2. 2 // MAY15PISTE
PISTE contents
42
THE EVOLUTION OF SKIING & SNOWBOARDING
We take a look back at where skiing and snowboarding all started
36
RISE OF THE WINTER FESTIVAL
Snowbombing/Snowboxx/Rock the
Pistes...it’s all about the winter festival
MERIBEL//PISTE’S PICK OF THE
SEASON
discover why this french resort is so
popular amongst us brits
16
22
ART WITHIN THE ALPS
Where the mountains have become the
new canvas for artists
LATEST NEWS 4
ON THE CHAIRLIFT WITH... 6
JARGON BUSTER 8
HELMET DEBATE 26
INTERNATIONAL SKI FEDERATION 28
MEET THE ROXY GIRLS
We introduce the girls who are making an
impact both on and off the slopes
52
31
COUNTDOWN TO THE NEXT GAMES
LETSHEARIT
FORTHEMAD
ONES
3. PISTE3 // MAY15
EDITOR
ellen.piste@outlook.com
Welcome to PISTE!
We are more than excited to bring you
our first issue and introduce you to the
world of PISTE.
Beingthisourfirsteverissuewethought
that an introduction to the publication
was necessary. What makes PISTE dif-
ferent to all the other ski magazines out
there you might be asking? Well, we cel-
ebrate the young ones and their inter-
ests within the skiing and snowboard-
ing world. We’re not going to bombard
you with features about where to plan
your next family holiday or how to get
your five year-old snowboarding and
what you and your family can get up to
whilst in the mountains. Here at PISTE
we want to educate our readers as well
as entertain. We’ve looked into the or-
igins of our sport and delved into the
evolution of both skiing and boarding.
Get excited with a look into the rise of
the winter festival with our top picks
of where you should go at least once in
your life. Along with our pick of the sea-
son, we introduce you to the legend that
is Shane McConkey and the ROXY girls
making an impact within the winter
sports world.
Along with our Boot Room, Gear Up
guide and PISTE Playlist, we’ve packed
our first issue with everything that’ll
sure to get you excited for next season.
We want to hear from you if there’s any-
thing you want more off or on the flip
side anything you hate. This publication
is all about you. We want to hear it for
the mad ones out there!
contents
BOOT ROOM, GEAR UP
12
PISTE’S PLAYLISTS
We create the perfect
playlist for both on
and off the slopes.
And for when it’s time
to sit back and relax
we’ve put together
some of our favourite
ski films 54
48
SHANE McCONKEY
The legend that changed the skiing world. PISTE looks back at
the life and death of one of the world’s iconic skiers
LES ALLUES, RHONE-ALPS
Who needs a thousand words with images like these
32
4. 4 // MAY15PISTE
LATEST NEWS
Industrial designer and constructor Michal Bonikow-
ski has recently revealed a imaginative take on the
snowmobile with a sleek and futuristic look that brings
functionality, jaw-dropping aesthetics and distinctive
lines to create a one-off a kind winter ride.
What makes the Snow Crawler concept different by
the Polish designer is that it is fully enclosed, provid-
ing ultimate protection from the harsh weather and
guaranteeing top comfort for the driver. So far there is
no plan for the Snow Crawler to be manufactured with
the designer not considering price ranges in case the
vehicle hits the market or not. At this point in time it’s
just going to have to sit on Bonikowski’s screen and
look pretty.
The Snow Crawler
Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK), the charity behind the
2014’s Winter Paralympics success held their ParaS-
nowBall last month in aid to raise funds and boost the
charity’s profile. Put on with the help of British Ski and
Snowboards sponsor Delancey, the event was the first
of it’s kind for DSUK and chief executive, Fiona Young
hopes will be one of more to come.
With the help of Pippa Middleton and some of the UK’s
best athletes including Paralympians Ben Sneesby and
Millie Knight, the ball raised over £40,000 whilst cele-
brating the best of British winter sports.
Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK)
Before the 2014/15 season had even begun, predic-
tions showed that there would be little snow. No-
body expected that these forecasts would turn out
to be such a nightmare for ski-goers. Many resorts,
which are known for good snow, didn’t get the
white stuff up until late December, early January.
Due to lack of snow, many resorts have had to shut
shop early cutting short thousands of holidays. It’s
not just lack of snow that put holidays on hold. Ski
holidays within the French Alps were ruined when
too much snowfall left everyone stranded in their
cars and chalets for over 24 hours. A huge num-
ber of skiers and snowboarders throughout many
resorts were lucky to spend at least one day on the
slopes
Worst Ski Season yet
5. PISTE5 // MAY15
LATEST NEWS
Selfies on the slope
Now we all love a good selfie, right? But this past
year, people have been taking them to a whole new
level of extreme. With the arrival of the selfie stick
late last year, people have stepped their selfie game
up. But now people have started to put their lives in
danger to get the ultimate shot.
A British schoolboy, aged 14, fell 1,640 feet off a cliff
edge and shockingly came out with just bumps and
bruises. The boy from Leeds fell on the last day of a
school trip to the Möltal Glacier in the Austrian Alps
when the group stopped at the peak of Mount Scha-
rek to take photos of themselves within the idyllic
backdrop.
This incident is the second-selfie related accident in
a ski resort to be reported within the month after a
28-year old Australian survived a 1,000 foot fall after
crossing the boundary line to get a shot with the
perfect Alpine background in the Grand Targhee area
in Wyoming.
The boy was quickly airlifted to hospital, 20 miles
away, where he was said to suffer from severe shock
and kept for observation.
A spokesperson for mountain rescue said: “It’s a mir-
acle really. We strongly urge all visitors to keep away
from the mountain edge.”
“And I can imagine he has got quite an interesting
selfie to show off.”
An Australian skier who was buried alive and consid-
ered dead in after getting caught up in an avalanche
in a Swiss ski resort had to be rescued by his friends
earlier this month. James Mort was skiing off piste
with three friends in Les Crosets when they were
caught in an avalanche. Fellow Australian, Daniel
O’Sullivan and Leonard Ottensmeyer from Swit-
zerland were able to stay on top of the snow whilst
James became completely buried. The third friend,
Andrew Sebesfi, took a different trial and was able to
go seek help.
The terrifying ordeal was captured by Daniel’s GoPro
head camera, once the avalanche had come to a stop;
the friends looked around but were unable to see
James. After getting out his shovel and probe to find
his friend he noticed the end of a ski pole sticking out
of the snow and frantically waving in the air.
His friends crawled their way over to the pole and
began digging and were soon able to uncover a shak-
en and shell-shocked James. It took almost an hour
to dig the skier out with the help of two Swiss ski
patrollers.
Vouched to never ski off piste again, the group has
promised one another to “always practice conserva-
tive decision-making when in the mountains, taking
into account the local avalanche conditions.”
Australian down under
6. 6 // MAY15PISTE
on the chairlift with...
Q: How did you get into ski Half-
pipe?
I had a go in the halfpipe at Sheffield Ski Village
when I was 14, and loved it. I used to BMX race
and skied since I was 5 so I already learned the
pump technique and edge control to get height
out of the Halfpipe. The Dryslope Halfpipe was
half the height of the ones on snow, it was a lot of
fun but I picked up some bad habits because of
this. As soon as I decided to train with U.S team
coach Elana Chase in 2008 in Colorado, I learnt
the biomechanics of the sport and then I really
started to progress.
Q: What made you turn a hobby
into a profession?
It happened naturally and as I got my name
out there, I gained personal sponsorship deals
which helped me travel internationally. When I
graduated university in summer 2013 I decided
to pour all my energy into skiing as I wanted
to become an Olympian. Today we have more
support which is all down to the GBParkandPipe
team funded by UK sport, we can access
coaching, strength and conditioning and Physio
at competitions.
Q: Typical training session -
what’s it like?
I wake up, foam roll then ski. In the afternoon
I’ll hit the gym. I start off with mobility and
a dynamic stretch warm up, then I’ll do a
combination of strength, core, cardio, balance,
rehab and plyometrics depending on the day
of the week and time of the year. I do a lot of
functional exercises such as Olympic lifts, which
develop multiple muscle groups at once rather
than using a machine which will only target one
muscle group at a time.
Q: Worst injury? What is it like to
come back from an injury?
I ruptured my left ACL and lateral meniscus in
2012, 4 months after the surgery i developed a
misdiagnosed infection, which developed into
septicaemia. I was in hospital for a week and
lost the majority of the muscle on my left leg. At
that point I was just happy enough to be alive. It
took me 12 months to get back on skis and was
a brutal physical and mental battle every day to
overcome. When I got back on snow, I learnt to
ski again and it was the best feeling I’ve ever had.
My first World Cup back after the injury I broke
my thumb in training but went onto qualifying
for the Olympic team in a cast, I couldn’t hold
my pole properly but was so determined I gave
it everything I had. It was the last opportunity to
qualify and i put it in the back of my mind and
skied well, qualifying a few weeks before the
Olympics. To overcome that makes me believe
anything is possible.
Q: If you had not chosen to go
pro what would you be doing
instead?
I’d probably take a career as a commercial airline
pilot, so I’d still have a similar lifestyle which
included travel whilst having days off to go on ski
trips.
Q: What do you do in your
downtime?
I’m getting into road cycling and during the
summer in Park City I ride my mountain bike on
the trails in the Mountains at 8,000ft it’s a killer
workout. I also ride my penny board, hit the
water ramps, trampoline, play volleyball and stay
as active as I can.
james
machon
7. PISTE7 // MAY15
Q: Who are your sporting
inspirations?
I grew up watching the X Games on the Extreme
channel when T-Hall was in his prime. Dumont for
being in my opinion one of the greatest athletes
in any sport. More recently Lyndsey Vonn for her
dedication to overcome her second ACL injury.
Torin Wallace who i skied with since he was 12
and watching how he has become one of the
greatest Halfpipe skiers of our time. I can’t forget
my roots at the Sheffield Ski Village, skiing all
night long in the rain with friends and getting so
stoked on new tricks. It was a combination of all
those things that gave me inspiration I needed to
get where I am today.
Q: How was it competing at the
Sochi 2014 games?
I was in Russia for 3 weeks, the experience of
the games was crazy. I was one of 52 athletes
on TeamGB, a very small elite team compared
with the summer games, which take over 500
athletes on TeamGB. I was able to get advice
and meet some of the greatest names in British
sport including Seb Coe, Jonathan Edwards and
Princess Ann. It was cool to meet other athletes
with the same goal but in different sports and
hear their stories. The support from everyone on
social media was over whelming and TeamGB’s
hospitality and support was impressive.
Q: Any pre competition rituals/
traditions?
When it competes to competitions, I’ve found
that it pays off to be as organised as possible. Be
prepared if you have any issues. I always carry a
screw driver, spare break, physio tape, umbrella
if it’s raining, warm clothes, goggle wipes,
spare earphones, be as prepared as possible to
eliminate any stress.
Q: What has been your greatest
achievement so far?
In January this year I placed 8th in the World
Championships in Kreischberg, Austria. It’s the
first time I’ve cracked into the top 10 in the
World, I skied my absolute best and was the most
consistent in the competition landing all 3 runs,
making it a huge performance. My parents were
there too watch in the crowd whilst Rob Machon
my brother was keeping sure I was on top of
every single training run, to get me in that final.
I trained repetitions of full runs improving every
little detail, I counted landing 15 consecutive
1080’s in a row during training so when I was
in the competition I was really confident, and
it worked. Throughout all of this i would like to
thank my sponsors Volkl skis, Wosskow Brown
Solicitors, Dare2b clothing, Nordica boots,
Snozone, UK Sport’
Q: What’s your ultimate goal?
My ultimate goal was to compete at an Olympic
Games, and now I’ve done that I want to ski at the
highest level for as long as possible.
Photo: James Machon
8. 8 // MAY15PISTE
You might be reading this thinking; ‘’I know every word out there’’ but even we must admit,
some we had never even heard of. So we’d thought we’d create a little dictionary for you so
that you are fully equipped and in the know when talking about what everyone got up to on
the slopes that day.
JARGON BUSTER
APRES SKI
Literal meaning, ‘after ski’ but we all know
that this refers to the nightly socially
assault course, which is preferred by some
rather than skiing itself
AVIE
Avalanche, obviously
A
BIFF
Brief uphill fall and quick recovery
BIG AIR
Leaving the ground for at least a couple of
seconds
BOMBING
Recklessly going downhill at high speed
BONO
Skiing full speed into a tree
BROS
Fellow rippers and shredders out there
having fun
BUTT-DRAGGER
Beginner snowboarder
BUTT-PLANT
Falling flat on your arse, the way it should
be
B
CARVAHOLIC
Skier/boarder addicted to carving
CARVING
Turning with the dug-in edge of a ski or
board, producing a crisp, clean arc without
skidding/side-slipping
CHAMPAGNE POWDER
Light and feathery snow - the best kind
CHINESE DOWNHILL
Races where everyone starts together
CHOCOLATE CHIPS
Clusters of rocks poking out of the snow
CLAMPS
Bindings. Bindings you may ask? That’s
what connects your boot to your ski
CRUISING
Making big turns at high speeds
CRUST
Frozen surface covering loose snow
C
EAGLE/SPREAD EAGLE
Aerial with your legs and arms spread
apart
EXTREME
Ski conditions that puts your life in
complete and utter danger
E
9. PISTE9 // MAY15
FACE-PLANT
Falling face down - brutal but always a
laugh
FAKIE
Skiing/boarding backwards
FRESHIES
Fresh, untouched snow
F
G GAPERS
Spectators who chose to stand in the most
ridiculous places on the piste ever
GNARLY
Challenging conditions
GOODS/THE GOODS
Untracked powder…’Show me the goods!’
GORILLA TURN
Using your whole body to turn
HINGE
Falling downhill with force
HOHO
Handstand on the apex of a half-pipe.
Confused as to what a half-pipe is? Literally
half a pipe shape in the snow where
skiers/boarders are flipping and tricking
all over the show
HOOKING
To turn a ski uncontrollably
H
HUCK
To ski off a cliff - catching big air
K
L
KICKER
A big hit to the body
KNUCKLE-DRAGGER
A carving snowboarder
KODAK COURAGE
The act of foolishnessly skiing, inspired by
nearby photographers
M
LIFTIE
Lift operators
LIFT LICKERS
Kids who can’t resist the urge of licking the
chairlift
LUNCH TRAY
Snowboard
MANKY
That nasty stench you emit after a hard day
on the slopes
MILK RUN
First ski of the day
MOGUL
Those bumps in the snow that are a right
pain to get round – guaranteed to butt-
plant or face-plant
JARGON BUSTER
10. 10 // MAY15PISTE
P PACK
To slam hard
PARK
Snowboard terrain areas with hits and
half-pipes
PLANKER
Your ski
POACHING
skiing out of bounds
POOPING
Sitting back on your skis like you’re on the
loo
POSING
What ski bunnies are all about; trying to
get noticed
POSSE
The crew you ski/ride with
POW-POW
Freshly fallen snow
POWDER PIG
Skier/ride prone to wallowing in the deep
stuff
S
RAG DOLL
When someone tumbles downhill usually
all limp and most likely unconscious
RIPPER
An impressive/accomplished skier
RUN RUBBISH
Packs of boarders blocking the run
SCRAPERS
Boarders who sit on their butts and scrape
their way downhill
SCREAMING STARFISH
Someone cartwheeling downhill whilst
screaming for their life
SHREDDER
An accomplished boarder
SICK
Extreme/dangerous/insane
SITZMARK
Impressions left by a fall
SKI BUM
One who lives to ski and avoids anything
that isn’t, i.e.. work
Q QUIVER
One’s collection of skis - a different pair for
every occasion, obviously
R
O OLLIE
Snowboarding pre-jump move
JARGON BUSTER
11. PISTE11 // MAY15
T
SKI BUNNY
A novice female skier out who appears
concerned with their looks rather than
hitting the slopes
SLAM
To crash or fall hard
SMACK
Talking smack/bragging
SNOTISCLE
Frozen nasal discharge…we all get it, no
need to be ashamed
SNOW SCUM
Those who choose to ignore the
responsibility code…you know who you
are
STACK
To land a jump
V
W
TEN EIGHTY-THREE - ONE
Everyone should know this- ski school
code for lost child
TOILET TURNS
Sloppy turns made in pooping position
TRENCH
Deeply-carved track of a ski/board
TRUSTAFARIAN
Rich but ragged ski bum
VERMIN
Groups of boarders or skiers blocking
access to the lift lines
Y
Z
WEDGE
Snowplow position
WINTER THEME PARK
A ski area that has become over-run
with snow toys…we’re looking at you ski
schools
WHITE ROOM
Deep, dry powder
YARD SALE
A major fall in which the skier/boarder
loses their poles/skis/board/hats/gloves
etc..resulting in a yard sale
ZIPPER LINE
The fastest route down a mogul field
JARGON BUSTER
12. 12 // MAY15PISTE
gear
up
ARC’TERYX
WOMEN’S SCIMITAR GTX
PRO JACKET
£480
HELLY HANSEN
MEN’S LAZER JACKET
£280
ARC’TERYX
WOMEN’S AZETTA GTX
PRO PANT
£420
CASCO SP-3
LIMITED PEACOCK
£1300
SALOMON
UNISEX X TEND
£130
BOLLE
UNISEX NOVA II
GOGGLE
£79.99
SMITH
UNISEX I/O
GOGGLE
£160
Now, there’s no point hitting
the slopes with all the skill
and expertise if you’re going to
wear some beat-up onesies from
the Eighties, is there? Don’t get
us wrong, we do love a good
technicolour onesie but it’s time to
update your look. We’re not going
to bombard you with all the latest
trends and ‘must-haves’, we’re going
to keep it simple and let you have a
little browse at what some of the
best snow sports brands have to
offer from jackets and salopettes
to boots and boards. You’ll be
suited and booted in no time!
SINNER
CRYSTAL SKI
HELMET
£130
SALOMON
UNISEX X
TEND
SMALL
£130
13. PISTE13 // MAY15
ROXY
DAZED JACKET
£420
SALOMON
MEN’S BRIGADE
£80
BERN
WOMEN’S MUSE
£84
ANON
UNISEX HAWKEYE
GOGGLE
£94.99
THE NORTH FACE
WOMEN’S SICKLINE
JACKET
£280
OAKLEY
MEN’S FLEET
PANT
£125
POIVRE
BLANC
FAUX
FUR
OVER-
ALL
£440
THE NORTH FACE
MEN’S BANSKO
£175
OAKLEY
UNISEX A FRAME
2.0 GOGGLE
£120
17. PISTE17 // MAY15
MeribelLes Trois Vallees; the largest
ski are in the world, and
arguably the best ski resort
within Europe. Made up of
eight resorts, the Vallees
offers some of the best slopes
that the world has to offer,
and what’s best about this
breath-taking place… Méribel.
Discovered by a Scottish
soldier, Peter Lindsay who
was looking for a new site
for winter sports away from
your typical ski resorts
found within Austria and
Germany. This alpine village
has been popular amongst
ski-goers for over 70 years
and over time has only
got better. Evolving from a
small mountain village to
the largest within the valley,
Méribel has rightly so been
christened the largest and
most attractive resort within
the Alps. Made up of private
chalets and larger apartment
chalets, as well as boutiques
and high-quality sports
facilities, the village blends
itself into the woodland
PISTE
pick of
the
season
surroundings, creating a
real chalet atmosphere.
Explore the village’s heritage
by simply taking a wonder
down the walking paths
and chairlifts available for
pedestrians. There you
may stumble upon ancient
alleyways leading you to
chapels, baroque churches
and communal ovens, giving
you an insight into the
heritage of this endlessly
charming resort.
The resort itself, Méribel
-Mottaret, can be found
within the heart of the
Les Trois Vallees, situated
between neighbouring
resorts Courchevel and Val
Thorens - the best location
possible. With a single ski
pass, not only do you have
instant access to 150km of
pistes within the village,
by a single chairlift you can
jump from valley to valley,
exploring 600km of the
world’s most extraordinary
ski area. What more could
you possibly ask for?! ItAll Photography: ellen austin
18. 18 // MAY15PISTE
and workies. It’s not just the
slopes that draw people in; it’s
the whole atmosphere. When
you’re there, you feel carefree.
The sun is shinning, the runs
are the best that the world has
to offer and the people simply
love life.
A major contributing factor
for seasonaires as to where
to go is of course the après
ski. Don’t kid yourself, you
love the slopes but you live
for the nightlife. As soon as
it hits 4:30pm, it’s as though
something takes over in the air
and sends everyone into some
sort of craze. Everyone rushes
to the nearest bar and the party
starts. An all-time fave amongst
après-ski goers is the world
famous, Le Rond Point aka
‘The Ronnie’. Situated directly
below the first drop-off point of
the Rhodos Lift, you can easily
ski-in, prop your skis up and
get the party started. With a
newly refurbished decking and
snack bar, this is the ultimate
après-ski destination. Every
night you can find a live band
playing inside with workers,
students and even families
dancing the night away. If it’s
more of a club vibe you are
looking for then O’Sullivans
Den and Club is the place for
you. Doors open at 10pm and
stay open until four in the
morning. A ‘quintessential’
part of Méribel’s nightlife, this
underground club is where
its at. Not only known for
their events and great sounds,
big time DJ’s often grace this
hotspot with their presence.
Known for it’s luxurious
catered chalets rather
than budget hotels and
accommodation, for instance,
did you know that Méribel
offers more chalets than any
other Alpine resort? Méribel
-Mottaret still offers a wide
range of top-notch hotels. With
only one five-star hotel, Hôtel
Le Kaïla, you be looking at
forking out a £158 per night,
but with a ‘Nuxe’ spa with large
swimming pool, six treatment
rooms, sauna and remarkable
ice fountain it could be
somewhat worth it, if you’re
a ski bunny that is… If you’re
not only offers some of the
best runs and powder to test
the abilities enthusiasts and
thrill-seekers but also being
predominantly made up of blue
runs; this resort is ideal for
families with areas for all levels
of skiers and boarders.
God forbid you get bored of
the slopes and fancy an off-day
then you’re in luck. The resort
offers many extra-curricular
activities from relaxation days
at one of their many spas on
offer to finding your kicks off
piste, from paragliding and
flying to swimming and ice-
skating at the famous Olympic
sports complex. Méribel really
does have it all.
For all you ski bums out there
who are considering working
a season and are yet to decide
on where to go, Méribel is the
place. It’s not just the go-to
place for families and loved-
up couples, this resort as well
as neighbouring Courchevel
and Val Thorens are just as
popular amongst students
19. PISTE19 // MAY15
For more information visit Méribel
Tourisme at meribel.net
working on a “budget” then Le
Merilys is the one for you, at
£70 per night, this B&B hotel,
situated right next The Ronnie
is perfect for a few nights away
with friends, with good value
for your money too.
What people love about this
resort can’t be determined by
one thing alone. It’s not just
the slopes that makes people
return to this endearing place.
It’s the whole environment.
It’s our pick of the season
because it truly is one of the
best resorts that we have been
to and keep making our way
back there every season. Yes,
the resort is made up of mainly
blue runs, but those are still
some of the best runs you will
find and those reds and blacks
are sure to test not only your
skills but also your nerves!
The snow, the powder, the
mountains, everything makes
you fall in love with this place.
24. 24 // MAY15PISTE
Art au Sommet
The beginning of December
last year saw the mountains
become a canvas for the art
world. From the heart of
resort to the top of the track,
Courchevel has partnered
up with Bartoux Galleries
once again to add even more
beauty to the French Alps.
The exhibition ‘Courchevel:
l’Art au Sommet’ showcases
the work of two major artists
of contemporary art, Romero
Britto and Richard Orlinksi.
Four monumental sculptures
can be admired on the runs
whilst others can be discovered
throughout ‘Courchevel 1850’.
Both artists offer something
impressively unique that offers
a real artistic experience that
can be admired by all.
Brazilian-born and Miami-
made, Romero Britto has
become an internationally
renowned, iconic pop artist
unlike any other artist out
there. He is able to capture the
attention of youthful spirits
and educated art collectors
alike through the use of vibrant
colours, playful themes and
hard-edged compositions.
Britto, himself states that ‘art
is too important not to share’
which is one of the contributing
factors that makes him so
popular across the board. He
evokes happiness and hope
using a visual language of
warmth, optimism and love
that is simply relatable to
all – his work throughout
Courchevel is just this. With the
lovers embracing one another
- and one of our personal
favourites - this installation
perfectly exudes joy and
hope, two of Britto’s favourite
themes. Just looking at the two
and the happiness that Britto
has managed to capture and
portray within the sculpture
is enough to put a smile on
anyone’s face, and rightly so
be admired by all. Britto’s
works are currently on display
in more than 100 countries –
proof of his global success.
The other artist being
showcased is Richard Orlinski.
After graduating from the Ecole
Nationale d’Arts Plastiques,
Orlinski decided to focus on
sculptures through industrial
materials with references to
pop art. He firmly believes in
working in the here and now
through industrial means to
create works that challenge
the way consumer society
perceives the world. His
sculptures found within the
Les Trois Vallees does just
that. His hard-hitting, cutting-
edge howling wolf and bear
sculptures have a real impact
not only on the viewer but also
within the surroundings. Which
is something that Orlinski
aspires to do – he explores the
question of the impact in the
public realm and on the public.
With these chosen two artists
and their work, Courchevel
and Bartoux Galleries have
got it right. The juxtaposition
of the bold colours and soft
edges of Britto’s work to
Orlinski’s monotone, hard-
hitting sculptures have given
the public something to really
admire and appreciate. They
add to fun-lovingness of the
skiing and snowboarding world
and make the mountains even
more beautiful than what they
are.
25. PISTE25 // MAY15
Left: Orlinski’s bear
sculpture
Middle: Romero Britto’s
Lovers statue within the
town of courchevel
Right: Another of Orlinski’s
Bear sculpture’s
27. PISTE27 // MAY15
December 2013 sent shockwaves
throughout the sporting world when
Formula One legend and skiing enthusiast
Michael Schumacher was involved in a
catastrophic accident that has left him
fighting for his life. Schumacher suffered
life-threatening head injuries when
reportedly travelling at a speed of 50mph,
hit a concealed rock catapulting him into
the air and landing head-first on another
rock in an off-piste area at Meribel in the
French Alps. Even though the helmet split
into two upon impact, the fact he was
wearing a helmet saved the racing driver’s
life - only adding to the much-discussed
helmet debate…to wear or not to wear?
In the past the helmet debate used to
have two clear opinions: some saying they
need to feel the wind in their hair and let
loose, against the ‘health and safety gone
mad’ legislators. But since accidents and
deaths from well-known celebrities such
as Natasha Richardson and Schumacher
have come into the limelight, opinions
and trends alike have changed. A poll
from a British newspaper undertaken at
the end of 2014’s season found that 71
per cent of its skiing readers now wore
helmets. Whereas two years previous, the
poll found that just 39 per cent wore head
protection; a major shift.
The immediate aftermath of Schumacher’s
crash brought a mainstream adoption of
wearing helmets on the slopes as well as a
surge in helmet sales during the first week
of 2014, showing that the helmet was the
latest ‘must-have’ for the season.
What may be surprising to some are the
ones who are keen to wear lids; the skiing
youth. The poll undertaken by a British
newspaper found that the youngens are
the ones to put the lid on first and jump
on the health and safety bandwagon.
However, there is of course an underlining
The helmet debate continues...
reason as to why young adults have
decided to wear helmets - if you’re not
wearing a lid you’re obviously not trying
hard enough. Thrill chasers and adrenaline
junkies alike are pushing the boundaries
on their abilities; its common nowadays to
see skiers and snowboarders doing flips
and tricks with trails within the off-piste
mountaintops where the fearless attempt
the impossible. Without a helmet you’re
just asking for it.
Not only are the youth taking necessary
precautions, but it could also be said
that they are keeping up with the latest
trends within the slopes. There was once
a time when your parents had to force
you to put a lid on it making you feel like
a total nerd and embarrassed to even
leave the hotel – we’ve all been there!
But now it would appear that skiers and
snowboarders are proud to be seen with a
helmet, especially if they’re equipped with
the latest technologies and materials. You
can now find helmets, such as the Salomon
Quest and Anon Thompson, which have
audio devices built within allowing you
to create the perfect soundtrack whilst
slaloming your way through the run. No
longer do we also have to put up will dull
and ugly looking helmets. Whatever takes
your fancy; brands such as Giro, Atomic
or Poc have the helmet for you. Whether
its pink and matted like the Giro Discord
or patterned and shiny like the Casco SP-3
Limited Peacock, the popularity of head
protection has risen in recent years and
so has the choice. Just like the rest of your
gear, your lid can say a lot about you.
At the end of the day, it’s down to the
person and their attitudes towards head
protection. The only advice that we can
offer those who doubt that wearing a
helmet can actually prevent injury is ‘use
your head’.
28. 28 // MAY15PISTE
international
ski federation...
blessing or
hindrance?
Back in January of this year, the International Ski
Federation caused major controversy amongst
the skiing and snowboarding world when they
scheduled the World Championships to coincide
with the X Games hosted by sports broadcaster
ESPN which focuses purely on extreme sports.
The International Ski Federation or FIS, founded
in 1924, is the world’s highest governing body
for international skiing and snowboarding.
They are the ones responsible for the Olympic
disciplines of alpine, cross-country, ski jumping,
Nordic combined, freestyle and snowboarding,
setting the international competition rules and
scheduling of all events.
The Winter X Games takes place at the back
end of January through to the beginning of
February every year and hugely popular
amongst professionals due to the games being
a key stepping stone in getting freestyle ski and
boarding to the masses. Athletes such as three-
times X Games Ski Superpipe gold medal winner
and 2014 World Champion, David Wise has
stated that the FIS has “crossed the line” with
this scheduling blunder.
Not many people seem to recognise the
significance that the X Games has had upon the
free-ski culture. Many professionals including
Wise have said that without the games their
professional status and career would be non-
existent. Wise himself on his blog commented on
how without the X Games he would “not be able
to be doing what I am doing today”’
By scheduling the World Championships at the
same time the Federation it is clear that they
knew exactly when they would be and this
has put doubts into my athletes minds, that
whether of not the Federation is there to benefit
the athletes and the sport or the Federation
themselves. The sole purpose as to why athletes
go to the Championships is to gain world
Photo: horizon festival
29. PISTE29 // MAY15
championship status and/or to defend their titles
but this year the FIS has made this impossible.
The X Games has always been scheduled the
weekend before the Super Bowl, when no
football is broadcasted in the US and for the FIS
to not even consider the clashing of events and
re-scheduling so that athletes could attend both
has resulted in athletes starting to question their
motives.
This isn’t the first time that the FIS has had their
motives questioned. In 2011, new equipment
safety rules were put into place meant that skis
for the 2012 Alpine World Cup season must not
have a radius smaller than 40 meters, compared
to the old regulations of a 27 meter radius.
Meaning that the longer required skis will change
technique and making the turns less aggressive,
which is something that will change the whole
sport of Alpine and Giant Slalom (GS). A shorter
ski, especially for GS allows athletes to turn more
aggressively and sharper.
Patrick Riml, the Alpine director of the United
States Ski and Snowboard Association at the time
showed his concern, stating, “The sport is really
cool right now. It’s aggressive. It’s spectacular
and we don’t feel like we should just give that
away. Of course everyone wants it to be safe.”
But safety can’t just be put down to the
equipment, especially in sports such as skiing
and snowboarding. It’s the course, the snow,
the contour of the hill, the weather… the list is
endless. Scott Mathers, training director at Alf
Engen Ski School in Utah, agrees that safety is
much more than the skis, “this thing is beyond
understanding. I made a list of 20-odd reasons
why this is a bad idea, and I had one on the
positive side.”
It seems as though from these two examples that
the FIS is somewhat out of touch with the sport.
It may come across as though they aren’t thinking
about the impact of their actions in terms of the
athletes. They say that they want to prioritise
efforts to promote widespread participation yet
if they continue to bring in regulations that make
this goal unachievable, then they will be getting
nowhere and the efforts that have already been
made to make skiing and snowboarding what
they are have gone to waste. On the flip side, on
their website they state that for the future, the
sport “cannot and must not be solely focused on
organising commercially successful competitions
at the elite level.”
This latest mishap might just be the breaking
point for the athletes and the sport. Outspoken
American skier, Ted Ligety, has gone as far as
saying ‘FIS’s tyranny has gone on long enough.
It seems FIS is going out of their way to ruin the
sport. FIS runs a dictatorship.” Only time will tell.
Will the Federation buck up their ideas and start
to take their members and athletes needs into
consideration or will they just be oblivious to the
repercussions of their actions and carry on doing
whatever they feel is ‘necessary’.
30. 30 // MAY15PISTE
rowan
cheshire
Q: How did you get into ski
halfpipe?
I started skiing at the local dry slope and
soon heard about freestyle and camps that
I could attend. I went abroad on a camp to
Saas fee when I was 12 and that’s when I first
discovered the pipe.
Q: What made you want to turn a
hobby into a profession?
Just for the love of the sport. I started
competing and really enjoyed it and it just
escalated.
Q: What has been your greatest
achievement so far?
Winning the World Cup in Calgary 2014 and
qualifying for the Sochi Winter Olympics.
Q: What’s your ultimate goal?
To podium at the Olympics.
Q: Who are your sporting
inspirations both inside and outside
your sport and why?
Sarah Burke, because she really made a
difference in the sport, especially female skiing.
I watch quite a few extreme sports and take
inspiration from all the successful athletes that
do them.
Q: Typical training session – what’s
it like?
I have a good crew with me when I travel so
the training sessions are always really fun and
great vibes. I learn better when I’m having fun!
Q: Worst injury? What’s it like to
come back from an injury?
Probably my concussions would be the worst.
They really mess with your head during and
afterwards. Not a pleasant experience! It’s just
finding the confidence to get back out there and
usually it just takes time and the right mind set.
Q: If you had not chosen to go pro
what would you be doing instead?
I’m not really sure... I’d probably be in uni
studying some kind of arty subject.
Q: Any pre-competition rituals/
traditions?
Just having my music playing and not watching
the other athletes runs! A good stretch before
always helps.
one to watch...
Photo: W Athletic
31. PISTE31 // MAY15
Back in February, South Korea celebrated the
three-year countdown to the start of the 2018
Winter Olympics with a series of events held
throughout the host city of Pyeongchang.
The organising committee along with over
500 spectators honoured the milestone at
Pyeongchang’s ski jumping centre and Olympic
stadium site to mark the build-up to the games.
Over 50,000 athletes from over 90 countries
are set to compete in various disciplines from
alpine skiing, snowboarding, luge and figure
skating.
With Pyeongchang hosting, this makes them the
second Asian city to do so. Japan, welcomed the
Winter Olympics in 1972 and 1998, with South
Korea hosting the Summer Olympics in 1988.
Making South Korea, the eighth country to host
both the Winter and Summer Games.
Winning the bid for the host city back in July
2011, the city selected by the International
Olympic Committee beat the likes of Munich
and Annecy. After losing their past two bids to
Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014, it was
third time’s a charm for Pyeongchang when
they won 63 out of the possible 95 votes.
The games will take place over a two-week
period starting February 9th, 2018 with the
opening ceremony and all the action kick-
starting February 10th with luge, speed skating
and ice hockey, amongst other sports.
“Everyone involved in the games should
consider themselves as a national
representative and give their best,” Kim Jong,
an official within South Korea’s sports ministry,
said. “We are now at a critical point where the
success of the games will be determined.”
Sochi 2014 was one of the most successful
Winter Games; with the home nation taking
home thirteen gold medals and 33 total top
three finishes. From their opening ceremony
to the closing, everything was spectacular - the
locations, the performances and the athletes,
truly something to be proud of. Pyeongchang
has to pull out all the stops to top Sochi’s
efforts.
We hate to say this but not only are we looking
forward to the Games themselves but we are
eagerly anticipating the opening ceremony. We
don’t truly know what to expect because this
is South Korea and anything could happen.
But regardless of the outcome of the opening
ceremony, cause let’s be honest, us spectators
will be judging from the get-go. Obviously
we’re here for the sport and the athletes but
who doesn’t love a good fireworks display.
Pyeongchang
2018
The countdown has begun
38. 38 // MAY15PISTE
For anyone who hasn’t got any clue
and has been living under a rock for
a few years then you’re probably
thinking a winter festival? How
absurd! You can’t possibly have
a good time at a winter festival,
and how it’s all about the summer
festivals such as Benicassim or
Hideout, where you can go on
holiday, catch some rays, get pissed
and enjoy the sounds of the world’s
biggest artists.
Some may find it hard to believe, but
winter festivals are pretty much the
same, but better. Winter festivals
you can combine two loves – snow
sports and music; its where the
mountains and music combine, “the
concept is original and mix several
passions” says press officer of Rock
the Pistes, Clemence Chazeau. Just
because you’re not in your favourite
swimsuit and frolicking in the sea
doesn’t mean you’re not going to
have a good time. Wrapped up in
you’re woolly hats and ski jacket,
dressed the same as everyone else
whilst enjoying some of the biggest
names in music and surrounded by
some of the world’s most beautiful
views…what’s not to like about that?
“everything is
amplified by 100 per
cent”
Over the past decade, winter
festivals have become just as
popular as summer festivals due
to not just the nature of the whole
experience but also thanks to the
exposure that they are receiving.
As skiing and boarding’s popularity
continues to grow it would
only seem fitting that they have
something on offer, from cheaper ski
holidays packages to the chance to
see international acts such as Fatboy
Slim, Basement Jaxx and Skrillex, to
name a few.
Unlike summer festivals, they
are more than a festival. It’s not
just ski and sound on offer. In the
beginning, it was all about the
acts and the snow. Yet over time
festival directors have realised that
it’s much more than this. They are
a unique experience. “When you
take a festival atmosphere and
putting it in a unique location as a
ski resort, everything is amplified
by 100 per cent” says Snowboxx
festival director, Oliver Senior.
“There’s something about being in
the mountains that turbo charges
everyone’s senses of fun and
adventure – when this is combined
with music and festival activities,
you’ve got something amazing.”
Just because these festivals take
place within the mountains, doesn’t
mean you have to be some sort
of expert skier or boarder. The
majority of festivals offer packages
that include not just the wristband
but accommodation, flights, ski
passes, lessons, equipment hire, the
lot. Everyone is catered for - you
get to enjoy yourself throughout the
day either learning for the first time
to ski/board or just having fun with
your posse from piste to piste, then
as soon as 4:30pm hits, its party
time.
From late afternoon onwards this is
where the real partying starts. Like
any other day, you start off with a
little après-ski at some of the best
hotspots the world has to offer. This
year, Snowboxx has secured world-
renowned après-ski destination, La
Folie Douce within Les Trois Vallees
as one of their sites. Described as
“sweet madness” and “if you like to
39. PISTE39 // MAY15
photo: horizon festival
photo: andrew whitton
party mid-afternoon on the slopes
this is the place,” DJ’s, dancers,
singers and musicians along with
champagne showers has made this
venue a must-see and the fact that
Snowboxx will be hosting events
here is one not to be missed.
So why are these festivals so much
better than you’re bog-standard
summer festival? Well, firstly you
don’t have to be somewhat naked
and body conscious whilst you rave
the night away. You don’t have to
make an effort, apart from when
it comes down to the fancy dress
element. You can 100 per cent
guarantee that every festival will
have a fancy dress event. World
famous Snowbombing takes pride in
their fancy dress event by dedicated
a whole 24-hour period to the cause.
In previous years themes have
ranged from Superhero Road Trip
to Space Odyssey Europahaus. This
year sees the festival go “full beast
mode” with their first theme of
“Into the Wild”. Other festivals aren’t
missing out on the action either;
Snowboxx have also dedicated a
whole day to the festivities with
their very own disco fancy dress
where sequins, glitter and spandex
are more than welcome and anyone
wearing head-to-toe spandex won’t
look a touch out of place. Festival
director, Senior says part of the
festival’s goals is to “disrupt the
norm, get people doing things they
wouldn’t normally do!”
If raving the night away in the cold
frosty air isn’t your cup of tea, fear
not as it’s not just music that’s on
offer. Altitude, the world’s number
one alpine comedy festival might be
just what you’re looking for. Taking
place over the space of a week,
Altitude Comedy Festival brings
together some of the UK’s biggest
40. 40 // MAY15PISTE
photo: danny north
“it’s the magic of the setting”and upcoming comedians with the likes of
headliners Bill Bailey, Sean Lock and Simon
Evans, who are sure to provide the laughs and
give you the funniest holiday you’ll probably
ever have. Not to miss out on the action and
keep the laughter levels flowing, this year
Altitude has paired up with Fanski dress, a
fancy dress company that’ll provide not just the
animal print onesies but comical helmet covers
that’ll guarantee you to make an impact on the
mountain.
Finally what sets them apart is without a
doubt is the setting. “Imagine a festival where
the stage is at least 1500 metres up a snowy
mountain” says Clemence Chazeau from Rock
the Pistes, “what’s more, the stage is only built
on the morning of the concert once it’s been
dragged up a mountain by a huge piste basher.”
It’s the magic of the setting; the majority of
festivals from Horizon and The Brits to Altitude
and Snowbombing have their stages at the
bottom of the piste with the mountains as the
backdrop. It’s not just the festivalgoers and
curators that love the setting either. Artists
are just as much in awe as everyone else,
describing their experiences as “pretty insane”
and “nothing ordinary about the venues”. The
venues themselves are pretty special - from
silent and Artic discos to abandoned secret
hotels and karaoke cabins. Yes, you read that
correctly, chairlift cabins are transformed
into your own little karaoke bubble whilst
you’re transported to the venue. There truly is
nothing like it.
Just picture it now, you’re dancing in your ski
boots, having snowball fights with the acts on
stage, and to top it all off it’s snowing. “It’s
an unbelievable experience being out in the
snow and watching live music,” says Senior, “a
strange euphoria where you forget that it’s a
bit cold and you realise you are at the highest
main stage in the world, and just how special
that is.”
When asked how does one go about making
each year different, Oliver replied, “You want
to create something completely disruptive
to the standard ski holiday”. He couldn’t
have summed it up any better; completely
disruptive. When you think of the mountains,
you think serene, soothing and idyllic. Throw
live music and hundreds of people into the
mix and you’ve got certainly disrupted the
environment and the norm.
So if you’re thinking about heading to a festival
this summer why not save yourself for the
winter and experience something new. You
never know, you might just surprise yourself
and come to have one of the best experiences
in your life.
41. PISTE41 // MAY15
our top
festivals
`A hedonistic snow party’ with over 100 international DJ’s at more
than 30 parties set within the backdrop of Bansko, Bulgaria, Horizon
really has is all, in terms of dance genres, that is. If it’s a rave scene
you’re looking for then Horizon is for you. From house and techno to
bass and garage, this festival represents a wide range of genres that
sure to wet your appetite. If you like to stay ahead of the crowd this
is the place to be.
The highly acclaimed and long-lasting BRITS is the original winter
festival. Now in it’s 26th year, this weeklong festival attracts fanatics
from beginning to expert for seven days of snow, music and partying
heaven. Not only is there great music on offer, but also the BRITS
hosts the annual British Snowboard and Freeski Championships
bringing in some of the best UK boarders and skiers.
Probably one of the world’s most famous, Snowbombing hosts
cutting edge performances from international DJ’s and bands from
the likes of Skrillex, Fat Boy Slim and Basement Jaxx in some of the
most unique venues the world has to offer. Home to Austria’s largest
fancy dress street party along with artic discos, pool parties and
mountain sport’s day, Snowbombing is in another league when it
comes to festivals.
Moving from their original home of Andorra to see what the French
Alps has to offer, Snowboxx is another one to look out for. With This
weeklong festival combines main stage headliners from Jungle to
2ManyDJ’s with après ski terrace parties held at world renowned
the Foile Douche along with karaoke cabins and fancy dress parties.
An action packed week all round that you’ll sure to have a awesome
time.
Unlike your ‘bog-standard’ festival, Altitude offers something
completely different; comedy. Curated by comedian and avid
snowboarder, Andrew Maxwell, Altitude is the one for you if you
love to laugh out loud and enjoy some the UK’s best comedians.
Previous headliners included Al Murray and John Bishop with Bill
Bailey and Sean Lock taking centre stage at this year’s festival.
HORIZON
THE BRITS
SNOWBOMBING
SNOWBOXX
altitude
44. 44 // MAY15PISTE
We all love gliding our way down the run, with
the cool air hitting our faces whilst looking out
onto the breath-taking views, but does any of us
actually know where skiing and snowboarding
started?
Snow sports have become a real passion for Brits
in recent years, with one million of us hitting the
slopes last season alone. Not only has popularity
surged within the UK, but throughout the world
too; 16 million skiing and snowboarding fanatics
participated in the sports last season throughout
80 countries worldwide. Wight growing
popularity, enthusiasts no longer have to go to
your typical resorts within the Alps and America;
resorts are available in places you just wouldn’t
believe skiing or snowboarding is possible. This
past season new destinations within China,
Cyprus, India and New Zealand to name a few
have opened up, showing that snow sports
popularity isn’t set to decline anytime soon.
We at PISTE have become curious about the
origins and evolution of these beautiful sports
and thought we would do some digging into the
history of our beloved sport. One point in which
we must share is that even with historians, there
is confusion as to where it all began; Norway or
China. But whoever thought of jumping on pieces
of wood to get themselves from one place to
another we salute you anyway, you geniuses!
Like we stated before, it is believed that skiing’s
origins came from Northern Europe and Asia,
with the first skiers believed to use skis from
the bones of large animals. However, the
skiing history from Northern Europe showed
that wooden skis dated 5,000 years old were
discovered in Norway, Finland and Sweden. The
earliest evidence of skiing was found in Norway,
where rock drawings – known as petroglyphs
- of the ‘Bøla Man’, showing a man on skis with
a pole in his hand was uncovered by chance in
Steinkjer, Norway. Before the discovery of the
‘Bøla Man’, the ‘Rødøy Man’ found in Alstahaug
with ten other carvings, depicts a man on skis.
This carving in particular holds some significance
as this was the inspiration behind the official
pictogram of the XVII Olympic Winter Games held
in Lillehammer in 1994.
photo: rock art of alta
photo: eloquence inc
photo: new schoolers
above: vintage wooden skis
below: a group of women showing off their incredible skis
above: original drawings of the first skiers found within the
rock of alta, norway
45. PISTE45 // MAY15
Petroglyphs were also found within the Altay
Mountains of north-western China, where
archaeologists have found drawings showing
men on skis. These drawings, just like those
found in Norway show a man holding only one
pole. You’re probably thinking, only one pole,
right? Well, back then, having only one pole was
all you needed, as it helped to pivot oneself down
the run. Who would have thought it?
From ancient times, up until the 17th century the
evolution of skiing is somewhat blurred as there
seems to be no further records of skiing. From
the 1700’s, the only preserved historical record is
that of the use by the military.
During the 17th century, the baron of Valvasor
documented skiing activities throughout
Slovenia, and amongst these reports, the use of
skis by the military was prominent. At that time
skis were used by the military to help speed up
their development and spread. Soldiers were
capable of skiing between 80 and 100 km a day.
Ski soldiers became an important part of the
Norwegian army resulting in the permanent
set up of army ski companies in Southern and
Central Norway in 1747.
The army’s ski squad not only helped protect
the country but left big impressions on young
village boys. The Norwegian military often set
up and took part in skiing competitions which
offered cash prizes for the winners. This helped
to not only as an incentive to its troops but
played an important part in recruitment. What
helped to determine whether or not someone
was capable of being a military ski troop was
their skiing proficiency. Those accepted had to
use their own skis for training, which obviously
meant that all troops were skiing on different
types of skis, creating a broad range of abilities.
The most common however, was the use of
long skis and ‘Andor’ skis from Østerdalen.
The ski troops, carried out various exercises
from downhill in rough terrain to shooting at
fixed targets and three kilometre cross-country
skiing with full military backpack. As military
skiing participation increased the first skiing
regulations came into practice in 1733, which in
turn lead to army companies being disbanded
resulting in a major set back in many places.
The mid 1800’s saw a huge shift and turning
point in skiing history. It all started within the
cities of Norway, where industrial growth and
technological developments meant people had
more leisure time. The Norwegian countryside
was more appreciated and was beginning to be
used for recreational and outdoor activities. It
wasn’t just the selected few would had access to
the slopes, with the opening of the Holmenkollen
line, creating a link between urban and rural
life. Throughout this period ski clubs, cabin and
competitions emerged. Around the same time
on the other side of the world, amongst the gold
fields of Sierra Nevada skis were used to ferry
mail from Carson City, Nevada to Placerville,
California.
Morgedal, Norway saw everything change within
the skiing world. Here came the turning point
in skiing, the creation of Telemark. Telemark,
the combination of Alpine and Nordic skiing is
the original and oldest form of skiing. Telemark
skiers use Alpine skis with specially designed
Nordic bindings that hold only the toe of the boot
in places, allowing a ‘free heel’. One man who
has been dubbed the pioneer of Telemarking
is Sondre Norheim. Known as the father of
modern skiing, Norheim has been praised for the
invention of the equipment and techniques which
led to modern skiing as we know it. Growing
up in the farmlands of Norwegian Telemark,
Nordheim created the ‘birch’ binding which
allowed skiers to ski without the risk of losing
their skis.
In 1870, Norheim introduced another invention,
a short, curved more flexible ski crafted in order
to allow easier turns in soft snow which became
the prototype for all later ski production. After
his creations, Nordheim himself went onto
become the first winner of Norwegian downhill
skiing competition in Christiania. Rightly so, with
Norheim introduction of Telemark, Morgedal has
for obvious reasons been named the ‘cradle of
ski sports’ and in turn was the natural place for
the lighting of the Olympic flame to kickstart the
Winter Olympics at Lillehammer in 1994.
As skiing became more commercialised with
more and more ski resorts, Telemark skiing failed
to catch on. Come the 1950’s Telemarking was
46. 46 // MAY15PISTE
above: Evolution of snowboards on display in the Brighton
Lodge, Utah.. Snowboardings past and future
photo: smart entertaining
country skiing at the 1932 games at Lake Placid.
The Giant Slalom contest was formed with the
combination of Telemark and Alpine skiing at the
1952 Oslo Winter Games. Throughout time, our
sport has developed a substantial amount; from
1924, where there was only three skiing-based
sports; cross-country, nordic combined and ski
jumping, to today where there is seven skiing
and snowboarding sports all made up of ten plus
events each. Truly taking centre-stage of the
Winter Olympics.
The origin of snowboarding, which may come
as a surprise to some lies within surfing,
skateboarding and skiing. Unlike skiing, it is
somewhat difficult to say who the clear pioneer
of the sport is, but the history shows that it was
around the 1950’s in which the sport became
popular. It is said that snowboarding was created
by a few surf and skate enthusiasts who made
their own boards to try and take on a new
terrain - the snow. As with any new contraption,
especially snowboards and the novelty of it all,
this led to many broken broads and bones.
The first snowboard that hit the market was
during the 1960’s in the form of the Sherman
Poppen Snurfer. A crossover between plywood
and a skateboard deck, the surfer (board) had
on the verge of becoming a forgotten treasure.
Thankfully, the Eighties saw its revival and in
turn allowing us to become infatuated watching
skiers fabulously ‘dance’ their way down the
piste and wanting to be just like the people on the
screen.
Today, Telemark isn’t as popular as it once used
to be; practised by a handful of enthusiasts
all over the world, committed to the ‘ultimate
combination of elegance and raging speed’.
Before skiing was a sport, skiing was just was just
seen as an important means of transportation.
Yet, as more daredevils took to the sport and
the introduction of organised slalom races came
about in Europe during the 1920’s, the first
world championships were organised in 1931.
Throughout the 1930’s the popularity surged as
Americans caught on and popularity amongst
Europe somewhat snowballed.
Thanks to increased participation and popularity
this led to Alpine skiing making its Olympic debut
at the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Games
with a men’s and women’s combined, featuring
a downhill and two slalom runs. It wasn’t just
Alpine that made its Olympic debut; the 1924
Winter Games held in Chamonix, France saw
skiing make its debut, followed shortly by cross
47. PISTE47 // MAY15
Left: Vintage Ad for the snurfer - the
original snowboard
Below: a collection of The original
snowboard throughout the years
photo: northern
express
rope attached to the front tip which allowed
the rider some control, with steel tacks poking
through the upper deck helped to keep the rider
in place. Obviously over time, boarders dropped
the rope - clearly this wasn’t challenging enough
for all you boarders out there and it kinda, if you
think about it, is just a sledge that you stand on.
During the experimental stages, snowboarding
was only practiced by a few brave souls that rode
their own contraptions and consequently led to
being shunned from the slopes. Not ones to back
down, the boarders created their own trails and
led to the creation of ‘off-piste’.
Boarding became more popular within the
seventies and eighties thanks to the likes of
Dimitrij Milovich who was frustrated with not
only just the boards designs but being turned
away from ski resort managers who said that
boarders weren’t covered by insurance. Taking
matters into his own hands, Milovich contacted
said insurers, Petit-Morey and Kendall to
find that in fact they were covered to be on
the mountain. From that point on everything
changed.
Milovich as well as designers, Tom Sims, Mike
Olson - who later found Gnu Snowboards - and
Jake Carpenter Burton began to design and
manufacture snowboards in 1977. Since this
pivotal year and the acceptance of snowboarding,
designs became more standardised and the focus
shifted from board shape to finding the best
bindings and design.
So, there you have it, an interesting and
educational trip down memory lane. We have to
say, that we definitely learnt a lot. No longer can
we all pretend that we know our beloved skiing/
boarding roots. You can hit the slopes and be
in-the-know of the sports origins and those who
helped make the sports what they are today. Both
skiing and snowboarding has come a long way,
and we are thankful to those who helped pave the
way for the sport. Here’s to making even more
great history.
Photo: Teton Gravity
49. PISTE49 // MAY15
Shane
McConkey
Innovator, icon, hero. Shane McConkey, the most
badass person on the face of the Earth. Considered
to be the game changer of the sport. Changing
the whole concept of skiing; from the shape of
our skis to how we tackle powder. He was playful,
a prankster and a practical jackass. Everyone’s
Superman. From powder skiing and naked jumps
to his final love of ski-BASE jumping. As his
obsession and the thrill of BASE-jumping grew
so did the risk and with one jump everything
changed.
Shane McConkey died at the age of 39 whilst
performing a standard jump in the Italian
Dolomites back in 2009. Along with a four-man
film crew for Matchstick Productions and his ski-
BASE jumper partner, J.T Holmes everything was
set to be another successful trip. But when his skis
failed to release sending him into a spin and not
enough time to deploy his parachute, the trip was
cut short in the most devastating way.
Spending his early years in Whistler, British
Columbia, McConkey had the mountains in his
blood. His mother, Glenn had eight National
Master’s titles under her belt and his father, Jim
considered one of the best international skiers and
the father of extreme skiing was the head of the
Whistler Ski School.
At the age of three his parents divorced and
McConkey moved to California with his mother.
Starting racing at the age of seven with Squaw
Valley at the weekends he was a natural. He skied
with the Squaw Valley up until he left for high
school, where he joined the Vermont’s Burke
Mountain Academy - the placed to go if you wanted
to join the U.S Ski Team. Eventually making his
way onto the junior program, McConkey’s future
was set. He was going to join the ski team and
have Olympic success. Being too small, McConkey
was dropped from the program and his hopes of
ever joining the team were cut short. His mother,
speaking at his memorial said “Shane became
what he was in part because he got dumped from
his dream, and he had to create another dream for
himself.”
After being dropped for the team, Shane quit
racing and eventually dropped out of the
University of Colorado at the age of 20. Leaving in
the guy that does it all...
50. 50 // MAY15PISTE
photo: moonshine ink
photo: powder chasers
McConkey’s alter-ego, ‘Saucer Boy’
McConkey’ and his MSP film crew
“you gotta do what
you gotta do to have
fun”
his friends shed for free, he skied
during the day and delivered
pizzas by night until eventually
making his way onto some Pro
Mogul Tour events. Just like his
Olympic hopes, his mogul career
was also short-lived. During a
race, McConkey was disqualified
due to crossing the boundary line
and performing an unsanctioned
backflip. After finishing the race
he made his way back up to the
starting point and told everyone
to “watch this”. He made his way
down the course butt-naked with
his photo of his nude spread eagle
became a classic and earned him
a lifetime ban from Vail’s resort.
From that point on he vouched to
never set foot at Vail again.
The place to “put up or shut up” in
McConkey’s eyes was the Squaw
Valley. This was the place to go
and challenge yourself and make
an impression. McConkey did
just that. Everyone was all about
technicality with tight and short
turns and skinny-skis. But when
Shane hit the slopes everything
changed. With a different
mentality, he was back-flipping
his way off cliffs, with fast turns
and incredible stunts, anything to
make great video.
photo: graeme murray
Whilst at Squaw Valley, Shane
was introduced to Scott Gaffney,
a filmmaker who was soon to
be working with MSP. The first
time he saw Shane ski he was
“blown away.” From that point
on, the foundations of MSP and
McConkey’s partnership was
made. He was determined to have
a career in skiing, yet outside
mogul and racing, pure skiing
profession was unheard of. His
backflip at Vail made him famous
and changed the future of not just
his career but also the sport. “I’m
Shane McConkey and I’m here
to entertain you.” His skill and
ability along with his energetic
personality captivated audiences
in more than two-dozen films. A
practical joker with a teenager
sense of humour that tended
towards nudity, practical jokes
and farts, McConkey was a
natural. The creation of his on-
screen alter ego, “Saucer Boy’
a whiskey drinking, neon-clad
hipster came to light in 1997.
It wasn’t just all about fun and
games for McConkey. Beneath his
laddish ways was a serious and
motivated athlete who wanted to
change the concept of his sport.
A driving and innovative force
within the industry, McConkey
felt that the skis that he was using
for powder skiing just weren’t
up to scratch. Before he stepped
in, powder skis were convex
in design. Shane re-invented
the powder ski. He created the
reverse-camber, rocker, and
reverse-sidecut powder ski.
51. PISTE51 // MAY15
Instead of being convex this new
design created a concave effect
allowing skiers to float over
the powder rather than plough
through allowing riders to ski big
mountain lines faster.
In 2002, his sponsor, Volant,
took the risk and introduced the
Spatula, to the industry. Criticised
for looking too much like a water-
ski, the reaction was not the one
McConkey and Volant was hoping
for. It would take another couple
years until his concept was truly
taken seriously. It was exactly that
that gave him the inspiration to
come up with this new design.
Shane mounted water skis with
ski bindings and hit the slopes.
“Powder is more like water, that it
is like snow!”
In 2006, after much development
and a change in sponsorship, the
K2 Pontoon hit the market. Fast-
forward to today and nearly every
ski manufacturer has a similar
model within their line-up. He
saw things other people didn’t.
“Fat skis aren’t just for fat guys
anymore” McConkey said at the
time.
Always looking to challenge
himself, McConkey ventured
from the slopes to the skies. In
1995, Shane became hooked on
skydiving. The thrill and freedom
of jumping out into the open air
ignited a new passion; a passion
that Shane was going to explore
until his last days. Parachuting
his way off cliffs, bridges and
mountains, for more than a
decade Shane was considered
an avid and one of the most
innovative BASE-jumpers in
the world. Mentored by Frank
Gambalie, one of the world’s
top BASE jumpers, McConkey
executed his first jump in 1996
and from that point on he was
hooked. An ideal partnership;
Gambalie and McConkey were
just as daring as each other.
Always looking to find the next
best jump and perform daring
aerial manoeuvres there was no
stopping these two. Deaths within
BASE-jumping were unheard at
the time because it was so new
and the handful of people who
were practicing the sport was
deemed experts.
When news of Gambalie’s death
surfaced, everyone within the
industry was in a state of utter
shock and disbelief. Gambalie
drowned whilst trying to escape
park rangers of Yosemite Valley
after successfully landing an
illegal jump of the summit of El
Captain. Although, McConkey was
saddened from his partner and
mentors death, this did not stop
him from carrying on with his
latest passion.
Always looking to push the
limits Shane, along with his
new partner, professional skier
JT Holmes, ski-BASE jumping
was next. Inspired by one of the
greatest ski scenes from James
Bond’s, The Spy Who Loved Me,
Shane wanted to take the skiing-
parachuting stunt to a whole new
level. With their first ski-BASE
jump from the 400-foot cliff edge
of Lover’s Leap, South Lake Tahoe
under their belt and more than
700 jumps later; McConkey had
found a new love. Skiing the
best off-piste runs in the world
whilst back flipping and flying off
mountain edges, combining his
two greatest passions until his
last days alive, Shane did what
he loved. “You gotta do what you
gotta do to have fun.”
When news of his death surfaced,
many people were quick to
criticise his actions and the life he
lead. Reviews ranged from how
could he leave his wife and child
on a daily basis and put his life in
constant danger? Both his family
and friends wanted to prove he
wasn’t just an adrenaline junky
goofballing around all the time.
They wanted to show how much
work, time and dedication he put
into everything he did. He was
an innovator and icon within
many sports and you don’t gain
that title by messing about all the
time. It may come across to the
viewers that all he did was have a
good time but he one hundred per
cent put the hard work in.
Always taught to believe you
can do anything you want to,
McConkey lived everyday to
the fullest. The turn of the
millennium saw McConkey settle
down when he met his true love,
Sherry. The two wed May 2004,
on a Thai beach and a year later
arrived their daughter, Ayla. Life
was complete and full of special
moments for Shane. No matter
how regarding his ventures
and achievements were, being
a husband and father was most
fulfilling and what made him truly
happy.
With the release of ‘McConkey’ at
the Tribeca Film Festival in 2013,
the world got to see the legendary
big mountain skier in a whole
new light. He never thought that
he would die and when he did
he didn’t want everyone to sit
around and mourn his death. He
wanted his loved ones to carry on
his memories and enjoy everyday
of their lives.
52. 52 // MAY15PISTE
MEET
THE ROXY
GIRLS
Torah Bright
aimee fullerlena stoffelkatie ormerod
dara howellrobin van gyn
53. PISTE53 // MAY15
Not many people
associate the brand
ROXY with snow sports
due to them being a
swimwear brand with
They themselves even
say that they “inspire
girls to dream big and
have fun in and out
the water.” Initially
the brand was founded
within the water yet
as the turn of the
millennium came so
did an exciting and
electric evolution
at the brand. In 2003,
the brand introduced
a full line of
snowboards and with
that their pro-team
was created.
Meet the latest bunch
of ROXY Girls
Torah Bright
A snow lover since
birth and Olympic
champion has been
a part of the ROXY
team since 1999.
Bright started
skiing at the tender
age of two and by
twelve had hit the
snowboarding scene.
Since going pro,
Bright has dominated
competitions around
the world from FIS
World Cup and the
Winter X Games to
the Winter Olympics
with gold and silver
medals in the women’s
Half Pipe. 2014 saw
Torah be the first
and only person in
the world to qualify
and compete in three
snowboard events at
the Winter Olympics.
She truly does exist
in her own category
and shows no sign of
stopping.
Dara Howell
Starting off as
a successful
competitive figure
skater, at fifteen she
set her sights on a
new challenge. After
coming across an
image of legendary
Sarah Burke her
course changed. A
natural on freeskis
and on the piste
Howell quickly
landed herself at
the top of podiums
throughout the
world. After a
mere three years
of competitive
skiing, Howell
has accumulated
countless podium
finishes with Olympic
Gold in Slopestyle
at Sochi 2014. Howell
has an exciting
future ahead with no
stopping her.
Robin Van Gyn
“A true snowboard
missionary”,
this British
Columbian native
is a backcountry
powerhouse on North
and South America’s
steepest peaks. A
backcountry regular,
Van Gyn started her
career at the age
of sixteen within
the parks, yet as her
professional career
developed so did
her love for the big
mountain terrain.
The last few years,
Robin has dedicated
her time to a full-
on filming campaign,
featuring and filming
over five video parts.
“What I love most
about snowboarding
is to be able to create
whatever I want
from the mountain;
it really is a blank
canvas.”
Aimee Fuller
One of England’s
most exciting
snowboarder, Aimee
took to the board
at the age of twelve
after moving to the
United States and
never looked back.
Riding every weekend,
Fuller entered her
first contest and was
officially hooked.
Spotted by ROXY’s
own Erin Comstock
at summer camp, she
joined the UK’s ROXY
team later joining
the European Future
team. Her “wild style
and technical skills”
has made her one to
watch and gained her
place within Team GB
for the 2014 Winter
Olympics in women’s
Slopestyle. She has an
exciting future ahead
of her.
Katie Ormerod
Another English rider
that we should all
be paying attention
to. Ormerod is just
sixteen years of age
and has already made
an impact amongst
the boarding world.
2014 saw Katie be the
first female to land a
backside double cork
180 and a straight
double backflip on
a park kicker. Did
we mention these
are men’s slopestyle
tricks? One of the
most gifted stars
of the ROXY Future
team she is the envy
of many older riders
and is only set to get
bigger and better.
Lena Stoffel
This Austrian is know
for her all round
ability is at home
on rails, landing
big jumps or within
the backcountry.
With parents as ski
instructors, this skier
has the mountains
within her blood.
After joining the
German Alpine ski
team she later found
her love for freestyle
skiing. Besides
from competing in
slopestyle, she spends
her time shooting
and filming, as well
as creating waves in
the water. A true ROXY
ambassador of snow
and surf.
Photos: ROXY
54. 54 // MAY15PISTE
PISTES
Playlist
PISTE editors reveal what’s on their iPod’s when they’re both on and off the
slopes. Have a listen and see if you get that nostalgic feeling we do when we
listen back to these tracks
black skinhead - kanye west • younger (kygo remix) - seinabo sey • i can’t stop - flux pavillion • on a
ragga tip - sl2 • nobody to love - sigma • old thing back (matoma Remix) - Notorious B.I.G •
ooh la la - the wise guys • king - years & years • i need - maverick sabre • high - lighthouse
family • tubthumping - chumbawamba • crystal balling - jackie onassis • here comes the
hotstepper - ini kamoze • feelings for rosa - cassius x outkast • won’t look back (boehm
remix - benjamin francis leftwich • good day - nappy roots
55. PISTE55 // MAY15
We don’t just want you to be listening to the best tracks whilst making tracks;
we here at PISTE feel that you should have a little bit of the action at home.
We’ve put together some of the best skiing/boarding films out there that we
feel you must have within your movie collection or at least watch.
MCCONKEY
legendary and
educational. A look
into the life and
death of one of the
world’s greatest
skiers
CHALET GIRL
guilty pleasure and
classic chic flick
full of cringey
moments, snow and ed
westwick. what more
could you want?
FROZEN
no, not that Disney
musical, the one
where they get stuck
on the chairlift and
well you see where
we’re going here
ASPEN EXTREME
your typical love
story but with skis
and a mountain back-
drop watch out for a
cameo from the one
and only Martin Kemp
VERTICAL LIMIT
if you haven’t seen
this, then shame on
you! Even though it’s
more of a climbing
film, it’s still one
top-notch, nail-biting
thriller
THE GRAND BUDAPEST
HOTEL
now we know this
isn’t a skiing/
boarding film but it’s
wes anderson at his
best and there is a
cracking ski scene
within
