 Poster: A snowHead
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@JulieAimeLeSki, superb, well done.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@kitenski, @Hurtle, @davidof, @swskier, haha thank you all for the kind messages ! 
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@kitenski, no, it's exciting and fun to talk about ! Thanks for the question
I have the nationality of an EU country, I got the pass as part of the French ski instructor qualification where the Eurotest is the 3rd exam of many, so we're far from being done.
In general :
1) As it can block really great skiers, getting beyond this barrier will free up time and money to progress with the following exams.
2) It will move me up the tableau above the stagiaires not yet having gotten the Eurotest: so consequently more teaching hours.
3) I added a year to my right to teach in France at the moment, so I'm good untill 31.10.27 and before this point in time I aim to a) either finish up the ''first cycle'' of the French system or b) finish the entire instructor qualification of my own country (1 level left there) or both, so my right to work will be prolonged (in case of a) or guaranteed for life through eurosecurite + equivalence of my full qualification in the other system (in case of b).
As to where I teach : I spent the end of last season as well as this entire season working for an ESF in La Plagne.
From next winter on I'll be working for the ESF Valloire, where me and my fiancé live all year round from now on.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@JulieAimeLeSki félicitations, & chapeau !
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@JulieAimeLeSki, it does sound exciting, enjoy Valloire and the further exams
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Great effort. Well done. Great feeling of elation I’m sure. You’ll miss the gs gates In truth! Can’t picture the stade at VT…
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@JulieAimeLeSki,
Re the courses there was an awful period of a year or two with mega fast courses which didn’t suit me. Second run one January (‘06???) mens pass time was 49 something! I got quite gloomy about my chances compounded by a German test which I missed that was v successful for lots of basi members..
Thankfully I got a twisty course on a second run a year or so later in France…
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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.
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@JulieAimeLeSki, congrats, it's not so easy for someone without a racing background to pass the speed tests.
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Quick question: are Eurotest participants required to use fully FIS compliant GS race skis? If not, do many people opt for non-FIS spec. skis?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Skeet, I’m not sure officially but they weren’t checking. I did my first one or two for practice on all mountain skis. Radius was changing every season for a while…ski instructors didn’t have the pocket for that carry on!
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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.
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@Jake, Thanks very much.
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@Skeet, You choose your skis. The only thing absolutely required is a GS helmet. A back protector is strongly recommended.
I have 23m radius 183cm Nordica GS skis. Those specifications are popular with participants not coming out of FIS competitions.
24m, 25m radius is also very popular. With the men 27m radius seems very popular. Outliers are 19,5m (I know of a 20 yo old boy from Valloire passing in Alpe d'Huez in March on those, and on the other hand 30m radius (happens but not the most popular option, usually people already skiing those skis in other competitions).
96% of people is on skis that allow the performance needed. But so no obligation at all to follow GS rules for fis competitions.
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You know it makes sense.
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@JulieAimeLeSki, Thanks for the insights. Congratulations on your test pass and best of luck in your skiing career!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@JulieAimeLeSki, last season I had a go at the Zermatt ISIA Speedtest, as I was in the area anyway, and fancied seeing just how far off the mark I was (unsurprisingly miles off). I was on a pair of 180 R24m FIS GS skis. A U16 ski I think.
A friend of mine did the same test last week on 190 R27m skis and missed by about 2.8seconds. A good effort for someone that only passed their L2 instructor course this season, and hasn't done huge amounts of training. He's thinking for the purpose of this test he'll drop down to something similar to what you skied.
Another friend that I met on the Zermatt test last year missed it by 0.5 seconds. This season he passed in Davos at the start of April by 0.6 seconds. He's on the same ski as you length and radius, but Fischer.
On a separate note, it seems that a number of British passport holders are now being allowed to take the eurotest. Someone else I met in Zermatt last year, he passed at the Davos ISIA test also, by 0.01. He missed the VT test (that you were on, you may have met him, Scottish lad called Angus) by 0.25 seconds.
Earlier this season I bought a pair of 2nd hand 190 R30m head skis, and they're too much for me right now, so i'm planning on picking up a pair of 186 R26m off a friend to use for next season
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Poster: A snowHead
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@swskier, Thanks for sharing your knowledgeable thoughts. I follow your progress on here ! so I actually recall reading you attended last years speed test.
Personally, I think it's brilliant to take the time out to go to the Eurotest or speed test when you're not necessarily at the precise level you imagine is required because it's a 1 minute performance and any way to take out the stress when it actually counts ("because you've been there before, done this 1 minute give everything you got thing before") is a useful contribution to success.
As for how much time you're off the limit, the limit is never precisely the same so it's nothing except for a step towards the day you realise it.
I have a British friend, T, who passed the day I passed in Valtho (Tuesday). He has a nr of other British friends who also attended the eurotest this week, so your friend Angus may have been among them but it doesn't immediately ring a bell (I'm not super sociable haha).
Head skis seem to be a special thing though, would love to read other people's views on this but it has a reputation for not being the easiest most accessible brand in FIS SL and GS skis. Both friends that were on Head, tried Salomon 1 time and gained an incredible amount of time in 1 afternoon (for the GS) and over the period of a few weeks (while immediately recognizing the Salomons were easier, this person wasn't timed on the initial try but credits the ski switch as a crucial part of his SL progression at the time).
Go go go, can't wait to follow the adventures on your thread from afar next season
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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'm just reading a recent appeals court case in France where the authorities claimed that the Eurotest was an appropriate compensatory measure for a Swiss L4 ski instructor supposed lack of steep, off piste skiing experience. The court noted that Swiss federal law prohibits ski instructors from taking clients on slopes of 40 degrees or above outside of the ski area and above the tree line and makes further restrictions in terms of the complexity of the slope (couloirs etc) whereas French instructors are totally unrestricted in terms of slope, technical aspect, weather conditions or avalanche risk. The prefect, and the appeal court agreed, that passing the Eurotest would demonstrate that the instructor would be capable of skiing steep, technical off piste terrain in all conditions.
Just in case anyone thought the Eurotest/CTT is dead.
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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 can’t help feel that is a slightly “odd” decision. I don’t know much (ok, anything) about the Swiss system and have zero chance of ever passing Eurotest /CTT but surely a more obvious way of proving ability in off piste terrain would be EMS or whatever the Swiss equivalent is. You know, an actual off piste certification?
Rather than an on-piste speed test.
But I am not French and I am not the courts.
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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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@KNoceros, remember that the Eurosecurity (which the French ask for as well) is taken after successful completion of the Eurotest.
I'm sure someone who passes the Eurotest is also extremely competetent at skiing off piste on more challenging terrain, so maybe there is a link.
Regarding the Swiss training, there is a mountain safety component which is 4 days long with 2 days first aid. Eurosecurity is 14 days.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@davidof, I am very sure that skiers capable of passing the Eurotest are likely to be excellent all round skiers.
Still think it’s the wrong test to prove that the supposed “skills gap” was covered.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@KNoceros, Yes, it does seem odd. I wonder if the person concerned had done the ISIA speed test, that would seem to be sufficient and would seem to be part of being L4 qualified.
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FAQ
??? And feel free to tell me to sod off and stop being nosey 
