European Ski Resorts Online Quiz | Sports Other

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1. Ok, which French ski resort has a piste named after two Olympic champions?

Answer: Val d'Isere

The 'OK' piste was named after Jean Claude Killy and Henri Oreiller. Although neither was born in Val d'Isere, they were brought up and based there. Killy won three gold medals at the Grenoble Olympics of 1968, while Oreiller won two golds at St Moritz 20 years previously.

2. Which of these French ski resorts were connected by an amazing double-decker cable car for the first time in 2003?

Answer: La Plagne and Les Arcs

The opening of the Vanoise Express cable car between Les Arcs and La Plagne created a ski area with 425km of runs. Each car accommodated 200 people. The cable link was 3,000 metres across and the journey took four minutes. The operators marketed the conjoined resorts as 'Paradiski'.

3. Which of these Austrian ski resorts is noted for its challenging runs and raucous apres-ski scene? It has also regularly been included in lists of the world's "best" ski areas.

Answer: St Anton

Whenever skiers and snowboarders gather to discuss the 'best' ski resorts in the world, St Anton is always highly placed. The resort has more than 130 runs covering almost 276kms. The Ski Club of Great Britain has summarised St Anton as: "A lively town with some of the most challenging skiing and nightlife in Europe. Not recommended for beginners or anyone of a nervous disposition."

4. The linked Austrian 'Ski Welt' area includes the villages of Soll, Scheffau, Westendorf, and which of the following?

Answer: Ellmau

The Ski Welt is one of Austria's largest interlinked ski areas, stretching to over 250kms of runs served by 92 lifts. The various villages have their own characteristics, some regarded as quieter than others.

5. In 1981, the first-ever podium finish by a British downhill skier in a World Cup race was achieved at an Italian resort. Which of these was it?

Answer: Val Gardena

Konrad Bartelski finished second in the downhill at Val Gardena in 1981. Bartelski was brought up in Holland, where his father, a Polish native, was a pilot with the airline KLM. His mother was English.

6. Glitz and glamour spring immediately to mind in relation to a certain Swiss ski resort that is among the oldest in Europe. It has been claimed that winter skiing holidays were invented there. Which resort is also home to the Cresta run?

Answer: St Moritz

St Moritz dates back to the Middle Ages and it has long been an important spa town. It was also a popular summer holiday venue for Britons, so the story goes, in 1864 a local hotelier created a winter season just to bring the British visitors back. The Cresta run was a British innovation, and it involves traveling down a carved out run on a heavy metal toboggan at speeds of up to 100kph (60mph)

7. Sun, sea, sand, and skiing? Does Spain have any ski resorts?

Answer: Yes

Spain's leading winter sports resorts are Sierra Nevada, La Molina and Formigal. Sierra Nevada is just 90 minutes from the Costa del Sol and is noted for its bright sunshine and good snow record.

8. In 1984, the Winter Olympics were staged for the first time in a country that was later to be the scene of a bloody civil war. What was the name of the host city?

Answer: Sarajevo

The Sarajevo games were a major success, but the region is still recovering from the conflict between ethnic groups that led to the break-up of the political entity that had been Yugoslavia.

9. Several neighbouring resorts in Italy and France are part of a huge ski region that shares its name with a chocolate bar. Which chocolate bar?

Answer: Milky Way

The Milky Way includes Sesteriere, Sauze d'Oulx and Sansicario in Italy, and Montgenevre in France. The entire area has more than 400km of pistes.

10. Scotland has its devotees among very hardy skiers and snowboarders, but which of these areas has the most ski runs?

Answer: Glenshee

Glenshee has 36 runs; Cairngorm 23; The Lecht 20; and Glencoe 17.

11. The 'Three Valleys' ski area in France is centered around the resorts of Courcheval, Meribel and Val Thorens. Which linked village lies in what was sometimes called 'The Fourth Valley'?

Answer: St Martin de Belleville

Les Trois Vallees is a magnet for skiers and snowboarders from many countries and has something to offer winter sportspeople of all abilities. Meribel has a reputation of being a winter home-from-home for Britons. Courcheval is probably the most glamourous in the area and attracts a lot of Russians. Val Thorens is the highest resort in western Europe. St. Martin de Belleville was later connected to the area by cable car.

The term 'fourth valley' is a colloquial one. Les Quatres Vallees (The Four Valleys) is the official name of a linked ski area in Switzerland.

12. Eastern Europe may not have the social cachet of the glamourous alps, but its resorts are relatively more affordable. Bulgaria has been building its reputation. Which of these resorts is its largest?

Answer: Bansko

Bansko has 65km of marked runs; Borovets 40km; Pamprovo 25km; and Vitosha 16km.

13. George Lazenby tried to be neither shaken nor stirred while he skied away from the baddies in 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'. Which Swiss ski resort is the location for the revolving restaurant in the movie?

Answer: Murren

A studio scout spotted the half-built restaurant while looking for locations for the movie. The restaurant was completed after it was released, and Murren has traded on its 007 connections ever since. OHMSS was Lazenby's only appearance as James Bond.

14. One of the most famous downhill ski races of all is the notoriously difficult Hahnenkamm. Which Austrian resort played host to this race in the FIS Word Cup each year?

Answer: Kitzbuhel

All downhill ski courses deserve respect, but the Hahnenkamm has been described as "arguably the most technical and dangerous downhill course on the World Cup circuit." Racers reaching speeds of more than 80mph have to contend with the notorious 'camel bumps' near the end of the track. Holidaymakers also have a chance to ski the run, but it is recommended for very proficient skiers only.

15. Norway has become increasingly popular with non-native skiers. Which of these cities hosted a Winter Olympics first?

Answer: Lillehammer

Scandinavian countries have done much to attract Alpine skiers as opposed to the Nordic skiing they were traditionally noted for. Simply put, the difference is that Alpine skiers concentrates more on downhill events, while Nordic skiing is associated with cross-country and ski-jumping events. Lillehammer hosted the games in 1994,

Source: Author darksplash

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

European Ski Resorts Trivia Quiz

Skiing (or snowboarding): the most fun you can have while dressed in several layers of thermal underwear. Europe is the home of recreational skiing. See how well you know its resorts.

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