.
The London Ride was delivered to a record breaking 10,000 person
crowd at the Metro Ski Show. The British riders, on home turf, took
advantage of the artificial surface which they regularly train on to
make it an all British rider final.
Unsurprisingly, the podium positions were contested by the current
top four UK riders. Andy Bennett opted for the safer Flare in his final
run. His style and technical timing may have made the trick look
a little too easy... He nailed it, but only managed fourth place on the
day. Murray Buchan had been charging as usual, his focus on going
big impressed the judges and his 720 Truck Driver double Nose Grab
took him to a well deserved third place.
Paddy Graham may be the styliest dresser in UK freeskiing, but he’s
also the styliest rider. He just makes tricks look graceful, appearing
to have more time in the air than gravity should reasonably allow. He
also concentrated on pulling Flares, but the amplitude he got and the
quality of execution made his a cut above the rest. In the end nobody
could argue with his second place on the day.
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Mike Wakefield cooks up his Wake
‘n Bake. During his final run, Mike
went for a massive D-Spin and very
nearly nailed it but just couldn’t
quite hold on. However, it really
didn’t matter as it was clear to all
those watching (most importantly
the judges) that Mike was already
the London Ride 2006 champion.
Before the new year, it is estimated
that over a million people worldwide
will have watched the London Ride
through TV, Internet and Podcasts,
offering further exposure for the
incredible skills of today’s freestyle
skiing athletes.
WWW.DARKSUMMER.CO.UK
Mike Wakefield cooks up his Wake
‘n Bake. During his final run, Mike
went for a massive D-Spin and very
nearly nailed it but just couldn’t
quite hold on. However, it really
didn’t matter as it was clear to all
those watching (most importantly
the judges) that Mike was already
the London Ride 2006 champion.
Before the new year, it is estimated
that over a million people worldwide
will have watched the London Ride
through TV, Internet and Podcasts,
offering further exposure for the
incredible skills of today’s freestyle
skiing athletes.
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HAILED AS A LOCAL HERO BY THE
MILTON KEYNES CREW ALMOST AS
SOON AS SHE SET FOOT ON SKIS,
AMBER CONNORS IS FAST MAKING
HER MARK IN THE UK. SINCE STEPPING
ON REAL SNOW SHE’S BEEN GOING
FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
036
MISS
AMBER
CONNORS
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ISSUE 11
WORDS AND PHOTOS_ZACK WRAGG
How did you get into skiing? My brother started working at
the SnoZone in Milton Keynes. He got me a space on some ski
lessons just after my 13th birthday and I loved it. As soon as
I was good enough to ski on my own I started hitting rails and it
all went from there.
What is your favourite trick at the moment? Skiing at Milton
Keynes means I do a lot of rails, so any rail trick with a 270 in it
somewhere is a lot of fun, or a well landed 5. In fact, I like any trick
where I land OK.
What new tricks are you trying to add to your bag at the moment?
I am trying to learn 720s on the kickers, and I want to figure out
how to 450 onto a rail too. I’m also trying to work on my freeriding
as I haven’t had the chance to do much.
That’s a good point. We remember that you were in the final of
the It’s a Girl Thing competition last year and that was your first
time on snow. You did amazingly well. What did you think of it?
It was awesome; you couldn’t see any walls and there was so
much space to mess around. There were hardly any drag lifts
which seemed strange after the SnoZone. Gondolas still freak me
out a little bit, but it’s worth it.
You learnt most of your skills in the park, but since you had a taste
of what is out there in the backcountry, which do you prefer?
I still haven’t had much chance to ride backcountry, but the little
bit of powder I have ridden has been amazing. Having said that,
I don’t think I will ever forget my park roots. Can I say both?
What are your plans for this season? So far my plan is to head
out for the Verbier Ride Slopestyle (not quite ready for the free ride
yet), and the Brits in Laax. I am hoping to get a few trips in between
to brush up on my skills, but I am not sure where yet. I am waiting
to see what happens to the snow conditions before I decide.
Who is your favourite person to ski with? My brother when he’s
not injured, Katie Fields, Jake Terry, Mason Ferbee, Franklin Bruno,
Carrie Higgins and all the regulars at Milton Keynes. We have a good
group of people who ski there and they are all very supportive.
What is your best skiing memory? That would have to be entering
and winning my first competition. I was so nervous at first but
then I just settled in and had fun. It was such a buzz to win.
Any shout outs? I would like to say a massive thank you to my
sponsors, K2, Protest, Ellis Brigham and SnoZone; Dark Summer
for all their help and support, Steve Wells at Ellis Brigham, Meena
Rajput at Protest, Simon Smith at K2, my Brother Brad, Katie
Fields, the Terry’s, The Ferebee’s, all my mates, my coaches,
Marky Mark Hikinson, all the SnoZone staff especially the medics,
and anyone I missed out. The biggest thanks have to go to my
mum for giving me a lift everywhere. ✪
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ISSUE 11
037

Useful Web Sites
www.PisteHors.com
Focussed solely on French off-piste skiing, PisteHors.com is run by Englishman
David George. You will find it packed full of up-to-date news, avalanche safety
information, gear reviews, resort guides (including some off-piste routes) and
much more. Quite simply, it is the most definitive guide to French off-piste
skiing we have seen.
One of the more macabre elements of the site is the avalanche and off-piste
accident statistics tables. This is a summary of the accidents recorded by
PisteHors.com and while it may not be complete, it acts as a stark reminder
that skiing is a dangerous sport.
With the new Millennium on the horizon and snowboarding ever more popular, skiing was
losing out. The mountain was there to be discovered but only if you were a Jedi Master on
your super long skis. Then Salomon gave birth to the future of skiing: the 1080.
I was working as a night porter in Val d’Isere and when the Salomon rep stayed in the hotel
I’d go down to the ski room each night and look at them. I knew I had to have a pair.
Once I got my hands on my own set, my skiing improved exponentially and it was a turning
point in my life. Soon after I was sponsored. By Salomon.
The 1080s were on my feet when I launched my first 50ft cliff, when I did my first 540 and
when I luckily survived two avalanches in one day. I couldn’t bear to throw them away as
just the slightest glimpse still releases memories of the best skiing moments in my life.
– Jim Adlington (Sponsors: Oakley & Planks Clothing)
The campaign is an initiative by Dark Summer magazine with the aim of highlighting the benefits of purchasing outdoor products within the UK
– especially prior to an overseas trip. Most staff in UK specialist outdoor stores receive training in the fitting, comfort and performance of outdoor equipment. In
many cases, the staff themselves are enthusiasts and competing athletes with a wealth of knowledge and experience to call upon when assisting you. Purchasing
equipment such as ski, snowboard and hiking boots a couple of weeks prior to your trip menas you are able to ‘wear them in’ at home and importantly (should
there be any problems) allows time for adjustment back at the store before your holiday. After sales service is a lot harder to pursue once you’ve returned to the
UK if you have purchased your equipment abroad. In addition you are supporting the UK snowsports industry. The Snowsports Industry of Great Britain (SIGB)
research and test relentlessly throughout the year to select the best range of equipment for you to select from. Choose wisely.
www.NewSchoolers.com
Started back in 1999, NewSchoolers.com was the brainchild of a very bored
Matt Harvey. It has since grown to be the biggest single freeskiing community
website, boasting just shy of 95,000 members. If you want freestyle ski news
then this is the place for you. Not only do they have competition reports and
results, they also have team blogs and snow park updates.
While it does have a heavy North American bias, there is information on
NewSchoolers.com for everyone. You can find allsorts of pictures and videos
in their member’s profiles, as well as ski games, a forum and the ever amusing
NS Radio. We are on there pretty much every day.
www.Freeskiers.org
This is the official webpage of the International Freeskiers Association (IFSA).
The IFSA was established in 1996 in an effort to organise the sport of competitive
freeskiing with the insight and oversight of the athletes that participate in the
sport. The IFSA World Tour is the defining Big Mountain circuit and this website
provide all the information about this and other freeski events events.

Throughout November and December 2006, the
Saab/Salomon SPK Team Tour rolled around
the UK to promote freestyle skiing and their
revolutionary new SPK boot. At each stop, skiers
could try out some of the latest Salomon gear,
as well as ride with the Salomon UK Team and
win some prizes.
When I turned up at the Castleford leg of the tour, the slopes
were already packed full of people. Everyone I looked at seemed
to have a pair of the Salomon demo skis on. After a quick stop
at the demo tent, I was soon heading up the lift with a pair of
TenEighty Foils firmly strapped to my feet. At the top of the slope
I ran into Pat Sharples, Salomon’s UK Team Manager.
“With the release of our new SPK (Superpark) ski boot and the
SPK skis we wanted to celebrate the fact that Salomon are
100% behind the movement of new school freestyle and are
always inventing new products that the riders will like,” said
Pat. “The reason for the Tour was so that everyone in the UK
got a chance to try and test all the new Salomon equipment, as
well as giving them access free coaching and loads of freebies
at the mini-comps that we held at each venue.”
As I looked around the slopes there was a variety of people
trying out the demo skis, not just the freestyle kids that you
may expect. A by-product of the immense amount of research
and development taking place in the freeski market is that the
skis being developed are being the weapon of choice for many
people who want to ski all over the mountain. The skis are
increasingly able to perform at higher levels in the varied
conditions the mountain throws at you.
Each of the tour stops (Bearsden, Castleford, Sheffield, Gloucester
and Christchurch) was a resounding success with the slopes
filled with skiers. All the young skiers were stoked to be skiing
with the Saab/Salomon Team. The team were lucky enough to
be chauffeured around to all the venues in the latest Saab 9-3
TiDs, plastered with Saab, Salomon and Dark Summer logos.
While their kids were out enjoying the skiing, parents were also
able to test drive some of the Saab range.
Pat said, “We are super happy how the tour went and the
response we got back from all the riders at each venue. It’s
great to see how popular the new school freestyle ski industry
is becoming and so proud to be a part of it!”
The guys at Salomon UK would like to thank all the retailers
and sponsors who supported the Saab/Salomon SPK Tour
and helped to make it the success that it was, Dark Summer,
Snow & Rock, Severn Sports, Greaves Sports, Snowtrax. ✪
2006 Saab/Salomon SPK Tour
ZACK WRAGG
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ZACK WRAGG AS MARKED
Emily
Sarsfi eld
At the end of November 2006, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Executive Board decided that Skiercross would be officially included in
the programme of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. In 2003, six years after
its birth at the X Games in the USA, Skiercross was recognised by the
International Ski Federation (FIS) and integrated into its freestyle category.
Over the course of its life, Skiercross has become increasingly popular with
spectators due to its fast-paced, high-adrenaline action.
The IOC is hoping that Skiercross will help to “modernise the Winter
Games, arouse great interest among young people and be able to stand
out thanks to its spectacular and competitive dimensions.”
Despite the lack of training facilities for Skiercross in the UK, there is one
young lady who is making her mark on the international scene. Emily
Sarsfield is one of only two skiers in the UK Skiercross team and she
looks set to break into the world’s top ten this coming season.
We caught up with Emily to find out a bit more about her and her
reaction to the inclusion of Skiercross in the Olympics.
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How did you start skiing?
My parents. I used to ride in a pack on my Dad’s back, so I’ve
never had a fear of speed. I then fi rst skied myself at the age of
3. I’m glad I started so young as you have no fear at that age
and you learn a lot more quickly.
You used to be a ski racer. Tell us a bit about that.
I represented Great Britain in Alpine racing from the age of 13 and
won many English titles. I had some great experiences and learnt
a lot, travelling all over Europe with the English team and my biggest
rival Victoria (elder sister). My last international competition was to
be the World University Games 2005. The plan was to enjoy my
fi nal race then hang up my racing boots and, after graduating, get
a real job, but then along came Skiercross!
What turned you on to Skiercross?
I hadn’t really heard of Skiercross, but a coach back in 2003
thought I would be good at it. I didn’t really know what it was
and didn’t think much of it so carried on with Alpine racing. Then
at the 2005 World Uni Games, Duncan (team coach) suggested
I give it a shot. I looked at the course and said “No chance”.
The jumps were huge, but I’m not one to hold back so I found
myself at the start gates. The next thing I knew, I’d qualifi ed for
the fi nals and was stood head to head with 3 other girls. The
race went well and I managed to fi nish 6th. I was delighted and
I was hooked. I did my fi rst full season focusing on Skiercross
last year based in Meribel. I travelled all over Europe in my little
Peugeot 106 competing on the World Cup circuit and the Saab
Salomon Series. The season went really well, I slashed my World
Ranking to 25 and maintained my British title.
What is it about Skiercross that attracts you?
Skiercross is crazy. It’s hard to describe what the courses are
like which I race down; they are totally unpredictable. You have
to negotiate jumps, bumps and berms whilst travelling at speed
racing against others. The extreme uncertainty of the event is
addictive and the adrenaline rush is unbelievable. Getting to the
bottom in one piece is a challenge in itself never mind battling it
out with 3 other riders on the way down!
What successes have you enjoyed in Skiercross so far?
My Skiercross career started well with my 6th place debut in the
World Uni Games and since then it’s just got better. I fi nished
15th in my second World Cup, qualifying for the fi nals, placed 4th
in a Europa Cup, 5th in the French Champs and have maintained
my British Indoor and Outdoor titles since 2005.
What was your reaction when you heard about Skiercross
being accepted into the Olympics?
I was ecstatic, there had been talk about it for a while and it really
needed this status to get the recognition it deserves. Boardercross
had its debut in Turin and Skiercross is such an exciting spectator
sport, people deserve to see as an Olympic event.
What are your goals now in the run up to the 2010 Olympics?
I’ve just started my second season, so it’s still very new. I’m planning
on competing in the World Cup circuit in Europe, with the World
Championships at the end of January in Italy. I am also hoping to
get to some commercial events and the Brits in Laax towards the
end of the season to gain more experience so I’m on top form for
the 2010 Olympics.
The season has started slowly because of the lack of snow, so
training has been limited and the fi rst World Cup event of the season
was cancelled. Weather permitting, my competition schedule will
kick off on the 8th Jan in Flaine.
Doing all of this isn’t cheap so I’m having to fund myself by doing
some coaching for Alpine racers. I’m also looking for sponsorship
to help me compete and train, to improve on last years results and
break in to the World top ten.
I’m also planning some Skiercross camps over the summer in the
UK to help young aspiring athletes progress in the sport.
The desire for Olympic success is great for some, but for others
it’s just another competition. How do you feel about it and will
you still value the other competitions as much?
Every athlete would love to be an Olympic champion, but whilst
every competition is great, the most important thing in life is to
enjoy it and live it to the max.
Without wanting to jinx it, if the Olympic gold were to land in
your lap, what would be your next big challenge?
Making my way through a magnum of Champagne [laughs]. Then,
I guess it would be passing the skills and techniques I’ve learnt
onto younger British riders, so they too would get the opportunity
to achieve the Olympic gold.
Which would you prefer: the bumps and berms of a Skiercross
course or a big, wide, open powder fi eld?
That’s a tricky one. It would depend on my mood. If I’m chilled out
then a peaceful powder fi eld; if I want an adrenaline rush then the
bumps and berms!
Up at 6am for training or on the dancefl oor ‘til 2am?
On the dance fl oor ‘til 6am then a nice jog home!
Full English or continental breakfast?
Full English!
Do you have any shout-outs?
To my family for funding me over the past years and my sponsors
Animal, Less Bounce, Futur-3 and Atomic. ✪
For more details about Emily’s Skiercross career, check out her
website: www.emilysarsfi eld.com
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JULIAN TOPHAM AS MARKED
Armada
Clean Sweeps
the X Games
This is action sports at its prime and for one week of the year Aspen is host to the powerbrokers of
the US media and alpine companies. With each brand trying to out do one another, status is marked
by the size of the Aspen properties they rent – and they are huge! With rapidly growing interest in
freestyle skiing the stakes are high, and the ski companies are putting everything they have behind
getting their athletes on the podium.
The organisers raised the bar once again delivering a bigger and more impressive course than has
ever been seen by man. The pipe had so much vert that there was no doubt that we were about to
experience the best skiing spectacle ever. With a much talked about bunch of young guns joining
the ranks of qualified athletes, the hype was building… and then the weather closed in.
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The Slopestyle qualifying began in less than perfect conditions but still the competitors started to
wind up their tricks and float effortlessly from jump to jump. By the time qualifying began, the storms
dumping fresh powder across the Rockies were playing havoc with the course, and by the fourth run
the judges had called for a postponement. However, due to the millions of dollars that had been
invested into the Games’ live television broadcast throughout North America, there was no scope in
the schedule for delays and, after a 2 hour wait, the course was still dangerously slow. The judges
then decided to play out the event as a single hit Big Air.
And so the Switch 10 showdown commenced with TJ Schiller’s US Open-winning Switch 14 still in
the back of everyone’s minds. As the excitement started to build, the Switch 10’s rained down, only
punctuated by Rory Bushfield’s ballsy, if not insane, monstrous Switch double back flip.
TJ, fourth from last, took the lead from Andreas Hatveit with a score of 91.00. Tensions rose as
Charles Gagnier, last years slopestyle gold medalist, remained jumping last – he’d stomped the hell
out of the 24th Switch 1080 of the day on his last jump. His score came in at 89.33 – not enough
to take first but enough for second place. Gagnier almost stole another miracle win on the last run
but came up just short. TJ Schiller’s effortless style meant that he walked away as the winner of the
2006 X Games Best Trick – well deserved.
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The Womens Superpipe was next and was competed as a jam session with the girls being allowed
to take as many run as they could over the 45 minute period. In the poor conditions and flat light,
the girls struggled to maintain their speed and spot their landings. “It was a junk show out there and
maybe I needed better wax or something.” said Sarah Burke who had won the US Freeskiing Open’s
pipe contest the week before in Vail. “It was tough to put down the run I was looking for. I saw a couple
of Grete Eliassen’s runs, and she looked so nice and solid.”
Whilst Sarah unsuccessfully attempted 900’s on each of her runs, Grete tried and succeeded, despite
chronic shin splinters. Her consistent runs and amplitude carried her all the way to the top of the
podium for the second year in a row. The second gold of the event went to the Armada camp.
The Men’s Superpipe was promoted to a prime time spot with live broadcast on the US sports
channel ESPN. The contest started at 7pm with the pipe, so perfect that it sent shivers down
your spine, lit up like a football pitch under a clear Colorado sky.
Simon Dumont, aiming to three-peat with this year’s event, was competing with a tweaked
nerve in his back. The injury had occurred during qualifiers and set him off to a slow start,
boosting barely out of the pipe on his first run. The pain seemed to vanish by his last run and
he rocked a 540 Truck Driver that only Dumont is capable of executing. He continued to boost
but this time it only earned him the bronze.
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Laurent Favre threw down one of the most impressive complete pipe runs ever seen. His first
hit was the biggest of the entire night – a Corked 5 Nose into to a Straight Air. Then he stomped
a massive Corked 7 and finished the run with back-to-back Switch 9’s, securing his first silver
medal. This young Frenchman is one to watch.
Andreas Hatveit spent the whole evening dropping in Switch from the top, and on his final run he
did what must be one of the biggest Switch airs in the history of pipe hits – a perfect 7!
But it was Tanner Hall who put down the golden run. Having dropped out of the Slopestyle contest
to focus on the pipe, he won his three-year battle with Dumont for first. “It couldn’t be any better...
I’m so stoked.” he said. Tanner’s run was, as expected, massive. He put down a Corked 5 off the
first hit, Flare off the second, then into a Corked 9, then a flat 5 and ended with a massive 10,
stomped. Tanner’s amplitude and near-perfect style have set a new benchmark for pipe riding.
Tanner has always claimed that a true great must be a master of all disciplines and his medal chest
says it all. Tanner took the Armada team’s medal count in the contest to three.
And so it was… a weekend when Armada Skis, a young independent ski company, stole three gold
medals from the biggest ski brands in the world – just goes to show money can’t buy everything!
Winter X Games XI start on the 25th January 2007. To find out more go to expn.com ✪
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The Interview
CHRIS O’CONNELL
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What’s your take on the culture that surrounds pipe and park skiers? I think it’s cool. It’s growing, it’s
getting crazy. Kids have more opportunities now instead of just moguls and racing. You can make a name
for yourself and make a living doing it. The sport is opening more doors for kids around the world and I am
stoked on all the kids participating. It’s getting huge in Europe finally, which is a traditionally race influenced.
It’s fun, new, exciting and it’s here to stay. Kids should enjoy the park, learn their tricks and then broaden their
horizons in skiing, like I’m starting to do right now as far as powder and backcountry skiing.
What about the competition scene? Contests for me right now are a little different than they used to be. This
year I didn’t really care too much about them.
You didn’t care too much about them, but you still won the three biggest halfpipe competitions in the
world hands down (X Games, US Open, World Halfpipe Championships)! [Laughs] I wasn’t expecting to
do as well as I did, but after the US Open I got a little more stoked. I went into the X Games with a lot of drive
and momentum. The weird thing about the contest thing is that it is kind of like a circus tour… all the same
kids, same tricks, different parks. The level is increasing every year, but for me right now, that’s not what it’s
all about. I prefer to expand my horizons in different places.
What goes through your head when you’re sitting at the top of the X Games pipe, with 10,000 people
watching, a 100 million more on TV and you are getting ready to drop? I don’t feel any pressure, I just
block everything out and zone into what I have to do. I’ll take one look at the crowd and the pipe before
I drop and then just do my thing. When you’re standing there, you can hear the roar of the crowd, the
people at the start gate talking to you, but once you drop, you don’t hear anything at all. I’m so zoned in
that it is hard to screw up. I don’t feel any pressure at that point, I’m just having fun.
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What d’you think is the next progressive step for freeskiing? Going to the big mountain and shredding
sick stuff. Go scare yourself a little bit – hit a cliff or a steep rollover, put a little kicker on it and do a 40ft
cab 900 off it. I’ve spoken with Jon (Olsson) about it and he feels that progression is in the park – big huge
park kickers and new tricks. He doesn’t want to ski a lot of powder, he wants to do double flips and hit big
park jumps. That’s really cool, but it’s not where I want to take my skiing, I want to progress outside of the
park, be able to shred big lines and be one with the mountain.
What one technological advancement would you like to see in skiing? I’d love to see ski boots redesigned
and way more comfortable.
What are your thoughts on halfpipe in the Olympics? There is no reason why Halfpipe skiing shouldn’t
be in the Olympics. It will be, but it may be tough for 2010. There are a lot of people working on it right
now and I hope it happens. They don’t have to build any extra arenas and it would be great for the sport
of skiing, it would breathe new life into a sport that is viewed by the masses as traditional.
You injured yourself badly in 2004, talk us through the sequence of events that lead up to the accident.
Jon Olsson and I built Chad’s Gap and wanted to hit it switch so we spent about three days getting the runway
perfect. The first day we hit it I got some switch 5’s and a switch 9. The next day, I did a switch 180, a switch 5
and a switch 9. The switch 9 was the best one I did. Then I went back up because the helicopter was coming in
to film. There was some hold time and the runway got slow because it heated up a little. I was just a little too slow
and landed about 5ft short, smacked the wall and blew up my feet. [Tanner shattered the bones in both ankles.]
The footage was painful to watch. How does something like that affect you and how do you bounce
back from it? Yeah, that wasn’t much fun and the audio on the footage is proof of that. As far as bouncing
back, it’s all about keeping a positive mind frame. Mind over matter is legit. As long as I believed I was
going to get back to where I was before the accident nothing was going to stop me. I’ve got to thank my
brother and mom for hanging with me after surgery and taking care of me. Having a good doctor, surgeon,
and physical therapist was key as well.
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It seems that every pro rider wants to make ski flicks now, is there more money in that
for you guys? Definitely not! I lose money every year, but the cool thing is we compile the
footage and we have full control over it. It comes out how we want it. It is our film, not someone
else’s. I’m particularly proud of our project this year; it’s called Show and Prove.
There has been mixed reactions to Show and Prove in the UK. Some people have
said there’s too much talking and not enough skiing, whilst others have literally had
tears in their eyes due to the emotion that runs through the film. What was your
motivation for making the movie in its unique way? Going into the process of making
Show and Prove we wanted to document our year and segment the movie based on the
trips and events we did. After CR’s injury the movie transformed into what it is. Basically we
didn’t want to make a movie the same way every other ski film is done these days which is
basically segment/song, segment/song, segment/song, etc. Movies done that way are too
cut up for me. We wanted to tell a story from the beginning of the season to the end.
Tell us about about what happened to CR. He had an accident at Brighton ski resort in
December whilst filming for Show and Prove. CR tried to do a trick over a knoll and caught an
edge and fell. Kye (Peterson) was following right behind, had no idea he’d fallen and clipped
CR’s noggin. CR kinda’ went to bed for a few weeks. CR is doing good now though. He continues
to make strides everyday and most importantly he’s back on his skis. In fact we just
got back from shredding Mt. Baker and now we’re off to Breckenridge to ski some pipe.
How has CRs accident affected you? You’ve said before that the skiing you have
done this year has been for him, but do you think it will lead to you being more cautious
in the future? CR’s injury had a big impact on me and put things in perspective.
I mean, he is one of my best friends and it definitely knocked the wind out of my sails for
bit, but I used it as motivation. I don’t think I’ll be more ‘cautious’ in the future though as
I feel that I take very calculated risks in skiing. I can’t sketch myself out about what I’m
doing or I might lose a step in terms of my skiing. I’m 100% focused on my skiing.
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There has been a fair bit of discussion lately about the gangster image that is running rife in skiing. From
the outside it seems as though you foster the image, yet people who’ve met you all say how nice and mellow
you are and that it’s almost as though you have two sides to your personality – attitude for the media
but a nice guy in real life… I do? Really? That’s weird... Look I’m not a gangst‘er’ or a gangst‘a’. I’m from
Montana, live in Park City and I am who I am. I listen to reggae and hip-hop music and have been listening
to it since I can remember. I dress the way I do because it’s comfortable for me. If you’re into punk rock style
I’m cool with that. If you want to rock a cowboy hat, boots, and some wranglers I’m cool with that too.
You are undoubtedly one of the best freeskiers in the world at the moment, and as such, are a role model
to many out there. As we’ve mentioned, the gangster image in general has been widely criticised for its
links links to the rise of gun culture. Do you see your image being misinterpreted by the younger generation?
I’ve never owned a gun and I grew up in Montana. I don’t pretend to own a gun or carry one around. If you’re run- running
around with a gun you’d better be in the military or hunting some sort of wildlife, if you’re into that stuff.
I enjoy being a role model. It challenges me and I understand that more and more. I know I have made some
mistakes in the past that probably caught the attention of the younger crowd and obviously I’m not proud of those
mistakes. But we all live and learn and I do my best to grow as a person in my position as a professional skier.
What would you call your autobiography and what would be the most shocking thing in it? ‘Righteousness’
[Laughs]. I don’t have many shocking things that people don’t already know. I guess when I was little I used
to chase my brother and his bros around with a baseball bat because they made me be all time hitter and
wouldn’t let me play the infield.
Any shout-outs? My family, my bro, C-Crew and everyone else who is close to me.
Do you have any questions you would like to ask us? No, you guys sound pretty smart already. On second
thoughts, thoughts, why does a cricket game have to last 6 days? I thought baseball took forever and that’s done in
a matter of hours. ✪
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FASHION
DAVID BAIRD
SAMANTHA CHAPMAN
DANIEL CRAWFORD
HUMA
MORTEN MARKVARDSEN
NICOLA CHAPMAN
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NICOLA COVERT HOODY
ARC’TERYX
ZACK ALPHA COMP JACKET
ARC’TERYX
KAT VENUS
THE NORTH FACE
EDDIE THELWELL BULLET
OAKLEY
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EDDIE PHANTOM
OAKLEY
NICOLA
MARY 2
HELLY HANSEN
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BECKY LILLY
ANIMAL
ZACK VINTER
KURTZ
HELLY HANSEN
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NICOLA KNIT VISOR
BONFIRE FALL LINE
THE NORTH FACE
MORTEN BAR CODE
TIONIC SERIES
BILLABONG
HUMA TRUE 06
PROTEST
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BARRY ROBERTS
IN LATE SPRING 2006 THE ALPS HAD A DEEP COVER OF SNOW, SO I MADE LAST MINUTE
APPLICATION TO MY (PREGNANT) WIFE EADAOIN FOR PERMISSION TO TAKE HER IRISH
BROTHER BRIAN ON THE HAUTE ROUTE IN MAY. BRIAN SWAYED HIS WIFE TO LET HIM
GO TO KEEP ME COMPANY. THE RUSE WORKED AND A PLAN WAS HATCHED. WITH TWO
WEEKS NOTICE, WE BEASTED OURSELVES WITH SOME LAST MINUTE TRAINING, JETTED
BACK TO LIVERPOOL AND DUBLIN TO TIE UP SOME BUSINESS COMMITMENTS AND
RENDEZVOUSED BACK IN CHAM TO PACK OUR BAGS. THIS WAS GOING TO BE A LIGHT
AND FAST EXPEDITION. WELL, LIGHT FOR SURE.
It’s extraordinary that this stunning ski mountaineering route
from Chamonix to Zermatt was fi rst pioneered as a summer
walking route in 1861, and not skied until 1903. There are
several variations to the route; the shorter and easiest being
the fi ve day so called Haute Route Express via Verbier. This
route is broken up by a lengthy taxi ride between Champex
to the Verbier lifts in Switzerland. Our route, arguably the
more natural and elegant way, though longer and more
technically demanding, takes seven days and goes via the
fantastic Great St. Bernard Monastery. This route crosses
a few roads which gives the option to stay in hotels for two
of the six nights on the trail. Hotels allow you to eat well,
stock up on lunch food, rest better at lower elevations,
shower and shave and to wash socks and underpants. After
all, this was supposed to be a holiday, right Brian?
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Admittedly a team of two is sub-optimal for this adventure from
a self-rescue and gear sharing point of view. A minimum of three
or four is better. To succeed (and enjoy ourselves) our style was to
travel light, and with nothing more than I’d take for a technical,
committing day tour (aside from more maps). I used The North
Face Off Chute 22 litre sack and Brian’s bag was 25 litres. Even
when stripped down to a single base layer, I could squeeze my
jackets into my bag. An axe, shovel handle and 30m 8mm ski rope
were neatly cinched to the outside. I hate looking like a Christmas
tree. I had no changes of clothing, socks or undies. Though short
on creature comforts, there was no compromising safety and we
carried a two-man survival shelter, spare eyewear and gloves, GPS,
all the relevant 1:25,000 scale maps, cameras, mobiles phones and
The North Face Redpoint Optimus hooded Primaloft jackets for an
emergency bivy layer. My Paclite Gore-tex shell from The North
Face Flight Series range was all I’d need for a wind shell. The Flight
Series motto is “Further, faster” and we aimed to test that.
You can tell other skier’s nationalities from the size of their rucksacks
and certain pieces of kit. Germans, Kiwis and Brits have the largest
sacks, stuffed with fresh clothes and massive flasks. Don’t they
realise they are out skiing, not hiking? The French have the smallest
sacks but the worst dress sense. The Scandinavians have the most
impractically long ice axes. The trick is to start with a small rucksack.
If you have a large volume ‘sack you will fill it up with things you
“might need”. Remember, even if you get caught out and have to
bivy, the aim is to survive, not to be comfortable. Yvon Chouinard
wrote “if you carry bivouac gear, you will bivouac! Touché Yvon!
Last night we fussed with kit to shave more weight, packed and
got to bed at 2 am. We still managed to rock up at the Grands
Montets car park in good time to catch the first lift to the top
station (3280m). The day’s main climb – the Col du Chardonnet
(3323m) is directly across the valley and above the Argentiere
Glacier. It looks steep because it is and it’s an 800m climb from
the glacier to the col. Many parties start out from the Argentiere
Refuge (2771m) but that adds cost, another day and another
sleepless night. Guides like to start here because if they don’t
know their clients already, they get to see them ski down from
the Grands Montets, and can send them back to Chamonix the
next morning if they’ve overrated their ability.
There’s good reason to dread the first big ski descent on day
one of a week long ski tour, especially if you’ve never trained as
much as you intended (and if you’ve just arrived on Easyjet
you’re not ski fit or acclimatised in any case). And if you’re
British, you’re carrying a 60 litre sack, with a week’s worth of
food, long thick ropes (x 2), a full rock rack, an iPod and a good
book. It’s also early in the day and the off piste snow is normally
chopped up frozen crud.
We watched another pair of wannabe Haute Routers studying
their map as they looked across the valley. Finally, they asked
us to point out the Col du Chardonnet! We never saw them
again. We dipped under the rope and took a high traverse line
right, through foot-deep fresh snow and past house sized ice
towers that collapsed and killed someone a few days before.
Oh, the luck of the Irish. The descent over the Col du Chardonnet
is the most technical on the route and involves a steep, icy
abseil. From here, it’s a further hour up and over the Col Fenetre
de Salena and a long cruise to the hut. That night we shared
the refuge with only four noisy bag rustling Germans.
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Between us we carried:
• Survival shelter
• GPS – spare batteries
• Compass
• 1:25,000 maps / short
pencil
• 30m 8mm rope
• 3 mobile phones!
• Spare sun glasses
• First aid kit / blister kit
• Food (minimal)
• Repair kit: ski wax,
emergency skin glue,
duct tape, wire, binding
screws, skin silicone
We each carried:
• Crevasse rescue
hardware / ice screws
• Head torch (one tiny
Black Diamond model
only good enough for
fi nding the loo at night
and one powerful Petzel
for night navigation)
• Whistle
• Digital cameras and
spare batteries
• Ice axe
• Leatherman
• Petzl Moser Vasak 10
point crampons & ski
crampons
• Skins
• 2 pairs of gloves
• Woolly hat / sun hat
• Goggles
• Shovel, probe and
avalanche transceiver
• Sun cream
A short climb due south of the refuge brings you to the Col de Pline
and the most beautiful 100m long wind scoop. An initial steep,
narrow descent broadens into a wide basin that sweeps down to
rejoin the main glacier below the Col du Chardonnet. There’s no
need to backtrack over the Fenetre de Salena to get here (as
O’Connor suggests - see References below). The descent is fast,
cold and lonely, with no one else on the route. The surface was
solid, smooth wind pack. We quickly transitioned to skins for the
fi nal steep climb to the Col de la Grand Lui (3690m). We didn’t stop
once and by 10.30 we were perched on the bergschrund. The fi nal
climb on crampons is 100m long and 35-40 degrees steep. It’s
often icy but today the snow was deep and the boot pack was
secure. I thought we’d easily be in la Fouly by midday.
The monster 2100m descent starts well in good conditions but
already it’s sunny and hot and the lower we dropped, the faster the
snow deteriorated into thick, knee twisting slush. We have time on
our side so we take care and pick our way down the last 1000m
to the village and Andre Bernard Gross’s hotel by 2pm. Andre is
a legend, not necessarily because of his record as a Swiss guide
and ski instructor but because he, err, wears make up, women’s
blouses and high heels. Notably too, Andre is the son of a member
of the Swiss 1952 Everest expedition that nearly made it up fi rst
ahead of Tenzing and Hillary. A year ago, in Lukla, Nepal I had met
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Raymond Lambert Jnr., son of Raymond Lambert on that same ’52
team. Amazing! Brian played the Everest card for me and Andre
rolled out the red carpet; free beers and the promise of a 5 km ride
up the road the next day to save us the walk to the snow line!
Andre dropped us off where the road ended and the fog began.
Twice now I’ve made the 1100m climb to the Col Fenetre de
Ferret in the clouds. We followed a vague track on instinct and
made one check of our position by GPS to be sure. We climbed
out of the cloud just as we reached the col and 400m below
could make out the para-avalanche tunnel and road leading
to the 10th century Great St. Bernard Hospice. It’s possible to
overnight here (early reservations essential especially on weekends
and Easter) but that makes it a short day. Unfortunately the dogs
are only kept here in summer but otherwise, not surprisingly,
this is a serene place to stop for a bit of culture, a chant if
you’re so inclined and a complimentary jug of sweet tea, before
skiing down the long and winding road to the car park at Bourg
St. Bernard and hitching a lift to the Hotel Vieux Moulin in
Bourg St. Pierre. Bourg was once overrun by Napoleon’s army
who camped up and demanded to be fed and watered by the
village. They did a runner and didn’t settle their bill. Recently,
the French government have installed a plaque acknowledging
Bourg’s “hospitality”.
This day involves lots of walking initially, then skinning but not
one bit of downhill skiing to reach the hut 1400m above! It’s
best to get an early start whilst it’s cool and just get your head
down and crack on.
The Valsorey hut (3030m) lies 600m below the intimidating Plateau
de Couloir (3664m), which in icy conditions, is best climbed in
crampons from the outset. Brian, he later told me, had a restless
night, worrying about the day ahead. He even tried to put someone
else’s boots on in the morning by mistake. Brian confessed that he
did manage to get over the psychological barrier of the climb after
he’d climbed it! After the relentless uphill slog the previous day,
today’s treat is the 1400m long, moderately angled sweeping
descent down the Glacier Mt. Durand, before the final short skin up
to the Chanrion hut. We caught up with our new pals Tim and
Caroline from the Valsorey hut on the col and teamed up for the
descent. The conditions were excellent; a soft smooth layer of
snow on solid crust.
Once over the plateau and Col Sonadon, it’s tempting to feel that
you’ve broken the back of the Haute Route, but far from it. These
first five days have been a mere warm up; two long committing
days still lie ahead.
There are two options from the Chanrion hut (3462m) to get to
the Vignettes hut (3160m). The faster, easier and shorter route
is via the Glacier d’Otemma. This is a sensible option in
marginal weather but it misses out the summit of Pigne d’Arrola
(3796m) so we went the other way; via the Glacier du Brenay,
parallel to the Otemma. There’s a nasty icefall halfway up which
is bypassed by taking a very high traverse line right, over a col.
From here you can drop down right to rejoin the Otemma
glacier, but we snuck around to the left to climb a vague rocky
col which brought us back, high above the Brenay icefall. Brian
had his first rock climbing lesson on the broken rocks of the
Col de Portons in ski boots with skis strapped to his back!
From the summit of “the Pigne”, reached on skins (or if you
have the cash by heli drop), the end game is in sight – the
Matterhorn, which looms over Zermatt. Some 600m below, the
massive Vignettes hut straddles a rock ridge, but the scale is
so vast that the building blends in with its surroundings and is
only visible from up close. The hut is rammed with skiers who
have converged on this refuge from all directions with one thing
in mind – to reach Zermatt and tick the box.
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This ranks as one of the best ski mountaineering days ever devised.
It extends more than the entire width of the Swiss 1:25,000
Matterhorn map, crosses three cols over seven glaciers and
stretches 24km in length. Combined with 750m of ascent and
2400 of descent, this is a day of Ironman proportions and is
justifiably given a guide book time of 8-11 hours.
We were first out the hut at 6.15, now officially a team of four
for added security. Several guides warned us of very soft snow
bridges on the final descent below the Col de Valpelline and
I wanted to be off the glacier and singing the Sound of Music
in the sunny meadows above Zermatt in good time. We reached
the col at 11.03 and picked our way safely down in good snow
conditions and I relaxed enough to give Caroline a ski lesson.
The snow ran out below the north face of the Matterhorn where
we demolished every last morsel of remaining food. I have
skied all the way to the bus stop in central Zermatt in early April
but in May we weren’t so lucky. During the 5 km hike down a tarmac
road to the nearest lift, Brian and I both picked up the first blisters
of the trip. What a pair of lightweights. ✪
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Author’s final note
The Haute Route is a serious ski mountaineering undertaking. You
need to be properly equipped, a decent off piste skier and know
how to negotiate crevassed, glaciated terrain, in bad weather. There
are a few opportunities to bail out if the weather deteriorates but
each daily leg is challenging enough, let alone seven big mountain
days linked together. Many do not complete the route on their first
attempt due to bad weather, poor conditions, lack of stamina,
ability or a combination thereof. I have friends who’ve snowboarded
the route but it’s very, very hard work and you’ll need to carry
snowshoes. The route is done in reverse and I shall be petitioning
for permission to do that some day. You can carry on from Zermatt
to Saas Fee along the Italian High Level Route crossing Monte
Rosa. It’s a higher route mainly above 4000m with more technical
mountaineering along the way and is equally fantastic.
References: Bill O’Connor’s excellent Cicerone Guide Alpine Ski
Mountaineering Vol. 1: Western Alps is all you need for a detailed
route description, hut phone numbers etc. but you’ll still need to
spend a load of cash on all the maps. For guided trips check out
www.mountaintracks.co.uk or www.chamex.com. The Eagle Ski
Club also runs trips for members (www.eagleskiclub.org.uk).
Hydration: Water is heavy and carrying lots of it slows you down.
Think like a camel and drink loads in the morning and only carry
half a litre on short days, especially if it’s cloudy and no more than
one litre on bigger days or if the sun is blazing. Leave early when
it’s cool, move effi ciently and get to your destination in good time
without any long rest stops. Aim to drink most of your supply
before you fi nish any ascent and all of it before reaching the day’s
destination. I carried two 50cl plastic Coke bottles for versatility.
They are indestructible, weigh nothing and can be squeezed into
the corner of your sack, unlike water bladders which I loath for
ski touring. They always leak and don’t allow you to really squish
everything into your sack without splitting the bladder.
Crampons, axes, skis and boots: For a while I used aluminium
tools (even to the summit of Everest!) but they are useless if you
really need them in anger when it’s steep and icy. I now favour
a 53cm Grivel Air Tech Evolution axe which has a slightly
curved lightweight shaft but a forged head and Charlet Moser
crampons. This trip was a good excuse to retire my much loved
Rossignol B2s and to buy Ski-Trab Free Randos. They are light
and deliver very good off piste performance. You need proper
ski mountaineering boots with a Vibram sole for this trip. Normal
ski boots don’t cut it if there’s any amount of walking involved.
The new ski crampons that stayed attached to Fritschi Diamir
bindings and fl ick down when needed are worth considering.
Skin care: Look after both your body skin and your ski skins.
High altitude, refl ected sun will fry and dehydrate you very
quickly. Dry your ski skins slowly at night. Never put them on
freshly waxed skis. Throughout the day, if you’re using your
skins again, keep them warm in your jacket.
Top Tips
• Get acclimatised and be ski fi t so you can travel fast
• Pack light – just one person in your party who is carrying
too much will slow everyone down!
• For emergencies, think survival, not comfort. The Alps are
not Scotland – nobody ventures out in foul weather! Leave
yourself a day or two spare for contingencies.
• Don’t carry gallons of water
• Be out the hut early and keep moving – the mountains get
more dangerous in the afternoon sun
• Don’t lose height unless you’re totally sure you need to
• Not everyone you will meet knows what they are doing or
where they are going! Be careful who you follow.
• Nap in the afternoons to catch up on sleep lost at night when
the bunk rooms are full and noisy. In any case, carry ear plugs.
• Be nice to everyone you meet, especially professional guides
and the hut guardians. You never know when you’ll need
their help or advice.
Baz Roberts, a UK sponsored athlete with The North Face, has ski toured extensively in the
Greater Ranges, Greenland and Europe. He is a BASI Ski Instructor and runs All Terrain Ski in
Chamonix (www.allterrainski.com) and is co-author of www.stayingaliveoffpiste.com. In May
2004 he climbed Everest and in March 2006 he made the fi rst winter ascent and paraglide
descent of Greenland’s Gunnbjorns Fjeld, the highest peak in the Arctic circle. He is a nonexecutive
director of www.yamgo.com, the extreme sports mobile phone TV company. Visit his
YouTube channel BazzaRoberts1 and www.bazroberts.com
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ADAM BARNES
ROSS WOODHALL
Having spent much of my time living in the French alps, it
wasn’t until my 30’s that I discovered the Swiss ones, since
then there’s been no looking back. The train journey from
Zurich was both spectacular and eventful, such was the
depth of recent snowfalls, the train was unable to stop
safely in certain areas due to the avalanche risk. Climbing
dramatically through colossal peaks and snowstorms, we
arrived at the foot of Crans Montana early evening. The 10
minute funicular ride into the resort saves a half hour road
journey from the valley floor.
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Heavy snow persisted throughout the night and there was
no sign of it clearing the next morning. We headed up the
mountain to explore the extensive ski area – what we were
able to see of it! Visibility was proving to be a problem, so
a pit stop in a mountain hideaway proved most welcome.
After indulging in fine regional hospitality, and in no rush
to get out and face the elements, we headed back to our
hotel, the art deco ‘Linder Golfhotel Rhodania’, to prepare
for the opening evening of the festival. Slipping and
sliding our way to the town hall, we entered the huge blue
marquee erected to house the several thousand music fans.
Still the snow fell heavily, making for epic conditions should
the sun ever reappear.
Amadou et Mariam, the opening duo of world music aficionados
from Mali brought an eclectic mix of colour, sound,
energy and atmosphere to the huge temporary arena.
Enjoying a rock‘n’roll rebirth and much critical acclaim
for his most recent studio album, Robert Plant and his
Strange Sensation took to the stage at 10pm to feverish
applause. The set mixed new numbers from his recent
album, Mighty Rearranger with several from Led Zeppelin’s
saucey back catalogue. No Quarter a revised Black Dog
and a faithful rendition of the filthy riffs of Whole Lotta’
Love ensured an enthusiastic climax to the first night of the
2006 festival.
The area consists of two towns, Crans and Montana. Both
are graced with beautiful wooden alpine chalets and the
designer boutiques would rival Cannes’ La Croisette. The
views across the valley rival any alpine corner. Pine trees
line the quiet, lower intermediate slopes, and provided
scant protection from the persistent snowfall.
Saturday saw more snow, no sun and yet more snow.
As Saturday evening approached, I was beginning to feel
genuinely excited. For rather than Led Zeppelin, my earlier
musical taste was much more intrigued by the early punk
rock sounds eminating from New York – the era which
spawned the Ramones, New York Dolls, the Stooges and
spilled over into London with the Clash and the Sex Pistols.
Arguably the forerunner, and another of the most influential
bands in modern music, were the Velvet underground.
No longer singing about the dubious virtues of Sand M,
transsexuals and heroin, Lou Reed’s backstage activities
are now firmly restricted to practising Tai Chi. And so he
and his ultra tight band of session players embarked upon
a two hour jam of anything but songs from his back
catalogue… until the encore of Sweet Jane. As well as
spending much of the evening with his back to the
audience, he really didn’t seem to give a damn what they
wanted to hear. However, he was caught smiling enthusiastically
throughout, apparently enjoying the evening
rocking out with his musical cronies. In true Rock‘n’Roll
fashion, Reed insisted on doing it his way, like it or not.
I can honestly say I really did.
The evening was drawn to a close by Skye, fresh from her
days in Morcheeba. She performed a super mellow set
with a beautifully smooth voice that incorporated a snippet
of Lou Reed’s Perfect Day when the amps briefly packed
in. A very relaxing end to a perfect weekend. Check press
for the Caprice festival 2007 line-up.
For a truly unique mix of great music and beautiful scenery,
not to mention the fabulously varied ski area, head out to
Crans Montana this season for a truly special experience.
For more info, visit: www.capricesfestival.ch ✪
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pt.1
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Warren Smith
FREERIDE
Warren Smith
• Keeping Composure: It’s pretty hard keeping your head when
you’re getting face shots in the powder. However, the euphoria
of being shoulder deep in powder quite often makes you forget
the basics. Keep your head and keep focused on your skiing to
get the most out of the powder. Rushing your turns with a hot
head will often see you going face first into the snow and ending
your ride.
• Don’t Hit the Snow Wall: A snow wall is the bank of snow you
compact together when you make a turn in deep powder. The
deeper the snow, the bigger the snow wall you have to steer
through. If you steer too suddenly in really deep powder you
can sometimes find yourself hitting straight into the snow wall
and stopping dead in your tracks. The result is your skis jamming
to a halt and your upper body falling forwards. To avoid hitting
the snow wall try to remember that the deeper snow actually
helps to slow you down so you don’t have to turn so hard against
it. Smooth, rhythmic, progressive steering will keep you riding
without the snow wall stopping you.
• Shoulders Up, Core On: In the deeper snow you can really feel
the changes in pressure under your feet. This sometimes feels
like it throws you forwards. In the really deep powder you need
to lift your shoulders up slightly. If they are shrugged forwards
as they would usually be it can make you prone to going over
the handlebars. You may also find that you are prone to breaking
at the waist and having your upper body going forwards too
much. To avoid this activate your core muscles at all times when
riding in the deep powder.
www.britishfreeskicamps.com
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pt.2
FREESTYLE
Pat Sharples
• As you approach the lip of the jump you should be nice and relaxed.
This is going to help with the take off and pop so you get
that extra height.
• As you pop you should start rotating at the same time.
• Then lift your knees towards your upper body and reach for your
inside ski.
• Once you’ve made the grab, you should hold this position throughout
the rotation.
• As you approach the 360 degree mark, start looking for your
landing spot and then complete the extra 180.
• As you land, ensure you have a wide stance so that you maintain
your balance.
• Stomped! With your wide stance you can land solidly and ski
away smoothly, relishing the props from your friends.
www.britishfreeskicamps.com
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Pat Sharples
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@
JON WHITEHENRY MEREDITH-HARDY
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ZACK WRAGG
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Set at 1,100m above sea level, Laax Murschetg began
its life as little more than a car park for weekend skiers.
The vast ski area attracted Swiss skiers for miles
around, but seemed to have an even greater appeal for
the local snowboarders. Laax built on this baggytrousered
attention and began improving the freestyle
facilities in the resort. With the increase of freestyle
skiing, this has also become and important part of the
resorts remit. A great deal of the resort development
was to capture this freestyle market, and this can be
seen in the development of some of the coolest bars,
clubs and hotels the Alps has to offer.
The award winning Riders Palace hotel is one of the
first buildings you see on your way into Laax. The vision
of the Riders Palace was to provide accommodation
that suited the snowboarders and freeskiers who
started to frequent the resort. While the “Back to
Basics” rooms are simple 5-man bunk rooms, the
Multimedia Rooms and Multimedia Suites offer a range
of technological goodies, including X-Boxes, DVD
players and projector screens. The bar and lounge area
has won both national and international design awards
and are a general hang-out for residents of the Riders
Palace and other people in resort. To top it off, below
the hotel is the Riders Palace club which plays host to
international acts including Saïan Supa Crew, M.O.P.,
Ugly Duckling, and Busta Rhymes.
The slightly more budget friendly Capri Lounge, located
about 5 minutes walk down the road from the Riders
Palace, is a simple but comfortable backpackers style
hotel. Rooms are basic but provide you with everything
you need, and the cheap all-you-can-eat dinner helps
you to keep your wallet intact during your stay in Laax.
The ski area in Laax is amazing, covering 220km of
pistes and peaking at 3,018m on the Vorab Glacier. The
fun parks are located conveniently at the Crap Sogn
Gion station which can be reached on the main cable
car from the centre of Laax Murschetg. This cable car
can often develop a queue so it can often be quicker to
catch the gondola lift across the street and then the
chairlift, which takes you to the same place.
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At the top of the fun park is the Café No Name, which
provides music, food, drink and a place to put your bag
(although they won’t be held responsible if anything
goes missing) while you are out playing in the park.
Most days they have a barbeque out front of the café if
you want some BBQ chicken or burgers.
While Laax is heavily catered towards freestyle, there is
also some great freeride terrain there. There is some
great tree skiing there below the slopestyle course (take
a left off piste 66) and also under the Plaun gondola.
Higher up the mountain are some great faces and some
awesome rock bands to play about with.
A single day lift pass in Laax will set you back CHF 63
(approx £26.50), but recognising its freestyle visitors,
they provide a special Park and Pipe pass for a mere
CHF 39 (approx £16.50). This pass gives you access
to the lifts you will use to ski the fun park and the
slopestyle course.
As you ski back into Laax Murschetg you are imme-
diately faced with the Crap Bar (the name may bring
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a smile to your face, but the word crap means rock
in Swiss German). With a nice atmosphere and
friendly bar staff, the Crap Bar is a great place to
soothe those aching muscles after a day on the hill
with an après-ski beer, and a nice place for a relaxed
beer in the evenings. Be aware that if it gets busy,
the Crap Bar can end up giving you quite a heavy
night if you aren’t careful.
If you plan to party the night away you have a few
choices. The Crap Bar and the Riders Palace have
already been mentioned, and these are your main
two options in Laax Murschetg. However, if you are
willing to venture down to Flims Waldhaus, the Flem
Massiv will provide you with some hip hop, reggae,
ragga and dance to party the night away. The taxis
queue up outside to take you back up to Laax, but by
the time the club closes they will all probably be gone
and you will be faced with an hour long walk up the
road to get back.
Laax has pushed itself to stand out among the many
European resorts as the best freestyle resort. It is for
that very reason that they have managed to secure
themselves as the location for the Burton European
Open, the Orage European Freeski Open and the
Orange British Championships. This is a testament to
the amazing terrain and the awesome freestyle facilities
they provide. It has come a long way since its days as
a weekend ski stop, and the future for Laax only looks
set to get brighter. ✪
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ZACK WRAGG
As we seem to be saying year after year, Chris Asquith and Regime Change
Productions are going from strength to strength. Chris is quickly becoming the
best European freeski movie maker.
Three for Flinching has everything you would expect from a Regime Change
movie: a collection of Europe’s and the World’s best riders, amazing footage,
some stunning graphics and a pumping soundtrack. The movie opens up with
the UK’s own Paddy Graham who has also been improving by a staggering
amount this past season. Paddy shows why he won his UK Freeski Award
as he hits some nice street rails and floats effortlessly through the air with all
manner of spins.
Other stars include the young Kiwi, Jossi Wells who throws some smooth truck
driver 5s, Gaute Haker with what looks like an extremely painful rail attempt in
Laax, and Murray Buchan showing why he ends up on the podium so often.
Our favourite section has to be Henrik Harlaut’s. This guy is just going off at the
moment and was going so huge at the Jon Olsson Invitational last year.
Good work, Chris. We can’t wait for next year’s movie.
As soon as Aggressive Alpine Skiing started playing at the Dark Summer party in
October, we knew we were in for a treat. A veritable feast of British riders is provided
by Ellis Brigham and the movies producers, Dave Young and Andy Bennett.
The movie opens up with Andy Collin’s amazing rail tricks, including a few of
his trademark node and tail slides. Then it is straight into the action with Ted
Foster’s truck drivers, Jamie Cameron’s rodeos and Pat Sharples’ powder
lines. James Vernon will have you on the edge of the seat, not only with his
choice of lines, but with the scary moment when a cornice drops out from
underneath him. Paddy Graham once again showcases what he learnt last
season, with some great street rails and some amazing NZ footage.
As if all this wasn’t enough, a quick trip to the extras section lets you watch
some KSM vs Refrigerator and NZ Freeski Footage along with last seasons Jib
Vids. You can’t really complain for a freebie, now can you?
This year’s offering from the TGR stable mixes rider sections with trip sections.
All the usual riders are there that you would expect, including Seth Morrison,
Candide Thovex, Kye Peterson (son of the late Trevor Peterson), Jamie Pierre
and Marc Andre Belliveau.
It is once again a joint ski and snowboard film, but don’t let this fool you into
thinking that there is any compromise in it at all. Peter Olenick and Dylan Hood
rock the Aspen park with some nice corks, but the highlight of the movie has
to be Jamie Pierre’s crazy 245ft cliff huck. OK, so he doesn’t really land it at all,
but it takes some cajones to ski off something like that. Check out that monster
of a bomb hole!
To wrap the whole package up nicely there is some amazingly inspirational
powder skiing from Japan, and some surprisingly good terrain from Corsica.
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the New
Zealand
open 2006
CAMILLA STODDART
Though sipping on a jug of Speights (local Kiwi tipple), I would occasionally forget that I was
actually in New Zealand, as I sat at the bar surrounded by a horde of British freeskiers, pumped
up and ready to remind the world that Brits can ski (even with our lack of mountains and fortnight
long Scottish seasons).
Taking place in Treble Cone, the New Zealand Freeski Open is the biggest freeskiing competition in
the Southern Hemisphere, attracting the world’s best riders; from X Games gold medallist Simon
Dumont to the local Kiwi big shots Jossi Wells and Hamish Acland.
The Halfpipe competition was fi rst up; held at the world-renowned Snow Park NZ. The freshly
polished pipe, gleaming in the fantastic weather, was certainly not for the faint-hearted. As the boys
and girls warmed up, and I snapped away in the early morning sun, I was proud to witness British
riders giving it large amongst the world’s best; young Paddy Graham, Beanie Milne-Home and
Becky Hammond sailed majestically past my perched position on the side of the halfpipe. Ultimately
it was the French hero Loic Collomb-Patton who cleaned up (with an impeccable switch 1080),
closely followed by local boy Jossi Wells, then Simon Dumont in third. Paddy Graham came in an
honourable 9th. The ladies pulled their fi ngers out too, with Beanie coming 9th and Becky 12th.
The second day was the Slopestyle and the sun was out once again. Snow Park laid on an aweinspiring
course that made your heart race just looking at it. From the start, everybody was talking
about the battle between the notorious antipodean youngsters, Kiwi Jossi Wells and Aussie legend,
Russ Henshaw. Meanwhile, the British skiers were representing our fair nation with Paddy Graham
and Lorna Carmichael throwing down their tricks. The competition was stiff with Simon Dumont
impressing the crowds no end, but fi nally it was Aotearoa’s own Jossi who took the crown just
ahead of Aussie rival, Russ. Not intimidated by the big guns, Paddy came in 13th. Lorna demonstrated
that British girls too have busts of steel, bringing in 4th place and impressing the judges with her
clean 5’s over the rather large kickers.
After a jovial sunset prizegiving on Snow Park’s fl ash new decking, the festivities continued in the
town, benefi ting from the New Zealand Freeski Open’s beer-rich sponsorship deal with Export Gold!
The Kiwis never fail to throw a good party.
Last up was the Big Mountain competition, held at Treble Cone. This event was also an IFSA World
Tour Qualifi er so tensions were high as the riders scoped out the ever-changing and highly exposed
Motutapu chutes. We couldn’t wait to see the crazy lines that the (mostly local) guys had in store.
In the line-up was Aoetearoa’s Tom Dunbar who had already rocked the 2006 Verbier Ride with
a record-breaking 9 point line score, alongside Hamish Acland, Sam Smoothy and the notorious
billy-goat mountain man Geoff Small. Brits Darryl Ball and Luke Potts were also fully prepared for the
big stuff, having been scoping lines all season.
The female line-up proved equally hardcore, with a couple of girls fl ying the Scottish fl ag. Beanie
Milne-Home was set to impress having already tucked away a place on the world tour, and Claire Hughes
looked strong.
So, everything was good to go and there was even a day in between the events to clear the hangover...
and then another fi ve weather days while the snow kept falling and the wind kept blowing. Nonetheless
(and despite the “to-party-or-not-to-party” dilemma each night), most of the competitors relished
the new snow and sessioned the lowlight, blustery powder days throughout the competition’s delay.
Finally a chink in the storm made way for the only clear spell and the Big Mountain riding began.
And a hell of a huck fest it was. From their start-point above the carefully controlled and freshly
loaded Motutapu chutes, the guys and gals certainly gave the crowd and cameras some eye-candy.
Since the weather was soon closing in again the fi nal for the next day was cancelled, meaning that
scores were based on one run only; the pressure was on! Hamish and Geoff gave it their all on two
spectacular lines, with Hamish taking 1st and Geoff’s original (and rather nerve wracking) line pulled
in 2nd. Unfazed by the Kiwi home-turf, Darryl skied strongly and fl uidly bringing him in 19th. Beanie
lived up to her promise and came in 3rd, loving every minute of her powder turns down the chutes;
Claire was hot on her heels in 5th place. Poor Luke Potts misjudged a cliff, attempting a superman
off something he probably didn’t mean to, resulting in a nasty crash. Four patrollers, a sled, a nurse
and a chopper later he reached the hospital with a blown ACL.
The fi nal prize giving festively ended another riveting and unique New Zealand Freeski Open that yet
again hit all the right spots.
Oh and, hang on… did I mention the outrageous partying that went on that last night? Best not. ✪
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★★★★★★
★★
★★
★★
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★★★★★★
★★
★★
★★
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