| Our society is becoming one of expected | | | | cover their slopes during November and open |
| convenience. Improving technology is helping to | | | | even earlier, extending their seasons. Snow |
| raise our consumer expectations in many areas. | | | | cannons are also used to keep certain critical runs |
| It's now accepted that we are able to make | | | | open so that resort areas can remain linked and |
| telephone calls and read our emails wherever we | | | | are not vulnerable to restrictions just because |
| are. We are becoming accustomed to being able | | | | certain key connecting runs are short of snow. |
| to watch any television programme at a time | | | | Technology has developed even further recently |
| that suits us rather than the programme | | | | and has now brought winter sports participation |
| schedulers. We also expect to be able to | | | | yet closer to home. The introduction of indoor |
| purchase fruit and vegetables even when they | | | | snow centres has brought skiing and |
| are out of season. These are all examples of a | | | | snowboarding even closer to the doorstep. There |
| progression towards satisfying increasing levels of | | | | are now several indoor snow centres in the UK, |
| consumer demand. | | | | with the latest opening recently on the outskirts |
| For ski and snowboard fans things are no | | | | of London. There are even snow centres in the |
| different. People now want to ski or ride their | | | | most unlikely places. In the desert of the Middle |
| boards all year round and in perfect conditions if | | | | East, Ski Dubai opened in 2005 and offers an |
| possible. Not so long ago skiers had to journey | | | | indoor "black" run and a 400m long slope. The |
| across continents to specialist resorts and hope | | | | world's longest run is claimed by Alpincenter in |
| that weather conditions were suitable to provide | | | | Bottrum, Germany with a 640m long slope. In |
| the necessary conditions for their sport. Often the | | | | The Netherlands are two of the world's largest |
| costs were very high and the skiers were let | | | | snow centres with SnowWorld in Landgraaf |
| down by poor weather conditions. Blizzards, | | | | claiming to be the biggest with a snow area of |
| storms or lack of snow could all stop skiers | | | | 35,000 square metres. The SnowCentre in Hemel |
| getting onto the mountains. Now winter sports | | | | Hempstead uses the latest indoor snow |
| resorts all over the world have reduced their | | | | generation technology to produce its snow and is |
| reliance on the weather and the provision of | | | | able to create in excess of 80 tonnes of snow |
| enough snow has been mitigated by high-tech | | | | per day if required. |
| snow generation systems. The technology behind | | | | Such is the quality of indoor snow generation, and |
| the original snow cannons was patented almost 50 | | | | the resorts being built around it, that |
| years ago and now most resorts that don't have | | | | professional-level competitions can be held in these |
| guaranteed snow falls use snow generation | | | | indoor centres. In 2003 the indoor centre at |
| systems to keep their pistes operational | | | | Landgraff hosted the world's first indoor FIS |
| throughout the season. Snow cannons came to | | | | World Cup event with a round of the Snowboard |
| the French Alps almost 20 years ago. Val d'Isere, | | | | Parallel Slalom and it has held Snowboard FIS |
| for example, has over 300 snow cannons | | | | World Cup races every year since. The Snow |
| whereas Meribel and Courcheval both have over | | | | Centre in the UK hosts two rounds of the British |
| 500 cannons each. Snow is artificially made by | | | | Snowboarding Grand Prix series in July and the |
| ejecting a mixture of water and compressed air | | | | ERSA Ski Race Championships in October 2009. |
| at high speed into the atmosphere where it | | | | So technology has now brought the slopes of the |
| freezes into snow before landing on the ground. | | | | Alps to the doorstep of Londoners. Skiers and |
| The air temperature needs to be below zero for | | | | Snowboarders can improve their technique all |
| that to happen but once it is, ski resorts can use | | | | year round for a fraction of the cost of a trip |
| their cannon networks to supplement the natural | | | | abroad and, when they do eventually go to the |
| snow. It is thought that a resort like Meribel | | | | mountains, their skills will be so much better, |
| generates over 2 million cubic metres of snow in | | | | helping them to enjoy their visits even more. |
| a season. The technology now allows resorts to | | | | |