Weather Leaves Varsity Trip On Thin Ice

A week to go and still no snow.

In one week 3,000 Cambridge and Oxford students will take their first steps onto the slopes of Val Thorens. The only problem is that it hasn’t been snowing.

Val Thorens has already pushed back its season start date from 20th to 24th November due to poor weather conditions, but forecasts predict there might not be any snowfall at all before the trip.

Bare pickings – Val Thorens, Nov 25th 2011

The resort has been firing snow canons every day to cover the main runs, but results are patchy.

Roger Clarke, Vice-President of the Varsity Committee and Sidney Sussex third year said: “We can’t control the climate,” but “we’ll do everything we can to make sure everybody has a great trip.”

Thankfully, artificial snow machines can cover 40% of the resort, so even if it doesn’t snow there’ll still be skiing. But there will be no off-piste or open runs further down the mountains.

Better times – Val Thorens during the 2010 Varsity Trip

Some students are taking the news well. Pembroke fresher Rob Sanders told The Tab: “To be honest, if there’s no snow, I’ll just get slushed for a week and make the best of it.”

But not everyone is so happy with the lack of snow. Katy Davis, Clare second-year, said: “I’ve paid £500 to go skiing, so if you think I’m going to go just for a week of mountain lash you’re taking the piste.”

George Newman, a first year at Homerton, doesn’t care either way. “I’m not going for skiing or drinking. I’ll be very happy as long as I get a couple of snow-jobs.”

But snow or no snow, mountain-bound students can definitely take comfort in the week’s stellar entertainment lineup, including headliners Bassment Jaxx, Westwood, and Ms Dynamite, revealed exclusively on The Tab last night.