Brits take the Mountain Bike World Cup in Meribel – Ski World Cup Next!

A few pics from the World Cup Mountain Biking event in Meribel – a top event and a lot of work went in to making it such a success.

Great work too from the Brits with Josh Bryceland and Manon Carpenter taking the Men’s and Women’s UCI Mountain Bike World Cup downhill titles – both finishing 3rd in the Meribel event.

The next World Cup in Meribel is the Alpine Skiing World Cup – 18-22 March 2015 see www.meribelwordcup.com

Thanks to Sarah and Rachel for the pics.

La Tania Reunion in Australia at Deano’s Wedding – more pics

Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Torti!

The new Foret Chairlift from Le Praz to the La Tania Gondola

Looks like most of the main work done and just the 6 seater chairs (with hoods) to be hung on the new lift from Le Praz to just above the top of the La Tania gondola.

La Forêt – For the lift geeks…
The old La Forêt bubble gondola was installed in 1970 with a capacity of 1000 skiers per hour and a speed of 4 metres per second. With a vertical rise of over 800m it was the highest rising lift in the Courchevel Valley and third highest in the 3 Valleys – only Caron in Val Thorens and the access gondola from Orelle beating it.

The new 6 seater detachable chair (with hood cover so more susceptible to high wind but not as exposed as the gondola was) will have a capacity of 2,700 skiers per hour at 5.5 m/s.
Total Length 1750m.
Vertical Rise 643m.
Starting Altitude 1259m.
Ending Altitude 1902m.
Number of Pylons 15.

Route of the new lift and the future developments up to Courchevel 1850.

The old bubbles ready for sale – they used to flog them for around €400 but they’re now several times that amount.

Thanks to Nick Ski and Brian & Jean B&B in La Tania for the pics.

Saulire Summit at Noon 18 Aug 2014

And looking magnificent… The (huge) full size image here – don’t forget to click, zoom and scroll in your browser…

The last patches of snow in the Saulire bowl are still visible (technically of course they’re the first patches of snow for next season!)
http://www.latania.co.uk/photos/2014Summer/info/SaulireSummerNoon18Aug2014.jpg

Fete des Bucherons in La Tania – Lumberjack Skills…

Thanks to Snowbugs Private Nanny Service for the pics of today’s Fete des Bucherons in La Tania. Some impressive chopping and sawing going on…

Work on the new Aiguille du Fruit Chairlift

Work continues on the replacement of the 3-man Aiguille du Fruit lift used on the route back from Courchevel 1650 to 1850. The new lift is a 6-seater hi-speed detachable chair (but a little shorter in length, so not giving access to the Suisses black piste but high enough to access the Chanrossa and Marmottes lifts).

The removal of the slow fixed 4-man Gravelles chair and all the pylons is also taking place – all should be ready for December 2014 and the start of next season.

Lift Stats:
Length 1333m
Vertical 412m
Horizontal 1262
Start altitude 1828m
Finish altitude 2240m
Number of pylons 12
Number of chairs 79
Speed 5.5 m/s
Capacity 3,300 skiers per hour

Pics show the work at the top station, the route of the new lift and some of the old pylons waiting for removal.

Summer in the Alps – Wakeboarding on Lake Annecy

Another great Summer day out with a trip down to the beautiful Lake Annecy.

Thanks to The Freeride Republic for the transport, Snowbugs Child Care for Skippering and Snowbound Transfers & Flackie for the use of The Predator…

Team TFR win the Ski Lodge Quiz Night Again

And the prize was a special limited edition bottle of Jäger WinterKrauter…

That’s Team Tayla, Flacky and Ralph.