Zoe Gillings Loses all UK Sport Funding

Posted on August 3, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

UK Sport has just announced a major increase of £16 million, taking the total winter sports funding to £31 million, while this is great news to some – especially for the slopestyle team. It has delivered a devastating blow to the British No 1 Olympic Snowboard cross athlete Zoe Gillings. Despite finishing ninth at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, where she just missed out on the final by centimetres in a dramatic photo finish. This result meant she did not meet UK Sport funding guidelines and Gillings has now lost all UK Sport Olympic funding.

In simple terms this now means that the entire Snowboard cross Olympic program - coach, technician, physio performance manager, sports psychologist, nutritionist and strength & conditioning team has been dissolved. If Gillings can afford to travel, she will now to do so and compete alone in World Cup competitions without any coaching, financial or technical support - something which doesn’t happen with any other nation.

Gillings commented on UK Sport’s decision, “I fully respect UK Sports decision, it’s obviously disappointing but my performance director made it very clear to me that UK Sport wanted a top six finish (reach the final) at the Olympics to continue funding – I knew this way ahead of the Olympic Games, so I’m not complaining. I was gutted when I realised I missed out on the final when I watched the photo finish on the big screen – it was literally centimetres that meant I finished 4th and this ended the funding.”

“I want to thank UK Sport for the funding they have provided to date and I’d especially like to say a huge thank you to the British Ski & Snowboard (BSS) performance director – Paddy Mortimer – I can say hand on heart he is absolutely athlete focussed and is a true credit to BSS. He says it how it is, he is honest and does everything he can to support the athlete. Despite not being funded I’m really looking forward to working with Paddy over the next Olympic cycle if I can raise the funds.”

Gillings is determined to do what it takes to generate funding in order to train and compete on the World Cup circuit, so that she can win back UK Sport funding and have a real chance of a medal in Pyeongchang in four years time.

To reach this goal Gillings has just launched www.PoundShaveClub.com – an online website where customers can choose from a selection of excellent quality razors at a fraction of the cost of high street prices and have them delivered to their door each month. Razors start at just £1 per month for the entry two blade and go up to £5 a month for the flagship five blade head.

“If there are any potential sponsors reading this then I would of course love to chat, I have an exciting four years ahead and it could be a fantastic journey.”

Zoe is getting married in August but she is already planning the start of the new 2014/15 Snowboard cross programme in the hope of getting the funds together.

The latest from the World Ski and Snowboard Festival

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

The World Ski and Snowboard Festival is in full swing in Whistler, British Columbia and the snow conditions are getting better and better. Last weekend under a bluebird sky The Shred Show took place, where some of the best international snowboarders took to the slopes in the slopestyle, big air and boarderstyle – a boardercross-style race with slopestyle features.

USA’s Kyle Mack took the top spot at the snowboarding slopestyle at the Nintendo Terrain Park – with a best out of three runs Mack pulled, amongst others, a switch backside 1260 and a backside double cork 1080 Japan grab and a frontside 360 grab. His score of 86.5 was enough to earn him the $15,000 grand prize. Coming in second Canadian Sebastien Toutant scored 85.22 and Matts Kulisek, also Canadian, picked up third place with a score of 82.33.

Mack also podiumed at the Big Air event that took place at skiers plaza in front of a large crowd. Mack came in at a close second with a score of 93.55. First place went to Max Eberhardt (CAN). Eberhardt threw down a perfect backside triple cork 1440 mute grab on his second run to earn a score of 95.33. Coming in third place was Justin Morgan from the USA.

The boarderstyle a messy but thrilling race were four boarders race each other on a boardercross track but with rails and jumps. What’s not to like. On the track the crazy riders must take on three mandatory features at the start of the course. Ollie over a barrel, Pond Skim and Step up forest- (a step up with a few trees planted which riders must avoid)

After that there is a 15ft step up and a step down before the final 30ft jump with a mandatory spin – many riders were over shooting the jump but then it is hard to gauge speed when you are racing. Four Whistler locals made it to the final, Cody Logan, Chris Rasman, Rube Goldberg and Jon Versteeg. It was Goldberg who came out on top to win the $1,000 prize.

As the snow clouds descend on Whistler for some mid-April flurries the World Ski Invitational will take place on the 18-20 April. The ski slopestyle will see our very own James Woods take to the slopes – the only Brit in the competition.

At the intersection film competition a roster of world class athletes and talented film crew had seven days to make the best ski and snowboarding film they could. The winner was Nate Lav and the Man boys – who with their two minute video (see below) took home the $10,000 prize money.

A special mention went to Zac Moxely a 17-year-old Whistler native who is still in high school. He won the “best-on-the-mic-award” for giving credit to his mum.

Edited by: Farah Lodhawalla

Photo finish for Zoe Gillings in the Snowboard X

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

Zoe Gillings narrowly missed out on qualifying for the final after a photo-finish semi-final. Gillings and Italy’s Michela Moioli both fell after the last jump and slid over the finish line, but it was Moioli who crossed it first. Continue Reading →

Cat skiing with Selkirk Wilderness Skiing with views of the Selkirk Mountains near Meadow Creek.

Road Trip: Shred the Powder Highway

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

The powder highway is the ultimate ski and snowboarding roadtrip.

In the south east corner of Canada’s British Columbia where heli and cat skiing was born, is the ultimate ski and snowboarding road trip. It comprises of one very long road, nine heli-ski operators, 11 Nordic ski resorts, 15 snowcat ski outfitters and 22 back country ski touring operators, as well as pretty towns and legendary champagne powder. What more could you want?

You can either fly in to Vancouver or Calgary – if you fly into the later you may as well take in Banff and Lake Louise. It would be rude not to.

Once you’ve driven or flow into the Shangri-la of snow, skiing and snowboarding you will have so many resorts to choose from your head will spin. You can take them all in or pick out your favorites.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

Champagne powder at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

In 1858 Dr. James Hector, a geologist, trying to find a way through the Rockies for the Canadian Pacific Railway, was kicked in the chest by his horse. This seeming non-descript event lead to the name of the mountain pass and then to the ski resort in the area where he was kicked.

Kicking Horse Mountain is not for beginners – 60 per cent of the terrain is for experts only. This is for the serious experience skier/boarder and for the back country lovers.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

One of the youngest resorts in BC, Revelstoke is famous for its Heli-Sking and has the most vertical run in in North America. This is another resort that is for the experts with 47.5 per cent on the terrain given over to black and diamonds runs. Its longest run is 15.2km – now that’s some burn!

Whitewater Ski Resort

Skiiers and snowboarders at Whitewater Winter Resort.

Skiers and snowboarders at Whitewater Winter Resort.

In the Kootney area of British Columbia Whitewater has some of the driest snow you can get. The resort regularly gets 12 meters (40ft) of deep light dry powder. This mountain is popular for its lift access to back county terrain.

With Whitewater you can mix powder days with a bit of culture, the resort is only a 15 minute drive from Nelson, a town famous for art, food and culture.

Kimberley Alpine Resort

Kimberley Alpine Resort

One of the sunniest resorts in B.C., Kimberly is a laid back family friendly resort, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some gnarly runs. 80 per cent of the trails are for intermediate or advanced. It’s has a great rail park for those that like to show off their jib skills.

Panorama Mountain Village

Catskiing in Nelson at Panorama Mountain Resort

Another resort that is famous for its off-piste terrain. It’s beginner friendly with a large area just for newbies. 75 per cent of the runs are for beginners and intermediate. Not a bad place to chill out after some hard boarding/skiing and long drives.

Red Mountain

Red Mountain

A small quite resort this is a big favorite amongst those that make hitting the slopes their life. Though it is only thought that if it get plenty of snow. Red Mountain expanded its terrain my 1,000 acres this year. There are something for everyone from double diamonds to greens and plenty in between.

The pretty town of Rossland, two miles from the resort, is full of character – an old gold rush town it’s now famous for food and culture.

Fernie

This resort gets 37 feet of dry champagne powder annually and there are five alpine bowls and 140 named runs. There are rarely queues and you never have to worry too much about colliding in to someone. As with many of the powder highway resorts, if you go on a weekday it will be quiet.

Fairmont Hot Springs Ski Resort

Relax those tired muscles in the natural hot springs. More of a family resort, this is a gentle slope for beginners and intermediates. This is where you should end your trip and congratulate yourself on making it round the Powder Highway.

Of course it’s up to you if you ride in all the resorts or just a select few. You will usually find a mix of high end and budget accommodation: but be warned this is not a cheap part of the world. What is considered cheap in British Columbia would not be considered so by European standards. You can always try Air B&B and Couch surfing if you’re on a really tight budget.

This is a bucket list road trip, one the team of Sea to Sky would love to do – we better start saving.

www.powderhighway.com

Woods and Morgan fail to qualify for the final at X Games

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

British freeskier James Woods failed to qualify for the final in this year’s X Games Ski Slopestyle in Aspen, Colorado. Last year Woods took home a X Games bronze, was crowned World Champion and took sliver in the World Championships. Continue Reading →

Zoe Gillings fails to make it to the finals at the Olympics. Credit: @zoegillings

Zoe Gillings Pulls Out of X Games

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

Olympian Zoe Gillings has pulled out of the Winter X Games in Aspen after a heavy fall. Continue Reading →

13-year-old Chloe Kim pulls an awesome display at the Winter X games

13-Year-Old Chloe Kim Wins Silver at X Games Halfpipe

Posted on January 25, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

13-year-old American snowboarder, Chloe Kim, narrowly missed out on gold on her first X Games appearance. Continue Reading →

Funniest Ski Run Names

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

I don’t know if anyone else has noticed but some ski runs have some funny, rude and just plain weird names. Here is a selection of some of the best we have found. Continue Reading →

Champagne Powder in Big White

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Catrin Hughes

I turned around and looked out of the back window of the car; the garish lights of greater Vancouver are getting further and further away. A bight full moon and the outline of jagged snowcapped mountains lie ahead. Continue Reading →