The UK’s Sports Minister Tracey Crouch visited Chatham Ski & Snowboard Centre recently and said that she felt the cost of snowsports is reasonable, emphasising the high value offered by artificial-surface or ‘dry slopes’ in Great Britain.
“What we want is for people to have access to any sport they want to participate in, and that may well be a sport like skiing or snowboarding,” said the minister, who is said to be a keen skier, “The cost of snowsports really is reasonable. You can come and ski here for just £6 and that includes all your equipment. I think skiing is an accessible sport and there really aren’t any barriers. People think they have to go away to do it, and it may be a costly affair, but what we are seeing is more people doing skiing and snowboarding on artificial slopes. This is what the success of Chatham is all about.”
Tracy Crouch met GB Paralympic Games gold medalist Charlotte Evans and English Park and Pipe skier Mike Rowlands, along with 30 pupils and teachers from Hempstead Junior School in Medway during her visit, and was impressed by the slope skills of the young skiers and wowed by the tricks of rising talent Mike Rowlands.
The Sports Minister’s visit followed the government’s pledge of increased funding for sport, which was a timely announcement for a sport which has seen a rise in participation since the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 thanks in part to initiatives like Snowsport England’s GO SKI GO BOARD campaign.
“I think it is really important to get people to use their local slopes. Getting children in when they are young and developing that love for it as well as developing commitment and determination is key,” the minister concluded.