Autumn Ski News
1st October 2023
Last modified on October 30th, 2023
– World Cup Alpine Ski Racing Starts then Stops
– The Rocket Prepares to Launch
– Ban on Russia & Belarus Snowsport Athletes Continues
– Chef de Mission for 2026 Paralympics Appointed
– Good luck with your recovery Wozza!…LIVE
Here we cover anything that takes our fancy over the autumn months.
Short news stories, stunning videos, amusing cartoons, things that make us smile/things that make us shout at the screen.
Mainly it is just plain news stories to keep you updated.
It is also anything that catches our eye in the world of skiing and snowsports.
See here for the earlier summer ski news:
Monday 30th October
World Cup Alpine Ski Racing Starts then Stops
Soelden in the Tirol in Austria hosted the opening Alpine Ski World Cup races at the weekend.
The women competed in giant slalom on Saturday, though the men’s event had to be cancelled on Sunday due to strong winds.
“Due to the extreme wind and with the forecast of even increasing wind for the rest of the day, for safety and fairness reasons, it has been decided to cancel today’s Giant Slalom race in Soelden,” said the organisers.
The race was called off after 47 of 73 skiers had completed the first run.
“The decision was pretty easy, unfortunately,” said the FIS men’s Alpine chief race director, Markus Waldner.
“We just double checked with GeoSphere Center in Innsbruck and they just confirmed that the tendency was increasing the wind and not expecting a window, so no chance to complete the first run.”
Lara Gut-Behrami from Switzerland won the women’s race the previous day.
Sunday 29th October
The Rocket Prepares to Launch
Friday 27th October
Ban on Russia & Belarus Snowsport Athletes Continues
The International Ski & Snowboard Federation has upheld its policy of excluding skiers from Russia and Belarus following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“The current FIS policy, which does not allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials at FIS events, will remain in effect until further notice,” FIS has said.
Russia. Image c/o PlanetSKI
See more here on other FIS decisions:
The International Ski & Snowboard Federation. Image c/o FIS.
Thursday 26th October
Phil Smith Re-appointed Chef de Mission for Milan Cortina 2026 Paralympics
He had the same roll for the British team at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics and Pyeongchang 2018.
He is currently head of sport at ParalympicsGB.
“It is a huge honour to be given the opportunity to lead the ParalympicsGB team to the Paralympic Winter Games in 2026,” he said.
“Working with the team in the build-up to and during Beijing 2022 was an immense privilege and I am thrilled to have the chance to perform this role once again with such an incredible group of athletes and support staff.
“British performances at recent Winter Games have been outstanding and we are becoming an ever more competitive winter sports nation.
“As a team we will do everything we can to ensure all ParalympicsGB athletes and staff have the tools and support to perform at their very best when competition gets underway at Milan Cortina 2026.”
The Milan Cortina Paralympic Winter Games are due to take place from March 6 to 15 2026.
Good Luck With Your Recovery Wozza!
One of our great PlanetSKI friends, the ski instructor Warren Smith, was at the recent London Snow Show.
He’s not quite 100% fit as winter approaches (summer mountain biking accident).
The London Snow Show. Image © PlanetSKI
“Don’t worry about me mate, the doctors say I’ll be good to go by December,” said Warren to me over a beer.
“Together you and I skied some of the best powder I have ever seen in Verbier last January, so lets do it again this season.”
See here for more: A London Ski Show is Back
And those powder turns of ours last winter: Powder Days in Verbier
Verbier, Switzerland. Image © PlanetSKI
Bring it on…
Wednesday 25th October
Slow Passenger Growth at Geneva Airport Predicted
The CEO of Geneva Airport, André Schneider, has said that he expects slow growth of passenger traffic over the next few years.
In an interview with Swiss Info he makes further points:
- One unique feature of the airport is how heavily regulated it is.
- I enjoy the long-term planning – up to 2050 – and the analysis of changes in society.
- Nearly 90% of our passengers are going to destinations in Europe.
- In view of the climate change crisis, people are wondering if they should cut back on travel.
- I admire the way Montreal manages to handle snow conditions.
- If easyJet decided to go somewhere else, which I think unlikely, the gap would be filled soon enough…Obviously, the adjustment would take a while.
See the full interview here on Swiss Info
Geneva airport – photo © PlanetSKI
Tuesday 24th October
First US Avalanche of Season Reported
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported the first avalanche of the season below the ridge of Mountain Boy Peak.
PlanetSKI Recruits New Reporter
Step forward Simon Wilson who worked at BBC News for 30+ years and has been skiing for 40+ years.
Simon Wilson, Bulgaria – late 1970’s. Image © Simon Wilson
His first PlanetSKI assignment was last month at the industry event, Ski Launch:
Here’s his latest offering from The London Snow Show:
The London Snow Show. Image © PlanetSKI
Next month Simon’s heading to the Alps and actually getting on snow.
Val Thorens is likely his first assignment for the Premier Neige towards the end of November as the resort opens.
PlanetSKI has a few connections and we get to ski the resort a day before it officially opens.
We’ve done it before a few times.
Val Thorens Opening, 2013. Image © PlanetSKI
It’s a tough life but someone has to do it.
Welcome aboard Simon.
Val Thorens, France. Image © PlanetSKI
Monday 23rd October
Melting Ice Reveals Viking Artefacts
As ice patches and glaciers melt in Norway’s mountains, hastened by climate change, ancient artefacts that were once lost on the snow and ice are now emerging, having been frozen for millennia.
Thousands of artefacts have been discovered at the site of a forgotten Viking pass.
Sunday 22nd October
GB’s Mia Brookes Podiums
⭐️Results Round-Up⭐️
“Mia Brookes takes first Big Air World Cup podium at Chur Big Air”https://t.co/Fg7VgyD0UY pic.twitter.com/fbirdj3cxx
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) October 23, 2023
Saturday 21st October
First World Cup Alpine Ski Races Set for Next Weekend
The course at Soelden in the Tirol in Austria has been given the green light for the first races of the 23/24 season.
The races see the men and women compete in Giant Slalom, and will be an early indicator of form.
Officials from the International Ski & Snowboard Federation, Markus Mayr (FIS Race Director Women’s Technical) and Janez Hladnik (FIS Race Director Men’s Technical) have inspected the course on the Rettenbach glacier.
“The situation we have found is excellent, and the organisers have done a tremendous job,” said Markus Mayer.
“There is still work to be done, but we will have a successful race weekend by working together.”
We can’t wait for the season to start! Who will join us in Soelden next weekend? #fis #alpine #ski🎿 https://t.co/y0vmtAvy9J pic.twitter.com/H9Nopg9H1O
— FIS Alpine (@fisalpine) October 19, 2023
Friday 20th October
Putin Accuses IOC of Discrimination
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has accused the International Olympic Committee of “ethnic discrimination” against athletes from his country and using the Olympic Games as a “tool of political pressure”.
The state news agency, TASS, reported that he made the remarks in a speech at the Russia is a Sports Power forum.
Russian athletes have been banned from much international sporting competition following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Athletes from Russia can compete as neutrals at World Championships.
The IOC has rejected the accusation that its measures and actions are ‘ethnic discrimination’.
Russia. Image c/o PlanetSKI
Wednesday 18th October
Snowsport Scam Alerts!
The organisation, Snowsport Industries of Great Britain (SIGB) is warning of scam phone calls trying to sell packages to its Slide Exhibition.
“We recently heard reports of callers claiming to be from a company called Trade Show Planners trying to persuade members to to ‘apply a package’ to their Slide booking,” said a statement from SIGB.
A SIGB member was asked if they would be exhibiting at Slide and to confirm which hotel they were staying at.
If any organisation receives any calls similar then people are advised not to give out any information and report the matter to SIGB.
The SIGB (Snowsport Industries of Great Britain) is a trade association with more than 15o members in manufacturing, distribution, retail and travel.
The Slide Exhibition takes place at the Telford International Centre, January 9th – 11th 2024.
Image c/o SIGB
And while we are on the subject of scams in the snowsports world, this from the organisers of the London Snow Show that takes place this weekend:
Image c/o National Snow Week
If you want any free tickets to the show in London at the ExCeL then take a look here as PlanetSKI has some tickets to give away:
Image c/o London Snow Show
Tuesday 17th October
IOC Approves Five Qualification Systems for 2026 Winter Olympics
The International Olympic Committee has approved the qualification systems for:
- Cross-country skiing
- Feestyle skiing
- Luge
- Nordic combined
- Ski jumping
Overall, the proposed qualification systems are the same as for Beijing 2022.
The ski jumping and snowboard quota places have however been revised to ensure gender equality.
The IOC also confirmed a reduction in International Federation (IF) delegation sizes for the Games, to improve organisational efficiencies and reduce costs.
Milan-Cortina 2026
Monday 16th October
Snow Falls in Colorado as Race to Open Begins
Check out the latest as winter approaches:
Sunday 15th October
Russian Olympic Committee Suspended
The International Olympic Committee’s executive board has suspended the Russian Olympic Committee “with immediate effect until further notice”.
The move comes after the ROC recognised regional organisations from four Ukrainian territories illegally annexed by Russia since its full-scale invasion began in 2022.
The IOC said it was “a breach of the Olympic Charter because it violates the territorial integrity of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine”.
The suspension means the ROC “is no longer entitled to operate as a National Olympic Committee” and “cannot receive any funding from the Olympic movement”.
The Russian Olympic Committee called the suspension “another counterproductive decision with obvious political motivations”.
Saturday 14th October
Jewels from 1966 Mont Blanc Plane Crash Sold at Auction
Emeralds and sapphires from the crash of a Air India Boeing 707 plane in 1966 have been sold at auction.
The jewels were discovered ten years ago by a hiker on the Bossons glacier.
Half the jewels went to the hiker and half to the commune of Chamonix.
Chamonix has put its share on display and the hiker has now put his share under the hammer and raised €25,000 after no heir came forward to claim the gems.
The sale attracted around 40 bidders in an auction hall and more than 300 online
Parts of the plane can be found on display at a nearby mountain restaurant that can be hiked to in the summer months.
Chamonix. Image © PlanetSKI
Chamonix. Image © PlanetSKI
Chamonix. Image © PlanetSKI
Chamonix. Image © PlanetSKI
Chamonix. Image © PlanetSKI
Friday 13th October
Coming Soon: Freeski World Cup in Stubai
From November 22 to 25, 2023, the FIS Freeski World Cup will kick off the season with the popular Austrian slopestyle event.
90 athletes from 23 nations will once again do the honors at the Snowpark Stubai Zoo.
Check out the video trailer:
Thursday 12th October
Army Veteran with Visual Impairment Heads Up Welsh Peak
On Saturday 14th of October, David King (DJ), who is an Army veteran, will be putting on a pair of second-hand ski boots and walking, around 1500ft, approx 5 miles up and down Pen y Fan, Wales.
At 886m Pen y Fan is the highest peak in South Wales, situated in Brecon Beacons National Park.
He is undertaking this feet of endurance to raise money for The Visually Impaired Veterans Ski Club, VIV Ski Club.
The ski club that was founded over 45 years ago to give veterans with visual impairments a chance to enjoy skiing or snowboarding.
The trip helps club members to gain confidence and freedom on the snow with support from a dedicated team of experienced volunteer guides, most of whom are veterans themselves.
All the visually impaired veterans, VIs, are registered blind, with their impairments ranging from heavily blurred vision to zero sight.
For people who ski with the VIV Ski Club, skiing is an important part of their rehabilitation and ongoing well-being.
See here for further details:
Monday 9th October
On the Brink
‘On the Brink’ follows the story of two female protagonists, reflecting on their experience of living and working in the midst of the Alps (Bernese Oberland, Switzerland) for the Summer.
It explores their experience educating the next generation of explorers about glacier safety on the Bluemlisalp glacier with the Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC), as well as a summit attempt of the Lagginhorn (4010m).
The film is closely attuned to the changing experience of the mountain environment in the wake of climate change.
It aims to educate the audience on the fragilities and realities of the alpine ecosystem, leaving us to decide whether we are to be on the brink of collapse, or change.
Written, directed by, and starring an all-female crew, the film seeks to spotlight a female voice on the impact of climate change on mountaineering in the Alps.
Friday 6th October
Snow Camp’s 20th Anniversary Auction is Underway
See here for the full details:
Thursday 5th October
Demi Lovato Announced for Ischgl Opening Concert
The 31-year old performs in the resort in the Tirol in Austria on Sunday 25th November.
The concert will take place against the backdrop of the magnificent mountain scenery and starts at 6 pm at the parking area of the Silvrettabahn in Ischgl.
The slopes open on Friday 23rd.
Admission to the concert is included in the price of a valid ski pass for two or more days
Demi Lovato is a GRAMMY-nominated and award-winning musician, actor, advocate, and New York Times best-selling author.
She was first known for her onscreen talents, and soon became a musical phenomenon for her remarkable vocal ability.
She has had more than 45 billion streams of her music worldwide, with an audience of more than 260 million on social media.
She will likely be performing hits such as “Heart Attack”, “Sorry Not Sorry”, and “Cool for the Summer”.
Copyright © TVB Paznaun-Ischgl
Wednesday 4th October
Mia Brookes Makes Award Shortlist
The Snowboard Shop Withdraws Onewheel Electric Skateboards
The UK store has pulled the skateboards from sale with immediate effect following a recall in the US.
US watchdog the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled all 300,000 of the devices that have been sold, after four people died while riding them.
It said Onewheels posed a crash hazard that could result in serious injury or death.
The Snowboard Shop is now contacting its UK customers.
The recall involves all models of Onewheel electric skateboards, which includes the original Onewheel, as well as the Onewheel+, Onewheel+ XR, Onewheel Pint, Onewheel Pint X and Onewheel GT models.
The CPSC said Future Motion received “dozens of reports” involving the devices, which included four deaths between 2019 and 2021.
See more on the BBC.
Image c/o The Snowboard Shop
Tuesday 3rd October
Gwyneth Paltrow Describes Ski Accident Trial as ‘Weird’
The US actress made her comments in an interview with the New York Times.
“That whole thing was pretty weird. I don’t know that I’ve even processed it. It was something I felt like I survived,” she said.
“Sometimes in my life, it takes me a long time to look back and process something and understand something.”
It followed a collision with Terry Sanderson in Deer Valley in Utah and the subsequent trail.
It appears a TV documentary is now being made on the case.
Deer Valley, Utah. Image © PlanetSKI
Migrants Hike Over the Alps from Italy into France
The BBC reports that hundreds are making the trek.
More than 130,000 migrants have entered Italy this year.
That’s almost double the same period in 2021, following a surge of arrivals by boat to the southern Italian island of Lampedusa.
See here for the report on the BBC.
Aosta Valley. Image © PlanetSKI.
Monday 2nd October
St Bernard Dogs Help People With Mental Health Issues
St. Bernard dogs are known for rescuing people from avalanches.
The size that once made the St. Bernard a great avalanche dog has now become a disadvantage.
Smaller breeds that are easily transported in helicopters to rescue sites are now preferred.
The dogs are now helping people with autism spectrum disorders and have assisted medical professionals in caring for those with psychosomatic trauma.
See here for more:
Sunday 1st October
High Number of Summer Deaths in Valais Canton in Switzerland
Latest figures show that 32 people have died in hiking or climbing accidents.
About a third of the deaths recorded were individuals hiking in the mountains
The annual average is 24 mountain deaths.
“Time and again I see hikers walking in difficult terrain in trainers. They overestimate their physical abilities and at the same time underestimate the distances,” said Bruno Jelk a member of the Valais mountain rescue team.
“All this then inevitably leads to more accidents, he added.
Due to the heat there have been increased dangers of rockfall and crevasses opening up on glaciers.
Swiss Alps in the summer. Image c/o PlanetSKI
Booking.com Acquisition Blocked
It had been wanting to take over eTraveli in a €1.6b deal, but the European Commission has blocked the move.
Many skiers and snowboarders are now using online search companies to book accommodation and travel in the mountains.
It is a significant growth area.
- Booking.com is the top hotel OTA in Europe, with a 60% market share.
- Sweden based eTraveli is the number two OTA for flight bookings
It is the first EU merger of its kind to be blocked this year.
The Commission said it received feedback from stakeholders that the transaction would expand Booking’s dominant position, reduce competition, and increase prices for hotels and consumers.
The decision “not only departs from settled law and precedent, but it deprives consumers of travel options that they are entitled to have,” said Booking Holdings’ Chief Executive Officer, Glenn Fogel.
Booking.com has said it will appeal.
Les Menuires, France. Image © PlanetSKI
US Resort of Silverton Bought by Heli Adventures Inc
The Colorado resort is a centre for heliskiing.
Heli Adventures Inc. is an adventure-travel company based in Aspen, Colorado.
Silverton does not groom its slopes , but avalanche prevention work is done to prevent slides.
Visitors are required to carry safety equipment, including a transceiver, shovel, and probe.
Apart from a few weeks in the spring, skiers and snowboarders must be accompanied by a guide.
It has no restaurants or toilets, and has few other basic facilities.
Silverton was founded in 2001 by Jen and Aaron Brill who moved from Montana to create a no-frills ski area for expert skiers and snowboarders.
Overall the terrain is steep, with an incline that generally ranges from about 30 degrees to 55 degrees.
View this post on Instagram
Ryanair Forced to Cancel Some Winter Flights
It is due to delays in receiving more aircrafts from Boeing.
Ryanair had expected to receive 27 aircraft by December, but it is now expected to receive only 14.
It is unclear if ski routes will be affected.
“These flight cancellations will take effect from the end of October and will be communicated to all affected passengers by email over the coming days,” said Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary.
“Passengers will be offered alternative flights or full refunds as they so wish.”
Ryanair. Image © PlanetSKI.
US Ski & Snowboard Wins Jake Burton Award
The award is given out by Protect Our Winters and reconises people and organisations who have created cultural shifts needed to take on climate as a community.
The criteria for the award include:
- Influencing the cultural shift through brand platforms,
- A willingness to challenge the status quo
- Integrating climate action into the DNA of the brand.
“Jake Burton’s passion and dedication built a movement in snow sports. He challenged the status quo every step of the way paving the path for a new sport, lowering barriers to entry and instilling the ethos that we should preserve the outdoors for all future generations,” said Torrey Udall, Executive Director of POW.
“This year, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team honored Jake’s legacy by bringing the urgency of climate to the forefront and using its voice and influence to affect change. We are grateful to U.S. Ski & Snowboard for their partnership, collaboration and dedication.”
Image c/o Burton
Image c/o PlanetSKI
