Some of the Ladies Ski Club members after the Super G race
Members of The Ladies Ski club travelled to Cortina d’Ampezzo recently to compete in the 15th Amateur Inter-Club Championships (AICC).
The competition was hosted by the ski club SC18 and the event got off to a resounding start with a Super G race on a stunning piste below the Cinque Torri.
The majestic Dolomites formed an impressive backdrop to the racing, which involved 225 competitors, aged between 18 and 80, from 10 ski clubs from across Europe.
Disappointingly the GS races the following day had to be cancelled due to strong winds, but this did not detract from the spirit and atmosphere of the event.
Racing took place below the Cinque Torri (five towers).
The hosts entertained their guests in the beautiful SC18 Clubhouse in the mountains, putting on a superb dinner on the final night.
The Ladies Ski Club picked up the gold medal in the over 60s women’s race at the prize giving, retaining their podium place from the previous year’s event in Wengen.
Earlier in the week members of the Ladies Ski Club had been led by Ski Club of Great Britain guide, Harriet, into the ‘Hidden Valley’, a ‘must see’ place and somewhere that feels truly special, with sheer rock faces towering majestically alongside the winding piste.
The frozen waterfall in the Hidden Valley.
Accessed from the top of the Lagazuoi mountain, the run down takes in a restaurant – where the chef cooked enormous, thick steaks on an open griddle – and passes a stunning frozen waterfall before reaching the bottom where a horse drawn tow pulls up to 50 skiers at a time along the final stretch of the run.
The outstanding scenery, well-groomed pistes and incredibly friendly welcome was enough to whet the appetite of members who were new to Cortina and vowed to return in the future.
* The Ladies Ski Club claims to be the oldest women’s alpine ski club in the world, founded in Mürren on 23 January, 1923, by the leading female ski racers of the time. Today the club has around 300 members. The club continues to thrive and honours its considerable legacy to competitive snow sports by raising funds to support elite British female athletes each year. All the UK’s current top female racers, including para-athletes and many of the top freestyle athletes, are members of the Ladies’ Ski Club.
If you are interested in joining the club, more details can be found here.
A ‘two horse-power’ lift gives skiers a helping hand.