NEWSLETTER

Dear friends,

Here you will find the last practical information about 55° SCIJ winter Meeting. In Abetone a dreamy landscape of beautiful white mountains is waiting the big Scij family: there were years that we hadn’t so many snow in the hearth of the country! And it’s still snowing!

Internet pages
All the news on the SCIJ 2009 are online on
0000,0000,FFFFwww.gisgis.it. Just open the home page and click on the SCIJ Abetone 2009 logo on the top.
It’s a blog, use it!

Arriving
by plane
We are organizing the pick-up service in the established meeting points (Firenze, Bologna, Pisa’s airports and Firenze SM Novella train station, even if we still lack lot of information on your trip. On the next few days we will send to each team captain the schedule for the pick-up of all the members of his team for the last check.

Arriving
by Car – Post Tour by car
You can reach Abetone from the northern highways, via Modena, or from the south, via Pistoia. The only important thing to know is that the road that from Pistoia goes to Abetone it’s a mountain one. So expect narrow roads, village crossings, and lot of turns. On Sunday there’ll even be lot of traffic, especially in the morning. During the week your cars can be parked in the Hotel Boscolungo&n bsp; parking, just on the back to the hotel. Who want to go to the post tour by car, can leave it in Siena (Hotel Jolly parking) for a couple of days, than will have to follow the bus for the last day of the trip.

Hotels
We will stay in two different hotels, very close one to the other.
Most of the teams will be hosted in Boscolungo, International Committee, Guests, Honorary members will stay in Hotel Piramidi, 100 meters far. In
Boscoloungo the rooming will be 3 (three) per room: no way to
derogate, because the Hotel will be at its full capacity and we are a
lot! In Boscolungo there are a big swimming pool (25 mt) and saunas.

Hotel Residence BOSCOLUNGO *** -
Via Brennero, 450
51021 Abetone (PT)
Tel: 0573 60582
Fax: 0573 60585
info@boscolungo.it

Albergo Abetone e Piramidi ****
Via del Brennero,
456 - 51012 - Abe tone (PT)
! Tel: +39 0573 60005
Fax: 0573 607364
info@abetonepiramidi.it

Registration
& Check-In
A Welcome desk will be opened in the hall of Hotel Boscolungo from Sunday 1st of March at 15.00. Here you’ll receive your personal badge, skipass, restaurant vouchers and the press-kit. You don’t need photo.

Ski rental
We will provide for free the skis you’ve requested with the partecipation form, but you’ll probably have to pay the rent of the boots. Skis and boots can be rented on Monday directly in Ovovia Telecabin, where there will be
even a ski and boots deposit. You can rent cross country equipment the
same day of the race, or the day before.

Insurance
Insurance fee (15 euro), for the members who have asked for it, is to be paid cash in Abetone

Payment
Participation fee
is 185 euro per person f! or the M eeting and 200 euro for the Post
tour. Each captain is kindly requested to made only one payment for the participation fee of all the team and the Post tour quotas. International Committee and Honorary Members are paying the regular quota, and should be included in the team payment made by each Captain. Guests are

Please
specify your team, and the number of participants for the Meeting and the Post tour, in the bank transfer ( Es: ITALY 10+2 post tour –
1850+400 = 2250€)

Payments should be made to this bank account:

GIS – Asd

Banca Monte
dei Paschi di Siena

Agenzia 111
- Via del Tritone 152 – 00187 ROMA

Swift code:&nbs p; IBAN IT27Y0103003385000001056025

BIC
PASCITM1A45

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NEWSLETTER 3
We already received some applications for the pre tour in Florence:
- Karin Mortensen (Denmark) a single room since January 24th
- Finland: a twin bed room for two nights
- Great Britain a twin bed room for two nights.
- Canada a twin bed room for one night
- Ireland/USA a twin bed room for one night
These reservations are confirmed. Please let us know as soon as possible if anyone else need a room (deadline was on the 31^st of December)
Remember the deadline to fulfill the application form for Abetone and for the post tour in Siena and Chianti (only 50 places) is January 15^th.
Almost all the teams that already sent the application form have required extra places. As soon as we will collect all the applications, we’ll let you know how many extra places will be available for each team (please send your requests within your applications).
The fee for the week in Abetone is, as usual, 185 Euro and is to be paid in advance by the captains for the whole team with a bank transfer (only one payment for each team). When all the extra places have been assigned, we’ll send to every captains an email with the total amount to be paid and the bank code for the bank transfer.
The post tour’s fee (200 Euro), as well as the Scij’s fee, is to be paid cash in Abetone at the beginning of the week.
Please note: if you need Visa for Italy, and maybe an official invitation from us, ask for it as soon as possible, writing an email to info@gisgis.it

NEWSLETTER 2
Abetone ski resort opened its winter season last weekend with a wonderfully snowed landscape! There's already one meter of snow, fallen in the last week!! What a nice beginning for the season that would culminate with our meeting next spring.

We will meet March 1st (it's Sunday) in Florence or Pisa airports, or in Florence train station S.M Novella, but we can arrange hotel reservation in Florence for those who want to come earlier and spent a couple of days visiting the city by yourself.

During the meeting, we will enjoy the friendly traditional hospitality of the region. We will stay till sunday March 8th in Hotel Boscolungo (upper picture) (http://www.boscolungo.it/) and in Hotel Le Piramidi (lower picture) (http://www.abetonepiramidi.it/) in Abetone. The two hotels are close to each other, and are in a comfortable location near the commercial center of the village and near the slopes. Anyway, during the week, every morning bus service will be available to transport you to the main ski-lift. Abetone has 50 km of slopes for everyone to enjoy. The most advanced and expert skiers will find very challenging ski races. Skiers who appreciate quiet and the natural beauty of the snow forest will certainly enjoy their time.

Abetone (mt. 1.388 asl) is 90 km from Florence, about one hour and an half by bus, on the border between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, on the Appennines mountain chain.  During the week, besides our traditional competitions that will be sponsored by the Italian Federation of Winter Sports, we will organize even a special ?parallel slalom? by night for the 30 fastest racers of the giant slalom. And talking about speed, we are preparing an amazing surprise: a special visit to the Ferrari F1 factory in Maranello! You'll find more details in the attached draft program, where you will also discover the ?post tour?. We have organized three wonderful days around Siena and the ?Chianti? region, following the most delicious italian wines, and some of the most beautiful and romantic villages like Pienza or Monticchiello. Please read the detailed program in the attachment and note that for the post tour there are only 50 place available.

We are looking forward to welcoming you once again in Italy, and to showing you the Tuscany taste of life!  If you need any further information please feel free to write an e-mail to:  info@gisgis.it

Mario Sensini  - President of Italian Journalist Ski club - GIS
Filippo Cicognani - President of the Organizing Committee of Abetone 2009

First practical info to plan your trip

Pre tour
Firenze is very easy to reach from anywhere. You can get in by plane, train or car. ThereÕs not an official SCIJ Meeting pre-tour, but if you want to come earlier and spend a couple of days visiting the city by yourself (thereÕll be someone of us to give you assistance, anyway)  we have already reserved a numbers of rooms in Hotel Mediterraneo (http://www.hotelmediterraneo.com) a nice four stars hotel in the Lungarno riverside. Booking has to be confirmed soon: we have a deadline at the end of the year for 25 double rooms: price is 120? per night (two people, with breakfast), thatÕs not so high for the standing and for the city. So, if you plan to come to Firenze on February 27th, Friday, or 28th, Saturday, let us know as soon as possible writing directly to info@gisgis.it

Post tour
There will be 50 places available for the post tour in Siena and Chianti region, from the 8th of march to the 11th (see the draft program). Partecipation fee is 200 ? per person, half board. In the post tour you will have the opportunity to know the most famous Italian Brunello, Nobile, Chianti?s wine cellars, and to taste their product, but that?s not the only focus of the tour. You will have the chance to visit one of the oldest bank in the world, Monte dei Paschi di Siena http://english.mps.it , founded in 1472 by the Repubblica di Siena, and his extraordinary collection of arts and manufact (thereÕs also the first cheque paid in the history?).

Reservations for the post-tour can be made only by the captains with the special form they will receive soon.

Meeting Points
Meeting points will be set up on Sunday 1st of March from 9.00 in the morning in the arrival lobby of Firenze Airport, Pisa International Airport and Firenze SM Novella train station. You will find SCIJ stands with hostess and our team members waiting for you. Each meeting point will be served by shuttle buses to Abetone, starting approximately from 11.00 in the morning, till 18.30 in the afternoon. Later bus will be available on request.

Arrival by plane
SCIJ members will be collected by bus in Firenze and Pisa airports, from 11.00 to 18.30 on Sunday march 1st. There are a lot of connections and cheap flights to these two airports, but if you need we can consider to organize a pick-up service in other airport (Bologna): let us know.  Here you will find a useful timetable of flights to/from Pisa
(http://www.pisa-airport.com/index.php?lang=_en&id_sect=100 )  and Firenze (http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it/EN/index.
php?percorso=generale&ln=1&jk=&tipo=&curr=0&op).

Arrival by train
There will be a Meeting point operating in Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station, served by high speed trains from the North, from 10.00 in the morning on Sunday 1st of march. Here, http://trenitalia.com , youÕll find trains timetable.  Firenze SM Novella will be the Meeting point even for those who already are in Firenze.

Arrival by car
Abetone is:
280 km from Venice,
265 from Milan,
220 from Genova,
110 from Bologna
90 km from Firenze and
560 km from Zurich,
630 from Zagreb,
1000 km from Barcelona,
860 from Wien.

Coming from North, after Milan, you have to follow A1 highway direction South, till Modena. In Modena Nord leave the highway and follow the Tangenziale to Modena-Sassuolo. You will find directions to Maranello and Abetone (National road SS12 del Brennero).

Coming from Genova, follow A12 highway to Livorno. Leave the highway in Viareggio to follow A11 higway to Lucca- Firenze. In Lucca Est, leave A11 and follow the directions to S. Marcello Pistoiese -  Abetone, (National road SS12 del ?Brennero?).

Coming from Venice, you have to go south on A13 highway to Ferrara- Bologna, than before Bologna turn right into the A14 to Florence and then right into A1 highway direction Modena - Milan. In Modena Sud, leave the A1 and follow the directions to Maranello - Abetone (National road SS12 del ?Brennero?).

Insurance
This year we will provide insurance covering injuries during ski activities, through the affiliation to the Italian Winter Sports Federation.  ItÕs not binding but highly recommended. The insurance will cover all the year till 30-09-2009 and gives you special discount on ski-lift in Italy and in different shops. The price of the insurance will be 15 euro per person.

Captains' next communications
By the end of the year the Captains will receive
- A communication with the available places for each national team.
- The participation form for the Scij Rencontre ? Included alpine and nordic ski rental
- A special form for the insurance
- The participation form for the Post-tour
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NEWSLETTER 1
Welcome to Abetone
continued
You know this is not the first time that the Italian journalist Ski club - Gis, organizes a SCIJ Winter Meeting, but never before we have chosen a place in the Appennines mountain chain, rather than the better known and beautiful  Alps, where most of you have already been.
If we made it, it is because we strongly believe that Abetone, in the heart of the country, close to some of the most beautiful cities of the world, like Florence, Pisa and Siena,  can give you a totally different but even greater taste of Italy.  We are sure you will appreciate Abetone's mountains and ski tracks, and of course the nice people, wonderful arts, fantastic food and wine traditions of this region, and the millenary culture that made it possible.

Getting there
Going to the first practical info, the 55th SCIJ Winter Meeting  “Abetone 2009”will be on the week 1st - 8th of March 2009, Sunday to Sunday. Abetone is about  80 km from Florence, and it is extremely easy to reach from everywhere by car, plane or train. We will pick up people in the morning or early afternoon of March 1st in Pisa "Galileo Galilei" and Florence "Amerigo Vespucci" airports, and Florence train station Santa Maria Novella (we can consider even a bus service from/ to Bologna "Guglielmo Marconi" airport), and bring you back to the same places on Sunday 8th morning.

Post tour
The International SCIJ Meeting will be followed by a post tour, from sunday 8th till 11th of March, Wendsday (day of departure)  through the Tuscany region: Chianti wine production area, Siena, Firenze.  As usual it will be for a limited number of Scij members. 

On early arrival
Moreover, we are arranging agreements with some hotels in Florence for any of you that plans an early arrival. If you haven't been there, we warmly suggest to spend one or two days by yourself to visit the city. It really worth it. It's not a pre tour, but we’ll aim to provide you good hotel fares, information and tips.

More info coming
We will give you detailed news about Abetone, the week program and the post-tour, with the newsletters we will produce from mid November. We are looking forward to seeing you all in Tuscany next March.

Ciao a tutti.

Mario Sensini
President of GIS - Italian SCIJ