Summer Racing

For the most comprehensive list of all levels of British races please click here.

Good news for racers competing in races around the UK next summer: It looks like there will be a price war between the budget hotel chains! Travelodge are offering 500,000 rooms across its chain over a 12 month period costing £26 a night, about 100,000 rooms costing just £10 a night and further price cuts on standard rates, reports the Daily Telegraph on Monday November 28. The article goes on to say that Premier Travel Inn, the chief rival, are not fazed by this. The nearer to the time you want to stay, the more expensive rooms will get however - early booking is recommended! Will the callander be published for next summer in time for people to make use of these great prices?

Racer Ready has learned that the Kitchen at Wycombe Summit went up in smoke at approximately 11.30 on Tuesday 22 November. At present details are not clear as to how much damage has been caused though damage to the building is extensive we are lead to believe. Seven fire engines were reported to be at the scene with smoke visible from the M40 motorway. There are no reported injuries. Picture and report click here for Bucks Free Press report, Click here for BBC Report,

Gates for Permasnow: Friday 25th November sees the next stage in the development of the Permasnow. Bracknell Race Club will take delivery of 14 gates that will allow the club to race train again with gates on the surface. The gates will attach to the slope at the joins of the mates and with development will see SRSA races happen again at the slope in 2006. If the gates are successful then races at Swadlincote (already has Permasnow laid) as well as Chatham, Plymouth and Llandudno could be back on the agenda. A recent study has claimed that the number of serious injuries sustained at the slope since the Permasnow was laid almost two years ago has decreased by 90%! At the AIM series round at Bracknell, the medics were called just twice and this with a number of inverted jumps being undertaken!

Finally the gates arrived at Bracknell, not when we were told but they have been trialled: Paul Webb from Bracknell Race clubs reports:

Sun 11th Dec, Race Club report.

5 pole course set from the bump on main slope, 3 stubbies & 2 long poles, set around 3+ mats apart vertically & about 1 mat wide , weather frosty , used for around 40 mins by about 17 racers, most could manage the course with care (some skidding), it was deliberately set as quite a testing course rather than one for high speed carving.

We have 7 more bases to fit once we have more long poles with good joints but early results are good with both the race club & junior ski club enjoying there first outing. We will be monitoring use & making design improvement suggestions over the winter months to hopefully get to a situation for a invitational race trial for race clubs early next UK race season.

Gloucester seek a new coach. Due to expanding club members Gloucester Ski Club are looking for a new coach to help with the workload. If you are interested contact the club.

Wycombe plans: Racer Ready has learned that plans to make Wycombe an indoor ski hall are advanced and that the plan is to make the intermediate and beginners slopes indoor yet leave the longer slope outdoors and as a dry slope!

Herefordshire companies cooperate (July 14): Herefordshire's sporting awards body Ready Steady Win have given Alasdair Holbourn (Jnr.1 Gloucester Ski Club) a cash bursary ; 'The PGL Award', to support his skiing. Being aware of the difficulties connected with waxing skis at a dry ski sploe Alasdair has invested his award in a portable four stroke generator from Hereford Industrial Supply Ltd. Now, Alasdair has total independence and flexibility with waxing skis on the slope. '"I can wax anywhere at anytime........ it all helps to protect my skis and should improve my performance", commented Alasdair.

MASTERS racing series to start! (June 28): The number of Masters returning to racing and competing in the Grand Prix and Club Nationals has seen a new series start up aimed purely at Masters. Two rounds will take place, one each at Milton Keynes and Castleford Xscape slopes. The first race will be a separate race taking place after the main race and the Castleford will be inclusive of the Salomon Xscape series. The start order for the Milton Keynes race will be in reverse to the racers age, oldest first! Cost to enter the races is £15 per race. To enter click here

Arrows seek new home (June 2): Arrows Ski Club have been informed by the Manager of the John Nike slope, Tom Baldry, at Swadlincote that work on resurfacing the slope will commence on June 20. While this will not affect the running of the Club National and Grand Prix, it will mean that the club will no longer be able to host its training nights at the slope. Chairman of Arrows Race Club, Gill Hall, explained that "We are not sure at this stage as to whether we will be able to return to Swadlincote for race training when the slope is finished, as the new surface is an 'unknown quantity' with regards to racing/training and a system of attaching poles to it still hasn't been developed. We will try our hardest to find another slope to train on in the interim period/possibly permanently, but I would appreciate some feedback from you guys as to who would be prepared to travel to another slope subject to us securing Coaches for another venue." Feelings are high at the moment with the John Nike facility at Chatham also about to undergo a surface change to Permasnow. John Nike were unable to be reached for a comment on this at the moment.

Hemel reports: (9 May) Atomic and Skiers Edge both commit to supporting the Grand Prix Series joining Racer Ready and title sponsors Thomson in supporting Dry Slope racing. Ryding siblings destroy opposition (report on Club National and Grand Prix).

Gloucester Inter Regional Cancelled, Southampton goes ahead. (9May) Due to a lack of interest and anticipated poor interest in the Inter Regional, Gloucester Ski Club have decided to cancel the Inter Regional scheduled for June. With rumours abounding about the Southampton Club National, this will go ahead despite rumours to the contrary.

Bromley Club National (At Chatham May 1). Telling and Harte take top honours (more)

Kings Finals (April 30). Bristol University Ringers fail to capture Kings Title (more)

Eastern Region: (24 April) Georgie Hunt and Jayme Baggio took top spots in the ERSA Summer League season opener at Hemel on Sunday 24 April. A strong turnout of almost 200 racers at the event saw Hunt win easily and Baggio take third overall. Hunt, taking part in his much anticipated return to plastic racing, was a class above the rest of the field. For full results click here

LSERSA: The opening race of the 2005 Dry Slope season took place at Chatham. The LSERSA season opener saw a number of the top snow racers take part including Marc Telling, Paul Telling and Oli Robinson in the guys race. Marc Telling took the overall fastest time on two of the runs with Oli Robinson taking second overall and fastest first run time. Franki Simonds was quickest female in 12th overall. For full results click here

European Championships at Wycombe: Christian Perner (Head Coach at British Alpine Race Academy) is bringing a group of Austrian racers to the European Championships at Wycombe (July 17). The group will include World Cup racer Christian Kronberger.

It is now possible to register for the Grand Prix Series this summer online. For more information please click here, this takes you directly to the Snowsport England pages.

Racer Ready will be sponsoring the Race Winner and Most Improved bibs again this summer at the Grand Prix series and Celtic Cup Series. The race winners and most improved racers (from the start lists and not including late entries) will be able to keep the long sleeved t-shirts.