APRIL NEWS IN BRIEF
1st April 2020
Last modified on May 21st, 2021
– Mt Rose in the USA set to expand
– Lift operator not paying attention as man suffocates
– Tina Weirather retires
– New indoor snow centre for Middlesborough
NEWS IN BRIEF STORIES FROM MARCH 2020
FRIDAY 17TH APRIL
WINTER OLYMPIC LEGEND AIMS TO COMPETE IN SUMMER OLYMPICS
Ivica Kostelic from Croatia won four silver medals in Winter Olympic Games over the course of his career.
The alpine skier retired from ski racing three years ago.
Since then he has become a keen sailor and wants to compete in the new discipline, Mixed Offshore Sailing, at the 2024 Olympic Games in France.
The event will be held off the coast of Marseille and he and his partner are aiming for qualification.
As well as his Winter Olympic silver medals he had 26 World Cup race victories.
He also won a gold, a silver and a bronze at World Championships in alpine skiing.
THURSDAY 16TH APRIL
MT ROSE SET TO EXPAND
The resort in Tahoe USA has won approval for its 112-acre expansion plans.
A new lift will be built opposite the main resort area.
It will offer beginner and intermediate terrain.
The agreement with the US Forest Service also restricts any future commercial use on approximately 3,446 acres in the area known as Galena Land Exchange with the exception of the 112-acre Atoma and 168-acre Chutes areas.
THURSDAY 9TH APRIL
LIFT OPERATOR ‘NOT PAYING ATTENTION’ AS MAN SUFFOCATED AFTER JACKET CAUGHT ON LIFT
46-year old Jason Varnish from New Jersey died of positional asphyxia last February on at Vail Mountain’s Blue Sky Basin area, according to the local coroner.
He was with a friend and were attempting to get on the chairlift.
They were trying to lower the seat and his friend was unable to get on but Varnish’s jacket was caught and he was lifted 7m into the air as the chairlift continued.
His ski jacket was caught around his neck.
The lift operator was clearing snow at the time and took some time to reverse the lift to bring him back.
When he was brought back he was unconscious and did not respond to CPR.
His death has been ruled an accident.
Vail, Colorado
WEDNESDAY 1ST APRIL
TINA WEIRATHER ANNOUNCES HER RETIREMENT
The Liechtenstein alpine skier has announced her retirement at the age of 30.
She won a bronze medal at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in the Super-G.
She made her World Cup debut in 2005 at the age of 16 and won nine races on the circuit, reaching 41 podiums.
She won the Super-G crystal globes in 2017 and 2018.
Due to restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, she was unable to host a press conference to announce her retirement.
“Everything has an end (except the sausage has two??). Yep, I’ve said it. As of today, I’m officially retired and a pensioner. It was a thrilling ride, an adventure of a lifetime. Everything I am today, I am because of skiing. 15 years after my first World Cup race, I can say with no regrets that I’ve given it my all. For what and who I’m beyond grateful.
“Thank you so much.
“It’s a big step for every athlete, to decide when the right time has come – for me it’s now,” she said.
“I’ve had an amazing career”.
Here at PlanetSKI we wish her well.
NORTH EAST INDOOR SKI CENTRE GRANTED PLANNING PERMISSION
The £30m Subzero Snow Centre in Middlesbrough has received full planning permission from the County Council.
The ski facility will be built at Middlehaven Dock on a seven-acre brownfield site.
“The design of the building, which has now been approved, looks amazing and fits well into the historic site,” said a statement from Subzero.
“Subzero will make a huge contribution to the economy of the Tees Valley bringing jobs and shining a positive light on the region. We anticipate the centre will open in 2022.”
“While we rightly focus all our efforts and resources on fighting the coronavirus, this news gives us all something to look forward to,” said Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen.
“The new snow centre will be massive for Middlesbrough, helping the regeneration of Middlehaven and creating jobs while giving even more people an excuse to visit, have fun and spend money in the town.”
KEY SPONSOR LOST BY NORWEGIAN SKI FEDERATION
The country’s largest civil engineering company, Veidekke, has not renewed its contract associated with cross-country skiing.
Veidekke’s investment was used largely to finance regional cross-county skiing teams.
The company also sponsored the national sprint ski team.
The news is reported by the website, Ski Nordique, that says the decision was taken at the end of 2019 for reasons not associated with the corona virus pandemic.
The Federation has recently laid off 96 employees due to event cancellations caused by Covid-19 as we reported earlier.
A member of the NSF told Ski Nordique: “Today we are going through a real economic crisis, not only the world of skiing, but everyone in the business. The future probably looks bleak, but we are not throwing in the towel.”
Norwegian Ski Federation
