Gabriel Gledhill, a 23-year-old British skier, has become the surprising star of the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup for an astonishing reason. The Englishman recently completed the 50km race completely drunk. Throughout the course, he accepted beers offered to him by spectators, which helped him finish in 67th place.

Reykjavik, June 5, 2024. Andorra is preparing for what should be a historic day. The country, thanks to the Grandvalira ski resort, is about to reap the rewards of a journey of many years that should culminate in its selection to host the 2029 World Ski Championships. It is the strongest, most modern, and best-structured bid. Or so they had been told. Everyone took it for granted. "Is the cava in the fridge yet?" some teams said before the International Ski Federation (FIS) meeting began. Nothing foreshadowed a plot twist. A backroom deal, a pact behind the president's back, and a decision more political than sporting that undid all the work done. A wound that has not yet healed.

Controversy in the Winter Olympic Games Milan-Cortina due to possible cheating by some athletes. This January, the German newspaper Bild It was reported that Norwegian ski jumpers were injecting hyaluronic acid into their penises before being measured for their competition suits. The substance, which is not banned in the sport, can be used to increase the circumference of the penis by one or two centimeters. As a result of this practice, the surface area of ​​the competitors' suits would be wider, and according to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, this could increase the length of their jumps. This investigation has generated a major scandal, already dubbed the "Ski Jumping Scandal." Penisgatewhich has caused a stir worldwide.

The Pyrenees and the ski sector are rubbing their hands together in anticipation of the long weekend for the Immaculate Conception, which promises to be the best in recent years. The recent snowfalls across the mountain range and the early arrival of winter's chill have left a blanket of snow that will allow all the resorts to open during this period, with varying degrees of slope availability. This is a stark contrast to the situation experienced in recent years, marked by drought and warm autumns. In fact, last year many resorts were unable to open until mid-December due to a lack of snow.

Ulldeter is one of the most accessible and busiest gateways to the high mountains in the Girona Pyrenees. Located at the tip of the Camprodon Valley, it forms a glacial cirque at over 2,000 m surrounded by legendary peaks such as Bastiments and Gran de Fajol, which span the Ter and Freser Headwaters Natural Park. At the foot of the mountains is the ski resort of Vallter 2000, the easternmost mountain range in the Catalan mountain range, with a dozen pistes and lifts. Nearby is the Ulldeter refuge, the oldest on the Iberian Peninsula, popular with hikers. To get there, you have to follow a 12-kilometer winding road uphill from Setcases, with several parking areas that are packed to the rafters on weekends. This route will change completely in the coming years, as the Generalitat (Catalan government) plans to ban cars and install a new gondola lift from the village, which would become the only access to the area.

This Monday morning, Felipe VI was in charge of inaugurating the 5th edition of the Spanish Economic Forum. Wake up, Spain!, but before the official speech began, the monarch had to apologize for his appearance, which caught the attention of those present. With the lower half of his face completely red, the King of Spain pretended nothing had happened to him: "That's what happens when you don't protect yourself properly from the sun," he said with a smile.

Almost four hours by car from Barcelona and two more from the city of Lleida. The ski resort of Boí Taüll, in Alta Ribagorça, is always far from everywhere. Its promoters call it an overnight resort because few people dare to go for just one day. "Today I have a holiday and I decided to come for a few hours," says a resident of Barcelona, ​​a police officer by profession, who will spend more hours behind the wheel of the car than on skis. "But it's worth it, because on days like today there are no crowds on the slopes and we can ski better than ever," he says.

Aymar Navarro has made history by achieving an almost impossible feat. freerider Aranese He managed to ski down the Tuc des Hemnes channel, an impressive slope that has become one of the most difficult mountains in the Vall d'Aran, both because of its altitude (2,359 metres) and because of the gradient and weather conditions, which make it one of the most difficult in the world.

The silence is only broken by the sound of skis sliding over the snow. You find yourself in the middle of a winter landscape that invites you to lose track of time. The cold air fills your lungs and, before you, a sea of ​​snowy fir trees invites you to take a walk. In an increasingly fast-paced world, Nordic skiing is about endurance, it is calm, it is about getting back to basics.

The snow season has just begun, but the windstorm of recent days has altered some ski resorts' forecast for this long weekend. The strong wind that have affected the Pyrenees this Monday, together with the storm, have had an adverse effect on the ski slopes in Lleida and Girona. In fact, neither Boí Taüll nor Vallter 2000 have been able to open their facilities. Others have only been able to open some parts: in most cases under half of the slopes were open. For example, in Port Ainé only six of the 25 slopes were open and in Espot only nine of the 22 slopes. Molina-Masella had a similar situation because only 24 of the 68 slopes were able to open and not even Baqueira Beret, in Vall d'Aran, has been able to open all its pistes.