WhiteWorld

Tim Farr leading British Medal Hope

Tim Farr is one of Britain’s top hopes for medals at the 2010 paralympics in Whistler. Tim is part of a highly successful British Disabled ski team that boosts a number of top athletes including Russell Docker, Sean Rose and Jane Soweby amongst many more.

After a great season last winter in which Tim had numerous podium finishes, Snowzone TV caught up with him at his home to see how his summer training had gone and his plans for the busy winter ahead.

Following a summer of training on the glacier in Saas Fee, wheel chair races, water skiing and gym work, Tim is in confident mode about the coming season with the goal being to qualify for the Paralympics. Tim is in very good shape to do this and once he does will present a very strong case to challenge the worlds best for medals.

For more information on the British Disabled team have a look at  www.britishdisabledskiteam.co.uk

You can see the full interview with Tim on www.snowzone.tv

Comments(2)

LONDON, OCTOBER 2008: Following the success of The Beach and The Ice Disco, this winter The O2 invites you to hit ‘The Slopes’, London’s first ever indoor artificial twin ski slope. Running from late November to January 09, visitors will be able to ski, snowboard or snow tube at The O2, making it THE London winter attraction.

The twin slopes, both 45 meters in length will bring the whole skiing experience even closer to the people of London. Not only will visitors be able to learn to ski or snowboard but The Slopes will be open to experienced skiers to warm up their ski/snowboard legs before heading to the mountains.

Aside from skiing and snowboarding, the more adventurous mountain person will be able to try out the snow tubes. These inflatable sledges are perfect for everyone whether you like spinning, sliding or just sledging.

The Warren Smith Ski Academy, the leading British snow sport coaching school, will offer top level coaching for all levels at The Slopes. Ski and Snowboard manufacturers, K2, will be supplying top of the range skis and snowboards.

Niccy Hallifax, Head of Special Events at The O2, said: ‘The Slopes is a fun and safe way for both experienced skiers and snowboarders to gear themselves up for the real thing or as an introduction for complete beginners. The Slopes are designed for all abilities and the snow tubes are ideal for both small and big kids alike!’

With the whole of the London Piazza themed like a winter wonderland, The Slopes, along with real snow covered trees and chalet will help create the perfect day out this winter.

A trip to The Slopes could also be combined with a visit to one of The O2’s 26 bars and restaurants, a show in The O2 arena or indigO2, or to see a film at the 11 screen Vue cinema.

Tickets go on sale on Friday 10th October at 9am. Prices start at £15.00 per adult per hour (Ski/board rental £5) and snow tubes £8 per half hour (subject to booking fee).Tickets can be purchased via www.theo2.co.uk or by calling 0844 856 0202.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Stephanie Jones  stephanie.jones@aegworldwide.co.uk /020 8463 2573 or

Lucy Ellison lucy.ellison@aegworldwide.co.uk/ 020 8463 2572

Comments(2)

Burton Snowboards and Flachauwinkl Resort in Salzburg, Austria today announced the development of The Stash®, the first run of its kind in Austria, which is also home to Burton’s European headquarters. Scheduled to open in January 2009, the Stash in Flachauwinkl will be the fifth run worldwide and only the second in Europe after the opening of The Stash in Avoriaz, France last year.

The Stash is an evolution of freestyle terrain in a natural environment, created by Jake Burton and the Burton global team riders. Located on the north-side of the mountain opposite the Absolut freestyle park, the kilometer-long Stash run will follow the natural line of the mountain providing riders with an organic, big mountain terrain park. The Stash run in Flachauwinkl will take on an ‘Old West’ theme and feature over 40 obstacles, including some unique features like a bridge, a saloon-style cabin, hitching posts and banked wall rides. Also unique to The Stash at Flachauwinkl is Lil’ Stash, which will include small features perfect for kids and beginner riders at the top of the Stash run. The main Stash run is aimed at intermediate and advanced riders.

Burton team riders Stephan Maurer and Christian Haller were already onsite in Flachauwinkl to help choose features for the new run. Snow Park Technologies, an industry leader in terrain park development, is also adding its expertise to the design and construction of The Stash.

“We’re super stoked to bring The Stash to Austria, Burton’s home base in Europe,” says Burton Global Resort Director Jeff Boliba. “The Stash at Flachauwinkl will include new style features that play off the resorts’ natural terrain and allow riders to get really creative.”

Flachauwinkl’s Park Manager Seppi Harml says, “As Park Manager, I’m more than stoked to have a Stash run in Flachauwinkl - it is the perfect addition to our Absolut Park. As a rider, I can’t wait to finally ride the Stash run – just building the obstacles has already been so much fun.”

The Stash can also be found at Northstar-at-Tahoe, USA; Avoriaz, France; The Remarkables, New Zealand and Killington Resort, USA.

For more info check out www.thestash.com and www.absolutpark.com/thestash.

Comments(2)

Battersea Powder Station

The Snowboard World Cup is coming to London this Autumn and takes place inside the transformed Battersea power station 23rd-26th October. Converted into a full-on ski resort, Battersea will host the London Freeze, with the UK’s biggest-ever real snow jump (100m long and 30m wide), ski and snowboard big air competitions and a live music snow festival.  The Enemy, The Automatic and Iglu&Hartly are among those bands confirmed, with more to be announced.

The world’s best snowboarders and skiers will descend on the banks of the River Thames to take part in the LG Big Air Snowboard World Cup and an International Big Air Ski competition, with prize-money of US$25,000 for each discipline.

Snowboarders Stefan Gimpl and David Benedek will be riding the Thames to regain their World Champion title, and skiers Tanner Hall, multiple X Games Gold Medal winner, and Jon Olsson mean we will also witness skiing’s finest. And, because London is the host, the top performers in the dedicated British Championship will gain extra points to compete in the main events.

 Awesome après will keep the action going in the 10,000 strong festival tent. As well as the live music, resident DJs from the Morris bar in Val d’Isere and the Ice Bar in Mayrhofen will be injecting some Alpine spirit into proceedings.

Channel 4 will be running an hour-long action show highlighting the best snowboarding and skiing, plus a further show to broadcast the best of the music.

There is also a ski village where you’ll be able to pick up last year’s bargains and check out the latest pre-season kit. Day tickets priced from £14.99, and event and festival tickets at £29.99, are on sale now from ticketmaster (www.Ticketmaster.co.uk). For more info check out www.londonfreeze.com

Comments(0)

2008 Quiksilver British Big Air Championships and Schools Programme

The British Snow Tour hit Milton Keynes over the weekend, Saturday 27th September, to host the Quiksilver British Big Air Championships. The huge 10m kicker set the stage as over 120 of the UK’s top Snowboarders and Freeskiers threw down an impressive bag of tricks including stylish 7’s, frontfilps and textbook 9’s. The Schools Tour Team also proved to be a big hit with over 100 enthusiastic kids taking part in the FREE beginner lessons, courtesy of the Quiksilver Lesson Academies.

Quiksilver Snowboard Big Air Championships
The 2-STAR TTR Quiksilver Snowboard Big Air Championships kicked off the day’s competition with over 70 riders taking to the slope each receiving two qualifying jumps to impress the judges and make it through to the top eight men and five women finals. Youngsters, Tom Hunt, Ollie Jackson and Mel Kern were pushing up through the ranks, securing places into the final, keeping the older competitors on their toes.

In the women’s final, Mel Kern continued to be on top form and landed a smooth 360 over the medium kicker to take home third place overall. Second place went to Lynsey Ashdown who stomped a stylish Indy over the big 10m kicker and Samantha Rogers, much to the delight of the crowd and judges, pulled out a huge and gutsy frontflip over the big kicker to take the 2008 Women’s Quiksilver Big Air Title. During the men’s final, riders were opting for a slingshot drop in for optimum speed and amplitude resulting in some of the biggest indoor airs ever witnessed. 2007 British Slopestyle Champion, Ryan Davis, threw down some of the most stylish tricks of the day, tweaking out a frontside 720 which oozed style, to take third place. Ben Knox finished in second place after he stomped a massive backside 720, almost reaching the rafters, and with a perfectly landed textbook 900, Jamie Nicholls walked away with first place and the 2008 Quiksilver Big Air Title, continuing to secure his spot as one of the UK’s top riders.

Quiksilver Snowboard Big Air Results
Women
1st – Samantha Rogers - Reading
2nd – Lynsey Ashdown – Manchester
3rd – Melinda Kern – East Grinstead

Men
1st – Jamie Nicholls – Bradford
2nd – Ben Knox – Crouch End
3rd – Ryan Davis - High Wycombe


Quiksilver Freeski Big Air Championships
The afternoon made way for over 50 of the UK’s finest freeskiers who charged the kickers with style and amplitude in the hope of making it through to the finals. The younger competitors including the three Josh’s, Josh Birch, Josh Ingram and Josh Fawcett, all made it through to the top eight men’s final after laying down some impressive switch 540’s and 720’s. In the Women’s final, 11 year old Molly Summerhayes and local ripper, Amber Connors made it through to the final and just missed out on a podium finish. Kelly O’Donnell landed a clean 540 to take third place whilst Teri Spencer’s lofty 360 over the big kicker secured her second place. First place and the 2008 Quiksilver Big Air Title went to Katie Summerhayes, who was killing it all day and landed a huge 720 over the 10m kicker.

In the men’s competition, with three James’s and three Josh’s making it through to the finals the judges job was made even tougher with only points separating the top five skiers. Local MK big hitter, Ted Foster finished in third place after he threw down a technical switch corked 720 double truenose. James Webb landed a switch 900 to take second place, whilst first place and the 2008 Quiksilver Big Air Title went to a well deserved James Woods, who’d been skiing hard and going big all day, landing a massive switch 720.

Quiksilver Freeski Big Air Results
Women
1st – Katie Summerhayes - Sheffield
2nd – Teri Spencer - Weymouth
3rd – Kelly O’Donnell - Stoke-on-Trent

Men
1st – James Woods - Sheffield
2nd – James Webb - Bracknell
3rd – Ted Foster – Milton Keynes

To check out the pictures and video footage from the Quiksilver Big Air Championships, where you’ll also be able to get timings for the next event on the British Snow Tour calendar, the Trespass British Snowboard / Skiercross Championships and Slopestyle Jam, Saturday 4th October at Braehead, SNO!zone go to: www.britishsnowtour.com

Comments(0)