Ski and Snowboard

A ski and snowboard holiday remains the most popular choice for a snow-based winter week away, and the options for both boarders and skiers continue to grow. Alpine skiing is still the number one winter sport, but today more and more people of all ages are trying their hand at a ski and snowboard holiday. Developed in the late 1970's, snowboarding, which started as a definitive youth culture activity, is now the fastest growing winter sport. It's now commonplace for resorts to welcome both skiers and riders alike to their slopes and lifts, with many equipping their mountains with half-pipes and jumps in their snow parks, and specifically catering for boarders.

The main differences between the sports of skiing and snowboarding are the equipment used and the techniques used to descend the mountain. Skiing equipment are two skis and bindings which are attached to boots (which also come off in the event of an accident). Snowboarders attach their feet to bindings on a board (which do not release) and face sideways. The act of moving on a ski and snowboard is very different too, with skiers facing forward and using the poles to propel and navigate themselves, whereas snowboarders just rely on their body and weight to move the board forward and change direction. Another difference between the ski and snowboard technique is the actual descent, with recreational skiers usually just traversing the slopes using a series of turns, whereas snowboarders generally aspire to perform tricks or jumps in snow parks found on the pistes. Clothing is different too for both the ski and snowboard enthusiast too, with skiers generally wearing streamlined jackets, ski pants and salopets, and snowboarders clothing being much looser and baggier, enabling more movement, and having a distinct boarding style.    

 

Today, a ski and snowboard holiday can be enjoyed all over the world, with Europe and the USA and Canada remaining the top destinations for British winter sport fans. Areas in France such as Three Valleys, Portes du Soleil and Chamonix Valley offer established ski and snowboard resorts such as Courchevel, Morzine and Argentiere, with Austria’s Ski Circus,Gastein Valley and Arlberg regions boasting centres such as Saalbach, Bad Gastein and St. Anton. Top ski and snowboard centres in Switzerland feature Zermatt and Verbier, with Andorra and Italy home to resorts such as Soldeu and Cervinia. For adventurous ski and snowboard enthusiasts, head across the Atlantic to such famous ski resorts as Vail, Jackson Hole, Lake Tahoe and Whistler.