The UK’s leading premium health and leisure provider, Esporta, today announced a sponsorship deal with the Great Britain Telemark Skiing Team, which is currently preparing to compete in the Telemark World Cup, which begins in December in Norway.

The team, which comprises 10 men and two women, will be able to use the world class facilities at their local Esporta clubs as they prepare for what will be an extremely competitive season ahead.

Great Britain Telemark Skiing Team, Captain, Andrew Clarke, said: “To have backing from Esporta gives us a tremendous boost as it really improves the team’s chances of performing at its very best. Our training for the 2009/10 Telemark World Cup has already started and we have a number of team building activities scheduled before the winter begins, all geared to improving team fitness and esprit de corps. To be able to use our local Esporta’s clubs and take advantage of their tremendous facilities will help us to maintain peak fitness throughout the World Cup.”

Snowboarder Lesley McKenna has finally revealed her intentions to compete at her third Winter Olympics next year despite initially insisting she may not.

Earlier in the year McKenna who saw her funding cut after the Turin Games in 2006 admitted travelling to Vancouver in February was the last thing on her mind.

However after much deliberation McKenna Britain’s most successful snowboarder having competed at two Olympics and picked up six World Cup podium finishes admitted Vancouver is now at the top of her agenda.

A questionmark was hanging over the future of Scotland’s oldest ski resort last night after it emerged it may not open for winter.

The operator of Glencoe Mountain has failed to sell the White Corries centre or attract new investors after putting it on the market in March. Company chairman David Campbell said yesterday that unless a volunteer board of ski-ing enthusiasts was formed to operate the resort, it may not open this winter.

The plight of the business, 30 miles south of Fort Will-iam, prompted Mr Campbell to urge the Scottish Government to do more to help the snow sports industry.

A World Cup Big Air event, featuring top British and international skiers and snowboarders, is returning to Battersea Power Station on 31 October.

More than 10,000 fans flocked to the venue last year to see the industrial site transformed with a 32m high ski jump, packed with 500 tons of snow.

British Olympic hopefuls Ben Kilner and Dom Harington will compete alongside last year’s winner Peetu Piiroinen.

Freestyle fanatics are invited to enter a competition to become the next Warren Miller of the snow sports world.

The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead’s indoor snow slope, has launched a competition to see who can create the best freestyle video this side of the Alps. Season freestyle passes worth over £1,500 are up for grabs for the best overall video and the flick that generates the most YouTube hits.

It rarely sees a flake of snow and is better known as the backdrop for TV sitcom The Good Life than Ski Sunday.

But next month, Surbiton will bid to become Greater London’s first ski resort with the launch of ”suburban skiing”.

A band of street skiers plans to travel through the streets of the suburb near Kingston on skis made from ice. Linoleum will be laid over the tarmac.

Winter fun in the capital arrives on September 30th and October 1st with a special Swiss-themed pre-Christmas event, taking place at Broadgate Circle. A little bit of Switzerland will be transported to the heart of the City, with the creation of a 5m x 20m long ski slope adjacent to Liverpool Street station.

A range of adrenalin fuelled winter sporting activities will be showcased on the ski slope, including professional ski and snowboard stunts. There are opportunities for the public to enjoy free and unlimited snow tubing (sledging on giant inflatable rubber rings.

bmibaby have announced a massive expansion plan from East Midlands Airport. The plan breaks down into three key initiatives:

1. Three additional aircraft to be based at East Midland Airport
2. Eight new European routes from the airport to: Alghero (Sardinia), Barcelona, Bastia (Corsica), Cork, Dubrovnik (Croatia), Malta, Newquay and Venice
3. Increased frequencies on key winter and summer routes, with the addition of Palma to the winter flying programme, and a year round service to Geneva and Prague