Originally published Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 7:01 PM
It's snow much fun in London!
London is hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. But winter athletes showcased their stuff at the fall's "Relentless Freeze Festival" along the banks of the Thames River by the city's iconic Battersea Power Station.
KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH / AP
Battersea Power Station is one of the world's most unusual backdrops for snow sports.
For a jolly-good time
For more information on Britain's capital city, see www.visitlondon.com.
DO THEY have their Olympics mixed up? Why is a freestyle skier soaring into the air in the heart of London?
London is hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics. But winter athletes, not to be outdone, showcased their stuff at the fall "Relentless Freeze Festival" along the banks of the Thames River by the city's famous Battersea Power Station.
With artificial snow and ramps installed in front of the disused building's towering chimneys, skiers and snowboarders soared and flipped as fans roared and music pulsated.
Battersea Power Station is one of the world's most unusual backdrops for snow sports. Built in the 1930s to generate electrical power from coal, it was shut in the 1980s. Its sister London power station, called Bankside and designed by the same architect, was converted into the Tate Modern museum. It's become one of Britain's most popular and architecturally stunning museums.
Yet Battersea Power Station, with its vast turbine hall and Art Deco control room, languishes. After decades of urban-planning wrangles, the latest redevelopment plan collapsed financially in December. Unlike the skiers and boarders, it's not flying high.
Kristin R. Jackson is the editor of The Seattle Times' NWTraveler section. Contact her at kjackson@seattletimes.com.
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