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Heli skiing is no longer just for the rich. Liquid Snow Tours have released a Queenstown Heli Shred package that includes a full day of heli skiing with Southern Lakes Heli Skiing plus a week’s accommodation and a stack of extras for AU$1495.
The deal: Heli shredders will experience a Queenstown airport meet and greet upon arrival, transfers to The Lab Queenstown for seven nights in a four to six share room, continental breakfasts, one day of heli skiing with Southern Lakes Heli Skiing, return flights from Queenstown to Treble Cone with Glenorchy Air for a day’s shredding including Treble Cone lift pass.

Add a two day NZ Superpass valid at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables and a one day Liquid Pass good for NZ$95 worth of Queenstown activities, tours,spas and bars.
But wait there’s even more. Queenstown discount vouchers and a pub crawl with five free drinks and entry to Queenstown’s best bars and clubs, a resort tour guide and host plus a BBQ night at The Lab.
Upgrade to the Deluxe Heli Ski Shred and get all this plus accommodation in the lakefront Copthorne Hotel in Queenstown for AU$1895 per person based on double occupancy. That’s a lot of bang for your snow buck.

For more information on the Queenstown Heli Ski Shred package visit the Liquid Snow Tour website.

Golf enthusiasts at Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa, Maldives are in for a treat with the introduction of the country’s first nine-hole recreational golf course at the resort.  Designed by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and opened on 27 March 2012, the new course sits on seven and a half hectares of previously undeveloped land at the southern end of the island.

“We are excited to offer a new experience to the Maldives traveller,” said Rene D. Egle, general manager of Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa.  ”Apart from our other recreational options, the Villingili Golf Course will add a new and unique activity for our guests – a game of golf amid expansive views of the Indian Ocean.”

Spectacular sights await guests at each of the nine holes, mostly par three and averaging 123.4 yards in length.  Designed to be a fun course for golf aficionados and beginners alike, the course was developed with the island’s natural beauty in mind, enhancing existing flora to highlight the gleaming ocean and turquoise lagoon along a scenic walking path.  A diversity of palms, pandanus and various exotic plants are dotted along sandy beach coves on the east and west shorelines.

To commemorate the event, the resort is offering an introductory golf package valid from now to 9 May 2012.  For a minimum stay of four nights, guests may enjoy the following benefits:

• One complimentary green fee for two persons for bookings in a Pool Villa, Deluxe Pool Villa, Water Villa, Ocean View Villa or Beach Villa
• Waived daily green fee for bookings in a Tree House Villa, Two Bedroom Beach Villa, Villa Muthee or Villa Laalu

The golf course is exclusive to guests of Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa. Facilities include a clubhouse, refreshment bar and a pro shop carrying an assortment of golf apparel, gear and merchandise.  Shoe and equipment rental services are also available.

The introductory green fee of US$80 per adult includes a golf set, golf balls and unlimited rounds per day.  Children play free on golf activities scheduled by Cool Zone, the children’s club at the resort.

Reservations may be booked online at www.shangri-la.com .  For more information, guests may telephone the resort at (960) 689 7888 or e‑mail reservations.slmd@shangri-la.com .

Set amidst sensational sandy beaches and lush tropical foliage, Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort and Spa is a luxury all-villa Maldives resort property located in a spacious, boutique-style environment.  The luxurious accommodations include private ocean retreats and tropical tree house villas making it a premier Maldives luxury resort, while a selection of fine-dining choices and innovative spa treatments have been carefully designed to stimulate the senses.

 

One of Australia’s favourite horses Takeover Target stormed Bondi Beach to launch the 2012 BMW Sydney Carnival with some of the country’s leading racing stars and Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing, and Minister for the Arts, the Hon. George Souris.

“Sydney Carnival is a highlight on Australia’s racing calendar, held in the birthplace of Australian racing in Australia’s leading events and tourism city,” Minister Souris said.

“The NSW Government through Destination NSW has joined with Racing NSW, the Australian Turf Club, Tabcorp and Inglis to reconfigure the BMW Sydney Carnival as a signature event on the NSW Events Calendar.

“Together with our partners, we are working to make our Carnival the best thoroughbred racing and sales event in the Southern Hemisphere.

“It is events like the Carnival that ensure that Sydney, the gateway to Australia and NSW, remains number one when it comes to hosting major events in this country.”

Assisting the Minister to launch the event were Racing NSW Chairman John Messara and Australian Turf Club Chairman John Cornish as well as sponsors, ambassadors and leading racing identities.

ATC Chairman John Cornish said there were exciting times ahead for Sydney racing as the Club was overseeing major developments at its two flagship tracks.

Mr Cornish said the largest super screen in the southern hemisphere would be ready for Rosehill Gardens in time for the AAMI Golden Slipper in a few weeks and the $150m grandstand and “Theatre of the Horse” redevelopment at Royal Randwick  would be ready in time for the 2013 Carnival.

“Let’s make no mistake about it – on the completion of these works in time for next year’s BMW Sydney Carnival we will have event racing facilities as good as any in the world,” Mr Cornish said.

“This will see Sydney racing back at our rightful place as a world leader in our industry and challenging like never before to be the number one racing destination in Australia.”

Leading jockeys Corey Brown and Kathy O’Hara and premier Sydney trainer Chris Waller discussed the serious side of the Carnival with their upcoming prospects on the turf.

Brown took the opportunity to climb aboard the legendary sprinter Takeover Target who came out of retirement to add some equine class to the launch at the scenic and iconic Bondi Beach.

The popular Takeover Target, 21 wins from 41 starts, won sprinting crowns in five major Australian cities and the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore.

He last raced during the Sydney Carnival at Royal Randwick in 2009 as a nine-year-old, producing one of his best performances to thrash five Group 1 winning rivals including Apache Cat and Northern Meteor to win the $500,000 Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) in record time.

The 2012 BMW Sydney Carnival is a world-class thoroughbred racing festival showcasing a staggering total of 40 Group races and more than $20 million in prize money on offer at Rosehill Gardens and Royal Randwick.

Sydney’s premier racing Carnival begins six enthralling weeks of world class racing, stunning fashion and fantastic entertainment in Australia’s global city and home of racing this Saturday with Myer Ladies Day at Rosehill Gardens.

Held  between 24 March and 28 April, it encompasses the richest race in the world for two year-olds  - the $3.5m AAMI Golden Slipper and weight-for-age showcase the $2.25m BMW at Rosehill Gardens and the legendary $1.5m David Jones Australian Derby and the $2m BMW Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick.

Carnival stakeholders, The Australian Turf Club (ATC), Racing NSW, Destination NSW, TAB and Inglis have united to bring to life the Carnival’s unique entertainment proposition, racing tradition and the fun and fashion of the events on and off course.

Tabcorp CEO David Attenborough said: “It’s a privilege to be a partner of one of the world’s premier racing events. Tabcorp looks forward being part of the BMW Sydney Carnival, through betting products such as TAB Millions, which will provide pool guarantees on selected meetings on either the Quaddie, BIG6 or First 4.”

The Carnival starts at Rosehill Gardens with Myer Ladies Day, Flinders Lane Rosehill Guineas Day, and finally arguably Sydney’s racing event of the year, AAMI Golden Slipper Day, before moving on to Royal Randwick with the elegance of David Jones Australian Derby Day, BMW Doncaster Day, and the Carnival finale, Schweppes Sydney Cup Day.

KEY DATES
Saturday 24 March – Myer Ladies Day Rosehill Gardens
Saturday 31 March – Flinders Lane Guineas Day Rosehill Gardens
Saturday 7 April – AAMI Golden Slipper Day Rosehill Gardens
Saturday 14 April – David Jones Australian Derby Day Royal Randwick
Saturday 21 April – BMW Doncaster Day Royal Randwick
Saturday 28 April – Schweppes Sydney Cup Day Royal Randwick

For all you need to know about the 2012 BMW Sydney Carnival, head to www.thesydneycarnival.com.au

New Electronic Ticketing System, eStore and POS Goes Live at Victoria’s Alpine Resorts

Falls Creek Ski Lifts and Hotham Skiing Company are rolling out a new electronic point of sale and ticketing system in 2012. Used widely at resorts around the world, the RTP (Resort Technology Partners) system will create streamlined pre-purchase of lift tickets and lessons, pre-organisation of equipment hire plus the ability to register the kids into the snowsports school programs prior to arrival at the resorts. Guests who utilise this new system will move more quickly onto the slopes, spending more time skiing and boarding.
The roll out has now begun with the introduction of the new eStore, creating hassle free benefits for online organisation of a guest’s snow holiday. Currently you can buy your season pass or Snow Rewards membership on the eStore. In coming weeks, the eStore sale offering will also include lift tickets, lessons and equipment hire.

Guests can register online for rental equipment, completing a detailed form allowing easier and smoother collection of their equipment. Guests can also manage their skier or rider profiles for future equipment hire or snowsports lessons needs including group and private lessons.
“The benefits of the new system provide guests the opportunity to reduce the time they need to be at the ticket counters and in the equipment rental stores” says Nick Noble Marketing Manager Falls Creek Ski Lifts, “It’s important to provide systems that create more time on the slopes for our guests”.
“The installation of this new system will streamline the way we interact with our guests providing them the ability to organise parts of their holiday prior to arriving,” says Gina Woodward Hotham Sales & Marketing Manager, “We all value our time and the ability to maximise time on the slopes is paramount.”
This powerful new system across two of Victoria’s alpine resorts has enormous benefits and further benefits will be rolled out over the coming seasons.  Winter operations for skiing and snowboarding in 2012 will start on Saturday 9 June.

Innsbruck, the capital of the Alps, welcomes you to take pleasure in the most fantastic winter scenery worldwide. The number of residents in the lively city amounts to 120,000 and very often you will come across people walking through the Old Town, wearing a ski suit and ski boots, carrying their pair of skiers on their shoulder – what are they doing? Shopping? No, they are on their way to the base station of the “Nordkettenbahn” uphill facilities. And only 20 minutes later you will see them in the most colorful and yet snow white scenery. Under the clear blue sky everything is glistening and sparkling. Ski runs, such as the super-steep “Karrinne” or the snowboarding fun park are quite a challenge. However, both, skiers and sunbathers sitting on the spacious terrace enjoy the fantastic view of Innsbruck’s city center that nestles about 1,400 m below. And all of a sudden it becomes obvious, why the Skyline Park located on the Nordkette/Seegrube is called “incity”.

The ski run situated on the Nordkette is one of nine ski runs of “Olympia SkiWorld Innsbruck“, which also comprises the Stubai Glacier and the Kuehtai ski region on an altitude of 2,000 m above sea level. Looking for well groomed ski runs? It goes without saying that you will definitely find them here, but apart from that almost every ski resort also offers a funpark and numerous powder slopes that await all the freeriders. All those, who are looking for a thrilling holiday adventure,  Innsbruck and its Holiday Villages are is the right place for you: experience a bobsleigh ride in Igls or if a “regular” ride is not fast and thrilling enough, rent a wok to race down the icy channel.

Sports activities and cultural highlights are just a heartbeat away from each other, and it really would be a pity to miss the magnificent Ambras Renaissance-Castle, the Imperial Court Palace and the Tyrolean Folk Art Museum representing our cultural heritage: If you decide to make a break from your sports activities, we recommend to buy the Innsbruck Card, which includes free admission to many sights in the city and its surroundings.

Having spent an active winter’s day on the slopes, cross country skiing tracks or just in open space, you have the opportunity to enjoy après ski in the city. Before you spend a relaxing chill-out-evening in the city center, don’t forget to visit the 360° panoramic bar to take a last breathtaking view of the mountains shimmering in the moonlight. Get together and have a drink in one of the many wine bars, lounges and beer halls. Culinary highlights at the highest level are served in many restaurants and traditional inns with wooden paneled parlors where candle lights create a romantic atmosphere.

Prior to dinner you can stroll through the shopping area of the newly created Maria-Theresien-Strasse, where you will find the elegant “Kaufhaus Tyrol” shopping center and the Rathausgallerien; or you have a look into the small and beautiful shops situated in the Old Town – happy shopping!

Take advantage on Innsbruck’s unique Ski Packages from AUS $ 700 per person, 7 nights halfboard &  6 days OlympiaWorld Ski Pass.

For on-line booking please visit: http://www.innsbruck-pauschalen.com/en/skiing/olympiaworld-ski-package.html, for more detailed information visit: http://www.innsbruck.info/en/home.html

 

Bookable in Australia through SNO’N'SKI 1300 766 754

Alicante, Spain – Thousands of people will flocked to the Volvo Ocean Race today as the Alicante Race Village opened for a three-week fiesta at the start port for the 2011-12 race.
Alicante’s Puerto de Salida flung open the doors to the public , welcoming the world to the first of the 10 host ports in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.
Festivities kicked off with a Rolling Stones tribute concert before the six teams competing in the world’s toughest crewed yacht race are presented. The night finished with a huge fireworks display lighting the skies over the Race Village just before 2200.

Like something from a Formula 1 grand prix, the Alicante Race Village is 40,000 square metres dedicated to entertainment with a programme brimming with concerts, shows, exhibitions, sailing clinics, rides, fireworks and restaurants.
It is also home to the Volvo Ocean Race Experience, an interactive attraction designed to suck landlubbers into the world of a Volvo Ocean Race sailor through its 3D cinema, simulator and winch grinding challenge. Artist collective Skeleton Sea will lead workshops as part of the Keep the Oceans Clean! Campaign, and look out around the Race Village for Wisdom, the mischievous albatross.

The centrepiece of the Race Village will be the six 70ft Volvo Open 70 yachts and the crews that will race them 39,000 nautical miles through the world’s toughest oceans.
Team Telefónica, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, Team Sanya, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Groupama sailing team and PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG Propulsion are the teams taking part. For the first time ever the team zones will be open to the public allowing fans to watch master boat builders and design experts at work.
Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad said: “One of our objectives has been to transform the Volvo Ocean Race into a festival. On the water it’s a race and on land it’s a festival. We’re not a football match where it lasts for 90 minutes and then you go home – the Volvo Ocean Race is something to come to, experience, be seen at and ultimately enjoy.”

The Alicante Race Village opened from Sunday to Thursday, and was to free to enter except for some ticketed concerts.
The Race Village will also provided the perfect place to watch the yachts race – on October 29 when they lock horns in close-quarter combat metres from the shore and again on November 5 when the teams start their 6,500 nautical mile sprint to Cape Town, South Africa.

“What other major sporting event can you have access to for free?” said the Volvo Ocean Race’s Director of Operations Heather Sherer.
“There are so many entertainment opportunities that bring the feeling of being at sea to the shore, from the 3D cinema that is state-of-the-art that will give you a new perspective of life on board to the bouncing castle for the little ones.
“For the first time ever we are offering the opportunity to get up close with a Volvo Open 70, with a limited number of the public to be given dock side access to the fleet.”
This weekend sees the start of the Academy Team Racing Clinic, offering youngsters from sailing clubs across the region to compete against each other in single-handed Optimist dinghies. Try Sailing, another important initiative to inspire new generations of sailors, also gets underway, offering children a chance to try the sport for the first time.

Aspen Snowmass is counting down the days until the 2011/12 season opens, with a recent dusting turning peaks white in a tease of what’s to come.
“Just as Fall colours are at their peak, a dusting of perfect white snow atop the four mountains of Aspen-Snowmass makes a good thing look even better!” says International Public Relations Manager Lea Tucker.
From mid next week, it is 40 days until Aspen Mountain and Snowmass opens November 24, with Highlands and Buttermilk following suite on December 10.

This recent dusting comes on the heels of The Meeting, an annual Aspen event considered one of the biggest within the ski industry, bringing athletes, companies and sponsors together.
Over three days last week, new release movies were shown by Matchstick Productions, Teton Gravity Research, 1241 Productions and new lines exhibited by Burton, Smith, Oakley, Volcom, Analog, Bonfire, 686, Anon, Skullcandy, Special Blend, Dragon, Voleurz, Electric and more.
As pro rider and Aspen local Steele Spence says, “It brings everyone in, ski, board – both sides, films, all the athletes and it’s not just films but activities like open forums and meetings sessions. It really is my favourite event of the year. It’s unbelievable”.
Visit www.aspensnowmass.com/themeeting.

Superyachts, fashion designers, super models, celebrity chefs and the sailing fraternity will descend on Hamilton Island for Australia’s largest offshore yachting regatta, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week from Friday 19 – Saturday 27 August 2011.
Model, actress and TV personality, Megan Gale, will make her first visit to the annual regatta to emcee the launch of the Collette Dinnigan Cruise Collection 2011 held at the exclusive qualia resort on the northern tip of Hamilton Island. She will be joined by a number of famous faces attending the Island festivities including Collette Dinnigan, Catriona Rowntree, Matt Moran, Shannon Bennett, Geoff and Sarah Huegill, Gail Elliott, Kate Waterhouse, Anthony Bell, Kelly Landry, Kylie Speers, Sandra Sully and Mark Beretta

Nearly 200 yachts have entered the regatta which will run over seven days on widely varying courses around the Whitsunday Islands. Fierce competition is expected between the 100-foot supermaxi Investec Loyal and five-time Rolex Sydney to Hobart winner, Wild Oats XI. Also $25 million luxury yacht Janice of Wyoming will attend the event for the first time in a spectator capacity.
To celebrate the start of the America’s Cup challenge which recently began in Europe, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week will display for the first time the America’s Cup, the oldest trophy in the history of sport and yachting’s ultimate prize. The spectacular silver trophy, which was first raced for in 1851, will be celebrating its 160th birthday while at the regatta. It will be joined at Race Week by another of the world’s great yachting trophies, the Admiral’s Cup – a symbol of world ocean racing supremacy and is currently held by Australia. These two magnificent trophies, which have never previously been seen together, will be on display at the Hamilton Island Yacht Club during the regatta.
Two sailing forums will be held during Race Week to reveal the new formula for the next America’s Cup match. It will be hosted by Hamilton Island Yacht Club Commodore Iain Murray, who is also the Regatta Director for the 34th America’s Cup match and CEO of America’s Cup Race Management. Murray, who has contested the America’s Cup on four occasions, will be joined by Tom Ehman, from the Golden Gate Yacht Club, the club which currently holds the Cup. And, mid week one of the world’s great sailors may be making a surprise appearance.

New announcements to the glittering social program include the Australian launch of Moet Ice Imperial with a ‘white chic’ dress code at the glamorous Moet & Chandon luncheon, a MAC Makeup Suite for race goers offering complimentary styling appointments prior to most major events, the return of the spectacular Roulettes Air Show on Monday 22 August and fashion parades by Henri Lloyd, Little Joe and Miskin Martinez. Leading jewellery designer, Pandora will also feature this year as they stage a first time event in conjunction with renowned fashion magazine Harper’s BAZAAR.
Service staff and supplies have been ramped up across Hamilton Island in preparation for the influx of over 3,000 visitors to the island during the prestigious regatta. Top orders for the celebratory regatta include: 2,000 bottles of champagne and sparkling wine, 500 bottles of Moet, 8,400 punnets of strawberries, 12,000 oysters and 1,500 kilos of prawns.
Hamilton Island Race Week’s naming rights sponsor, luxury car maker Audi, is Australia’s largest corporate sponsor of yachting.

Veuve Clicquot returns to Thredbo this August for Clicquot in the Snow 2011, celebrating two of life’s great pleasures, Veuve Clicquot and après ski. Undoubtedly, the highlight of this year’s winter celebration will be the inaugural Clicquot Tube-a-Thon, a celebrity event with a Clicquot twist. In the afternoon of Friday August 5, a brave crew of celebrities and participants will cut a swathe down the mountain into Friday Flat on their limited-edition Veuve Clicquot snow tubes. For the less adventurous, there is the opportunity to toast a great day of tubing with a chilled flute of Veuve Clicquot at another of this year’s exciting additions, the pop-up Clicquot Snow Bar on Friday Flat.
The Clicquot Tube-a-Thon made a global debut in Vail in January with Aussie actress Abbie Cornish as its host. In Thredbo, guests can cheer on celebrities including Luke Jacobz, Rachael Finch, Michael Miziner, Jodi Meares, Luke Ricketson and Daimon Downey as they battle it out on the mountain, tongues firmly in their cheeks, on their Veuve Clicquot snow tubes.
Clicquot in the Snow is the highlight of the snow calendar, a week-long winter festival of fabulous Veuve Clicquot activities and experiences unfolds in and around Thredbo. The village literally turns “Clicquot yellow”, with bars and clubs decked out in their Clicquot décor and each day, there is brunch on the mountain, fabulous après ski sessions and an action-packed programme of Clicquot –inspired events to participate in.

Clicquot in the Snow kicks off each day with delicious Clicquot On Piste Brunch Sessions on the mountain at the legendary Kareela Hűtte. And after the day’s skiing, you can come off the mountain and spend the afternoon sipping on Veuve Clicquot at the Clicquot Après-Ski Sessions at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel. For those with a culinary bent, there are delicious Clicquot Degustation Dinners and the Clicquot In The Snow Picnic, a gourmet picnic hosted by The Denman Hotel & Spa on Saturday, set amidst the breathtaking Alpine scenery at Dead Horse Gap. The week will conclude with the Clicquot Classic Ski Race, a downhill race for enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders with plenty of off-piste action for the Clicquot enthusiasts as well.
Clicquot in the Snow began in Aspen in 2007 and has grown in popularity, with the best bars, clubs and restaurants joining in this fabulous celebration of winter. For the second year, Veuve Clicquot will partner with Thredbo Alpine Hotel and The Denman Hotel & Spa to ensure that the event is the highlight of the ski season with seven fun-packed, luxurious days. To purchase tickets to any of the Clicquot in the Snow 2011 experiences please visit www.thredbo.com.au.
To register for the Clicquot Tube-a-Thon, please contact The Denman Hotel and Spa on +61 2 6457 6222 or on info@thedenman.com.au.

In the Jul/Aug/Sep 11 issue of Golf Vacations, we’re giving readers the chance to tackle Barnbougle Dunes AND the Lost Farm, widely regarded as one of the best new courses in Australia.This fabulous prize includes two nights accommodation at Barnbougle Dunes and three rounds of golf, so you can play both courses and then decide which one is your favourite.But that’s just one reason to get your hands on a copy of the latest issue!There’s a special report on the Presidents Cup, one of the biggest golf events ever staged in Australia. The best players from America will take on an International team including several Australians at Royal Melbourne later this year and we have all the information you need to be right in the thick of the action.We’ve got an in-depth look at the golfing boom in China with a profile of the stunning 10-course (so far!) facility at Mission Hills. In the UK, we visit Royal Lytham, next year’s British Open venue, along with articles on Thailand, Canada and Dubai. And don’t miss our look at some of the world’s top golf resorts: from Morocco to South Africa and Barbados to Greece, these really are the best of the best.Closer to home, editor Jon Underwood pays a nostalgic visit to Bonville – the Augusta of Australia – and drops into Orange for golf and the annual food festival. You can also discover some of the hidden golfing secrets on a drive from Queenstown to Dunedin in New Zealand.Plus all the usual features on the latest spa retreats, golf equipment, luxury cars and cruise offers.The Jul/Aug/Sep 11 issue of Golf Vacations is out now in newsagents. For subscriptions, call Global Publishing on (02) 9555 8100 during business hours, e-mail info@globalpublishing.com.au or visit www.golfvacationsmag.com.au

 

 

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