British Universities Snowsports Council
Country | United Kingdom |
---|---|
Domestic cup(s) | British University Snowsports Championships @ The main event. |
Website | http://www.buscevents.com/ |
The BUSC or British Universities Snowsports Council has been active since 1990 with the motto 'Run by students, for students', its sole aim is to promote and increase participation and competition in skiing and snowboarding at all levels for students in the United Kingdom, it is a unique students sporting organisation as it is run by students for students.
Activities
The main role of BUSC as an organisation is to run events for student snowsports and it is the only BUCS (British Universities Sports Association) recognised organiser of snowsports competitions.
The BUSC year included races, freestyle competitions, demo days, parties and culminate at The Main Event. This was a two-week event with competitions, ski and snowboard lessons, freestyle exhibitions and night time entertainment.
History
British University Snowsports Championships began over 80 years ago and was set up by Oxford and Cambridge. Originally a Ski Championships (Slalom and Giant Slalom only), they were held annually in the Cairngorm mountains.
Prior to 1991 the BUSF (British University Sports Federation (1962–1994)) Championships had been held in Scotland, also held annually were the SUSF (Scottish University Sports Federation (?–2005)) Championships in Scotland and the EWUSC (English and Welsh Ski Championships (?–1992)) usually held during the Easter holidays in France.
Due to technical issues at the event in academic year 1989–90 the decision was made to move the event to the Alps, Kings Ski Club provided the organisation for first BUSF Championships to be held abroad. Unfortunately the event was not to the expected standards due to the Tour Op, which resulted in no BUSF championships being held the following year.
The organisers of the EWUSC Championships decided to invite the Scottish Universities to their event and to form BUSC (British University Ski Championships). The first BUSC Championships were held in 1993 in the French resort of Les Menuires, with the final BUSC Championship being held in 2014 in Alpe D'Huez, France.
Over the years the Championships evolved from being a Ski (Slalom and Giant Slalom only) event held over a weekend in Scotland into a year of events for skiing and snowboarding, racing and freestyle, but mainly catering to students who wanted to get blind drunk. BUSC's final calendar (though it varied greatly over the years);
- Summer Session - June/July
- Captain's Trip - October (until 2011)
- British Universities Dry-Slope Championships (BUDS) - November
- British Universities Indoor Snowsports Championships (BUISC) - February/March
- The Main Event - British Universities Alpine Championships (ME) - March/April
Events
Summer Session
Held over the course of a week in late June or early July in the French Alps, normally in the resort of Tignes it moved to Les Deux Alpes in 2011 for one year. Consisted of mornings on the Glacier for Ski and Snowboard Race and Freestyle training and afternoons with other activities and sports like mountain biking, swimming, golf, white water rafting, bungee jumping, climbing, beach volleyball and more.
Captain's Trip
Held at the end of October for a weekend on the Glacier in Les Deux Alpes the event allowed the organisers of BUSC's constituent member clubs to meet each other and often signals the start of the election process for the following years organising committee. This event was taken over by Wasteland Ski in 2011 and is now the Wasteland Captain's Trip.
BUDS
The British Universities Dry-Slope Championships took place at Hillend near Edinburgh in Scotland over the course over a Friday and Saturday in November. Competitions included;
- Ski Slalom (BUCS affiliated)
- Ski Giant Slalom (BUCS affiliated)
- Snowboard Giant Slalom (BUCS affiliated)
- BoarderX
- Snowboard Team Dual Slalom Knock Out
- Ski Team Dual Slalom Knock Out
- Snowboard Slopestyle
- Ski Slopestyle
- Snowboard Big Air
- Ski Big Air
BUISC
The British Universities Indoor Snowsports Championships took place over February and March. Universities competed at Regional Qualifiers before the Finals which also included the Ski2Help Charity Event
Qualifiers
- Braehead (Scottish region)
- Castleford (Northern region)
- Milton Keynes (Midlands region)
- Milton Keynes (Southern region)
Finals
- Castleford (BUISC Finals / Ski 2 Help)
Competitions included;
- Ski Slalom
- Snowboard Slalom
- Ski Team Dual Slalom Knock Out
- Snowboard Team Dual Slalom Knock Out
- Snowboard Slopestyle
- Ski Slopestyle
The Main Event
Held every Easter in the Alps over a two-week period in late March/early April.
British Universities Alpine Championships
The British Universities Alpine Championships took place during the second week of The Main Event. BUSC was the only organisation able to run British Universities and Colleges Sport(BUCS) sanctioned Snowsports events during its time and so the BUCS Alpine Championships were incorporated into the Main Event.
BUSC Events
- Racing
- Ski Slalom (BUCS affiliated)
- Ski Giant Slalom (BUCS affiliated)
- Ski Super G (BUCS affiliated)
- Snowboard Giant Slalom (BUCS affiliated)
- Snowboard Individual Dual Slalom Knock Out
- Ski Team Dual Slalom Knock Out
- Snowboard Team Dual Slalom Knock Out
- Cross
- Snowboard Cross
- Ski Cross
- Freestyle
- Snowboard Big Air
- Ski Big Air
- Snowboard Slopestyle
- Ski Slopestyle
- Snowboard Half Pipe (Snowboard Rail Jam if half pipe is not available)
- Ski Half Pipe (Ski Rail Jam if half pipe is not available)
Stick it or Lick it!
An end of academic year Ski and Snowboard Freestyle competition built on dry slope, using real snow, next to a beach, in a forest, at Beach Break Live festival in June, this event ran until 2012 when Beach Break Live decided to move locations.
Past main event venues
Academic Year | Resort | Country | Organising Committee | Notes | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
????-1990 | Aviemore (Cairngorm) | Scotland | Various | BUSF | |
1990-1991 | Chamonix | France | Kings Ski Club | BUSF | |
1991-1992 | No Championship Held | ||||
1992-1993 | Les Menuires | France | Bristol | First BUSC | |
1993-1994 | Tignes | France | Held in December 1993 | ||
1994-1995 | Les Arcs | France | Sheffield | ||
1995-1996 | Les Arcs | France | Manchester | ||
1996-1997 | La Plagne | France | Loughborough | ||
1997-1998 | Les Arcs | France | Newcastle | ||
1998-1999 | Les Arcs | France | Dundee, Heriot-Watt | ||
1999-2000 | Saalbach-Hinterglemm | Austria | Man Met | ||
2000-2001 | Saalbach-Hinterglemm | Austria | Glasgow | ||
2001-2002 | Les Arcs | France | Nottingham | ||
2002-2003 | Les Deux Alpes | France | Edinburgh | ||
2003-2004 | Les Deux Alpes | France | Bristol | ||
2004-2005 | Risoul | France | Salford | ||
2005-2006 | Les Deux Alpes | France | Newcastle | ||
2006-2007 | Les Deux Alpes | France | Edinburgh | ||
2007-2008 | Saalbach-Hinterglemm | Austria | All Star | ||
2008-2009 | Alpe d’Huez | France | Loughborough | ||
2009-2010 | Alpe d’Huez | France | Decade | ||
2010-2011 | Tignes | France | Best of the West | Results | |
2011-2012 | Saalbach-Hinterglemm | Austria | Sweet | ||
2012-2013 | Alpe d’Huez | France | Outlaw | ||
2013-2014 | Alpe d’Huez | France | Outlaw pt.2 | Final BUSC Event |