Happening this Tuesday on the White Lady at Cairngorm with Alain Baxter one of the openers - weather looking great and The Lady (like the rest of the hill) in superb condition
From the Cairngorm Facebook page:
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On Tuesday there is a Euro speed test on the White Lady. This FIS standard event is for 20 hopefuls who have to complete a GS against a time set by Alain Baxter and 2 other top racers. This event is for ski instructors who want to be top of their game ... should be a good spectacle and a chance to see some top skiers on Cairngorm
Am hoping to catch the action if not working
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Would love to see that, but will be working. Someone film it please!
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?
shoogly wrote:
Would love to see that, but will be working. Someone film it please!
Ditto, would like to see the openers and some of the candidates on video.
Word is nobody passed, apparently a pretty blistering time was set by the openers including Alain!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Some piccies:
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
There was an item on BBC Reporting Scotland this evening. Brilliant blue sky and fantastic looking snow (how often do you see the White Lady filled in from side to side and capable of hosting a GS race?). I've no idea what the standard of racing was like as there wasn't any indication of who made it or how narrowly or widely others missed the mark.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I caught the tail end of it after working...one of he openers was definitely going as fast as poss. Conditions were awesome, grippy snow, no bumps etc. one dude was a few tenths off. Good effort I thought as it was a steep and technical test.....
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
BBC video report inc a few shots of the racers.....
Its great to see this event being held on Scottish snow.
For so many reasons it is so important that the BRITISH association of ski instructors continue to run events & courses on UK snow.
Seems that Alain Baxter must still be rapid : set a solid opening time on his home mountain.
He was on the news saying that race conditions on the White Lady were better than Val D'Isere last week
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Haggis_Trap, why is it so important that a Eurotest gets run in Scotland? only seems important to those directly connected to Scottish skiing... How many actually entered? I would guess around 20 or so... at one point it was going to be cancelled through lack of numbers and was delayed due to poor conditions.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:
why is it so important that a Eurotest gets run in Scotland?
Many reasons.
1. BASI are an organisation representing UK instructors.
2. As soon as BASI run all their courses in the alps then we might as well sign up for the Austrian / Italian / Norwegian systems.
3. Running courses in the UK makes BASI more accessible and cheaper to many UK skiers and aspiring instructors.
4. Showing that we are capable of running a fair Euro Test, in good conditions, also gives us respect from the alpine nations that BASI is a world class organisation.
5. Historically BASIs origins are based in Aviemore. The snow in Scotland can be good enough to run high level courses / tests and there is no reason why this should not continue.
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only seems important to those directly connected to Scottish skiing...
Lots of people ski in Scotland. Typically 200-300K lift passes are sold each winter.
Edinburgh has more BASI members than any other UK city (including London).
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I would guess around 20 or so...
Not the largest every euro-test.
But not the smallest either.
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at one point it was going to be cancelled through lack of numbers and was delayed due to poor conditions.
It was never delayed to due to lack of numbers. The original date in January was moved due to poor snow 3 weeks before the event (the snow actually returned before the scheduled date!) Remember that a proper race under FIS regulations requires very good snow and weather conditions! (Euro tests held in the alps are frequently cancelled too). Scottish conditions have always been variable. This has been a challenge for BASI since the 1960s!
Ski Mottaret : Do you have a problem with BASI running events in the UK? I am fairly amused by your arrogant southern view point that Scotland is some remote outpost and that its no longer important to run course / tests on snow within the UK.
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?
Quote:
I am fairly amused by your arrogant southern view point that Scotland is some remote outpost and that its no longer important to run course / tests on snow within the UK.
I ask a valid question soley about running ET's in Scotland, never said that BASI shouldn't run courses there.. Not sure that makes me an "Arrogant Southerner" and I too am fairly amused at your Scotish chip on your shoulder response...FYI I'm not English
I am a little unsure if this is the correct phraseology (I am, alas, not 14 anymore) but it is my belief that you have just been "BURNED".
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
skimottaret wrote:
Quote:
I am fairly amused by your arrogant southern view point that Scotland is some remote outpost and that its no longer important to run course / tests on snow within the UK.
I ask a valid question soley about running ET's in Scotland, never said that BASI shouldn't run courses there.. Not sure that makes me an "Arrogant Southerner" and I too am fairly amused at your Scotish chip on your shoulder response...FYI I'm not English
And you got a valid answer....
Your nationality is irrelevant - BASI are a UK based organisation.
Last time I checked that includes Eng, Scot, Wales and NI....
Although I've never skied in Scotland and presumably contributed towards the costs (through my daughter's subs which I pay) I thought it looked tremendous, wonderful conditions. A good advert for Scottish skiing.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Haggis_Trap, You make some good valid points spoiled by your "arrogant southerner" comment so I am out of this debate...
After all it is free
After all it is free
A few of the entrants did travel from south of the border: London for a couple of guys I spoke to and Derbyshire for another. At least one even made the trip from France, so I wouldn't say it was an event just for locals. I think settled weather, a late closing date (last Friday) and low number of participants may have encouraged some these guys to make the trip at short notice. I've heard of canditates travelling far from their home ski area to attend tests, e.g in Germany, Austria or Italy, so coming to Scotland under these conditions wouldn't have been any more difficult. Knowing far in advance that it will definetely run is more of an issue!
The race piste was in excellent condition, as can be seen in Roga's pics and the event run with the professionalism expected of this test. Well done BASI & Cairngorm Mtn!
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
EUROTEST Press Release 26 February 2013
Alain Baxter sets cracking pace at CairnGorm for BASI Eurotest
Under blue skies and in perfect racing conditions skiing legend Alain Baxter was one of four BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) pace-setters who hurtled down the famous White Lady piste at CairnGorm Mountain today to set the time for aspiring top level ski instructors to emulate. Twenty-one BASI level 4 instructors attempted to get within 18% of the aggregate time of the pace-setters in order to gain this final accolade and widespread international recognition for their qualification.
The FIS (Federation International de Ski)/BASI test on a Giant Slalom course takes place 13 or 14 times a year usually in Europe but this was the first such test to take place in Scotland for five years. The target time for the men set by Alain and his fellow pace-setters (Aaron Tipping, Jazz Bruce and Nicolas Sauvage) was 45.82 seconds in the morning and 45.87 in the afternoon but it was just too demanding for even the best of the racers with the closest, Todd O’Brien, missing out by a gut-wrenching 0.5 seconds.
BASI Eurotest co-ordinator Susie Berry commented “This was a very efficiently organised event in perfect racing conditions and I would like to congratulate CairnGorm Mountain on their race piste preparation as well as thanking them for arranging the wall to wall sunshine! Obviously the participants were disappointed not to pass, but this demonstrates just how tough a challenge this is. It is not uncommon for BASI Level 4 instructors to take five or six attempts before they pass this speed test. BASI hopes to run a Eurotest in Scotland every two years in future.” For photographs or more information contact:
colin.kirkwood@cairngormmountain.org 01479 861326 m.0778 334 6229
Tania@basi.org.uk 01479 780013 m 07890 734620
Interesting debate and the Reporting Scotland report looked good but I saw it after a few beers at the Cairngorm staff party last night alongside a lot of staff instructors and the BASI guys so need to watch it again, thanks for the links.
skimottaret, personally I think it's great to see it run on home snow in such great conditions and it is a good advert for those of us who choose to work here so spare us a thought I'd also agree it's important it is run here sometimes, if only to even things up a bit with the Euros. The event was originally cancelled, after a couple of L2 courses were similarly cancelled, for reasons I have yet to fathom to be honest and I say that as someone who is up there pretty much every day and have been since early December - can't remember the exact date the decision was made but as I recall we had just had a pretty big dump so the cancellation 3 weeks ahead of time must have involved some crystal ball gazing and tea leaf reading that turned out to be less than reliable as conditions would have been good, if not as perfect as yesterday. Anyway, it has happened now and in conditions we can surely all be proud of so let's celebrate a great day and an event that I believe both BASI and Cairngorm are very pleased with and that will hopefully lead to more in the future
P.S. I can vouch for skimottaret's non Englishness
P.P.S. It was another scorcher today with great snow and views from East to West coasts (including Ben Nevis 70 odd miles away) so I'm feeling pretty chilled and just wanna enjoy spreading the happiness
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
roga, completely off topic but feel free to reply or PM if you don't mind!! Are there opportunties to do any L2 training on longs and bump at Cairngorm?? Even out of season end of April/May is fine by me
cheers,
Greg
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Haggis_Trap wrote:
skimottaret wrote:
Quote:
I am fairly amused by your arrogant southern view point that Scotland is some remote outpost and that its no longer important to run course / tests on snow within the UK.
I ask a valid question soley about running ET's in Scotland, never said that BASI shouldn't run courses there.. Not sure that makes me an "Arrogant Southerner" and I too am fairly amused at your Scotish chip on your shoulder response...FYI I'm not English
And you got a valid answer....
Your nationality is irrelevant - BASI are a UK based organisation.
Last time I checked that includes Eng, Scot, Wales and NI....
But you prefer to keep the arrogant south out? (edit : this is meant as a tongue in cheek light hearted response)
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
^ Read it in context : I found the repeated claims from Skimottaret that BASI are wasting their time running euro-tests in Scotland to be patronising and arrogant.
skimottaret wrote:
Why have further tests in Scotland ? this was the first one in 5 years and it was delayed due to conditions and only 20 or so entered , musta cost BASI a bomb to run...
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Not sure if everyone will be able to see this but here goes nothing
P.S. The above content belongs to Sean Langmuir and not to me.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hey - Lay off Skimottaret! He's OK. I think he's a big lad from Texas - so watch out! Anyway, He's a Eurotester too.
BASI will have collected huge international credibility points for running this test.
Also there was prime-time TV reporting and that will be worth a lot in inspiration and new members.
I'm sure whatever it cost will be worth it. Anyway, they charge a fee don't they?
Skimottaret's very good point is: Only 20 people entered.
The other thing is that only two of the men would have even passed the women's time.
Well: "There's Better To Come!"
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I ask a valid question soley about running ET's in Scotland, never said that BASI shouldn't run courses there.. Not sure that makes me an "Arrogant Southerner" and I too am fairly amused at your Scotish chip on your shoulder response...FYI I'm not English 
