Why did they jump?

Haley Cutts (Malcesine) and Kerry Faulkner (Crystal Ski pod Milton Keynes) worked overseas during the winter season 2010-11 and due to their outstanding efforts raising money for DSUK, they were nominated by their general managers as the most outstanding fund raisers. As a thank you gesture, DSUK invited Haley and Kerry to participate in a sky dive with the Red Devils. And this finally happened on Tuesday this week.

After arrival at the airfield, first they were fed and watered as well as fully briefed, but then they had to wait for the clouds to clear. Finally, at around 1pm, they took off and at exit altitude, on the count of three, they went into freefall … and a moment they will never forget!

Two more SHG staff from Crawley attended the sky dive, Joanne Green (Customer Services Manager) and Shelley Tasker (Operations and Overseas Manager). Both raised money for DSUK individually.

Congratulations to all four girls who had a lot of bottle to jump from the plane at 13,000 feet which is 2 ½ miles up!

On the picture from left to right: Haley, Kerry, Jo and Shelly with the Red Devils Sky Dive team and other participants from DSUK.

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Win a holiday for two to the riverside resort of Tavira on the Algarve  

Algarve is new in the Crystal Summer programme featuring Galé, a small, quiet town with a beautiful, sandy beach and a golf course; Tavira, an attractive riverside town with plenty of history and great food and Lagos town overlooking the harbour with a maze of streets filled with excellent fish restaurants and café bars, which come alive as the sun goes down.

For a chance to win this holiday, all you have to do is to enter our competition crystalsummer.co.uk/competition. You’ll stay at the Vila Gale Albacora, an old tuna fishing village completely renovated and turned into a seafront hotel. After a full day out clam picking (and eating, of course) or maybe a round of golf, you can visit the secret waterfall in he parish of “O Pego do Inferno” (“The Pool of Hell”). There is also an indoor market and a ‘camera obscura’ on top of the old water tower and if you are into culture, there are reminders of the town’s history wherever you go, from the roman bridge to frescoed houses lining cobbled streets.

Enter by 31 May 2012 and you’ll be in with a chance to win this excellent holiday including flights, 3 nights’ bed & breakfast at the Vila Gale Albacora in Tavira and transfers for two people. (Holiday to be taken in Summer 2012).

Check out Crystal Summer for more information about the Algarve – www.crystalsummer.co.uk

To enter the competition, please visit crystalsummer.co.uk/competition

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This year’s theme is The Olympic and Paralympics’ Challenge and the teams are invited to take on the challenge of skiing 2012 runs (yes, two-thousand-and-twelve) in six hours. However, the twist is, the more money the teams raise before end of May 2012 the fewer number of runs they have to complete on the day.

Employees are from all sectors of the business including web operations, travel designers, directors, accountants, IT specialists, sales consultants, operations managers, buyers, product and commercial managers.

Team Great Britain – donate online click here

Suzanne Harvey

James White

Scott Langridge

John Hooker

Niel Alobaidi

Mike Ward

Robert Emerre

Team Hawaii – donate online click here

Mick Long

Adele Long

Binal Patel

Leticia Gallego

David Hill

Oliver Goodarzi

Petra Jenkins

Sharon Finch

Peter McCarthy

Team Mexico – donate online click here

Shelley Tasker

Maddi Thake

Lindsay Capelin

Julia Cooper

George Kent

Ian Watkins

Team USA – donate online click here

Emma Taylor

Ian Davis

Sue Vincent

Shona Swain

Blake Lancaster

Matthew Clift

Team Australia – donate online click here

Leanne Morley

Ian Baynton

Sagar Patel

Suzanne Galliven

Egle Starkute

Tony Ray 

Team Monaco Wacky races – donate online click here

John Byron

Daniel Bravery

Steve Knevett

Vickie Mills

David Miles

Fiona Boyd

David Chandler

Team Japan – done online click here

Kirsteen Short

Rachael Mulhern

Meike Fleck

Stuart Bowker

Danny Todman

Alexander Sparasci

Al Stevens

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Crystal Summer holiday customers are in for a treat: book by 30 April 2012 and receive £100 discount per booking, valid for selected holidays to the Italian Lakes, Austria, Slovenia and Germany departing in May 2012. 

Crystal Summer’s collection of holidays takes you from the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean to the peaks of the Alps; from stunning lakeside villages of Lake Garda to some of Europe’s greatest cities; beach destinations in Greece, Croatia, Spain, Portugal and Italy and Finest hotels in all parts of Europe.

Some of the best deals are:

Lake Garda, Italy

Doria Apartments (three-star), self catering

Price from £189 (based on four sharing) – save £170 per person

Departing on 5 May from Birmingham to Verona and airport transfers

Crystal Summer (0871 230 8180; crystalsummer.co.uk)

Ruhpolding in Bavaria, Germany

Hotel Maiergschwendt (three-star), half board

Price from £389 per person (based on two sharing) – save £210 per person

Departing on 26 May from Gatwick to Salzburg and airport transfers

Crystal Summer (0871 230 8180; crystalsummer.co.uk)

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Bled Apartments (three-star), self catering

Price from £239 (based on four sharing) – save £216 per person

Departing on 23 May from Newcastle to Salzburg and airport transfers

Thomson Lakes & Mountains (0871 230 8181; thomsonlakes.co.uk)

St Johann, Austrian Tirol

Guesthouse St Johann (two-star), bed & breakfast

Price from £245 (based on two sharing): save £170 per person

Departing on 23 May from Newcastle to Salzburg and airport transfers

Thomson Lakes & Mountains (0871 230 8181; thomsonlakes.co.uk)

Prices are per person for 7 nights. Other UK departure airports available at a supplement.

This offer is available for new bookings only and is subject to availability and change.

Except the bodies belong to someone else, the beach is packed, and sun and sangria are not what they used to be. So why not do the right thing? Head for the mountains.

Over the last few years holidaymakers have begun to learn the secrets of the mountains: sun-baked peaks, clean and fresh air and there’s a lot more than just skiing on offer. Summer ‘après-ski’ is an adrenaline junkie’s dream – mountain biking, river trekking, climbing, paragliding, white water rafting and more.

Zell am See in Austria leads the way with more than 50 activities on offer. The surrounding mountains and the lake provide activities from abseiling to stand-up paddling to a glacier ski safari.

In Mayrhofen you can join the long distance Eagle Walk or take part in the Harakiri mountain race on 5 August. In Seefeld you can climb, bike and, to cool down, enjoy a white water rafting session. Ever thought of an archery field course? There are two courses in Kitzbühel: a smaller 10-target course perfect for families (can also be used at night!) and the large course with 20 targets. Of course there are golf courses too, if archery isn’t your kind of sport.

Crystal Summer offers holidays to all these resorts and prices start from £267 for 7 nights’ bed &  breakfast at the three-star Hotel Obermair in Mayrhofen, Austria, departing on 23 May 2012 from Gatwick including flights and transfers.

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Do you want to run and perform, yet also appreciate and enjoy the landscape? Running there becomes something to be relished. The 21.7 kilometre long course takes you mainly along footpaths past the mountain peaks of Karhorn, Orneshorn and Mohnenfluh. Participants have to negotiate about 1,000 metres of ascent.

It’s not just participants in those events who will find Lech the best place to do their competition training. Various studies, including the Austrian Moderate Altitude Study (AMAS 2000*), demonstrate that spending a holiday at medium altitude has a particularly long-lasting effect when it is coupled with light sporting activities, such as walking, nordic walking or jogging.

Crystal Summer offers a week’s half board at the four-star Hotel Tannbergerhof in Lech including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck, free activity clubs for children aged 4-12 years, free use of chairlifts and cable cars, tennis courts, entrance to leisure centre, hikers bus, guided walks and tours from £725 per person.

Crystal Summer (0871 230 8181; crystalsummer.co.uk)

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* The Austrian Moderate Altitude Study (AMAS 2000) was conducted between 1998 and 2000 under the leadership of Professors Dr. Egon Humpeler and Dr. Wolfgang Schobersberger who proved for the first time that an individually designed hiking holiday in the mountains guarantees truly effective outcomes.

What happens to your body when you perform active exercise in moderate altitudes (1500m–2500 m)? Some of the remarkable results of AMAS 2000 are as follows:

● Optimisation of the cardiovascular system

●Stimulation of metabolism

●Reduction of body fat without dieting

●Improvement of the quality of red blood cells and oxygen supply to the tissues

●Reduction of harmful free radicals

●Increased feeling of well being

Altitude also offers great relief for patients with allergies. The season of grass pollen shortens enormously; the mountains are considered free of allergens from July on. Mites and mildew are also not present. Hence, no harmful environmental influences will hamper your sojourn.

Olympic Gold Medallist and World Cup Alpine Ski Champion Lindsey Vonn took some time on Sunday 1 April to ski with some of her biggest fans on Vail Mountain as part of the resort’s exclusive Ski Girls Rock programme. A few lucky girls from around the globe, including representatives from Brazil, England and Canada, in addition to a select handful of girls who participated in the Ski Girls Rock lesson program this season, were chosen to return to Vail to ski with their idol as a part of Vonn’s homecoming celebration.

“Success has been attributed to the growing strength of the brand, repeat customers and a series of highly successful marketing campaigns,” said David Jarvis, Online Director Specialist Holidays Group and Crystal Ski.

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Note

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Andreas Streibl, Ischgl’s tourist office director said: “We are proud and excited to announce this exceptional star for the closing concert of this exceptional winter season. Mariah Carey has a distinctive and powerful voice, which is perfect for the Top Of The Mountain concert”.

Ischgl’s Top Of The Mountain concerts at the beginning and end of every ski season have become legendary for the big name stars they feature, including The Killers, Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Pink, Alicia Keys and Tina Turner. The 2011-12 season was opened by Swedish pop duo Roxette at the end of November.

Mariah Carey will perform on the specially constructed open air stage at 2320m at Idalp, the ski hub area of Ischgl in the Paznaun Valley, and is expected to draw a crowd of 20,000 skiers, boarders and fans.

She will be taking the crowd on a journey back through time, exploring her musical history over the past 20 years with hits such as Hero, Heartbreaker, Touch My Body, Someday and My All.

Mariah Carey is the best-selling female artist of all time. With an unprecedented record of 18 number one singles that rival all but The Beatles, she has made an indelible impact on the global music industry and audiences everywhere. Blessed with a stunning five-octave range and signature vocal abilities, the singularly talented superstar continues to reach new heights of artistic growth and popularity. As a singer and songwriter, she has been recognised with five Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award and the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium” to name a few.

The Ischgl concert is the only European one she is planning to do this year.

Concert entry is free with a valid skipass. Special accommodation and skipass packages are available via flexiski (tel 020 8939 0861; flexiski.com) and prices are from £270 for four nights’ accommodation with breakfast, plus four day skipass excluding flights and transfers.

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In 1995, Ischgl lead the way in bringing big names to ski resorts for entertainment, with Elton John performing at the, now legendary, Top of the Mountain concert. Meanwhile the resort of Mayrhofen in the Zillertal was soon at the forefront of top winter festivals, hosting the famous Snowbombing.

For the first time, since its move from Meribel, Mayrhofen will host the Altitude Comedy Festival, with big names like Jimmy Carr, Al Murray and Tim Minchin. In addition the 10^th anniversary of the Vans Wängl Tängl will see a new pop-up gallery, curated by Looking Sideways, showcasing snowsports art. Over in the Ötztal, Sölden DJ David Guetta headlines at the Electric Mountain Festival in April and Sölden will once again host the annual Gay Snow Happening at the end of March.

2012 Vans Wängl Tängl, Mayrhofen, 17 – 24 March 2012

Europe’s most prestigious snow and skate event, the VANS Wängl Tängl 2012, will celebrate its 10^thanniversary this year bringing together a week of snowboard, skateboard and music highlights.

Looking Sideways@Wangl Tangl - This year sees a new pop-up art exhibition at the Europahaus, featuring 10 influential boardsport artists, organised by Looking Sideways. The interactive element to the event will create some original artwork and requires public participation online, both pre- and during the event. To take part, they need your eyes to make the graphics for a limited edition run of snowboards, with the chance of winning one of the boards. Take a photo of yourself and make sure the eyes are ‘looking sideways’. Email the image to eyes@wearelookingsideways.com or upload it to the Looking Sideways Facebook page. Your eyes will be added to the live art piece, creating a big, beautiful mural. Looking Sideways artists will then work on the mural throughout the Wängl Tängl. Winners will be chosen at random to get their hands on an original limited edition snowboard.

Package: Crystal Ski (crystalski.co.uk; 0871 231 2256) offers a week’s bed & breakfast in the 3* Hotel Obermair from £377 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. Departs 17March.

www.wangltangl.com, www.wearelookingsideways.com

Altitude Comedy Festival, Mayrhofen, 26 – 31 March 2012

The Altitude Comedy Festival will bring some of the top names in comedy such as Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle. Ed Byrne and Al Murray to the slopes of Mayrhofen this year. Previously an annual fix in Meribel, 2012 will be the first year for Mayrhofen to host it as standalone event, offering the perfect mix of skiing, comedy and music. To get your wristband book your Mayrhofen accommodation online at www.altitudefestival.com and tailor your package to suit you with coach travel, flights or lift passes as added extras. Alternatively book your Mayrhofen holiday through Crystal and add a wristband to your booking for £150.

Package: Crystal Ski (crystalski.co.uk; 0871 231 2256) offers a week’s half board in the 3* Villa Strass from £450 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. Departs 24 March.

Gay Snow Happening, Sölden, 24 – 31 March 2012

Sölden will host the 13^th Gay Snow Happening this March, as hundreds head to the Ötztal for a week of fun-packed skiing and partying. The varied programme of events include hut evenings at “Hühnersteign”, moonlight bowling, relaxing spa sessions at the Aqua Dome and long disco nights at “Q-Stall” or “Snowrock Café”. The week is rounded off in style for a final extravaganza, with famous DJs from London, Berlin and Hamburg. By day, 150km of perfectly groomed pistes are waiting to be explored.

Package: Thomson Ski (thomsonski.co.uk; 0871 971 0578) offers a week’s half board in the 4* Hotel Regina from £901 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. Departs 24 March.

www.gaysnowhappening.com

Electric Mountain Festival, Sölden, 9 – 21 April 2012

Over Easter, Sölden will host a fantastic mix of music, mountains, snow and skiing over several weekends in April. Superstar DJ David Guetta will open the festival on 9 April on the world’s highest turntables at 2670m with the Rettenbach Glacier providing the unique backdrop.

Package: Thomson Ski (thomsonski.co.uk; 0871 971 0578) offers a week’s half board in the 4* Hotel Erhart from £929 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. Departs 7 April.

www.electric-mountain-festival.com

Snowbombing, Mayrhofen, 9 – 14 April 2012

Famous for its adrenaline-fuelled snowboarding and crazy partying, the annual Snowbombing festival takes over the resort of Mayrhofen in April with leading DJs, club nights, live acts and snowboarders coming together for this ultimate event. Although the main events can only be accessed with a wristband, you can still enjoy the atmosphere in resort during it’s busiest party time.

Package: Crystal Ski (crystalski.co.uk; 0871 231 2256) offers a week’s bed & breakfast at the 3* Chalet Haus Tirol from £658 per person, including flights from Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. Departs 7 April.

www.snowbombing.com/en

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