 Poster: A snowHead
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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 learned to ski in 1986 in Aviemore.... went for two whole weeks, and got about 9 days skiing due to high winds closing the lifts on a regular basis. What an experience... ice, slush, rocks, snow, winds, everything!!! My friends wife (who later became an instructor) taught me and I was parallel in two hours, probably due to having water skied 3-4 times a week for the previous two summers!!! It's true what they say.. if u can ski scotland u can ski the world!!! After that it was a week in the Dolomites in 1987 then nothing due to lack of income until 1995 when I visited Cavalese for a week and had my first "proper" ski lessons with Giancarlo. There was no looking back after that and it was twice a year for a couple of years then three or four times a year since 1998/99 season. I visited a lot of the large French resorts and many places in Italy before falling in love with Austria, and to a lesser extent, Switzerland.
Having had the odd private lesson here and there I stumbled across an instructor in Zell am See in 2003 and he is now the only person I will part with my hard earned cash to for lessons. We go ski touring, off piste, learn the finer points of slalom racing and GS, and learn about the snow and weather conditions, and avalanches and mountain craft.... it's great when you find an instructor in whom you place total trust and respect and you can build a relationship. I don't know whether he's the best instructor on the planet or not, but he suits me, knows my skiing and bottle levels, and always pushes me to the limit. My favourite resorts are Ischgl, St Anton, Verbier and Zermatt but I'll only ever have lessons in Zell which we visit every year for a week without fail.... my wife has an instructor there who she loves (a feamle one!!), and I'm sure that influences my choice of resort... She started skiing in 2000 in Sauze, then Cervinia in 2001 and Saas Fee in 2002, but it was in Zell in 2003 where she really cracked it during a week of private tuition with this instructor she now swears by. Interestingly my wife is italian but prefers skiing in Austria to Italy, despite being fluent in Italian and speaking no German whatsoever...
I do hire guides for touring etc in other resorts but only ever on recommendation. I'm not convinced they actually "teach" me anything, but I'm certainly prepared to follow them for the experience.
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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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First ski trip to Kolsass /Weer in Austria 1980 aged 22. Looking back horrible conditions (boiler plate from 3rd day onwards).
Picked up a few tips from friends during short visits to Glenshee (skiing on ice in the rain) and Aviemore (ok day 1 /blizzard day2 /bliss day 3) then a holiday in Kitzbuhel.
Only really started learning to ski parallel in 1986 with a few 'small group' lessons in Tignes and Selva. Then fifteen to twenty years of stasis, although I took a few lessons in weeks when the wife was pregnant. Started occasional lessons in the last four years when I had to change to 'new school' and attempt to (almost) keep up with the kids. Still learning during visits to the dry slope with the children each week (and this has made a real difference, so my son has told me).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well unfortunately I didn't discover skiing till 2003 (at the ripe old age of 44) in Courchevel 1650, I had group lessons with the lovely Jason from New Generation. I wasn't very good really but absolutely loved it and went twice more that season, having group lessons both times. I've now done about 16 weeks (well there was a lot of catching up to do  ) and still have regular private lessons. Initially my aim was to be able to ski all the blues but I found myself wanting to get better, to be able to ski reds with style, to be able to handle less than perfect conditions, to ski faster, to ski for longer, to get really fit so that my skiing would improve. I found that being older I wasn't very brave so, for me, technique was all important rather than relying on pure guts to get you down. I've had loads of lessons, some great, some not so great...... it's still a work in progress and I can't imagine ever getting to a point where there's nothing left to learn 
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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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I had various lessons here and there; group lessons in St Anton got me over a hurdle, as did a private lesson in Aspen. I didn't really start to progress until I had private lessons (3 or 4 of us) with the same bloke over 6 years in Banff.
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| easiski wrote: |
started teaching again (Sandown dry slope) when I thought I was good enough, moved to Aviemore, moved to LDA, and there you have it.
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Sandown is the nearest slope to me, but I have never used it. Never used dry slopes as a beginner but subsequently used them with friends as much for social reasons as to practice. The corner in Sandown must be unusual.
Good ski shop next to Sandown, which eventually moved and became Europa Ski Lodge in Surbiton.
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Aviemore, 1984. My Coca Cola Ski Certificate was one of my most prized posessions
Haven't had a lesson since the mid 90s and I'm now somewhat concerned that an regular beatings with electric cattle prod might be the only way to clear up some of my more ingraned bad habits. Going to get some guiding/tuition in Les Arcs soon, so we'll see.
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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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I started in 2006 in Folgarida, had a one hour lesson at Silksworth dry slope before we went and took to it like a duck to water. Skied 3 weeks on snow with about 2-3 extra hours on dry slopes. Last holiday was in Serre-Chevalier, got put on the top ESF group doing off piste 90% of the time! Best day was a full morning run down the Cucumelle valley through Frejus all off piste. Magic. I make up a lot in rive and determination and brute force. Middle day in serre che got tired and not having years of technique to fall back on my skiing went to poopoo! Am looking forward to refining and consolidating my technique this year. Mt gf and me always take 6 days of lessons, the way we see it is that top racers have coaches so we still have a lot to learn!
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St Moritz Easter 1978 with the school - stayed in the (then) brand new Youth Hostel, though it was just the best thing I'd ever done. Taught by British instructors that we took with us on the holiday (how hilarious is that?! So that they could be vetted first I suspect - it was a very staid girls' school) on nursery slopes with no lifts of any type, boy were we good at sidestepping and herringbone within a few days!
Memories of equipment that would look like it belonged in a museum today (my boots were actually leather with leashes to attach them to the skis, bindings didn't have stops on them.
We were allowed to go up to the proper slopes once we could turn and stop, remember first trip in a gondola, thought I was going to explode with excitement! Also remember the drag lifts everywhere, oh they were so terrible! One girl has a really bad accident falling off a drag, fell back at speed into the pylon, and they weren't covered in padding then, she broke her leg and was carried off the mountain unconcious in a bloodwagon
Can remember alot of awful music blaring out from everywhere and one lifty in particular who played Al Stewart Year of the Cat endlessly!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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my first ski trip was to St Johann in 1993 , my husband died 3 years before so the family went on our first skiing holiday and we were hooked from the first moment .. I think the greatest fun of all is the beginners class..how we laughed to see everyone tumbling off the lifts and crashing in to one another. We have been skiing every year since then all the family are good skiers/snowboarders now but I still have private tuition with some of the new girlfriends who join us, we have had brilliant instructors in Obergurgl for the last 9 years and this year we found a super instructor in Zellamsee ..thanks to this forum ! Roll on next year.
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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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| Latchigo wrote: |
| easiski wrote: |
started teaching again (Sandown dry slope) when I thought I was good enough, moved to Aviemore, moved to LDA, and there you have it.
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Sandown is the nearest slope to me, but I have never used it. Never used dry slopes as a beginner but subsequently used them with friends as much for social reasons as to practice. The corner in Sandown must be unusual.
Good ski shop next to Sandown, which eventually moved and became Europa Ski Lodge in Surbiton. |
I haven't bee there for so long that I didn't know it had moved! Yes - I've never seen anothe corner like it! the matting gets very worn - horrid little slope actualy, but difficult to ski, so probably good for you! 
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Thought I'd add my experiences. Some good, some bad, some indifferent...
My first skiing experience was a series of evenings at Gloucester dry ski slope, as required of new skiers attending the school ski trip. They were okay, nothing special however. Basic intro to being on skis, what did what and how they worked. Did a bit of snowploughing. I can't remember a whole deal of the experience other than the instructor demonstrating the toilet method (I think as an example of what not to do), that and only going down from the middle exit of the tow. I think the all girls school were also there at the same time (a nice treat, what with going to an all boys school)... 
My first week on snow was in Serre Chevalier at New Year (2002/3). We stayed in Briancon and had an instructor that came out with us. Given how bad he was I'm sure he didn't have his ISTD, which might explain why he was so obsesed with 'keeping a low profile'...  By the end of the week I could just about stand up on skis - though it was an effort to get down a nursery slope without falling over, let alone the Luc Alphand downhill course he took us down on day two.
Week two was in Claviere (Easter 2004), and it just sort of clicked. I got the hang of it. The big factor pushing me into parallel was a very painful knee, skiing in parallel put less pressure on my knee than snowplough and reduced the pain considerably - with that, my skiing got quite a bit better in a few days. This was helped by having a good, enthusiastic instructor - you knew he was going to be good when he turned up with a great big moustache and told us he was called Roberto. I saw the physio when I got back and found out that I had a (very) loose ACL.
All certificates that I received at the end of the week were soon lost or thrown away, as were all my mates, which is why I do laugh so much when the powers at Interski try and impress upon us how important and treasured the little kiddies certificates will be.
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You know it makes sense.
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Kitzbuhel 1989 was the start for me. A disasterous 1st day culminated in a 3 mile walk back to the hotel in ski boots and carrying skis. Not sure how they persuaded me to go back the next day (it may have been that pointing out the bus stop helped). It was on that trip that I discovered the thrill of "big air" quite unintentionally and I have never again been able to perform the 1/2 back somersault (it's all in the landing). I had 2 weeks ski schoolin Obergurgl, a few weeks chasing Mrs Psycho around the mountains, a week in ski school in Courchevel and this Feb there were a couple of fleeting moments where I almost thought I had got the hang of this skiing lark! 
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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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My first day's skiing was in Grindelwald on a weekend trip from Lucerne where I was working for a few months. I had an all day private lesson with an instructor called Werner all on the nursery slope and then he persuaded me to have another lesson the next morning so he we could do a proper run. The first time down I spent most of it nearly in tears, I seem to remember there was quite a narrow piste and I was terrified. I had to do the bottom bit on my bottom as the instructor wouldn't let me ski it - it was too steep for me to ski in control and there was a restaurant and lots of people milling around at the bottom so much potential for disaster! The second time round I might even have managed a smile and that set me up to book a whole week for the first time. Had lots of lessons since:
- ski school with an instructor called Sumo (Phil) in Arinsal
- a couple of private lessons with my skiing friend Kate in Courchevel - think it was with Supreme Ski but can't remember
- coaching clinic with The Development Centre in Val D'Isere
- private lessons with Kate with The Development Centre in Val D'Isere
- private lessons with Kate with Insight in Serre Chevalier
- private lessons with my OH with John from New Generation in les Arcs this year.
I'm the sort of person who always likes to know how I'm supposed to be doing something (and who always feels I need to be told how that is by someone else, I think!) so I've always had at least a couple of lessons when I've been skiing for a whole week. Even with all the lessons, I feel that I've really plateaud in the last couple of years, with my confidence taking a bit of a knock, and I'm wondering now whether being in a group with some people I don't know might be good for shaming me into being a bit braver than I'm willing to be if I have so much control over the way the lesson is going...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Halifax dry slope 1987.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Soldeu, Andorra in 1989.....assisted greatly by copious amounts of alcohol and partying 'til the wee small hours every night. Never looked back....well, not on the alcohol and partying front 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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I had my first lessons on the dry slope at Bassingbourne Barracks to try to get myself ready for my first "proper" ski holiday in Flaine in 1985. We were a group of six, four had skied before, so the other skier and I agreed to share private lessons with an ESF instructor called Remy. We had two hours each day in the first week and then another 3 lessons in the course of the second week.
We had booked two weeks for my first ever ski holiday because I just knew that it was something I was going to enjoy.
Since then, I have had some lessons most holidays that I have been on, sometimes group, sometimes private.
What seems very apparent is that we can all remember the name of at least one of our early "formative" instructors regardless of how long ago it was.
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Started 7 years ago. Always fancied it but never really took the opportunity. First week was in Serre Chevalier (Chantemerle) under instruction for 2 days from the then brother-in-law (not just an excellent skier, but good "instructor" too), and then into the hands of ESF - a very positive experience. Wasn't until I took a week on my own with a British ski school (around week  that things really moved on with any notable significance - again in SC. Off on my 17th week in under 2 weeks. I guess I've had about 10 days worth of instruction over that period. Always one-to-one.
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Started back in the 80s when we booked a week in the Boat Hotel in Boat of Garten, just north of Aviemore. Before we went we had a few lessons on the local artificial slope so we weren't total beginners, but in the week, we only got to ski half a day - and that was at Nevis. But we were definately hooked: came back and booked a subsqeuent 2-week trip to France, first week in Chatel (where we had lessons with the "international" ski school) and then Tignes.
Two things that really improved our skiing was joining in the coaching sessions run all year round on the local artificial slope, and our annual (at least) chalet trips to Dave Beattie's Skivolution in Courchevel - which includes two hours coaching each day.
Have now skied for over 80 weeks (on snow) - I used to record how much we spent doing this, but the figures were getting horrendous so now I don't bother.
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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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I first went skiing in Bulgaria (Borovets) with some friends in about 1996 as I was 24 at the time. We were taught on the old straight planks which were taller than me - little did I realise at the time that new carvers had already been invented and reached most of Europe but had not yet reached Bulgaria! I was able to snow plough quite well but couldn't get the hang of parallel turns because we had to plant the pole to make the turn. Slightly difficult to get the rhythm on a flat nursery slope and snail speed as it was only day 3.
Didn't go again until 2002 when I met Mr C-Q who was an avid skier. I was surprised how I could remember the snow plough so well and had group lessons with Sabina who was French but she preferred to teach "the Scottish method" whatever that was. We had to keep our hands in front as if we were driving a bus. We have been every year since then and I used to have group lessons but now just have a couple of private lessons each time. Have also been on a Warren Smith afternoon at Milton Keynes which was great.
PS - am off to Les Arcs in 11 sleeps!
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