British Universities Snowsports Council

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

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;

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

Finals

Competitions included;

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

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.