 Poster: A snowHead
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Currently at Innsbruck airport after a fab week in Alta badia and this is a follow up thread to my recent one looking for nervous intermediate ski recommendations. In that thread - a few Snowheads suggested more tuition is the solution rather than the ski and I have to concur.
My wife who started skiing at 40 is still a nervous intermediate whose technique is decent when conditions are good but goes to pieces on steep / bumpy / busy / foggy etc slopes …
Had a few snowy days where she quit quite early as confidence just vanished. And some bluebird days with firm grippy pistes where she was whizzing along.
She is determined to stick at it and is now thinking of some further tuition , maybe a week early next season with a few hours each morning.
She has had mixed results over the years - some rubbish group lessons where nearly no tuition was given - more
like guiding.
And some amazing private lessons in Val disere with TDC.
The question is - where would you suggest for the absolute best ski school ? Which school ? And any specific recommendations for the teacher ?
(TDC in Val or Tignes looking like possibilities for the combination of altitude and skills).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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IME. It's the Instructor, not the school that is important.
My choices, that I have had personal experience with in VDI:
1. Simon Mc Combe (Elevation)
2. Dave Cowell (Mountain Masters)
3. Aaron Cassells (Progression)
4. Neil (Woody) Woodward (Progression)
At a pinch, I would go with Simon Mc Combe....but all are excellent. Book as early as possible.
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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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| sheffskibod wrote: |
| She is determined to stick at it and is now thinking of some further tuition , maybe a week early next season with a few hours each morning. |
Good for her. In Val d'Isere Steve Angus who teaches for TDC would be excellent. Great teaching style for building confidence, with a solid technical approach to his teaching. Absolutely none of the "follow me" guiding that your wife will have previously experienced.
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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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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
IME. It's the Instructor, not the school that is important.
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Quite so. But there is something of a correlation, in that the smaller "British" ski schools will be more likely to have older, more experienced, and more empathetic instructors.
The worst thing for a nervous adult learner is to have a 20-y-o French or Italian hotshot who has no idea of what it's like to learn as an adult, and therefore no idea of how to teach them. My BASI training experiences would lead me to believe that, with its insistance on demonstrating different teaching styles and stuff, they're also less likely to have this failing.
As I only started skiing in my mid-30s and became an instructor in my 50s, with my wife being a little younger in both cases, we always used to pride ourselves, her particularly, at being good with nervous adults, which always seemed more common amongst women. Quite often our students would talk about their previous negative experiences with the large national ski schools. Of course that's a self-selecting group, so it's unfair to extrapolate to all foreign instructors and schools, but hey, this is the internet, after all, so...
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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'll add in Masterclass in Alpe d'Huez.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| sugarmoma666 wrote: |
| I'll add in Masterclass in Alpe d'Huez. |
+1
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https://skigoddess.co.uk/
I’ve seen the ski goddesses around Chatel a lot. All female clients and teachers. I get the impression that a lot of the customers are nervous intermediate wives of more advanced husbands.
The one thing I’ve noticed is that they all seem to be having fun.
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Seconded on Ski Goddess, here's the report of my experience https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=5530374#5530374 The only group lesson situation I've ever found useful. Early or late in the season best for smaller groups.
I had a very calm and progressive lesson with RedandWhiteFlachau - through sport am jet ski school - on Monday in Flachau and it sounds like just what your wife might need. Not 'follow me' type rushing at all.
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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 have mentioned ski goddess to her before and she looked at the website while we were away so I shall show her this thread (and the excellent long review) and let her decide whether she should give them a call.
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