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Britisih Ski Team may miss Olympics

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article6995985.ece
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
From what I heard the home nation bodies can operate as a confederation with the blessing of the BOA. Snowsport Scotland under instruction from Sport Scotland is funding athletes and coaches directly to avoid losing funds when the inevitable happens.

Does make you wonder if the whole modernisation farce was an attempt to screw the home nations to drain their funds to sort out the mess at the centre?
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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?
Intresting to note Governement response or more acurately the lack of it, makes me ashamed to be British, back after Beijing we were celebrating British achivements but come the winter Olympics the government doesn't give a toss, typical Mad
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I'm pretty apalled at that to be honest. Obviously something needs to change in the long term to make sure the organisation can sustain itself, but it's hard to believe there is no funding forthcoming from government or lottery sources.

Is there any way snowsports enthusiasts can lobby in support of the athletes?

D
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Deliaskis wrote:
Is there any way snowsports enthusiasts can lobby in support of the athletes?

Haven't you heard? Snowsports are an elitist past-time which have absolutely no need for financial intervention from central governemt. This whole crisis is self-inflicted by the rich simply looking only after themselves and not being able to see the bigger picture involving those around them. That's the sarcasm out of the way......

Having bailed out the banks to the tune of approaching £1 trillion (the majority of which went to the bank who ironically pulled the SSGB overdraft last November?) and then have allegedly bunged the £11bn cash to Kraft to sell Cadbury's down the river, not sure the Government is in a position to do something moral for a change.

It absolutely makes your blood boil. Ba$tards, the lot of 'em..... Evil or Very Mad
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Jon.L, Don't sit on the fence there, tell us how you feel! Very Happy
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Maybe we could team up with the Dutch, but without going Dutch (i.e. they pay)
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Alexandra, Laughing I've had six cups of coffee so far today....think the caffeine may be taking over.....
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After all the threads about the organisational structure problems, financial and leadership difficulties is anyone surprised?

It still confuses the hell out of me why there are so many bodies involved in organising snowsports in a non-alpine country.

Should money be thrown Britich Snowsports until they get their house in order?
Should funds go directly to Athletes via a differnt route?
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stoatsbrother, it's really no surprise that this has happened. However, given the apparent willingness of the Government to throw our money around at whatever it likes, it surely must offer some sort of bail out to SSGB. We're not even talking a few million here - my boss could give them the money they need this afternoon if he wasn't such a tight-ar$e!

Like the vast majority on here, I am not privvy to the numbers at SSGB but from the anecdotal evidence, it would seem at most £1m could give it the security it need to get itself on an even keel. Thinking back to when the problems were first aired, they were offering £40,000 for a new CEO - you get what you pay for in this world and for that kind of money you would not get the calibre of CEO needed. That kind of money would pay for a 'good' Operational Manager at best.

I'm also confused as to why there is SSGB, SSE, SSW, SSS et al. Too much bureaucracy IMV, with the almost inevitable problems that ensue.....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Shame they didn't accept modernisation - I doubt they'd be in this mess if they had done.
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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.
Jon.L wrote:
stoatsbrotherThinking back to when the problems were first aired, they were offering £40,000 for a new CEO - you get what you pay for in this world and for that kind of money you would not get the calibre of CEO needed. That kind of money would pay for a 'good' Operational Manager at best.


True, but at least you wouldn't get Fred Goodwin applying for the job

Razz
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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
If Fred Goodwin was running it we would have the best ski team in the world for about 8 yeasrs then be even more bankrupt. Hmmm, maybe someone should give him a call.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Jon.L,
Quote:

Haven't you heard? Snowsports are an elitist past-time which have absolutely no need for financial intervention from central governemt. This whole crisis is self-inflicted by the rich simply looking only after themselves and not being able to see the bigger picture involving those around them. That's the sarcasm out of the way......


I think that's sort of the Governments attitude, however this makes it different from Tennis or Athletics how exactly ?

I sometimes think that the Governments attitue seems to be if we are not certain of at least getting a medal we shouldn't compete, thank god these idiots were not in power when Mr Hitler was
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
D G Orf, would you give your own money to SSGB after all the problems in the last few years?
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I wonder if it has anything to do with them blowing all their money on range rovers? [img] https://snowheads.com/the_zone/showphoto.php/data/500/IMG_00361.jpg [/img]
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
D G Orf wrote:
I think that's sort of the Governments attitude, however this makes it different from Tennis or Athletics how exactly ?

Was actually on a lift at Cairngorm at Xmas with someone who has been involved professionally with top level training and fund-raising for a number of years and who will shorty be loosing his job as a result of this mess (through no fault of his own I hasten to add) and we were chatting about the issue of elitism. He actually stated categorically that whilst this perception is a definite issue for anyone raising funds for athletes in snowsports the facts contradict this. I was a bit surprised myself to be honest to hear him say categorically that the only sport which has a more representative mix of all social classes is athletics, I think he was referring to more than the elite levels but all the same something of a surprise to me!
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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?
The government of this country is broke. I wouldn't want taxpayers' money shovelled at an unreformed body that has clearly not managed its finances prudently - especially in the current circumstances. Those who consider the situation a tragedy, if they are still solvent, should open their own cheque books.
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laundryman wrote:
The government of this country is broke. I wouldn't want taxpayers' money shovelled at an unreformed body that has clearly not managed its finances prudently

Too late, they've given trillions to the banks rolling eyes Sad
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roga, I'm not happy about that either.
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British team will be able to compete regardless of what happens to SSGB BBC report here
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
frank4short, LandRover are a major sponsor, I doubt they are being paid for.
http://landrover.co.uk/gb/en/go-beyond/sponsorship/ski/SKI-SPONSORSHIP.htm
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
laundryman wrote:
roga, I'm not happy about that either.

Yeah and we're not the only ones - seems to make not an ounce of difference to either bankers or politicians though! Evil or Very Mad
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Boredsurfing, had an idea that might have been the case but was too lazy to look it up Embarassed
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D G Orf wrote:
Jon.L,
Quote:

Haven't you heard? Snowsports are an elitist past-time which have absolutely no need for financial intervention from central governemt. This whole crisis is self-inflicted by the rich simply looking only after themselves and not being able to see the bigger picture involving those around them. That's the sarcasm out of the way......


I sometimes think that the Governments attitue seems to be if we are not certain of at least getting a medal we shouldn't compete

That's exactly the attitude if you look at the UK Sport funding figures.

2010 - we have little chance of a medal, so let's not invest.
2014 - we have less chance of a medal than 2010 due to lack of athletes because there's been no investment (other than personal) in them, so lets not invest
2018 - where are the athletes? Just because we don't pay them, how dare they not be willing to represent their country! Must be due to the mess that this government inherited in 1997......
2022 - I think you get the picture....

You may have noticed that I'm not happy about all this..... with luck and, ahem, suitable investment, I'm hopefully about 10 years behind plugboy


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Thu 21-01-10 18:10; edited 1 time in total
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D G Orf, you have still not answered my question about whether you would give your own money to the current organisation?

Linking the Government's approach in funding sport to unwillingness to confront Hitler - espescially when they seem very keen to go to war at the slightest pretext - is also a bit of a stretch!
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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.
stoatsbrother, I agree with you, but would contrast NuLab's love of fighting weak countries under the protective wing of the USA with Churchill's willingness to confront Nazi Germany alone!
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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
stoatsbrother, look forward to chatting to you soon about this . I have been indirectly affected by this and can't give out too much as I don't want cast aspertions on the innocent!.
What I can say is that ALL the staff worked as hard as they could to avoid this.
Also the fis will only deal with one body not three or four.
I really wish I could shout out a lot more but.

Soon Sad
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
laundryman, fair points. Churchill was your typical aggressive fight-picking drunk wink
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
stoatsbrother, a very common contemporary view (certainly held by my grandfather).
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I love Snowheads, we've gone from discussing the potential bankruptcy of Snowsports GB to a discussion of Churchill and his willingness to confront the Nazis - brilliant Laughing
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
It's not just olympic athletes but also Snowsport Uk registered ski Instructors that would be affected. All persumably would have to convert to BASI.

I thankfully am registered on both systems ( Not really sure why but just that I started out with Snowsport England ).

If Snowsports UK failed then only BASI or alternative ( Canadian system would be an option ).

I would want to have some guarantees before I renewed my licence for 2011 and before doing my resit later in 2010.
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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?
Doubt it will make much difference to us as we get little or no financial support from SSGB. Administration might be good if it sorted the mess out for the future.
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The Times has supplemented the report that stanton linked at the top of this thread:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article6997631.ece

Quote:
Blame for the financial crisis that has engulfed British winter sports was being heaped last night on Mark Simmers, the former chief executive of the British Ski and Snowboard Federation (BSSF).
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It's all the GB team athletes that I feel sorry for. They have been really let down by this. They give up their lives to compete at this level spending many months away from their family and freinds covering thousands of miles going from race to race trying to get their world rankings down to represent their Country in international races at all levels. they all have to reach set target levels from SSGB to recieve funding to enable them to carry on.
TJ Baldwin is the current GB No1 Junior in all 5 disciplines and one of the very best Junior speed skiers in the world. Ranked no12 in Juniors in Super G and 32 in Downhill. He would even be in the Austrian Junior team for speed. His programme costs in total around £35k a year to compete at Europa cup level. He normally puts in around £15k in sponsorship with the rest of the costs being paid for by SSGB and my pocket! Others pay more as they are funded at a lower level.
He is the only GB skier to have qualified for the World Junior champs in early Feb and has a serious chance of a medal in the Super G. At the moment he doesn't even know how he will get there, if he will have any coach with him, or who is going to pay for it! He is only 1 of many who will be seriously effected by this.
We have paid a lump sum towards the core costs of training up until the end of April and signed a contract as well with he threat of being kicked off the team if we hadn't paid!! Looks like the contract is hardly worth the paper it's written on!
At the moment they are all out in Austria wondering what is happening and how they are going to carry on until the end of the season.

A lot of the blame must go to Mark Simmers, but the whole federation has been badly run finacially for a number of years before that. So others need to stand up and be counted!!
A lot of the blame should also go to Sport UK who savagely cut the funding to Skiing over the past 6 years - all target led of course. So much so that it was almost impossible to carry on running the Federation of SSGB.

If SSGB does go to the wall then there would be no one to enter any British racer into any FIS race in the world. Thats for every type of snowsport. Boarding, Alpine skiing, etc etc. FIS only deal with the governing body for each nation. When you race internationally it is under the GB banner, not England or Scotland or Wales.
We are now desperately seeking further funding to enable TJ to get to the World Juniors and see things through to the end of the season.

If you notice the time - 0140am! It's because I work Mon - Fri night shifts (8pm til 7 am) to help to fund this. So the rich elite sport of ski racing is a complete myth!!!!!!!!

So if there is anyone out there who would like to help TJ or any of the other team GB racers pleasee PM me.
his web site is www.tj-ski.com
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Super Eagle, The problems at SSGB will not effect your instructor qualification which will be with one of the home nation bodies I presume Snowsport England.
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Plugboy, that sucks - I cannot see a "donate" area on your site. Is there one?
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I remember posting on the thread about the advert for a new CEO - at £40,000 they were offering peanuts. These problems stem from the top. I imagine internal politics get in the way - those involved need to grow up and work together.
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Graham Bell was on radio 4 this morning regarding this.
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stoatsbrother, what money, however if I did have some to give I have to say that the current disorganisation does not look like a suitable place to send it, as it happens I'm a member of the DHO and quite a bit of our club income goes towards funding youngsters in racing/training, I've even helped out with a juniors race when t was run on the Lauberhorn (and bloody cold it was too).

weeSKI, I think part of the problem you get with NFP organisations is they want a figurhead as their CEO and figureheads are often expensive, quite honestly I'd be more than happy on £40K a year (that's not peanuts to me) and I'm sure I couldn't do a worse job than the current bunch
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