Sobolinaya Mountain in Russia.

Local’s aren’t happy about the Russian Prime Minister’s decision to re-open a pulp and paper mill which has been known to spread a pungent odor on the slopes of nearby Sobolinaya Mountain ski resort.

Vladimir Putin has also drawn some fire from former Russian state Duma deputy Vladimir Ryzhkov. The former official described the Prime Minister’s decision as completely incompetent in a report for Moscow News.

Ryzhkov says that the mill, which opened in 1966, is the main polluter of pristine Lake Baikal, a UNESCO world Heritage Site, emitting five tons of harmful emissions into the atmosphere each year and polluting up to 400 square kilometres of territory around the town of Baikalsk.

Continue reading ‘Russian PM involved in eco-scandal at Russian ski resort’

Freeskiing in Chamonix, France.

The first stage of the Freeride World Tour scheduled to take place in Sochi, Russia last week had to be postponed due to heavy snowfall and wind at the 2014 Olympic venue.

What was to have been the second stage in Chamonix last Saturday turned out to be the opening 2010 Freeride World Tour event. Freeride World Tour Ski World Champion Aurélien Ducroz, who was born and bred in Chamonix, was the hometown favourite on the 400 metre.

A make-up event in Siochi should be scheduled soon.

Continue reading ‘Freeride World Tour kicks off at Chamonix’

Vladivostok is a Russian city on the Sea of Japan, near the Chinese and North Korean borders.

An indoor ski centre will be part of a giant new casino complex due to open in Eastern Siberia in Russia.

The new casino will also contain an exhibition centre and water park and ‘rival’ facilities in Dubai, according to reports. The complex will be in a gambling zone near Cherepasje Ozero (Cape Turtle), one of Vladivostok’s most desirable destinations.

The complex is being designed by Scottis-based international architecture firm RMJM, who designed the controversial Scottish Parliament building and have opened an office in the Russian pacific port of Vladivostok, which was a closed city during the Soviet Union era.

Continue reading ‘Siberian snowdome in the works’

Shukolovo isn't big, but it's proximity to Moscow makes it a popular destination.

A new quad chairlift has been installed at Shukolovo ski area near Moscow, the old Soviet training centre and favorite of the Russian Prime Minister.

The centre has been extensively upgraded over the past decade and is now owned by Leonid Tyagachev, president of the Russian Olympic Committee.

Shukolovo was established in the 1960s as a training centre for what was then the Soviet Union’s national ski team. The best known member of the local Shukolovo Ski Club is Prime Minister and former Russian President Vladimir Putin, who can often be found mixing with other skiers.

Continue reading ‘Putin’s Moscow ski resort gets an upgrade’

A proposed 300,000 square metre ski jumping complex (about 43 american football fields) is being proposed in Russia.

Award-winning London-based architects Wilkinson Eyre has unveiled plans for a proposed an impressive new 300,000m² sports complex and ski jump in the historic Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod.
The government-funded project will be used as a training facility and as a ‘reserve site’ for the 2014 Winter Olympics, held in the Russian resort city of Sochi.
The scheme includes five Olympic ski jumps with spectator stands, an indoor snow centre or ‘ski bowl’, an indoor skating rink, an aqua park and a Nordic competition cross-country ski course, as well as a 5-star hotel and luxury apartments all centred on a shopping complex.
www.wilkinsoneyre.com

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The Freeride World Tour gets ready for another season of chills

The Freeride World Tour has just relelased the dates for the third annual season. The world’s best skiers and snowboarders will once again be battling it out in four ski resorts spread across the world.
The tour will all start on the Russian slopes of Sochi in January, followed closely by the next stage in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France. The competition will then journey to the United States to hopefully “ride” the Tram Face at Squaw Valley in late February, although that has not yet officially been cleared for a freeriding competition. Finally, those riders with the top ratings will compete in the Tour’s grand final in Verbier in March during the Nissan Xtreme by Swatch which celebrates its 15th year.
“It is with great satisfaction that we announce the Freeride World Tour’s third season. This year the Tour will be staged in some of the world’s most renowned ski resorts. Our partner, Nissan, co-founder of the Tour, continues its unwavering support. Swatch, among other partners is reinforcing its involvement by presenting two of the Freeride World Tour’s stages this year. Ensured by the participation of the world’s top freeriders, we are very keen for the FWT’s third season to kick off” commented Nicolas Hale-Woods, founder of the Freeride World Tour.
Who is going to follow in the steps of Aurélien Ducroz – FRA (ski/men), Xavier de Le Rue – FRA (snowboard/men), Ane Enderud – NOR (ski/women) and Susan Mol – USA (snowboard/women)? The pressure is already on. Most riders have already begun their physical and mental pre-season work outs.
“The level among the riders has increased constantly since the first edition of the Tour. It is no longer enough to be a great skier to take part of the Tour. Physical and mental preparation, thorough inspection of the competition face, and top gear, are all important elements that has helped develop freeriding to a professional sport, becoming more and more known by the broad public,” says Freeride World Champion 2009 Aurélien Ducroz of France.
www.freerideworldtour.com

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While the government of Turkmenistan is going full speed ahead with the construction of an indoor ski facility for its Avaza resort town, the municipal government of Hurricane, Utah wasn’t as excited about creating a tourist hub.
SkiRebel.com has learned that the Hurricane City Council recently rejected plans to build a massive theme park, which was reportedly supposed to be 20 times the size of Disneyland and include an indoor ski facility. Continue reading ‘Turkmenistan to build indoor ski facility, Utah strikes down proposal’