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Olympian dies at just 37 years of age

<p>It’s a sad day in the world of winter sports and the Alpine Ski World Cup. Italian skier and silver medalist, Elena Fanchini has died at 37 from a tumour.</p> <p>"At the end of a serious illness, Elena Fanchini passed away in her home in Solato (near Brescia)," the Italian Winter Sports Federation said in a short statement.</p> <p>Fanchini died on the same day that fellow Italian skier Marta Bassio won the super-G world championships in Meribel, France; and just two days after Federica Brignone, a former teammate, won gold in combined.</p> <p>Another fellow skier, Sofia Goggia, the favourite for Saturday’s downhill, dedicated her win in Cortina d’Ampezzo last month to Fanchini.</p> <p>American champion skier, Mikaela Shiffrin took to Twitter to share her grief over Fanchini’s death. "This was a day filled with emotions. There is so much I'd like to share... but what weighs the heaviest is the loss of @ElenaFanchini,” she said in her tweet.</p> <p>Fanchini won a silver medal in the 2005 world championships and two World Cup races in her career - both in downhill.</p> <p>Fanchini last skied competitively in December 2017. She was cleared to return to training almost a year late but her condition had worsened.</p> <p>She had to miss the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics because of her condition.</p> <p>Fanchini's younger sisters Nadia and Sabrina were also World Cup racers.</p> <p><em>image credit: getty</em></p>

Caring

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Who hit who? Gwyneth Paltrow fighting “hit and run” charges

<p>Gwyneth Paltrow has appeared in court as she fights charges over a skiing collision that left a man with permanent injuries and brain damage. </p> <p>The actor-turned-wellness influencer is being sued for $450,000 (AUD) by a retired optometrist, who claims Paltrow violently crashed into him in 2016 while skiing at one of the most upscale ski resorts in the United States.</p> <p>Terry Sanderson, 76, said Paltrow was skiing down the slopes so recklessly that they collided, leaving him on the ground as she and her entourage continued their descent down Deer Valley Resort, Utah.</p> <p>"Gwyneth Paltrow skied out of control," Sanderson's attorneys claim in the lawsuit, "knocking him down hard, knocking him out, and causing a brain injury, four broken ribs and other serious injuries. Paltrow got up, turned and skied away, leaving Sanderson stunned, lying in the snow, seriously injured."</p> <p>With the lawsuit now lasting several years, Sanderson is suing Paltrow for the hefty six figure sum, claiming that the accident was a result of negligence, and left him with physical injuries and emotional distress.</p> <p>As the trial began, a central question in the case was posed, wondering which skier had the right of way. </p> <p>At ski resorts, the skier who is downhill has the right of way, so the case is largely focused around who was farther down the beginner's run when the collision transpired. </p> <p>Both Paltrow and Sanderson claim in court filings that they were farther downhill when the other rammed into them.</p> <p>Sanderson has also accused the ski resort of "covering up" the matter by not providing complete information on incident reports and not following resort safety policies.</p> <p>After his initial lawsuit seeking $US3.1 million ($4.65 million AUD) was dropped, Sanderson amended the complaint and he is now seeking $US300,000.</p> <p>Paltrow filed a counterclaim, seeking attorney fees and $US1 ($1.50) in damages, as she claims Sanderson was actually the culprit in the collision, is overstating his injuries, and is trying to exploit her celebrity and wealth.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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"She's really left us": Stunning double rainbow graces the skies

<p>As news of Queen Elizabeth's passing broke, people in the UK took to the gates of both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle to pay their respects to the monarch. </p> <p>As mourners gathered arm-in-arm to remember their Queen, they were graced with an emotional and magical sight. </p> <p>A spectacular double rainbow appeared over the dreary skies of London, with devastated Brits saying the Queen "sent us a sign" and that she has "really left us".</p> <p>The double rainbow even appeared over the Victoria memorial, prompting some to say it is "Queen Elizabeth with Prince Phillip". </p> <p>One twitter user said, "The rainbow at Windsor Castle made me cry. The rainbow Queen sent us a sign."</p> <p>Another said, "A rainbow breaks out, as the Union Jack is lowered to half-mast at Windsor tonight. A remarkable image. Farewell, Ma'am."</p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch was under medical supervision due to her deteriorating health but unfortunately died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8th at 8:30pm local time (3:30am AEDT).</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” The Royal Family tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The public was notified of her death through the traditional form of a formal message placed on an easel on the railings outside the Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / BBC News</em></p>

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Michael Schumacher’s family accused of lying about star’s condition

<p dir="ltr">Michael Schumacher's family have been accused of lying about the F1 star’s condition following a scary brain injury incident. </p> <p dir="ltr">The F1 champion’s health has been closely monitored following a terrifying skiing accident at a French resort of Meribel in December 2013. </p> <p dir="ltr">His wife and family have been keeping his condition under wraps as he recovers at their home in Switzerland. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, Schumacher's former manager Willi Weber, 80, has accused the family of preventing him from visiting and speaking to the star since the incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">Weber has spoken to Schumacher's wife Corinna and close friend Jean Todt who repeatedly told him that “it’s too early” and to just “wait”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I tried hundreds of times to contact Corinna and she didn't answer," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I called Jean Todt to ask him if I should go to the hospital and he told me to wait – it's too early.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I called the next day and no one answered. I didn't expect behaviour like that and I'm still angry about it. They kept me out, telling me it's too early, well now it's too late. It's been nine years. Maybe they should just say it the way it is.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I could understand the situation initially as I always did everything I could for Michael to protect his private life. But since then we have only heard lies from them."</p> <p dir="ltr">Corrina appeared in the Netflix documentary <em>SCHUMACHER</em>, and spoke about wanting to protect her family after her husband’s incident. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength, I find," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We're together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We're trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does. And we are getting on with our lives.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Come ski with us

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>‘Haere mai - welcome to all our Aussie friends and rellies,’ says Justine Tyerman as the first snows of 2021 dust mountain tops around Wanaka in New Zealand’s South Island. ‘Now the trans-Tasman bubble is open, come ski with us!’</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crack open the bubbly . . . or the beer! This coming winter season, with the long-awaited trans-Tasman bubble now open, we are welcoming our Aussie rellies and mates back to our ski resorts. It will be a time of great celebration!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our Sydney-based family will finally be able to join us so we’re planning a family reunion at beautiful</span><a href="https://www.buchananlodge.co.nz/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Buchanan Lodge</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">on the shores of Lake Wanaka.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’re all keen skiers so depending on the weather and snow conditions, we’ll head for either Cardrona or Treble Cone which are both now covered by a single lift pass.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840885/2-justine-on-cardronas-southern-boundary-with-willows-basin-in-the-background.gif" alt="Justine on Cardrona's southern boundary with Willow’s Basin in the background. Picture by Chris Tyerman" data-udi="umb://media/d371d59177fa4fd7aaaf7c2429fc5425" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Justine on Cardrona's southern boundary with Willow’s Basin in the background. Picture by Chris Tyerman</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cardrona purchased Treble Cone Ski Area in January, 2020, so the winter of 2021 marks the second season that Treble Cone has operated under the banner of Cardrona Alpine Resorts.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to this, Cardrona, 34 kilometres south-west of Wanaka up the Cardrona Valley, and Treble Cone, 23 kilometres north-west of Wanaka on the Mt Aspiring Road, had been arch rivals. Cardrona marketed itself as a friendly, fun field accessible to all levels of skiers and snowboarders while Treble Cone was largely the exclusive domain of experts.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cardrona’s 400 hectares are characterised by cruisy, open, undulating, perfectly-groomed pistes, gentle basins and world-class terrain parks. The field is classified as 25 percent beginner, 25 percent intermediate, 30 percent advanced and 20 percent expert.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Treble Cone’s 550-hectare field is famous for its long, steep, uncrowded runs, natural half pipes and chutes, legendary off-piste terrain and spectacular panoramas over Lake Wanaka and the Southern Alps. The resort is classified as 10 percent beginner, 45 percent intermediate and 45 percent advanced.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the words of Cardrona Alpine Resorts’ General Manager, Bridget Legnavsky, the pair are a perfect match.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">‘Cardrona and Treble Cone are the yin to each other's yang . . .’</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cardrona is my preferred mountain. It’s more mellow than Treble Cone - I’ve skied at ‘Cardy’ for 40 years and know it so well, I can find my way down in a complete whiteout. I’ll leave Treble Cone’s steep, challenging pistes to my daredevil sons-in-law.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Besides, the winter of 2021 brings a real game-changer at Cardrona – there’s thrilling new terrain to explore this season thanks to the installation of the Willow’s Basin chairlift, the first of the Soho Basin developments on Cardrona’s southern boundary.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840886/3-soho-basin-and-the-southern-alps-from-the-top-of-cardrona.gif" alt="Soho Basin and the Southern Alps from the top of Cardrona. Picture by Justine Tyerman" data-udi="umb://media/abe0fdfc561045b283a96a1dc9bdb329" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Soho Basin and the Southern Alps from the top of Cardrona. Picture by Justine Tyerman</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Real Journeys, who own Cardrona Alpine Resorts, bought the ski field rights to the privately-owned Soho Basin in July 2018. When development is complete, the resort will effectively more than double in size to over 900 hectares of skiable terrain, creating New Zealand’s largest alpine resort.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’ve long drooled over Soho’s wide, pristine slopes which overlook the Wakatipu Basin and the Southern Alps - itching to plunge off the edge of the Skyline cat track and carve lines in the virgin snow. The high altitude, southerly-facing aspect of the Soho field means it receives and retains a great cover of early and late snow. So this winter, skiers and snowboarders will be able to blast their way into virgin territory hitherto accessible only by snowcat.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 374.609375px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840884/1-from-this-winter-skiers-and-snowboarders-will-have-access-to-the-wide-open-slopes-and-valleys-of-willows-basin-on-cardronas-southern-boundary.gif" alt="From this winter, skiers and snowboarders will have access to the wide open slopes and valleys of Willow’s Basin on Cardrona's southern boundary. Picture supplied" data-udi="umb://media/3099cca6422345f0ae3aeda77e527a2a" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">From this winter, skiers and snowboarders will have access to the wide open slopes and valleys of Willow’s Basin on Cardrona's southern boundary. Picture supplied</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ironically, the Willow’s chairlift – the upcycled, refurbished former McDougall’s Quad that was replaced by the McDougall’s Chondola in 2017 – was originally destined for the Pringles area below Captains Café but the discovery of rare and endangered lizards in the construction zone in 2019 necessitated a radical rethink.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I for one, was ecstatic with the news. While the Pringles lift would have undoubtedly unlocked some seriously-challenging terrain for advanced skiers and snowboarders, for people like me who only get to ski a week a year if I’m lucky, the cruisy, sunny slopes of Willow’s Basin will be absolute perfection. After all,</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the experts have a whole mountain to themselves at Treble Cone.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.5px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840883/new-zealand-skiing.gif" alt="Treble Cone is known for its long, steep, uncrowded runs. Treble Cone photo" data-udi="umb://media/81e2e453e61645c5b2c523cd6109c431" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Treble Cone is known for its long, steep, uncrowded runs. Treble Cone photo</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Looking down into Willow’s, there’s no sign of the eponymous trees which grow so prolifically alongside Lake Wanaka and the Clutha River. Turns out the basin and the new lift were named after the cult classic film, Willow, scenes of which were filmed at Cardrona in the 1980s.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Further lifts are planned for Soho in the future, including a main express chairlift which will link the area to the top of Captain’s Basin. But thanks to the lizards, the Willow’s lift is under construction right now!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And there’s more good news — the Valley View Quad will be back in operation for the 2021 season after being out of action last year due to Covid-19 severely restricting Cardrona’s operational capacity. This lift, combined with the new Willow’s Quad, will increase the resort’s uphill lift capacity by 44 percent compared with last season.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’re now on the countdown to Cardrona’s opening day sometime in June. The first snow of the season has dusted the mountain tops and Central Otago’s spectacular autumn colours are a riot of scarlet, gold and amber.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 333.3333333333333px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840887/4-cardrona-has-cruisy-open-undulating-perfectly-groomed-pistes-mellow-basins-and-world-class-terrain-parks.gif" alt="Cardrona has cruisy, open, undulating, perfectly-groomed pistes, mellow basins and world-class terrain parks. Cardrona Alpine Resorts photo" data-udi="umb://media/525c3f9f49b248fb9dafe6dbfcefa702" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cardrona has cruisy, open, undulating, perfectly-groomed pistes, mellow basins and world-class terrain parks. Cardrona Alpine Resorts photo</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So make sure to get your Earlybird multi-day pass before April 30 when the sale ends. Apart from saving money, having a multi-day pass (or even better, a season pass) allows you to avoid ticket office queues at Cardrona’s base facilities because you can park further down the road in the Valley View Quad car park or sneak into a small park just above the bottom of the Whitestar lift.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It also shaves valuable minutes off the drive up the mountain . . . so you can beat the Aussies to the powder!</span></p> <p>* For more information go to:<a href="https://www.cardrona.com/winter/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Cardrona Alpine Resorts</span></a></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">* Stay at</span><a href="https://www.buchananlodge.co.nz/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Buchanan Lodge</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> overlooking Lake Wanaka</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">* Hire a</span><a href="https://www.jucy.com/nz/en/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> JUCY</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Rental vehicle from the depot near Queenstown Airport.</span></p>

International Travel

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Grace on the mountain: Crown Princess Mary's adorable ski-holiday snaps

<p>Crown Princess Mary of Denmark has given royal fans a glimpse of the family’s latest skiing holiday via the Danish Royal Family Instagram account.</p> <p>Princess Mary, 48, relaxed against the mountains of Switzerland with her beloved dog Grace, who has been with the family since 2017.</p> <p>Her son, Vincent, 9, was also shown in another photo relaxing in the snow next to Grace.</p> <p>Princess Mary and her four children Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine began a 12-week spring term last month at the Lemania-Verbier International School in Switzerland.</p> <p>It’s clear that the family are enjoying their time in Switzerland, as the Danish Royal Family Instagram account captioned the snaps “A greeting from Switzerland where Grace enjoys life in the mountains and snow.”</p> <p>The snaps quickly racked up 28,000 likes from royal fans who were excited to see the family relaxing with their dog.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see the snaps.</p>

International Travel

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Reese Witherspoon could be her daughter’s twin in stunning ski selfie

<p>Reese Witherspoon’s 20-year-old daughter, Ava Phillippe is growing up to look exactly like her after her mother took to Instagram to share a sweet snap of the duo on a skiing trip.</p> <p>Looking more like sisters rather than mother-daughter, Witherspoon captioned the selfie “Weekend ski bunnies” as the photograph overlooked the mountains.</p> <p>Ava showed her appreciation in the comments, writing, “I love youuuu”.</p> <p>The pair are known to have a close relationship with the actress regularly sharing snaps of the two on her Instagram page.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8orIcvAzGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B8orIcvAzGT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Weekend ski bunnies 🎿</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reesewitherspoon/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Reese Witherspoon</a> (@reesewitherspoon) on Feb 16, 2020 at 9:06am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Ava, who is currently in her second year of college at the University of California, Berkeley, also shared a photo of her mum while she was visiting her on campus.</p> <p>Phillippe is also her mother’s biggest supporter. In December last year she posted a congratulatory caption on Instagram after Witherspoon was honoured with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at The<span> </span><em>Hollywood Reporter’s<span> </span></em>annual Women in Entertainment gala.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5HYpgFn6kt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5HYpgFn6kt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">quick visit from my cute mama ❤️</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/avaphillippe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Ava</a> (@avaphillippe) on Nov 20, 2019 at 9:15pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Major congratulations to my mama, who received an award today for her leadership in the industry that she cares so deeply about improving. I’m so grateful to have a mom this thoughtful, passionate, and courageous, and I’m glad other people can recognise how special she is!” she wrote.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B58gwMDJcKT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B58gwMDJcKT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Major congratulations to my mama, who received an award today for her leadership in the industry that she cares so deeply about improving. I’m so grateful to have a mom this thoughtful, passionate, and courageous, and I’m glad other people can recognize how special she is! 💐</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/avaphillippe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Ava</a> (@avaphillippe) on Dec 11, 2019 at 12:26pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Phillippe’s dad, actor Ryan Phillippe, told<span> </span><em>Entertainment Tonight</em><span> </span>in 2017 that he finds it strange to be constantly told how his kids, Ava and Deacon, look exactly like their parents.</p> <p>"I mean, it's weird, because isn't that obvious?" he joked. "Who else are they going to look like, you know? I always find that such a weird thing, like, [Ava] looks exactly like her mother, who else is she going to look like? It's an odd thing that people fixate on that."</p>

Beauty & Style

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This is the best place to ski in New Zealand

<p><em>Justine Tyerman, travel writer from New Zealand, was present at the birth of Cardona and eagerly awaits the latest addition…</em>  </p> <p>Riding to the top of a ski resort in a bubble is about to become a reality in New Zealand.</p> <p>My favourite ski area, Cardrona Alpine Resort near Wanaka, is due to open its new $10 million Doppelmayr ‘chondola’, a lift combining eight-person gondola cabins or ‘bubbles’ and six-seater chairs on June 10. The new McDougall’s Express Chondola is the first cabin-style lift on a ski area in New Zealand, replacing the existing McDougall’s Quad chairlift.</p> <p>The high-speed Chondola will increase the lift capacity by 150 percent, with an hourly uplift of 2,550 skiers, snowboarders and sightseers.</p> <p>The new lift is 100m closer to the base facilities, making it faster and easier to get up the mountain. No walking uphill to the lift queue in skiboots with skis on your shoulder.</p> <p>It will be ideal for beginners, allowing first-time skiers and snowboarders the ability to walk on and off a gondola cabin and ride to the top of the mountain on their first day.</p> <p>From the top of McDougall’s they can access the mellow Skyline trail or New Zealand’s longest beginner trail, A Real Journey, over to Captain's Basin.</p> <p>Sightseers can also travel to the top of the mountain in the warmth and comfort of a gondola cabin to view the panorama that still takes my breath away, even after 36 years – row-upon-row of the Southern Alps, the entire Wakatipu Basin and little Arrowtown nestled in the valley below.</p> <p>We’ve skied at Cardrona since its very first season in 1980 and have witnessed the mountain develop into a world-class resort.</p> <p>Waiting out a blizzard last year, I read the entire fascinating history of the resort displayed on the wall of the Captain’s café.</p> <p>Tall, rangy Cardrona pioneer and founder John Lee is pictured there building his non-consented ‘high-quality farm road’ back in the 1970s. The Mt Pisa farmer had a bold vision to one day ‘farm snow’ so he designed the road with a gradual gradient so that busses and cars could manage it with ease. The road today is a testament to John’s methodical planning many decades ago – gentle, wide and well-barriered, I always feel safe on that road.  </p> <p>1980 was the first official ski season at Cardrona but there was so much snow, the new field was open for only 16 days. The following year, they operated for six weeks and purchased a snow groomer.</p> <p>The double lift was installed in 1983 followed by McDougall’s lift and a 200-seat café in 1985.</p> <p>In hindsight, it seems bizarre but Cardrona actually banned snowboarding in the late 1980s, a ban that was only lifted in 1989 when one of the managers got hooked on what was then considered a renegade sport after he was persuaded to take a lesson.</p> <p>The famous blue clock tower was added in 1993-5 along with the Mezz Café, expanded kids’ facilities, apartments and a medical centre.</p> <p>In the summer of 1999-2000, mountain biking, hiking and rock climbing at Arcadia began, heralding a new era of operations at Cardrona outside the winter months.</p> <p>An express quad chair replaced the Captain’s Quad in 2008 and the old Captain’s lift was installed as the Valley View lift in 2010.</p> <p>Real Journeys bought Cardrona Alpine Resort in 2013, and the intermediate jumpline opened in 2014, bringing the resort’s freestyle collection to four terrain parks, two half pipes and a big air jump.</p> <p>The summer of 2015-2016 was Cardrona’s first full summer of operations including mountain biking, hiking, stargazing and the Southern Hemisphere’s first mountain carts.</p> <p>And on June 10, 2017, the Chondola opens, heralding a whole new chapter in the mountain’s development.</p> <p>While gorging on history, I also learned a number of other fascinating facts including that Captain’s is named after an old rodeo horse who was put out to pasture on Cardrona during the 1970s. He was a nightmare to wrangle, so much so that some of the men wanted to shoot him. But John Lee identified with Captain’s tenacious spirit that matched his own, naming one of the ski field’s basins and lifts after the spirited horse.</p> <p>Ironically, John was not a skier, but his wife Mary was a passionate advocate of the sport and can claim many of Cardrona’s first descents.</p> <p>After a massive snow dump late in the season last year, we had one of our best ever day’s skiing on a pristine, cloudless, windless day. Being mid-week and outside the school or university holidays, there were few other skiers so we had the mountain to ourselves. My brand new Dynastars, on loan from my old friend Kazu at Outside Sports in Wanaka, were humming, and my boots were supremely comfortable after Paul, the Scottish boot doctor at the shop, gave them a stretch to accommodate my burgeoning bunions.</p> <p>We skied every possible on-piste and off-piste run and then treated ourselves to a leisurely lunchbreak and a chilled cider in the sun on the balcony at Captains Café. Even after he lifts officially closed, we persuaded the liftie to let us back on for one last run as the sun began to slide towards the snowy horizon, painting the mountains pink.</p> <p>On the way back to Wanaka, we stopped off at the historic Cardrona Hotel and had a glass of hot mulled wine and chips beside the roaring outside fire, as we have done after every day’s skiing for 36 years. The day was pure magic, the stuff of legends. I can’t wait to do it all again this year . . . and ride the bubble.</p> <p>Have you ever been skiing in New Zealand?</p> <p><em>* Justine skied courtesy of Cardrona Alpine Resort <a href="http://www.cardrona.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>www.cardrona.com</strong></span>/</a> and Outside Sports <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.outsidesports.co.nz/" target="_blank">www.outsidesports.co.nz/</a></strong></span> Outside Sports has shops in Queenstown, Wanaka and Te Anau. You can pick up your sporting gear at one shop and drop it off at another.</em></p> <p><em>Justine travelled to Wanaka in a <a href="http://www.jucy.co.nz/our-vehicles/motor-homes/casa-plus/%20%20%20" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">JUCY Casa Plus motorhome</span></strong></a>, warm and cosy even in the snow! </em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Fabulous Danish royal family album of fun-filled Switzerland ski holiday

<p>Escaping the limelight can be a difficult feat when you’re a member of a royal family, but Princess Mary and Prince Frederick of Denmark have managed to do just that, whisking their four beautiful children away for a ski trip to Verbier, Switzerland.</p> <p>The 45-year-old Tasmanian-born Princess proved quite the photographer, snapping cute photos of her children Prince Christian, 11, Princess Isabella, nine, and six-year-olds Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine enjoying the snow. The family were also joined by Mary’s Aussie nephew, Alexander Stephens.</p> <p>See their gorgeous holiday album above and tell us in the comments, have you ever visited this stunning part of the world?</p> <p><em>Photos: H. K. H. Crown Princess / Facebook</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/02/prince-harrys-roadblock-to-marriage/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Prince Harry’s roadblock to marriage</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/02/william-and-kate-visit-paris-first-time-since-diana-death/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>William and Kate’s special tribute to Princess Diana</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2017/02/duke-and-duchess-install-new-security-measures-to-protect-george-and-charlotte/"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Duke and Duchess install new security measures to protect George and Charlotte</strong></span></em></a></p>

News

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102-year-old skier retires from the slopes

<p>Britain’s oldest skier, 102-year-old Hilda Jamieson, has called time on the sport she loves.</p> <p>Hilda fell in love with the sport in the 1930s, learning on a set of homemade skis.</p> <p>And she’s being skiing regularly ever since!</p> <p><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/17997/hilde-ski-in-text-_497x280.jpg" alt="Hilde Ski In Text - (1)" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Unfortunately, a degenerative eye condition has left Hilda almost blind, and even though she has attempted ski-runs in recent months with her daughters acting as beacon guides, she’s decided to hang up her skis in the interest of her own safety.</p> <p>“I love it so much, but I’ve had a good innings,” Mrs Jamieson told Metro UK.</p> <p>Mrs Jamieson and her husband David, who sadly passed in 2002, were pioneers of the sport in Scotland, building the Glenshee Ski Centre, which has 27 ski lifts, 36 runs and is billed as one of the best winter sports resorts in the UK.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/03/98-year-old-skier-shares-his-secret/">98-year-old skier is king of the slopes</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/04/granny-scares-off-burglar-with-martial-arts-sword/">Granny scares off burglar with martial arts sword</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/03/royal-family-vacations/">60 years of royal family vacations in pictures</a></strong></em></span></p>

Retirement Life

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The best places to ski in New South Wales

<p>While Australia probably isn’t the first place you would think of when it comes to skiing, there are actually some great places to hit the slopes across the ditch. We’re going to take a look at the major ski-spots in New South Wales.</p> <p>If you haven't skied in New South Wales yet, 2016 might just be the year to try it out!</p> <p><strong>Thredbo</strong></p> <p>Arguably Australia’s premier year-round alpine resort, Thredbo is located in the Snowy Mountains at the foot of Mt Kosciuszko. Skiers of all levels will find terrain to suit, and the variety of accommodation options give the resort an idyllic village atmosphere.</p> <p>There’s great options for kids, the highest lifted point in Australia and a range of village facilities including shops and restaurant for people to have fun on and off the slopes.</p> <p>For more information regarding Thredbo, <a href="https://www.thredbo.com.au/" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span>.</em></strong></a></p> <p><strong>Perisher Blue</strong></p> <p>Perisher Blue incorporates the villages of Perisher, Smiggins Hole, Guthega and Mt Blue Cow and offers skiing and boarding options for all levels, with a range of reasonable packages including accommodation, lift passes and ski lessons.</p> <p>Perisher Blue has extensive snowmaking facilities and a range of kids programs, as well as night skiing options and an extensive winter month entertainment program.</p> <p>For more information regarding Perisher Blue, <a href="http://www.perisher.com.au/" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span>.</strong></em></a></p> <p><strong>Charlottes Pass Ski Resort</strong></p> <p>Home to some of the most-consistent, best-quality snowfall in Australia, Charlottes Pass is the highest ski resort in the country with an altitude of 1760 metres. Charlottes Pass serves as the perfect base for back country activities including snow shoe tours and has implemented new features including the Freestyle Terrain Park and Charlottes Play Park.</p> <p>For more information on Charlottes Pass, <a href="http://www.charlottepass.com.au/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span>.</em></strong></a></p> <p><strong>Selwyn Snowfields</strong></p> <p>For people seeking a snow experience at a more affordable price, Selwyn Snowfield provides a range of skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and cross country skiing options. Selwyn Snowfield is located in the Northern section of Kosciuszko National Park.</p> <p>For more information on Selwyn Snowfields, <strong><em><a href="http://www.selwynsnow.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span>.</a></em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/a-look-inside-first-class-cabins/">Inside 8 first class cabins that will amaze you</a></span></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/most-photographed-locations-in-london/">London’s 8 most photographed locations</a></span></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/international/2016/02/holiday-ideas-for-animal-lovers/">8 holiday ideas every animal lover needs to experience</a></span></em></strong></p>

International Travel

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98-year-old skier is king of the slopes

<p>Meet George Jedenoff, who at 98-years-old is making his 56th consecutive season on the slopes.</p> <p>In this video George shares his secret to longevity. </p> <p>What an amazing story. Here’s to many more runs George!</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Ski Utah</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/03/couple-give-60-million-lottery-away/"><strong>Couple gives $60 million lottery win away</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/03/find-letter-t-image-puzzle/"><strong>Can you find the letter “T” in this image?</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/03/stunning-images-antarctica-remote-beauty/"><strong>Stunning images of Antarctica’s remote beauty</strong></a></em></span></p>

News

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Two nuns ski cross country in habits

<p>These nuns aren’t let the crazy weather in the US get them down. While weather forecasts say the worst of Denver’s storm could be over, these two fun loving sisters are making the most of it by enjoying a cross country ski, habits and all.</p> <p>This video was taken by a passer-by who found the sight quite amusing and couldn’t resist capturing it.</p> <p><em>Video credit: 9news</em></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/12/life-lessons-from-grandparents/">Top 10 life lessons kids learn from grandparents</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/5-types-of-grandparents/">There are 5 different types of grandparents – which one are you?</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/parents-and-kids-who-look-identical/">10 pics of parents and kids who look identical</a></strong></span></em></p>

News

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Wave clouds appear over Colorado ski resort

<p>These stunning pictures, captured by Breckenridge Ski Resort residents in Colorado, appear to show the clouds ready to “break” like waves into an ocean.</p> <p>The unusual weather formation from “when a layer of cloud is found beneath a layer of warmer air and the two layers happen to be moving in separate directions”, according to Andy Russell, a weather and climate lecturer at Brunel University.</p> <p>Mountainous areas like Colorado are more likely to experience weather patterns like this due to the atmospheric properties at this elevation. </p>

International Travel

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Gondola to link Queenstown to ski fields NZ

<p>Plans are afoot for a $50 million, 9.8km gondola from Queenstown's Remarkables Park Town Centre to the Remarkables Ski Area.</p> <p>The gondola would operate from a Gondola Events Plaza, adjacent to the centre in Frankton, and link to NZSki's base building at the ski field. The ride would take about 27 minutes. </p> <p>Queenstown investment and development company Porter Group chairman Alastair Porter said the project, the longest gondola in Australasia, would be a "significant" investment in regional and national tourism infrastructure and the resort played a key role in attracting tourists to the country.</p> <p><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/11179/gondola-planned_497x280.jpg" alt="Gondola Planned" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p><em>Image credit: Stuff.co.nz</em></p> <p>"However, we live in a world where tourism is highly competitive, and it's extremely important for New Zealand to continue to invest in major tourist infrastructure to keep refreshing and enhancing our international appeal," he said.</p> <p>The gondola would enhance Queenstown as an international four-season destination by enabling sightseers, hikers, climbers, mountain bikers and wedding couples or conference and incentive groups looking for an unforgettable venue to visit the Remarkables in spring, summer and autumn, Porter said.</p> <p>The gondola was based on a design by Leitner Poma, one of the world's most experienced gondola and chairlift companies.</p> <p>"The gondola will also integrate well with the proposed Convention Centre at Remarkables Park Town Centre," Porter said.</p> <p>Porter said that determining the gondola location and building had delayed development of a Queenstown Convention Centre at Remarkables Park Town Centre.</p> <p>"Importantly the Convention Centre and the new Remarkables mountain facilities building can work together to host conferences," he said.</p> <p>New Zealand tourism consultant Stephen Hamilton said he was "very supportive" of the vision to connect hotels and urban areas of Queenstown to The Remarkables.</p> <p>"In winter the proposed gondola will give skiers, boarders and sightseers easy access to NZSki's facilities. It will further boost Queenstown's world-class visitor experience, and has the potential to deliver immeasurable economic benefits to the resort town's many businesses," he said.</p> <p>Porter said there was a widely-recognised need for Queenstown to develop more hotels to cope with visitor growth.</p> <p>The gondola and convention centre would act as "significant catalysts" for new hotels and retail in the wider region and at Remarkables Park, Queenstown's largest zoned area for high-rise hotel and retail expansion, he said.</p> <p>Submissions have been lodged with the Queenstown Lakes District Council for the project, and a resource consent application would be lodged in early 2016.</p> <p>Porter said it could be built and operational within three years, subject to further consultation and the resource consent process.</p> <p>First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz</strong></span></a>.</p> <p> </p>

News

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Best value ski destinations

<p>By the time you add up transport, accommodation, ski hire, lift passes and overpriced food on the slopes, ski holidays certainly aren’t cheap. But there are some resorts that will give you more bang for your buck. These are the best value ski destinations around the world.</p> <p><strong>Hakuba, Japan</strong></p> <p>Japan is better value overall than resorts in Europe and North America, and Hakuba is the best value of all. The resort has an average snow depth of 2.5 metres and there are more than 200 runs across 10 resorts. Two-day passes start from around $110 and a five-day weekday pass is less than $200. It can be quite tricky to organise an independent ski holiday in Japan so you’re best off going with a tour operator. A seven-night package including accommodation, breakfast and a ski pass is around $1,100 per person.</p> <p><strong>Les Menuires, France</strong></p> <p>You’ll need to understand that value in French ski resorts is a relative term – none of them are going to be cheap. But Les Menuires in the famed Les Trois Vallees (The Three Valleys) offers the best value for skiing on par with surrounding pricey resorts like Courcheval and Meribel. In fact, it’s where a lot of locals in the area ski because the runs and quiet and there are no lines at the lifts. Unfortunately, the village is dominated by a hideously ugly concrete apartment building, but look past that and you’ll find plenty of cheap self-contained apartments. If you’re careful, you can ski here for around $110 a day including accommodation, meals, ski pass (that covers the whole Three Valleys area) and ski hire.</p> <p><strong>Vogel, Slovenia</strong></p> <p>If you want a real bargain basement European ski holiday, stay away from the traditional resorts and head east – way east. Vogel is quite small (with just 18 square kilometres of piste) but there’s a lot of variety and runs to suit every level of skier. At just 1,800 metres the resort is low by European standards, but snowfall is reliable and plentiful. The resort sits in a national park so there is no development or artificial snow making, so it has a delightfully unspoiled – and is incredibly beautiful. You won’t hear many other voices speaking English (let alone with an New Zealand accent) but the Slovenians are renowned for being friendly and welcoming. A one-week lift pass costs only around $200 and you can find a decent hotel for less than $110 a night.</p> <p><strong>Durango Mountain Resort (Purgatory), Colorado</strong></p> <p>In December 2013 TripAdvisor chose this small US resort as the best value ski destination in North America. A day on the slopes here (including accommodation, lift pass, equipment hire and meals) costs around $240. Compare that to Vail, the most expensive resort in North America, where you’ll be looking at close to $885 per day. Durango is one of the last unspoilt Old West ski towns in the US and has a beautifully preserved, historic downtown, as well as more than 1,300 skiable acres, five terrain parks, a kids’ play area and heliskiing nearby. It also has some of the best weather in the US and no lift lines.</p> <address><strong>Banff, Canada</strong> (pictured above)</address> <p>Sitting in the heart of the Rockies, Banff has one of the biggest ski areas in North America and fantastic snow cover. The ski season is also very long, running from at least November to May, and this is where the value comes in – go at the start or end of the season and you can get some fantastic deals. Skiers stay in the town of Banff itself, rather than on the slopes, but you can reach the three surrounding ski areas via a free bus service. It’s regarded as the best value ski destination in Canada with lift tickets costing around $88 a day.</p> <p> </p>

International Travel

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Everything you need to know about skiing in Japan

<p><em><strong>Bitten by the snow bug a little later in life, Australian Over60 community member David Pickering, 61, was completely drawn in by what Japan has to offer in the skiing stakes. Here he shares his knowledge on the land of karaoke and the cherry blossom.</strong></em></p> <p>I came to be a “snow tragic” quite late in life. While my early grounding was all in Australia, my passion was really ignited in Japan. Now 61, I want to share some important advice on how to survive and thrive in the unique winter wonderland. Every year for more than a decade, I’ve skied all over Japan from Furano to Niseko on the northern island of Hokkaido, down to Hakuba and Hakkoda on the main island of Honshu. My adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun have been mind-blowing with seemingly boundless powder snow in a country of unique beauty and incredibly friendly people.</p> <p><strong>Best mountains</strong></p> <p><strong>Hokkaido (northern island of Japan):</strong> Known for some of the deepest, lightest powder and best terrain in Japan, if you don’t like crowds go elsewhere. Nearby, Rusutsu has some beautiful tree runs and a memorable snowmobile experience but is also getting a little too crowded. There are not too many bluebird days on Hokkaido so learn to ski in the trees where the visibility is always good. Make sure you wear a helmet. Furano – further to the northwest – can be a lot cooler and is popular with the Japanese but is still excellent and the sun comes out a little more often.</p> <p><strong>Honshu (main central island of Japan):</strong> Nozawa Onsen is one of the oldest resorts in Japan with the ancient Fire Festival a must-see event. In this completely crazy but spectacular event, flaming torch-wielding villagers attack a huge timber fort (shaden) defended by the 25 and 42-year-old men turning it into a huge bonfire. This “ritualised violence” is accompanied by the consumption of enormous quantities of sake – a good time is had by all. Hakuba is a bit like Thredbo on steroids and they do have some big, fast trails, as this is where the Japanese Olympic downhill team trains. Off-piste skiing is definitely not encouraged here but on the good days they open some gates and some beautiful terrain can be accessed. Myoko Kogen is a resort that has something for everybody – good off-piste, lots of varied terrain and very safe. They also have a great hospital where I received first-class treatment for a dislocated thumb sustained when I fell off the lift. Our favourite location is at the very northern tip of Honshu – Hakkoda Mountain. It’s in the Aomori Provence, one of the snowiest parts of the world where the average snowfall is at least five meters with the record at 17 meters. Hakkoda is backcountry heaven and the home to the famous snow monsters – strangely shaped snow covered trees. There is one large ropeway gondola, which transports about 100 brave souls to the top where most head out either guided or unguided to test their mettle in some great backcountry powder. Reasonable fitness is required here as you hike up mountains on snowshoes with your skis strapped to your back. The amount of heat you generate is staggering so you can’t wear too much gear but frostbite then becomes an issue – my nose will heal eventually. The only English-speaking guide when I was there last is Simon - so make sure you book him early.</p> <p><strong>Off-piste skiing?</strong></p> <p>If you crave something a little extreme, then off-piste skiing (away from the groomed ski runs) might be something you want to try– and Japan has it in spades, though, it’s not for the faint-hearted! Due to the inherent safety risks of schussing down uneven slopes between trees or deep powder areas, some resorts in Japan don’t really allow it. There is, however, an intrinsic pleasure in being the first person to lay down ski tracks on fresh, deep snow. While the resort ski patrols can be a little overcautious they do have good reason to be at times. Avalanches, tree wells and slippage cracks are ever-present dangers depending on the terrain, snow conditions and weather. Remember to never, ever ski alone and if your group chooses to venture out of bounds make sure you have all the recommended safety gear.</p> <p><strong>Getting around</strong></p> <p>The easiest way to travel within Japan is by train, as it is very efficient and reasonably cheap – as long as you get the multi-day passes. These can be pre-purchased through your travel agent and can save a lot of time when trying to make connections. The railway system is a modern marvel – very comfortable and every train leaves on time, to the second! The stations are busy but the English signage is good – just make sure you follow the coloured line to the correct platform. One tip: avoid travelling in Tokyo at peak hour – it’s a tricky journey with your skis, 10-kilo backpack, suitcase and four million Japanese computers – argh! The Shinkansen (bullet trains) are awesome and while travelling at over 200 kilometers per hour, the only thing you hear is the quiet snoring of the Japanese who will sleep anywhere, anytime.</p> <p><strong>10 tips for skiing in Japan when over-60</strong></p> <ol> <li>Learn to ski powder quickly – the piste is generally pretty average</li> <li>Establish or join a group of like-minded friends who you can travel and ski with –safety in numbers</li> <li>When skiing off-piste don’t ski at the back unless you like digging others out of the deep powder</li> <li>Take your younger more agile offspring with you to help dig you out of that deep powder and make sure you are at least half as fit as they are</li> <li>Don’t bother taking duty-free spirits as it’s just as cheap in the local Seicomart</li> <li>Find the location of the nearest onsen (hot spring) immediately on arrival – your aching body will need it every day</li> <li>Learn to eat fluently in Japanese – the food is sensational</li> <li>Memorise important Japanese phrases starting the day with Good morning – <em>ohayu</em> <em>gozaimasu</em> and finishing at the bar at night with, two beers please – <em>biiru nihai kudasai</em>.</li> <li>Always have loose change available as beer can be purchased from vending machines everywhere</li> <li>Don’t wear shoes or ask for a western bed on the tatami mats – appallingly bad manners to your host as has been pointed out to me on a number of occasions</li> </ol>

International Travel

Over 60

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