Friday 2nd June 06 - Shape up for the New Zealand North Face Peak to Peak
As the long autumn draws to a close it's time for sporting men and women to wax their skis, and start winter training for 'The North Face Peak to Peak'.
For the thirteenth Peak to Peak, the date has been shifted back to July 22. It is anticipated that the event will again attract multi-sporters from across the South Island, drawn by the formidable challenge of racing from the Remarkables ski area, down through Queenstown and up to Coronet Peak ski area. The race takes place on skis or snowboard, mountain bike, kayak and foot.
The new major sponsor, The North Face is delighted to be associated with this annual event. "For over 30 years The North Face has teamed up with the world's finest mountaineers, alpinists, climbers, skiers, snowboarders and endurance adventurers who have constantly redefined the limits of what is humanly possible," said The North Face's brand manager Jackie Robertson. "The support of this winter event is a logical extension of this and we can offer competitors access to leading adventure equipment."
The race starts high on the Remarkables ski field with a 2km ski or snow board down to the Remarkables access road. A 17km mountain bike down the road takes competitors to the edge of Lake Wakatipu in Frankton for a 7km paddle into Queenstown Bay. From downtown Queenstown the final two race stages are a 9km run to the Coronet Alpine Hotel, and then a 9km bike ride up to the finish line at Coronet Peak.
Race director Geoff Hunt says the event is aimed at not only the accomplished multisport athlete, but with the distances achievable by all, he encourages people at every levels of fitness to enter this year.
"If the distances are too daunting to enter as an individual, grab your friends or work colleagues and enter as a team," says Hunt. "For first timers, pulling a team together is a great way to experience The North Face Peak to Peak. Not only is it great fun on the day for teams cheering their members on but you may find it easier to get out and train together."
Competition is fierce for the team trophies, and many corporates and businesses use the race as a team-building exercise or a healthy social outing. Teams can comprise as few as two people, or as many as five (with each person doing only one leg of the race).
The North Face Peak to Peak rewards competitors with a sense of achievement. "Standing on the start line at the Remarkables and being able to see the finish line in the distance on Coronet Peak may seem daunting, but creates a sense of determination to complete the course," says Hunt.
Competitors this year will be able to access a new web site at www.southerntraverse.com/peak2peak. The site has regular competitor updating, news and features, a link to The North Face New Zealand web site, entry forms and photo galleries from previous events.
The race has grown in popularity every year and last year attracted a new record field of 76 individuals and 78 teams. Past serious competitors have included Steve Gurney, Richard Ussher, Rachel Barton, Haydn Key, Kristina Anglem and Eric Billoud.
Race categories for individuals include male, female and veteran. Teams can enter the open division or female, male, mixed, business house and veteran.
The North Face Peak to Peak is also supported by Queenstown Night and Day, Queenstown Gym, K2 Skis, Smith Goggles, Summerfields Frankton Pharmacy, R & R Sport, Loaded Hog, Leppin Sport, More FM, NZ MultiSport, Kawarau Jet and Peak Projects and nzski.com
Entries are available at all good sports stores, sponsor outlets and the Southern Traverse office.
Thursday 20th April 2006: Whistler – With just over six weeks to go in the rest of the ski and snowboard season, Whistler Blackcomb is enjoying fantastic spring conditions. Whistler Mountain remains open until June 4; the last day of operations for Blackcomb Mountain is Sunday, April 23. Whistler Blackcomb has received 93 centimetres (37 inches) of snow since the beginning of April alone, and an incredible 1,173 centimetres (462 inches) of snow since the beginning of the season. The forecast for the remainder of this week is calling for more snow, with 6 to 13 centimetres (2 to 5 inches) forecasted tonight and Friday, and bluebird skies over the weekend.
“We have had an incredible winter season this year, in fact it’s the fifth snowiest on record,” says Stuart Rempel, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Whistler Blackcomb. “With the excitement of the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival and more snow in the forecast, there is no better way to kick off the spring season.”
Whistler Mountain will remain open with well over 3,000 acres available for skiing and riding. The Village Gondola, Emerald Express, Big Red Express, Peak Chair and T-bars will be open daily. The Harmony Express will open on weekends. Hike into the Piccolo and Flute areas to see where the new Piccolo Express lift will go.
The Nintendo Terrain Park on Whistler, an essential spring product, will see a new half-pipe with 12 feet high walls and a mini version of the Highest Level Park with jumps and new features. It will also see an expansion of the Habitat Terrain Park featuring four table tops in a row.
Whistler Blackcomb has released the details of its popular Edge Card program for the 06-07 season. Designed to offer discounted skiing for frequent guests, the program also offers card holders the ability to ski/ride until the end of the year for a flat rate of $89. A 5-day Edge Card is available for $259, and includes five days on the mountain during the 06-07 season, a bonus day before December 22, 2006, and a summer Peak Adventure lift ticket. An $89 upgrade provides unlimited skiing and snowboarding for the rest of the spring season. The deadline to take advantage of these prices is April 30, 2006. Special spring pricing is also available at the ticket window.
Hours of operation on Whistler Mountain starting Monday, April 24 will be 9am to 4pm. Blackcomb Mountain, the Coca-Cola Tube Park, and the Creekside base area will be closed as of April 24. Uploading on Whistler Mountain will be via the Whistler Village Gondola.
Friday 31st March: Party at Sunshine Village, Banff - The last weekend of the ski and snowboard at Sunshine Village will wrap up with the biggest party and you definitely do not want to miss out. BC/DC who has rocked the village a few times will be back to end the season off right. The band will be playing three concerts with the final on Slush Cup Day. The concerts are FREE to anyone with a lift ticket, gondola only ticket or season pass.
- Saturday, May 20 – Concert 1:30pm
- Sunday, May 21 – Concert 1:30pm
- Monday, May 22 – Concert 12:30pm with Slush Cup to follow at 2:00pm
Friday 31st March: More snow in Whistler - Yep, it's late March - but winter isn't slowing down. After a few bluebird days this weekend, Whistler is once again enjoying plenty more snowfall to add to their current base of over 3 meters (over 10 ft).
With these unseasonably good conditions, their Coca-Cola Tube Park should keep the laughs coming through spring, and they are looking forward to great skiing & riding conditions right through to June 4. That's over 70 days still to come.........
Friday 31st March: 10-Day Whistler Ski & Snowboard Festival - The largest annual winter sports and music festival in North America - the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival - features major professional skiing and snowboarding competitions, the largest free outdoor concert series in Canada, the legendary Pro Photographer and Filmmaker Showdowns, and many more unique art and cultural showcases. The 10-day takes place this season April 14-23 at Whistler Blackcomb
20th December 05 - Snow arrives in the Alps in time for Christmas
Low level resorts face a bleak future with scientists increasingly concerned about global warming. It's been one of the most worrying build-ups to the season on record with poor snow levels across Europe.
- Artificial snow: Snow canons have kept many ski resorts going as the warmer winter temperatures have meant less natural snow. All resorts now make artificial snow and pride themselves on how many cannons they have. However, snow making comes at a huge environmental cost, blighting the landscape and using up large amounts of water and electrical power.
- Switzerland: The Swiss resort of Zermatt now has thousands of people on the slopes. Many are professionals within the ski industry - instructors, guides and racers. Hundreds of British instructors now teach in the European Alps - both in national ski schools and British run ones. The Scottish based training company Peak Leaders has an arrangement with the official ski school in Zermatt to train British Instructors to take BASI qualifications."Quite frankly it's been a bit of a struggle these last few weeks", Julian Griffiths, a trainer with The British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI) said about the slopes of Zermatt. Our students need reasonable conditions to pass their exams and we haven't had it. But now we have the snow it's changed everything."
- Andorra: In the Pyrenees, Andorra has had another good start with snow falling during the past few weeks. The principality has had an enviable snow record in recent years and now more British skiers go there than the USA, Canada and Switzerland combined. Andrew Purvis, a snowboard instructor working with Peak Leaders said that the 3 feet of new snow had fallen in Soldeu and the conditions were 'sweet'.
- Increased anxieties: The latest UN report on climate change warns that within 50 years over 200 ski resorts may have to close due to lack of snow so it is easy to see why the snowsports industry is concerned about winter's late arrival.
17th October 05 - Ski & Board instructors required for Milton Keynes. They are currently looking for full time (40 hours per week) and part time Ski and Board Instructors to assist with their busy winter season.
You should be:
• Friendly, outgoing, personable and able to confidently teach all types of people?
• Able to give exceptional customer service at all times?
For more click here.
1st October 05 - On 15 Sep 05 the Prime Minister, Tony Blair make a statement that seemed to say the Kyoto Protocol would expire in 2012 and that there would be no further treaties on steep reductions in carbon emissions. The policy of trying to choke off the growth of rich and poor nations alike to achieve goals that were already unrealistic when the treaty was negotiated in the 1990s, is dead. Instead of draconian limitations to growth, which would ultimately harm the worlds poor more that it would the developed nations, technology will be the preferred route. We are likely to see future treaties that will emphasise new energy generating technologies, low carbon energy supplies and low cost methods of capturing and storing carbon dioxide. Scotsman 30th September 05
20 September 05 - Argentina: The mighty Andean Condor (seen frequently by Peak Leaders soaring above the ski slopes at Cerro Catedral) has for decades been in decline as a result of hunting, pollution and development. Now the destruction of the habitat of the worlds largest flying birds - an area stretching 4500 miles from Colombia to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, is being reversed under an ambitious conservation programme.
25 July 05 - Queenstown, New Zealand. Peak Leaders Ski and Snowboard instructor course kicks off today on Coronet Peak. Trainees from the UK and Ireland are among a group being prepared for the newly designed NZSIA certificate in Snowsports instruction before going on to take their NZSIA stage 1 examinations in September.
Michel Marchand, the Director of NZSKI Snowsport School said yesterday 'We welcome skiers and snowboarders from the UK and my professional team of trainers are excited at getting started on the mountain...'
24 July 05 - Bariloche, Argentina. The best ski season of the decade in South America, is at its peak!
The winter season in Argentina promises to be intense when it comes to snowsports events and training courses. Some of the attractions on Cerro Catedral include the Reef Boarder X and Big Air competition, ski and snowboard races, the International Ski Week, the Carrera de la Historia (The Race of History), and a BASI Instructor programme. For more click here
22 July 2005 - Coronet Peak, New Zealand. The winter ski and snowboard season is going full swing in Queenstown. According to Stu Rea who runs the instructor courses on Coronet Peak 'the half pipe is going well, and the small terrain parks are as good as it gets' For more info click here
21 July 05 - Queenstown Coronet Peak, Queenstown, New Zealand. You can enjoy the magical experience of night skiing at Coronet Peak this week end. For more on night skiing in New Zealand click here
20 July 05 - Queenstown New Zealand. Skiers and snowboarders from all over the world gather this week ends for the start of an intensive 7 week ski and snowboard instructor course on Coronet Peak. Director of the NZSKI Snowsports School, Michel Marchand said 'We are excited to start this programme. Working with the Scottish company Peak Leaders UK Ltd, we are committed to deliver the best programme we can.' For more on this click here
19 July 2005 - In Bariloche, Argentina the 2005 season continues with the modernization plan to enhance the services provided by the winter resort and its infrastructure. Six more new lifts will be inaugurated, thus making a total of 39 runs available for all levels.
 14 July 2005 - Eco skiing. Peak Leaders UK Ltd plan to buy carbon credits from Plan Vivo that not only help to offst the CO2 emissions the comapnyclocks up but also help communities to invest in their own future. In this way Peak Leader hope to be a responsible business and safegurd the environment so that future generations can enjoy skiing and snowboarding. For more info click here
12 July 05 - New Zealand, Wanaka. Spring-like conditions prevail at Cardrona Alpine Resort. Although not consistent with the time of year, the wet snow is reportedly still providing plenty of enjoyment for visiting skiers and snowboarders.
12 July 05 - Argentina, Bariloche. Good early winter conditions. Former Olympic skier Ivan Bonacalza said that 3 metres of snow have already fallen on Cerro Catedral.
12 July 05 - BASI snowboard trainer Stephan Wiehe back in the UK from Zermatt is preparing for an instructor training course 2 Aug -27 Sep 05 in Bariloche, Argentina. For More on BASI courses in Argentina click here
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