Thank You

A snowHead

Congratulations!!

It is a great feeling when you pass the first one, I remember it well.

Good luck with the next bunch of courses.

A snowHead

Hey, just seen this - congratulations and well done! snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

rob@rar, Well done and congrats! You know I'm amazed the lengths some of you guys will go to just to win the EOSB race Toofy Grin

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rob@rar, The racing fits in in the summer 'cos you won't be able to get many teaching hours on a hot Sunday in July wink

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Well done. Sold now on the idea of being instructed due to very posiitve experience with Evolution2 in Montchavin this week. Cool

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rob@rar, very well done, you must be chuffed to bits Very Happy

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rob@rar, Well done Rob! I bet you did it in style.

After all it is free

Ok rob@rar, thanks for that. I have come across ICE and New Gen before. Thanks for the info.

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rob@rar, congratulations from both Mr Docsquid and myself!

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rob@rar, heartiest congratulations, foregone conclusion with the hard work and commitment you've put in! Well done!

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another very well done indeed Very Happy

rob@rar, belated congratulations !

Have just been doing a few searches for Snoworks race training courses, this thread cropped up along with this one.

Can I ask, to what degree do you think the Snoworks race training courses you attended contributed to your L2 success ... and if you could have done any other course prior to L2 what would it/they have been.

Hope you don't mind me asking. On passing L1, our BASI teacher (Lee Townend - inspirational and eagle eyed) suggested the race training course with Emma would be an ideal development opportunity for me prior to embarking upon L2 and I just wondered if I can draw some parallels from your experience.

Finances and holidays are in short supply (on the basis I need 2 weeks leave for L2) so I will only be able to do one course at best, so it's important for me I pick the right one !

Thanks

You know it makes sense.

Well done Rob, that's great news Very Happy

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

masmith, well done!

A snowHead

A snowHead

Wayne, flowa, think this is an old thread, didn't rob@rar, pass last year? It's masmith, who's just passed his L1.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

beanie1,

Cheers - just noticed the date thing - ooops - edited my stuff to ...

thanks

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rob@rar, Congratulations! snowHead

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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rob@rar, I agree with you there, that a race training week might not necessarily deal fully with the skills that masmith might need addressing in order to put him in good stead overall for his L2.

masmith certainly a more "all round" course or set of training sessions with an ISTD or Trainer might be better than a race specific week, although I'm sure that race training does indeed hone one's skiing, but it wouldn't obviously get you practising your stuff off piste or bumps.

I've done a fair few courses, only one of which was with Snoworks though. I haven't done any race weeks so I couldn't speak for those and the impact they would have although I'm sure they would benefit you in some way, it's just a question of is it going to do everything you need as above. I would say from experience that there is no doubt that the courses I did helped me no end. I don't think I would have passed my L1 even had I not done the courses I had prior to that, as I hadn't been skiing very long when I did my L1 you see. I haven't done my L2 yet, but have been told by various people including instructors that I would be in a good position to pass it now, and I definitely could not have got to the level I'm at now without the top notch tuition and guidance I've had on the courses. I've done All Mountain and Off Piste courses before with Inspired to Ski and they were ace, but you could have a look around at all of your options before choosing who to go with particularly as you can only choose one course due to time contraints.

I've heard good things about BASS Morzine too as rob@rar has mentioned, so they would definitely be worth a look considering it's a specific thing you need rather than a holiday course so to speak. Good idea about the ISIA training weeks as you could contact Jaz and tell him what you're after, and see if he might be able to accomodate you for the bits you need doing to pass your L2. They also run the L2 courses so maybe you could work it so you did it a few weeks before your L2 or the week before depending on how close you are to the required level, which I obviously don't know.

Anyway good luck with deciding what to do.

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rob@rar, thank you for replying, although I haven't worked out yet whether it has helped or further confused, my gut instinct is to go for a race course as it's something I have always wanted to do and it will certainly improve my all round skiing. Time to think for a while ....

And sorry for re-raising this thread and causing confusion, hopefully it has brought back fond memories for you ... Very Happy

After all it is free

VolklAttivaS5, thanks too. More options ..... ahhhgggh. I'm going to have to do some serious research over the next few days or my head is going to explode.

masmith, I certainly wouldn't want to put you off. They are great weeks, and it's a brilliant way to get the season off to an early start. My only concren was if it was your bumps and off-piste that were your weaknesses there are better ways of addressing those areas than a week of drills focused on GS turns and spending time in the gates Smile

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masmith, if you're desperate to do a race week could you not do one this summer now with Snoworks because I think they have got some race weeks coming up haven't they? Or what about a weekend? I think they do them now as well. That way you could satisfy your curiosity about the racing bit and a few days might be enough for you on just the glacier in the summer anyway and then do an all round jobbie in the winter before you do the L2 with Jaz or someone.

Oh sorry to give you more options to consider, but also have a look at ICE Val D'Isere (Mark Jones et al) as well, they are all Trainers, run L2 courses and Mark Jones is ever so helpful so if you dropped him a line he might be able to give you some ideas about what he could do for you too.

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masmith, I tend to agree with rob@rar. I've been on a couple of race weeks (with Snoworks), and race a lot in the UK. Yes, race training will give you much improved balance and control over your skis and body, and those weeks are huge fun and tremendously stimulating. That will result in you being a much better skier. But that won't come in just one week; it will be part of a continuing process. If you're focussed on getting through L2 it sounds way better to me to go on a specific L2 training course, which will exercise you in a much broader range of skills - and most importantly (I expect, not having done it myslef) a) introduce you to the specific activities on which you will be judged on your L2 course and b) highlight those that you need to work on. rob@rar and skimottaret can no doubt give you specific recommendations of companies doing such courses (e.g. NewGen, BASS, ICE, PSG's AlpineCoaching, Snoworks etc, and IIRC there are a number of trainers running training courses off their own bat too)

If you want to do some race training (and I can recommend it highly), though, investigate what's on at your local indoor or dryslope. This allows you to work on your technique improvement all year round without using up valuable holiday (indoor is more pleasant skiing, but dry slopes are a lot cheaper). Until you get to a pretty high level, you get just as good improvements in the UK as in the Alps. Beware though, it does get very addictive; when I started I had no intention of ever racing, and I now train or race at least 3 times every week during the summer (I'm doing over 20 races this summer Shocked

).

thanks again everyone, I now have a much clearer picture. skimottaret has hit the nail on the head though. I'm still inclined to go with a race week, I'm excited at the prospect even though I have no idea how or when I'll be able to fit it in (November preferably), may have to cancel one of the lads weekends away, but sshhh don't tell kruisler yet. If after that I still think there are gaps for L2 then we'll look at a broader L2 specific course as some of you have mentioned, this will all depend on what level of standard is required for bumps and off-piste which is something I will have time to address throughout the winter. If this means I have to postpone L2 by 6 months or a year then so be it (currently entertaining Hintertux in April). On reflection though, Lee Townend suggested the Eurotest course after we had discussed snoworks perfomance courses, so I'm content at this stage with that decision. Now just got to find some time and money.

GrahamN, I do intend to look into race nights at Sheffield or Castleford and may just give them a go - do you race at either, if so I may just pop along and take a look and say hello.

You know it makes sense.

masmith, the standard needed for bumps and off piste is not that high, you'll need a much higher level of performance on piste. But it depends what your weaknesses are, and if your aim is to do the most useful course to prepare you for L2, or you just want an excuse for a week of race training!!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

beanie1, combination of the 2 ! Bumps and off-piste are reasonable, but I will prob have some bumps lessons this winter to refine, is there any video out there of the bump standard required, that would be very helpful.

A snowHead

masmith, no, I don't get up to Cas or Sheffield, as I'm a shandy-drinking southern softie! I think Mosha Marc and Spyderjon go to the Lions sessions at Cas though. AFAIK the Sharks race club train at Sheffield, and I've met a few of their racers at nationals.

A snowHead

masmith, I'm one of the race coaches at Castleford, if you want any information look here.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

masmith, I'll PM you a link to video of me skiing bumps a few years ago (I've improved since!!). Not sure if this is the pass standard for L2, but certainly it will be no higher than this.

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rjs, ah OK, so northern lightweights then Wink

. Sorry for missing you off the list - I (clearly mistakenly) thought you'd moved over to Chill Factore.

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masmith, the bumps and variables for L2 arent that tough if you have done a fair amount of off piste skiing IMO.

but you will need to display a good level of precision in your piste skiing. Can you make 20 carved grippy Short radius turns on red runs down a narrow corridor at a consistent speed? you will need to be able to perform drills to a reasonable standard that highlight skills such are rotary, pressure and edge control. You have to be in balance, display some dynamism in your skiing and carve clean medium radius turns on blue runs.

Havent seen you ski but am a bit surprised that Lee would recommend Eurotest training if you training towards or at L2 level. The Instructors i see eurotest training are accomplished skiers that have done some GS or SL gates, can do most BASI drills on command to a high standard, can demonstrate Central theme maneuvers very very well and are able to cope with ice and variables smoothly and fluidly at high speeds on and off piste.

What I would be trying to do if i was seriously Eurotest training would be to throw away controlled, pretty, instructor demo style skiing and develop speed and fearlessness so I could rip through a chopped up course at the edge of control, feeling like any mistake will end up injuring myself.

not sure that would be right for you at this stage if you are thinking of L2 exams and a more intro to racing may be better.

Get over to see RJS for some training first, he could recommend the correct level of training camp in the mountains.

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skimottaret,

After all it is free

masmith, the race courses are run at a range of levels, from recreational skiers through to those who are actively training for Eurotest or TT. When I first did a race course with Snoworks I was in the slowest of three groups, with other class mates including recreational skiers and a couple of people who had done Grade 3 a long time ago. Over the four or five race courses I've done I've gradually ended up in the quicker groups.

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masmith, and this is when you were on your L1 course is it?

Maybe he just mentioned the Eurotest one in passing for those that were looking to take it that far. Usually on those sort of courses (Eurotest) it's people of about ISIA standard or higher as someone else has alluded to on this thread.

Help!!

Thank You

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