Ben Clatworthy's Blog

Snow, wind, rain, cloud and surprisingly even a little bit of sun! Christmas and New Year in the Alps are notoriously 2 of the busiest weeks of the season, and two of the most important for businesses, so how did everything do?

I would be lying if I said the ski season started with a bang this year. It did in the Austrian resort of Ischgl as I blogged back in November. Many resorts were left with a problem on their hands when the opening date came and went, but the snow didn’t come. Things weren’t all that bad though.

The snow did come, and in places where the totals were lacking absolutely freezing conditions allowed for vast quantities of snow making across the Alps. Snow cannons were firing out snow 24 hours a day in many resorts, topping up any bare patches. Temperatures of -25 degrees C were common across France, Switzerland and Austria. In higher resorts the wind chill was bitter. The Pitztal glacier in Austria recorded -38 in late December.

However, it’s not the best year to be blasting snow all the time. The big ‘R’ word seemed to have impacted

Snow Cannons top up the pistes in Austria

booking figures for the festive period. For those of you in doubt that ‘R’ word I refer to is the rescission. There were of course other factors too, reports of snow-shortage didn’t help, the poor exchange rate and of course the fact that it seems every holiday company has some sort of offer on holidays not in the peak season. Hiring a whole catered chalet for a week in January for £300 would have been unheard of a few years back – this year they are throwing holidays away… quite literally.

In the 3 Valleys, France bookings were down over Christmas. The 3 Valleys include the resorts of Courchevel, Meribel, Les Menuires, Val Thornes and St Martin de Belleville. A contact in Les Menuires told me that the resort was just 70% full over Christmas this year; it would normally be full to the brim with people being turned away. Things were better over New Year, the resort was full as expected. The figures are worked out from Agency figures, lift pass sales and hotel bookings. The data is normally available by Wednesday as more and more chalets do Sunday to Sunday bookings.

Things really are on the up now, just today I read a snow report and it seems that the constant snowfall across much of Europe over the New Year has improved snow conditions dramatically.  The picture out in the Alps now is great with loads of snow and great deals to be had. Book a cheap flight from EasyJet (who currently have their biggest ever sale on) and get out to the slopes for some late January fun!

Ben Clatworthy stayed at ‘Ski St Martin‘ in St Martin de Belleville which is a village in the 3 Valleys, France.

This is not a snow report. Views expressed are those of Ben Clatworthy. If you are looking for a professional snow report then Ben recommends PlanetSKI.eu, who publish a detailed report regularly.

In parts of the Alps resorts are opening their lifts early following heavy snowfall, whilst in some resorts openings are being delayed due to a lack of the white stuff.

It’s quite a common a scenario and no real change to many previous seasons. Last year broke the mould in many ways with bumper amounts of snow across the whole Alps.

I would be lying if I said that I didn’t quite enjoy all the speculation and discussion that I hear and read each November and early December. It’s all quite interesting and funny – everyone has their own take on the picture and everyone thinks they know whats going to happen. I don’t have a crystal ball, or any special powers but I would guess that as has happened in years gone by the snow will come; it’s just a matter of when.

Val Thorens today, fresh snow at 11am. c/o Snowbrainer

In Switzerland the resort of Verbier, which is very popular with British tourists opened on November 7, whilst the French resort of Val Thorens opened one week later on November 14, a week early. Tignes is also open in France and Zermatt in Switzerland has the most snow in the world with 4 meters.

I’m not here to write a snow report but there its easy to feel quite optimistic going on those few resorts. It’s not that simple everywhere though, Bansko in Bulgaria remains closed despite hoping to open earlier this month and now has it’s fingers crossed that the snow will arrive.

In the French Alps temperatures remain quite warm and lots of the early season snow that fell over the past weeks is, if not already, starting to melt. It’s a nail biting situation for any seasonal worker and especially tour operators.

Ischgl's famous opening season concert c/o PlanetSKI.eu

The Austrian resort of Ischgl, which is world famous for its beginning and end of season concerts, opens for skiing this Friday and then hosts international singer Katy Perry on Saturday for this years concert. Kylie Minogue, The Scissor Sisters, Pink, Elton John, Lionel Richie, The Sugababes and Bon Jovi have all performed live concerts there in years gone by.

If only I was going, it’s always a super event and enjoyed by everyone! It really is a ‘Wish I was There’ moment every year… I just need to find a valid reason to go!

No doubt the snow will come, in 2006 it didn’t come to many parts of the Alps until mid-december, but in 2008 it came in October.

The British media love to give the snow situation as much hype as possible. In 2006 a chalet manager in the resort of St Martin de Belleville in the world famous 3 Valleys invited one British ski journalist to stay in his chalet for a week, free of charge. But why? To make him go home and write a positive story about the snow that, in fact wasn’t as bad as the media had reported. You can’t blame them, every journalist wants a good story and people love reading about snow… I’ve already admitted that.

It’s important to remember that snow in November doesn’t necessarily mean snow in December, and with that in mind no snow in November doesn’t mean no snow in December. It really is swings and roundabouts this skiing lark!

This is not a snow report. Views expressed are those of Ben Clatworthy. If you are looking for a professional snow report then Ben recommends PlanetSKI.eu, who publish a detailed report regularly.

For the first time ever I headed to the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show on Wednesday for Press Day with PlanetSKI.eu. What a day it was!

Its a fantastic event, but time and time again I heard people saying, “Its a day I love to hate” and by the end of the very long, tiring day I kind of see where they are coming from. I’m quite glad I didn’t have to get up and do it all again the next day like the exhibitors.

I wrote an article for PlanetSKI.eu about what it’s like to be a newbie at the show. It was quite the experience.

We had two PlanetSKI reporters at the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show. Here’s a view from 16-year old Ben Clatworthy who’s never been before.

Standing on the platform at Earls Court I felt as if I had just stepped out of the UK and into a ski resort. To my right were two young lads wearing baggy hoodies and knitted beanie hats with the little bubble on the top and to my left was a middle aged woman and her husband, the kind of people you might find in Meribel or Val d’Isere, talking to one and other about the brilliant snow at the end of last season.

As I walked though the main doors the atmosphere and excitement hit me; one massive building, one massive ski show, hundreds of exhibitors and loads to do.

Within two minutes I had already bumped into three people I knew.

Avoid eye contect if you don’t want one of theseAs a strolled up the aisles it didn’t take long to learn that if I stopped walking for more than a couple of seconds I would be asked if I would be interested in skiing in Japan or entering some competition or other to win a free rental car.

Not making eye contect with people on the stands who were trying to sell, sell, sell was a trick I leant quickly.

I told quite a few people I knew that I had never been to a ski show before and they all said they were surprised that someone like me had never been.  Being an avid ski racer it would seem the sort of place I would reside. Not so, but why? Well the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show has always been in my half term and I am usually away training in Saas Fee then.

I wandered for over an hour, meeting the odd person, having a quick chat and then back to gazing at the various stands and shops. Time went so quickly; the hour only seemed like 20 minutes. There was quite a buzz to say the least.

In the middle of it all was a 50 foot kicker that was used for The Trespass Big Air competition and demonstration.

Extraordinary sightI had never seen anything like it before.

On the other side of the room was a 100m2 ice rink where children and adults alike were happily skating away.  It may have been Christmas!

Ready for a rest I headed to the ‘3 Valleys Resort Bar’ to meet up with a few people I knew for a chat and quickly found myself chatting to some of the big people from the British ski world as it was a drinks for the movers and shakers in ski industry.

The CEO’s of the major companies were there, officilas from the resorts in the Alps had flwn in specially and various website editors, journalists who write features for papers such as The Times, The Telegraph and The Independent. It quickly became apparent that everyone knew everyone, and that they were all very happy to see one another after the summer break.  It was lovely to have a chat with the people whose articles I read in the papers each weekend and who run the web sites I love.

After more talk and networking I headed off to see more and take a look at some of the wired and wonderful things that one can buy at the show.

We will have a look at some of those on PlanetSKI in the next few days. I had a long conversation with Raef Bjayou who some of you may remember from the 2008 series of the BBC’s ‘The Apprentice’. He is now the face of a new motorized bag that is apparently ‘perfect’ for skiing.

I then headed for the BASI stand where I met up with Duncan Freshwater, who was the Head Coach of my ski team for several years, and he persuaded me to have a go in a sit ski playing on the new Vancouver 2010 Wii game. They had very cleverly mounted the sit-ski onto a Wii Fit board and with lots of skill apparently it was possible to ski down the course.

Sean Rose, who is the UK number 1 disabled ski racer managed to complete the whole course in 1 minute 40 seconds. Could I beat that? Well the honest answer is no. In fact I ended up on the floor with the sit-ski on top of me – much to the amusement of Duncan and about 100 people who were sitting in the café.

There was so much going on; so much so there is just too much to write. I really had to pick out some of the best bits, but the whole day was wonderful. There’s no way I could fully sum up such a good day in 800 words, but I think its needless to say that I will be back next year for more, and hopefully for years to come after that. People are happy, there is optimistic talk of the coming season and I think it is safe to say in that corner of London people will definitely be heading to the slopes this season.

CONFIRMED: Its back for another year. Ben Clatworthy’s Ski Blog from Saas Fee is making a comeback for another year after its success last year. Ben will be Ski Race Training with the Kandhar Ski Club in Saas Fee next week.

Yes thats right I can now confirm that my blog will be back again, starting this Saturday. Am I crazy? Well I hope not. Some of you may remember I wrote one last year (Read it here) on my own Wordpress blog and much to my surprise it went down quite well and the statistics were good. I won’t go into much detail but it got over 1,500 views in just one week. I was very happy to say the least.

Earlier this year I was appointed as the PlanetSKI.eu Racing and Sports Correspondent and instead of writing it for my own blog this year it will be covered on PlanetSKI.eu daily. I will still do all the writing, take the photos and  compile it all each evening. Its quite a tiring job and despite getting up at 7am I am normally just rapping it up at 21.30 in the evening.

I am also taking my LIVE tweeting to a new level. I have always believed that Twitter is a brilliant news service and with my Swiss and English phone I will be able to twitter live at 3,800 metres above sea level in temperatures that are commonly -17 degrees C. I will be sending live Tweets all week to PlanetSKI and also WeLove2Ski. WeLove2Ski’s twitter was voted one of the top 20 ski twitter accounts by ‘The Times’ in September.

I’m excited its back, but I know its never an easy job to write a daily blog. Lets hope you will join me as you all so kindly did last year…

I’ve waited until mid-(ish) October before talking about it, but the urge has well and truly taken over – this entry is all about…skiing.

Most of you will all most certainly think I am 2 months early with the ski related chat and that I should really wait until December. To be honest you are probably right, but in the ski world things are really getting underway now.

Most people who go skiing seldom think about it (apart from booking accommodation) until a couple of weeks before they are due to head to the slopes. This isn’t the case for me; not only have I been writing about it during the summer for PlanetSKI.eu which is ski news website edited by James Cove, the BBC’s Winter Sports Correspondent. That is hard enough, snow thoughts on a weekly, if not daily thought, but also being a ski racer during the summer I have to plan my season, buy new kit (this year a ski suit) and also get new skis for the winter season. Picking up skis when there is no snow and not being able to ski is quite an anti-climax (but always very exciting anyway).

October is Ski Show month too. I’ll be totally honest with you now – I’ve never been to a ski show before, but this year it’s all change. I’ve been invited by James Cove to go to the Press Day the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show in Olympia, London, next Wednesday (21 October) which I am sure will be great fun and a chance to meet lots of familiar faces and no doubt get me dreaming of the snow.

I also tend to do most of my writing during the winter too. Once again this season I will be contributing to PlanetSKI.eu, but this year as their ‘Racing and Sports Correspondent’. PlanetSKI, (as I mentioned above) is a mountain based Ski Website run by James Cove. I will also be writing for InTheSnow magazine as their “Race Correspondent”. InTheSnow is the UK’s most read ski magazine and is avalible nationwide in Snow+Rock stores, Ellis Brigham and the 3 main London airports. It is also available to download online.

The Kandahar Ski Club team

But still, its only October?! So why can’t I write all this in a couple of weeks? Well, I’m off to Saas Fee, Switzerland race training on the glacier with my ski team, the Kandahar Ski Club. Its a strange time to ski, but a very important time and brilliant ‘pre-season’ training.

Once again this year I will be writing a daily blog entry (following the success of last years) from the resort. Instead of writing it on its own site as I did lat year, this time it will be covered by PlanetSKI. I’ll post the link here when I know more.

So it may only be the October 11, but the snow is coming – temperatures are falling across the Alps and the though of fresh snow an exciting one. At least the glacier snow is certain – Just 2 weeks and I’ll be in Saas Fee – exciting!