Treble Cone
We’re feeling very spoilt up at Treble Cone this week…yet another dump of snow meant we had a couple of outstanding powder days over the weekend, and now the sun is back out again, so we’re looking at a great week ahead of us.
Our groomer drivers have been doing a fantastic job, grooming more trails than ever before with on average 12 trails groomed daily. The snow base is now at 61cm mid-mountain and 110cm at the top of the Saddle Quad chairlift, so conditions are some of the best in the Southern Lakes District. And even better - there’s more snow forecast for this weekend, so here’s hoping we get to play in more freshies real soon!
Photo Treble Cone Marketing
Volkl Big Mountain event– This Friday August 18th

Alex Sullivan (aged 17) taking off on a rock drop at Treble Cone last month. Photograph: Maria Oosterbaan The world’s top free skiers will be casting their spell on Treble Cone this Friday, August 18th. Sixty skiers, including Treble Cone-sponsored skiers Geoff Small, (7 times New Zealand Big Mountain Free Ski Champion and 3 times North America Free skiing Champion) and Sam Smoothy will be taking part in the Volkl Big Mountain event – part of the New Zealand Free Ski Open Series.
International free skiers, including European Free Ski Champion ‘05, Ted Davenport, will join Geoff, Sam and fellow New Zealand free skier Tom Dunbar at the freestyle event.
The competition will be taking place in the Motatapu Chutes (which will be closed to the public for the day). The wow factor of this event is immense, as competitors take seemingly unskiable lines, drop massive cliffs and ski extraordinarily steep slopes. Spectators are welcome to come and watch the action on a viewing track from the base of the Saddle Quad chairlift. The big mountain finals will be held on the next fine day following a rest day. All going to plan that will be this Sunday. For more information on these events, see www.freeskier.co.nz Treble Cone


***
FIS Summary of Topics
News from the World of Skiing Austria dominates FIS Grand Prix Ski Jumping

Photo: FIS News , Klingenthal new hill

Ten nations will compete at international top level in the 9th FIS Nordic Combined Summer Grand Prix. All in all, 86 athletes will take part in the five events in ten days. The Summer Grand Prix will start with an Individual Gundersen competition (15km) in Kandersteg (SUI) on August 18th, followed by a mass start event at the Four-Hills-Tournament venue Bischofshofen (AUT) on August 20th. Not far from there, in Berchtesgaden (GER), the next competition (Team Sprint) will take place on August 23rd. The Summer Grand Prix will end in Germany with an Individual Gundersen competition in Steinbach-Hallenberg / Oberhof (August 25th) and another mass start in Klingenthal (August 27th). For Steinbach-Hallenberg / Oberhof, it will be the 9th time hosting a Summer Grand Prix competition, thereby being the only venue that has hosted the Summer Grand Prix every year.
9th edition of FIS Nordic Combined Summer Grand Prix starts in Kandersteg (SUI) ... more Australia New Zealand Cup 2006 Cross-Country in action ... more
Member News
After Torino 2006: Pragelato into the future—3,2,1….GO! ... more
(Re)connecting Freestyle alumni
The Canadian Freestyle Association, the body that governs the discipline of Freestyle Skiing under the Canadian Snowsports Association, has set up on its website a special section for Freestyle Alumni. Launched on the initiative of Bill Keenan, the 1983 FIS World Cup moguls Champion, the Freestyle Alumni Re-connect is a source for ex-athletes, volunteers, judges and officials within the Freestyle Skiing world to keep in touch or, as the case may be, to reconnect with people from the past. Presently, there are registered alumni from seven different nations, including many American, French, German, and Finnish skiers. To peruse the list of alumni that are already members or to join, please click here.
The Freestyle Skiing actives and alumni also have a chance to reconnect this coming Friday, August 19th, at the ‘10 Years Jumpin / World Masters Party’ at Mettmenstetten, near Zurich (SUI). The Mettmenstetten water jump Jumpin was initiated by Sonny Schönbächler, 1994 aerials Olympic Champion, and opened in August 1996. In the past ten years, the Jumpin facility has become one of the best-known training centers for ski acrobats, snowboarders and now even mountain bikers from around Europe. Friday’s party program then will include live acts and music performances in the presence of such ex-Freestyle stars as Conny Kissling, Heini Baumgartner, Erika Gallizzi, Henri Rohner, Franco Zanolari, Colette 'Brand' Roth, Eveline (Wirth) Schnorf (all SUI), Christian Rijavec and Alex Stoegner (both AUT), Fuzzy Garhammer (GER) and Michiel de Ruiter
International Ski Federation, CH-3653 Oberhofen (Switzerland). Tel. +41 33 244 61 61, Fax +41 33 244 61 71, FIS SKI FIS news is reposted with permission granted.


***
US Skt team News
U.S. ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURN TO ALYESKA THROUGH 2008 Park City, Utah (Aug. 9) - The U.S. Alpine Championships return to the slopes of Alaska's Alyeska Resort this spring, March 27-April 3. The 2007 races will feature the country's best athletes, including Olympic gold medals winners Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA), along with other members of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team and hopefully newly-crowned FIS World champions. "We're very excited to return to Alaska with the U.S. Alpine Championships," said USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt. "Alaska is a very important region for alpine ski racing with a history of strong athletes. Alyeska has been an outstanding host for the Championships and we're proud to return." No stranger to hosting major competitions, Alyeska Resort first hosted the U.S. Alpine Championships 26 years ago, in 1981, and most recently in 2004. It was at the '81 championships that Phil Mahre, fresh off winning his first overall World Cup title, won the U.S. giant slalom title while brother Steve won the slalom. In 1989, Alyeska played host to the Junior World Alpine Championships where the U.S. team captured eight medals, including gold in super G and combined by Alaska racer Tommy Moe.
"Alyeska is honored to host the U.S. Alpine Championships again," said Larry Daniels, Alyeska Resort general manager. "The 2004 event was very successful and we hope to build on Alyeska's reputation of being a great venue that truly tests the athletes' skills in all disciplines. Alaska has a very dedicated Alpine race community that always rises to the challenge to host the best skiers in the nation. We look forward to the return of our many friends in the racing community." The U.S. Alpine Championships are considered a right of passage for many young racers who are hungry for the opportunity to ski in front of the national coaching staff and at the highest level of domestic ski racing. The championships match the best U.S. Ski Team athletes with hundreds of aspiring American skiers looking to measure themselves against world-class racers as they aim for spots on the U.S. Ski Team.
The schedule:
· March 27 - Downhill training
· March 28 - Downhill training
· March 29 - FIS downhill race
· March 30 - U.S. Championships men's and women's downhill
· March 31 - Men's and women's super G
· April 1 - Men's and women's slalom
· April 2 - Men's giant slalom
· April 3 - Women's giant slalom


www.alyeskaresort.com
US Ski Team


***
Trip Advisor Deals


France
This week's special deals:

* France: Customize car and rail vacations, EuropeanDestinations.com Self-drive and rail multi-city
Find deals on airfare to France (arriving in Paris, France/Charles De Gaulle Airport): France


Switzerland

This week's special deals:
* Switzerland: Customize car and rail vacations, EuropeanDestinations.com Self-drive and rail multi-city
Switzerland

Go skiing now
" * Melbourne: Hotel Deals from $106, Expedia.com Get the lowest price on hotels
Melborne
San Francisco , Open your Golden Gate
San Francisco


http://www.tripadvisor.com/

***

SQUAW VALLEY FOUNDERS' GARDEN PARTY--SATURDAY, AUGUST 26
Come and enjoy a very special gourmet lunch and celebration honoring the Poulsen Family. Taking place on the beautiful grounds of Squaw Valley Olympic Chapel, the program will benefit the Chapel, is sponsored by Graham's Restaurant and Co-Sponsored by Squaw Valley Institute.
Graham's Restaurant is donating a fabulous lunch like only they can do, and it is followed by an ice cream social. There will be music, speakers, history and stories by Sandy Poulsen and family members and friends. Among the many local celebs participating will be World Cup Champion Tamara McKinney, Robert Frohlich, author of "Mountain Dreamers", Bill Briner, photographer of the 1960 Olympics will exhibit, and Oswaldo Ancinas, Olympic racer and man of many talents will sing and entertain.
It all happens on Saturday, August 26. The doors open at 11:30 a.m. for a Reception for the Poulsens. Lunch starts at noon and the entertainment gears up at 1:30 p.m. Squaw Valley Chapel is located behind the Cable Car building on Squaw Peak Road.
Tickets are $30 and may be limited. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Squaw Valley 7/11 and at the Tahoe City Visitor Center (next to the Fire Station in Tahoe City).
For more information, please call 530.583.7401.
www.squawvalleyinstitute.org