After two great years in Val Thorens, the 87th Varsity Ski Trip moved to Espace Killy resort of Tignes this year. For the 2,500 students who descended upon the town the trip was a week that couldn’t fail to be fantastic.

The Espace Killy ski area proved large enough to keep the most adventurous skiers entertained all week, with an abundance of smooth, open runs, although a lack of snowfall on the lower slopes meant runs to Val d’Isere were often marred with ice and mud. Thick snowfalls in the middle of the week, though, paved the way for days of perfect blue skies and powder, with fresh tracks for those keen enough to venture off the beaten track. Highlights included perfect pistes on the Tignes glacier and some outstanding hidden slopes leading down to le Lac, even if the smattering of rocks provided a little too much adrenaline for some.

Cambridge’s competitive teams put on a good performance, with 23 super keen Cambridge racers, and at least twice as many pairs of skis, undergoing three days of intensive race training before the Varsity competition. After a raving night of ski-tuning with head torches the teams, captained by Ed ‘Rupert’ Gardner and Catherine Pelton, looked promising for the big day. Returning Blues Pete ‘God’ Calvert and Jim Poxon joined Ed ‘Basil’ Smith, Jamie Pleydell-Bourverie and Jeremy Hulse in celebrating the disappearance of Oxford nemesis Freddie Clough, whilst returning racers Katie Salter, Clair Brunner and Amy Till, along with fresh talent in the form of Ruth Blackshaw and Anna Harrisson, ensured a solid performance against the women’s Dark Blues.  Cambridge enjoyed victories in the men’s firsts and thirds, with the women’s firsts losing out despite a strong performance from Pelton, a win no small thanks to Oxford’s international racer Anouk Dey, who easily matched the top men’s scores.  The freestyle competition  saw Cambridge’s Larissa Normanton ride to victory with a huge 360, whilst Vlad Paraoan’s relaxed style secured a win for the men’s snowboarding.  With an excellent crowd and party atmosphere, the competition’s highlights  included a near-death experience for   five   or  six spectators when an Oxford competitor overshot the barrel tap and charged into the crowd.

For those who weren’t racing, midweek favourite Melting Pot provided an abundance of alternative entertainment including sets from Kissy Sell Out, Urban Knights, Chase & Status and Pendulum. The fun was marred only by a few organisational disasters; whilst cloakroom space and tap water ran out with alarming rapidity, the crowd apparently forced Kissy Sell Out to make MGMT’s ‘Kids’ every seventh track of his set.

A heavy night didn’t rob the slopes of their appeal for most, although the late nights did force some to an early retirement. After a great week the coach home was a welcome excuse for 24 hours of rest, perhaps the one thing completely lacking from the week in the snow.