What is the wildest snowsports society in the UK?

Uni snowsports clubs mix talent, ballsy enthusiasm and partying in a way few other societies can compete with. They shred hard, they party hard. 

We asked snowsports socs from Manchester to Exeter, Durham to Leeds, to tell us why they’re the best in the country.

SKUM – The University of Manchester Ski & Snowboard Club

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

SKUM is a household name in university snowsports. Regardless of who thinks they can drink the most or lies about how they’re faster than our ladies team (unbeaten for over 3 years), everyone knows who we are and that speaks volumes.

Who are your rivals? 

Fuck Leeds.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

Boat race trials are an important tradition, our boat race team won at KINGS finals last year and we’re poised to repeat this feat. Girls shitting themselves also appears to be an unofficial ski trip tradition.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

Living up to the “Uni of” stereotype, someone put a deposit down on a chalet with daddy’s credit card while pissed in Les Arcs last year – not sure what the outcome of that one was.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Ass, tits, fanny.

EUSSC – Edinburgh University Snowsports Club

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

Having been BUCS champions for the last three years and already on course for number four, we are undoubtedly the best in competition.

Which is impressive considering we also manage to have more fun than anyone else. Unlike most other unis there is no divide between racers and freestylers and we all come together at training and events #OneTeamOneDream.

Who are your rivals? 

I guess we pretend to have a good old Scottish rivalry with Glasgow because we’re supposed to, and sometimes one with Loughborough when they show up.

But in reality, the dictionary definition of a rival as someone that is “in a position to dispute another’s pre-eminence or superiority” means we don’t really have any rivals at all.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

Tropical, big shoe, winning.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

Few years back a lad getting into an unlocked Lamborghini in the underground car park, taking the hand brake off, rolling it back into a supporting pillar, cracking the pillar and causing the swimming pool it supported above to flood into the car park. Impressive. He’s now banned from Switzerland supposedly.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Better than you.

Brookes Snow

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

Because we were banned by our SU, however we are still growing more than ever before.

Who are your rivals? 

UWE.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

Golf balling.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

50 people skiing down Tinges Glacier butt naked.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Sex, snow and your nans saggy tits.

SUSSC – Southampton University Ski and Snowboard Club

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

Our club is the best snowsports society in the UK because we completely embrace the best of snowsports. A good day’s shred, matched with good food, great people, and raw talent on the slopes. You can tell whether our club has great members by what’s in our jacket pockets.

Who are your rivals?

We do not have any rivals. We tend to pick on the person who takes everything too seriously. We don’t like the guy or gal. We will even eat our own babies if they turn out like that. Savage eh? Want to see how many flips we can do until we fall on our faces?

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

Bikini rides at Easter. Good fun. Weather permitting. Pub Golf Masters! Nudity. Giggling. Netflix and chills. Wavey garms. Golf balls. Nesting with the pals.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

A few naked streakers. Captured it on the ‘gram if you want to see later.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

(the) Good. Vibe. Life.

Leeds Snowriders

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

This isn’t really up for discussion: everybody already knows that Leeds Snowriders are the most well known Snowsports society in the UK… but then again when you take over 1000 students to the alps every year it’s hard to not have a reputation.

After winning the university’s award for “Best Outdoor Society” last year this time we’re raising the bar again and in the New Year we’ll be running a festival! You heard correctly. A FESTIVAL… and all these other unis are invited.

When we’re not out in the alps you’ll catch us shredding in Amsterdam. Now which other Snowsports society can boast running the first ski trip in Amsterdam? It’s all the rage this year but it was us that pioneered it. (admit it NUCO).

Who are your rivals?

University of Manchester – SKUM.

LEEDS LEEDS WHEREVER WE MAY BE, WE ALL COME FROM LEEDS UNI, AND WE DON’T GIVE A SHIT AND WE DON’T GIVE A FUCK, ‘CAUSE WE’RE ALL GOING HOME WITH A MANCHESTER SLUT.

(Tbh SKUM are boring us now, they can’t live up to our antics anymore and end up sulking… so we’re looking for a new Rival. FUCK SKUM.)

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

TRADITION: We go to Val Thorens every Easter and when booking opens we single handedly break the Internet in the Leeds area.

It’s also a tradition of ours to throw golf balls in your drinks, hide Smirnoff Ices in your ski boots and throw food on walls.

RITUAL: Presidents are branded with a tattoo of the club’s logo. No excuses.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

So last year in VT we thought someone had gone missing on the mountain in a whiteout. The committee spent a frantic hour trying everything we could to help track down the missing girl. On the way back to our room we heard loud applause and went to investigate. We found her having a threesome with two lads she met at après in the room next door to ours.

Sum yourselves up in three words.

SKUM, GET NAKED!

University of Bristol Snowsports Club

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

We run the biggest single uni ski trip in the world, we hire the Eurostar to take us to the alps and we’re renowned for having more money than sense.

Who are your rivals?

Well UWE would be the obvious one being so close by, but they’re actually alright people (defecating in kettles aside), so maybe Durham as they try to run a bigger trip than us, but they just can’t… So yeah, we don’t really have any serious rivals…

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

The original panda mascot (origin unknown) It’s time to water the flowers – chat shit, get panned “The Web” – A web of all the “connections” between our members.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

Apart from the expected mass nudity and general debauchery? Well, I’ve seen a man shit himself, that was a fun day…

Sum yourselves up in three words.

Pow, prosecco, repeat.

Trent Snowsports

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

We are the largest society in Trent alone, we are easily recognised by many other unis due to our logo, the beloved Trent Yeti (a few members have even got it tattooed both small and large to show their commitment to the team and the sport).

Who are your rivals?

To quote our VP: “Got no time for rivals when you’re too busy being turnt”.

Quite true actually: a lot of snowsports societies are good friends with each other and we help each other out when we can. We’ve actually got a Varsity Christmas Trip coming up with Uni of Nottingham, but apart from our freestyle night and a couple other events on that week we are basically going as one big family, rather than an us vs. them deal.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

Smash it up – when yelled you have to throw whatever is in your hand on the ground.

During our mountain meal we play pass the meat,similar to pass the Ice but with steak. There’s also the No Hand Challenge there’s a video shared by the TabTrent of one of our guys doing it and losing half a tooth in the process.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

A few of us have seen a guy shit out of his mouth, I’m not lying about this. Genuinely happened. It’s possible.

One of our Captain Wreck-heads who has now sadly graduated shot a firework out of his arse – he dropped it before it launched due to burning leaving eight people out on the balcony trying to get back inside before it exploded.

Our president died twice in hospital from blood poisoning he got on one of our ski trips. His heart stopped. He’s fine now though.

And one guy may or may not have burned down a hotel, details are a bit foggy.

Sum yourselves up in three words.

SMASH IT UP.

WarwickSnow

Why are you the best snowsports society in the UK?

Because we’re the best skiers on the mountain and our banter is at least a solid six.

Who are your rivals?

Lugabaruga and Coventry.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

Throwing microwaves off balconies.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

A beginner fell over and ended up with a ski up his arse #stitches.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Orgy. Banter. Cheesecake.

Snowsports Northumbria

Exeter Snowsports

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

Not only do we run some of the biggest and wildest trips going we have also been going viral in Canada for our world first Piggyback Backflip. 

Who are your rivals? 

We’re a loving club so we don’t go into the whole “rivals” thing.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

There are a couple of things involving a leek but the less said about them the better…

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

You can always rely on the valley rally to get pretty loose, our social sec two years ago dislocated his shoulder whilst trying to pee in his mouth as he skied down the run.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Loosey goosey.

Leeds Met Snowsports

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

Because we have big dicks.

Who are your rivals? 

Everyone.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

…

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

I saw a man eat another mans head.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Big bitch tits.

DUSSC – Durham University Ski & Snowboard Club

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

We are the most inclusive club, we let anyone join no matter what level they are at skiing. Consequently we have a huge social scene so things get pretty loose.

Who are your rivals? 

The “other DUSSC” (Dundee).

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

Mandingo: Two people. Four nipples. One bottle of chilli sauce. First one to lick off the chilli sauce from the other person wins.

Touch Cup: sorry no coaching. Also Hector Judd getting it wrong is pretty much a tradition.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

Getting tear gassed by Hungarian bouncers in Budapest.

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Rigs. Rails. Rogueness.

UCLU Snowsports

Why are you the UK’s top snowsports society?

Because we are the only respected uni with the ability to ski and drink.

Who are your rivals? 

Nobody can rival us, Kings College is shit.

What rituals or traditions do you have? 

PVB between the predrinks location and club for sports nights which means a bottle of port vodka or Lambrini (brini) must be finished on the 15 minute walk also our Burlington Bertie chant for Kings (strand poly), naked skydiving on coaches by suspending yourself from the overhead baggage compartments.

What’s the maddest thing you’ve ever seen on a trip?

A partially rotten frozen octopus be shoved up someone’s ass then eaten (and more that could be comparable).

Sum yourselves up in three words. 

Barry fucking John.