Situated just minutes from Cambridge City Centre, close to Newmarket and a short drive from London, it is the perfect location for a holiday departure without the hustle and bustle of the large airports. Currently the airport operates very few flights however from September four new destinations will be added including Amsterdam, Paris, Milan and Geneva.
European airline Darwin Airline have now announced they will operate 24 weekly flights to Amsterdam, 12 weekly flights to Paris, 8 weekly flights to Milan and most excitingly for us skiers – 6 weekly flights to Geneva.
Geneva airport is the ultimate hub for skiers as it gives perfect access to all of the top French and Swiss resorts. Popular ski resorts 3 Valleys, Paradiski Port Du Soleil and Espace Killy are all closely accessible from Geneva as well as popular Swiss resorts Zermatt Verbier, St Moritz and Crans Montana. This news comes with lots of excitement for skiers, as it has come just in time for the 2013/2014 ski season and allows them to fly easily to their favourite snow resorts.
It has been revealed that there will even be some special packages offering direct ski flights from Cambridge to Geneva every Saturday throughout the ski season.
Maurizio Merlo, CEO at Darwin Airline, added, “As we expand within Europe, the UK is a key market for us to further establish and we are delighted to open our new base in the heart of East England’’.
Flights are already available to book from September 2nd, so it is definitely something for you to consider for your upcoming ski trip!
A giant airbag that was manufactured by the Canadian company Katal, was made to simulate a real jump and provide a shaped landing surface. Making its debut in UK it will be based at the Chill Factore in Manchester, before being taken to other indoor and dry slopes around the country. This project has been funded by Sport England and could not have come at a better time, with the 2014 Winter Olympics just around the corner.
Such airbags are important due to the often difficult training conditions of British freeskiers and snowboarders. Ski tricks can be dangerous so being able to try them on the airbag before taking to the snow is becoming vital, especially as tricks are progressing.
Pat Sharples, the GB Freeski head coach said "Having our own air bag in the UK will be hugely productive as this is the perfect way to safely help develop our young up and coming skiers and snowboarders hone their techniques and continue to drive the journey from homegrown grassroots sport to the top of the international podium. This is a massive step forward for our grassroots programs and UK based training camps."
The 2014 Winter Olympics will take place in Sochi, Russia and begin on 7th February, so being just eight months away it is vital our athletes get all the practice they can. After London 2012 there is even more excitement for Team GB to be as successful at the Winter Olympics. It has been reported that the team has some realistic medal chances at Sochi, so the airbag is a huge benefit for them during the next few months.
Source: PlanetSKI
Image Copyright of: Merinet.com
]]>Joachim Ronneberg, the last surviving member of an operation to sabotage Nazi heavy water production in 1943, attended the remembrance ceremony at the SOE memorial on Embankment.
The success of the raid made it impossible for the Nazis to build an atomic bomb, altering the course of World War Two.
The operation, code named Gunnerside, captured the public imagination with the 1965 film The Heroes of Telemark, starring Kirk Douglas.
Two gliders of Royal Engineers were initially sent to carry the raid, but the gliders crashed in bad weather and the survivors were captured and executed by the Germans. In February 1943, a smaller group of six Norwegian commandoes were parachuted into the wilderness to carry out the mission.
Skiing was a vital part of the operation. The Norwegian commandos skied to the factory in Telemark, planted explosives and escaped to Sweden on skis, being chased for a fortnight over 250 miles by 3000 German troops and the Luftwaffe. Ronneberg nonchalantly described their extraction from occupied Norway as “The very best skiing weekend I ever had”.
Such a phlegmatic approach to danger was greatly approved of by the British, who gave Lieutenant Ronneberg the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry. Ronneberg said he was glad to come to the ceremony in London, which gave him “a chance to remember my friends”.
“Somehow, we were lucky all the way”.
So if you need to destroy an enemy deuterium oxide plant deep in occupied territory, skiing clearly a crucial skill to have.
By Bernard Goyder
© Igluski.com
]]>The project has cost the Portes de Soleil €25 million. Thomas Moulton, who ran a chalet in Morzine before becoming a senior member of our sales team, views this as money well spent: "The new lift brings Morzine up to speed with its rivals in France, like Val d’Isere-Tignes and Meribel-Courchevel, which tend to have a more up to date lift systems than the Portes de Soleil".
Updating the Prodains Express is an important step in the process of boosting the popularity of Morzine as a world class ski destination. But Morzine has the advantage over rivals of not being as reliant on snow to function as a mountain adventure holiday resort. Legions of mountain bikers that head to the Portes de Soleil over the summer season, making the most of the extensive lift system.
The new lift will have considerably enhanced carrying capacity for both skiers and mountain bikers, taking over 2000 people an hour up the mountain, compared to 450 per hour for the old lift. As Mr Moulton says "this is an excellent investment in the future of Morzine".
By Bernard Goyder
© Igluski.com
]]>Switzerland has an incredible amount of powder due for late April, with Andermatt and Zermatt forecast astonishingly high snow levels, while the snow magnet that is Saas Fee is forecast 30cm over the next week.
France has a little snow on the way, but sunshine is the main theme of the week, with numerous bluebird days ahead. For the best of last week's powder, head to Val Thorens, Tignes and La Plagne.
Italy is due for the final sprinkling of the season, with the highest resorts Cervinia and Livignio forecast some of the best snow in Europe.
Austria is really where it's at this week, with massive dumps in the main resorts. St Anton is due 23cm next week to keep the party going, while 24cm are on way in Solden and Ischgl.
Skiers and boarders, enjoy these golden final weeks of the season, with skiing until 5.00pm and plentiful outdoor apres in the April sunshine. If you are quick, grab the chance to book the final spaces in the Chalet Cherrier in the centre of Val d'Isere at £349pp with catering, flights and transfers. And with next years deals now on sale, it is the perfect time to grab a great price for next year. See you next season.
The Snowman