 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all - has anyone got recommendations for ski schools in Kaprun? Started skiing very late in life & I'm now at the nervy/slightly apprehensive red level and, as they say, I'm getting on a bit [as in retired].
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've found both the Gernot Schermer Ski School and the Oberschneider school good. Both schools have a fairly central meeting point (on the Lechnerberg) so are easy to find.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I've been to Kaprun for several years with a TO and they've always directed to the school near the bottom of the Maiskogel (sorry, that might be spelt wrongly - the main slope in Kaprun itself) with the red dinasoaur (probably also not correct!) outside. I've had a few one to one lessons via them probably at about the same kind of level and not far off age (certainly not super fit).
I remember a basic control session (lots of traversing and unweighting, etc) which was helpful after some thinking and more latterly a carving come faster steeper technique one - both 2 hours, cost about E105 I think. They will meet on the Maiskogel or Lechnerberg (I would have thought the former better for your standard), or indeed up on the Kitz glacier.
I did look at other schools but didn't find their 'front desk' so informative, and they weren't as cheap.
I struggle with lessons anyway - or, rather, I have to play along and then spend a lot of time thinking and reading/researching and trying out things until suddenly it clicks as to what they were trying to get me to do: and these were no different.
The instructors seemed to me a little serious and perhaps jaded, doubtless repeating the same old things with the same old types of holiday skiers, but I guess - with no offence to instructors in general - that's not uncommon, nor not understandable.
I had one mature (ish) UK guy who was pretty friendly, chatty, undersanding of my personal issues and nice to get on with, and I had one younger lady who was Eastern European (although spoke pretty good English) who was very brusque and not at all easy to get on with, nor easy to understand in what se was trying to impart. Again, I guess that this is par for the course.
I would, however, if using this or any other school insist that you get a UK (or maybe US, Canadian, Irish, RSA, NZ etc) instructor, not just someone who speaks English reasonably well. I find that the difference between understanding the lingo and understanding someone's personal humour sarcasm, fear, colloqualisms and so on can make or break the experience - at least, that's how it is for me. I like to ask a lot of questions and ask about or explain stuff that I'm having problems with, not just be told to do stuff ("now, we ski, you follow me, yes?").
I would also be very clear, especially if booking private lessons, of exactly what you want to achieve or learn or practice and where - and also stress if you do want someone who can cope with a more mature, less fit (not that you might be so) or nervous pupil. You won't always get it, and it depends on your assessed ability, but at least try to get the right kind of instructor to suit your needs.
Another thing to look into if at Kaprun is schools at Zell am See, a sort free ski bus ride away. I can't remember the names, or jacket colours, but I have overheard and seen many lessons over there and found them at least sounding much better - and always with native English speakers, as above. I would certainly go with them if I went again. There's a lot more runs to choose from there too.
I also shared a gondola ride with a guide who was, I recall, Canadian, and seemed a real nice chap, based in one of the instructing organisations in Zell. He wasn't per se an instructor but was qualified and permitted to take people around the mountain and observe them and advise them on technique, and he seemed pretty impressive and very freindly and fun. I did get his card but can't find it immediately but pm me if you're interested and I'll see if Hubby can locate it.
I thought at the time that maybe a day out being looked after, taken up and down different runs and given pointers was better than a couple of hours being 'drilled and confused'. If I had the chance, I'd go for that, certainly if there was someone else (even if of a different standard) to share the cost with. (He also boards, but it's difficult to take both a skier and boarder on the same day, he said, so that's an issue if I'm on skis and my OH isn't).
Hope you get someting good and fun, anyway.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Now that's what I call a reply! Thanks a million - there's a lot of food for thought there. I, and no doubt ,lots of others, would never have thought of asking a school if they had an English rather than English speaking instructor. Many thanks.
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