Snowlife Report  2005
British Skibike Team Gear up for Next Racing Season

The ‘British Skibike Racing Team’ regrouped last weekend to discuss the 2005/2006 racing calendar and the preparations for the 2006 Skibiking World Championships in Graechen, Switzerland. At the Championships the nine racers from England, Wales, and Scotland will race 20kg custom-made ‘Skibikes’ against the top racers from fourteen alpine nations.
The racers, who all take time off work to travel to the competition, will compete in a Downhill race, Super G, Slalom and Giant Slalom against some of the fastest and most experienced racers in the world. On the skibike, which is essentially the frame of a bicycle with skis, the team will race at speeds of up to 80km/h over courses ranging in length from 500 metres in the slalom to over 1500 metres in the Downhill race.
The skibike is not a common sport in well-known French, Austrian and Swiss skiing resorts where the more popular sports such as skiing and snowboarding have taken over. But in smaller resorts and Eastern European countries the sport is a popular pastime for all ages, and even counts HRH The Prince of Wales as a fan.
This year’s competition takes place in Graechen, Switzerland, on January 19 2006.