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I don’t know what it is about Ballon Ballai but every time I see seasonnaires sliding around an icerink while waving a broom at a miniature football I cannot fail to smile.
This year we had teams from Inghams, Pleasure holidays, Scott Dunn(3), Kalico(3), New Gen(2), Ski Physios to name just a few.
This year instead of just a straight knockout system the teams started in groups of three, with only the top two going through to the final elimination stages. This guaranteed every team played at least two matches which was lucky as some teams had the same aptitude on ice as a disney cartoon fawn.
For those who were unable to attend, each match (except the final) lasted 3 minutes and if finished in a draw was followed by a female penalty shoot out. One girl from each team starting at their own end rush the opposite open goal and the first to score wins.
One of the first to try this out (successfully) was Kate(Scott Dunn) who made up for the incompetent men in her team.
In one of the first matches the ski physios took on the Refuge where two very differing styles of play were shown. The “run-fall-slide-knock over anyone in front of you” method demonstrated by George compared to “hang around the opposition goal and franticly but futilely swipe at the ball” of the Gallen sisters. Somehow this second style proved slightly more successful with the refuge ending the game victorious.
After a health dose of pier pressure Lizzie(Kaluma) stepped into the breach to defend the reigning champions, the magic mushrooms, goal. In a moment of genius she caught the ball between her legs, something she has apparently been practicing with Sammy G, only to have it illegally knocked into the goal giving the victory to Pleasure holidays.
By the time of the final most of the spectators had left, leaving only supporters of the two teams. After an extended 5 minutes of play the score remained goalless. It continued into an extra 2 minutes of play only for New Gen to fire two goals past their opposition and put any chance of Scott Dunn lifting the trophy out of reach.
A special “bambi” award should go to the Kalico whose three teams managed to finish last, second last and third last, quite an achievement.
Any potential racers out there should sign up for the Natives.co.uk workers challenge race in Meribel on Wednesday. There is an individual GS and a smaller team slalom. Both are great fun and although my fibular ended up in more than one piece 2 years ago while doing the team slalom (mental note: don’t try doing slalom on big fat powder skis) I would do it again (the slalom not the leg) in a heartbeat.
As always if you wish to peruse the photos taken at the Ballon Ballai and over the whole season then go to the enquirer website.

Alex, the editor

Alpine Excess t-shirts

After running out of brand names that begin with C and sharing roughly the same length as Courchevel I have transmogrified a certain credit card logo. These can now be purchased directly from the online store on the web site and would make an ideal present.

Please note item shipped from France will take 3-5 days to arrive in UK. (if the uk post office is not on strike)

On a serious note

When you see a car in this state you realise how tricky some of the roads are around and between resort. At the moment as there is a freeze thaw going on every day resulting in a lot of ice on and to the side of the roads. The stretch of road in question connects la Tania to Meribel and considering it is connecting two of the best ski resorts in France it resembles something from a third world mountain pass. Seriously I haven’t see this many cracks since the last builders convention. Luckily no one was seriously hurt thanks mainly to the sturdy build quality of the Land Rover Defender. If it had been a smaller car things might have been a lot worse. So take it easy and drive safely.

Here is a preliminary list of events through out the season

Wed 27th Jan - Natives Workers Challenge Meribel
Wed 17th March - Boss des Bosses, Chamonix
Wed 24th March - 3 Valley Rally, Kalico
Sat 25th April - Season ends