It’s bastard cold, the resorts are getting ready to open, and even the rainbows are turning white. Brace yourselves – the Scottish winter is well and truly upon us.
While the conditions can be a bit touch-and-go, and the snow can thaw just as quickly as it falls, that hasn’t stopped Scotland’s five ski resorts from filling up the calendar with some cracking events.
“Weather-permitting, there’ll be something going on almost every weekend of the winter”
They can mostly be filed under freestyle or freeride, but there are a couple of other formats in the mix too. For the backcountry fiends the Scottish Freedom Series returns for 2017, with a new final event planned. We’ll also see the culmination of the Scottish Park & Pipe Triple Crown, as well as the first banked slalom in a while.
While you won’t see the kinds of budgets and surrounding media circuses that the elite-level snowboard events generate, the ones on this list can give any of them a run for their money in terms of sheer passion, energy and enjoyment.
Weather-permitting, there’ll be something going on almost every weekend of the winter, and you don’t need to be an uber-pro to get involved. Events will be added/updated as details emerge, so be sure to check back.
Events are listed in chronological order – click a link to skip:
NOVEMBER 2016: Backcountry Gathering
JANUARY 2017: Lecht Rail Jam | Glencoe Rail Jam | British Freeride Junior Weekend
FEBRUARY 2017: SFS: Lawers Of Gravity | Lecht Air & Style | SFS: Corrie Challenge
MARCH 2017: Scottish Boardercross Championships | Scottish Triple Crown Final | Upbattle | SFS: Coe Cup | Scottish Freedom Series Final | End Of Season Slush Fest
APRIL 2017: TSA Banked Slalom | Glencoe Freestyle