 Poster: A snowHead
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After much deliberation and then searching I've relocated our annual family trip to higher altitude. Now at a much bigger resort ESF appear to offer a more varied selection of group lessons for kids.
I'm particularly interested in knowing if anyone has any experience of the bronze and gold star competition courses vs the standard bronze and gold star courses?
Also the Mini Champion vs the standard lessons.
I'll be giving them a call anyway but thought I would also ask at the font of all knowledge that is Snowheads! Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you're looking at 'non-standard' lessons, you could also broaden your search to other schools as well. For instance, a couple of years ago my son enjoyed his 'free ride' lessons with Jardin des Enfants in Avoriaz - so much so that he (well, we paid!) extended the last few half days into full days. If it's a bigger resort, there'll probably be more variety of schools. Perhaps say which area you're going to and people might have specific suggestions.
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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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Ta. We'll be in Les Menuires. The sole option where we were previously for 3 years was ESF, being a small and very predominantly French resort.
My wife would like to fill their ESF carnet to the end I think plus they love their collection of medals, and the ESF have done a great job teaching them. However, if anyone has recommendations then I'm all ears.
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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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Sorry to hear you had to move resort in the end but it is probably for the best this season and I'm sure the vast Three Valleys or even Belleville will give you new horizons.
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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 know they get a bad press on here but we generally get good reports from people who hire our apartment about ESF in Val Thorens. Probably depends a bit on the instructor you. Our kids used to love collecting their badges and certificates as well.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@davidof Options were dwindling fast and the forecast wasn't getting any cooler or snowier so I had to make a decision. It will now dump snow on the Vercors in the first week of Feb!
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Are you sure that the competition courses are star (Etoile) rather than Fleche? It may be that they are just badging the Bronze/Gold Etoile classes as a "competition" level because both awards require completion of a GS, but only the Gold Star has a time target.
Our local ESF (Argentiere) does not run full competition classes until you already have your gold star. So our Bronze competition class is Bronze Fleche, some way above Gold Star.
Our experience of the competition class this year was very good. They received the top instructors, and the standard of kids and instruction was very good with a fair few local kids involved. The skiing was very varied - lots of off piste and bumps, not exclusively (or even slightly!) gate-focussed. The kids were expected to be totally self sufficient and also good citizens e.g. to stop and help any other random skiers who have fallen.
We thought it was excellent, and very good value. 4-6 kids per class even in peak season grouped by ability (1 easier class, 2 harder one) and then by language (the harder classes were split English vs French). I think it was €350/week for 6 days of 7hrs each. My son enjoyed it and was much more tired than normal; they skied them hard (6-10k vertical/day) on tough terrain.
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Great feedback, thanks @snowdave. They appear to run 2/3 levels. One towards the bronze or gold star and the other beyond the gold star - http://www.esf-lesmenuires.com/les-menuires/children/competition
It reads as if they do aim towards timed runs/skiercross as well as the bronze or gold star. My guess is that it's an introduction to competition? From your comments it sounds really good.
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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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Oh and the extra 130 euros tells me it's definitely (hopefully) something more than the standard bronze class!
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Looking at that link isn't the extra E130 because its a full day rather than half day? Although it doesn't appear to include lunch.
My reading of that site is that they either run half days or, during school holidays, they run a different set of lessons entirely which all seem to be about E302/day. It's not the clearest website!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Just to confirm the ESF Junior Alpine ski levels ,
Poui Poui ,
Ourson ,
Flocon,
1 Star
2 Star
3 Star
Bronze
Gold
Then Competition class when you race against an instructor , the badges are awarded depending on your time compared as a % of the instructor in a GS race , in order - no badge , Flechette , Bronze , Silver , Platinum then Gold .
The instructor has to be currently racing competitively , or does in Ste Foy , in my experience they don't hold back .
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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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It's not exactly clear, is it?! Phone call tomorrow and then I'll enlighten everyone!
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| Rob Mackley wrote: |
The instructor has to be currently racing competitively , or does in Ste Foy , in my experience they don't hold back . |
They do, because your time has to be comparable from ESF to ESF, resort to resort. They normally have people who specialize in opening courses.
Pete Garwood, Charlotte and David explain it quite well. Note Charlotte's points about resorts taking it more or less seriously.
Last edited by 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  on Sun 24-01-16 20:02; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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My understanding is that the instructors who are "openers" receive a few percent more each year (or, put another way, pay a few percent less of their earnings to ESF) in exchange for opening races. All these instructors have to enter a big race once every ?2yrs? to calculate their handicap vs the world champion.
As a result, a reference 'world champion' time for each race is established and all participants are ranked by their percentage over this. They don't hold back because it's a bit embarrassing to be beaten by one of the local 12 yr olds. There's lots of info about this on the clubesf website.
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