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Steepest Artificial Ski Slope?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I wondered why you weren't on the list. I'm not either now, despite being on the acceptance - bust my thumb at Gloucester yesterday.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:

Looks like entries are going to be way down, unless they get an awful lot of late entries.


Common theme this year. Expansion of indoor slopes, or the great depression?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I do recall at one point thinking from the bottom of Hillend 'How hard can it be?'

The slope rapidly put me in my place.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
I haven't been to Hillend for many, many years but remember it being pretty impressive, the top pitch certainly put you in your place! Toofy Grin

IIRC it used to be the case that Gloucester was the second longest dry slope in the UK but now they don't have the top 100 or so metres it's sadly an also ran in the length stakes - I don't think any of it is anywhere near as steep as the top at Hillend either.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
beequin wrote:
Common theme this year. Expansion of indoor slopes, or the great depression?


A bit of both probably. We've certainly seen a few of our racers apparently switch to indoor only (at least we've not seen them at dry slope training for a while, they've not raced outdoors so far this season, and they are racing in the fridges - and presumably training there too).

Changing the grand prix series to 5 out of 7, and the loss of the prize fund, has probably removed the incentive for people to go to the ones which mean the most travelling - so they may well not be doing the CNs the day before either. It will be interesting to see whether the entries are still down when we get to the more middle of the country races - everything so far has probably been too far to do on the day for some people, and perhaps they are cutting back on the overnight stays?
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
also to be honest the races at the start of the year are quite often low on numbers, especially in the older age groups as is the run up to school and uni exams. I know in previous years the numbers in the senior age group certainly increased after term ended! Also know a few of the older kids at our club have not entered some races due to studying. As Okanagan, says, also they have been fairly extreme ends of the country, middle ones are usually busier. Not sure how much effect prize fund removal will have had as I think before last year there wasn't one anyway?

Jane L, sorry to hear bout your thumb Sad hope it gets better soon!

personally, bring on stoke and everything thereafter!! (Including hillend - eek Shocked ) Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
vivski, Both races at CFe were full, with entrants from all over the country.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
rjs, I remember, that does slightly put a flaw in my theory - so I will rephrase that the above applies to plastic, more people make the effort for the indoor snow races, especially if one day is the british championship rolling eyes I still reckon the numbers for plastic pick up later in the year - they have in previous years anyway. I do not dispute the fact that a lot of people will have switched to doing mainly/only indoor snow racing.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
roga wrote:
IIRC it used to be the case that Gloucester was the second longest dry slope in the UK...

Really? Surely, even with the extra 100m, it wasn't longer than Wycombe at 300m. So maybe 2nd longest in England, but surely I don't have to remind you that that's not the same as the UK Wink . Llandudno (now Permasnow) is also listed as 250m long (I've not skied there myself). I believe the 2nd longest Dendix slope operating at present is now Pontypool at 220m, then Rossendale at 200m, followed by Norfolk and Ipswich at around 180m. (Ooh I've just seen that Sheffield - a Snowflex surface - is listed at 330m)

I've been told that the top of Aldershot is the steepest in England, only beaten by Hillend. I can believe it, seeing the difficulties that those who haven't raced here before have when they get to the end of the ramp. That section is only about 40m long though before getting to a pretty flat bottom 60m.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
GrahamN, there was a time before Wycombe, and going back even further a time before the slope at Sheffield existed...
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
GrahamN, the main slope at sheffield is still dendix (in fact, IIRC most of it is now Hemel's old dendix wink ) - they had removed the mat from the top part of the slope years ago but last time I was there they were rematting it to return it to its full length Very Happy
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Okanagan wrote:
vivski - expected to see you at Rossendale this weekend. Looks like entries are going to be way down, unless they get an awful lot of late entries.

Okanagan, the Acceptance List for the weekend is missing a lot of names - our 9 y/o being one of them! Gwyneth - the Race Secretary - downloaded the name from SSW on Thursday and all those who entered Thursday/Friday are missing. Entry has been extended to today as well, so should see bigger numbers that the current Acceptance List suggests.

Those pics of Hillend look impressive. Any exceptionally rich benefactors out there want to invest in developing the Wrekin???? Our 85 metre slope in Telford is little short for racing.......
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Jon.L, how is junior after yesterday morning's crash? Hopefully not too much long term damage?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Jon.L wrote:
... benefactors ...

Perhaps here is a place to record thanks to George Boyd Anderson, whose generous support was incremental in starting the Hillend artificial slope. As well as Hillend, Boyd Anderson helped equipping the Scout Ski Section in Edinburgh in the 1960s, which got me started on the slopes. Many thanks!

BTW, there is a web site with info about the history of Hillend, http://web.mac.com/lsra2005/hillendhistory/Welcome.html. The photo sections didn't work for me but there is stuff there about grass skiing and movies. Interesting (you can also buy a DVD).
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