Catch up on the latest update from Snow Test organisers, Hillside Outside. If you have registered to test or exhibit you will have recieved all the info below in an email.
Snow’s been falling and time’s ticking on, so those of you haven’t already, please get signed up as soon as possible.
There are a few new things to be aware of for next year’s Test – see below for some important organisational things, and some which are just plain fun…
CENA DI FESTA!
Well it is Italy after all... On the night of Thursday 29 January - after the last official day of testing and when most of the Snow Test village will have magically disappeared (see section below) we’re planning to get together for an 'End of Test' meal in one of the best, most authentic family pizza restaurant/trattorias in Champoluc.
Full details, price and menu will follow in December, but for now we need an indication of how many people want to come. We’re keeping the cost as low as possible, but the food, drink and atmosfera will all be excellent. Interested? Respond via the email sent to all test participants.
SCIARE BENE!
GOOD SKIING! Thanks to some generous support from Ski Champoluc and the Scuola Sci Champoluc, we have some fantastic (and free) opportunities to ski with instructors who will also act as informal guides at certain times during the Test week.
Please indicate if this is of interest via the email and we’ll organise a sign-up process once we know if enough people are up for it.
FRIDAY: On the morning of Friday 30 Jan (the Ski Social day) we’ll have three different groups going out with a ‘maestro’ (instructor/guide) to explore the Monterosa terrain away from the pistes you’ve been relentlessly testing on all week.
TEST DAYS: There’s also a possibility of skiing with instructor/guides (at times TBC) from Monday to Thursday, so if for example, you want to test/score next year’s race skis alongside someone who’s raced FIS and trains the local race squad that’s an option. Likewise if you’d enjoy some Italian tips on getting to grips with steeper slopes or carving then that’s possible too.
Note: This is all free to join. The idea is to augment the Test process, not to take anyone away from it – hopefully providing something a little different and giving some insight to our host resort and community.
Snow Test Essentials
In early January we'll be sending out a digital handbook with all you need to know for the Test. There's a version for Suppliers/brands and a version for Testers too.
In the meantime, here’s a few important bits and pieces we’d like to highlight:
BYOT (and BYOC)
Brands and suppliers – please bring your own tables if you need them in your stand. Same goes for fold up chairs – if you want somewhere to rest your weary legs that’s not in the café then please bring your own seat.
We are hoping to have some tables and chairs as back-up but not guaranteed.
Ski Sticks/Poles
Staying with the theme of providing your own essentials, please note Leki will not be providing Test ski poles to try this year – so you’ll need to bring your own. Testers, you can always ask one of the suppliers to pop your poles into their van for you?
We may have some backup poles courtesy of Ski Champoluc’s hire fleet but no guarantees we can provide what you need – so BYOP too!
Get in & Get out
Set-up and break-down of the test will be different in Champoluc, as everything has to go up to the (alt. 2000m) test site on the funicular railway. To avoid overcrowding and local Sunday skiers' rush hour, we’ll be giving everyone time slots for arrival and unloading from 11am on Sunday 25 January.
The site will be broken down on Thursday 29 Jan from 4pm onwards. THIS IS A MANDATORY 'REQUEST' FOR ALL TAKING PART – BRANDS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO REMOVE KIT/TENTS ETC BEFORE 16.00 ON THURSDAY.
The funicular will keep running until 7pm to get everything down off the hill.
Ski/Kit Storage & Security
Overnight arrangements for Test kit in Champoluc will be as follows:
Boots can stay on the racks in the boot room at night. Skis will be brought into the boot room/garage and/or plant room.
All supplier/brand staff are asked to work together to get everyone’s kit in and out of these overnight storage areas efficiently.
Staff from the café will be staying on site overnight and security cameras will be in place. Please note there is no access to the test site overnight or outwith the hours the funicular runs (public times 08.45 – 17.00). There is no road or other vehicle access in winter.
The wolves should take care of the rest.
Got questions?
Contact Sarah or Neil at sarah or neil@hillsideoutside.com