Poster: A snowHead
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Hello
Looking for some advice from those in the know!
I'd say I am an intermediate with plenty of bad habits, but like skiing fast etc. Wouldn't mind learing how to do jumps, moguls etc I would like to do a couple of lessons at xscape castleford but dont want to ask them what lessons to do because they are all trained to say 'beginner level one'
Has anyone done any of the group lessons at xscape like ski excel or sno academy - are they any good?
Ta
Matt
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One of the skiers I sponsor is an instructor there. I rate his instruction very highly if you want jib lessons.
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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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Mattmulkeen,
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because they are all trained to say 'beginner level one'
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I could quite easily dispute that. However, there is such a thing as a bolt on one to one coaching session.
It's half an hour one to one and is taken within the time of your recreation ticket. There is a small charge for the 1/2 hour coaching.
But before you consider this, ask if there is someone available to watch you ski for a few minutes, to see what standard you might be and perhaps listen to their advice as to which standard of lesson they recommend. They may well recommend a half hour bolt on coaching session.
As for Sno Academy... isn't that just for kids during the school hols?
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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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Don't they do regular moguls sessions also.
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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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Colin B,
Usually Sundays and Mondays each fortnight. Not sure if they are continuing through the winter with that pattern at Castleford.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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on the SNO!slope
Moguls at Castleford
Test yourself on the only real snow moguls in the UK on the following dates:
NOVEMBER
3rd - 6th
17th - 20th
DECEMBER
1st – 4th
15th – 18th
29th – JANUARY 1st
12th – 15th
26th – 29th
FEBRUARY
9th – 12th
23rd – 26th
MARCH
8th – 11th
22nd – 25th
APRIL
5th – 8th
19th – 22nd
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My teenagers did the sno camp at Castleford in summer which was all based around learning tricks and jumps. They LOVED it and have progressed amazingly. I would really recommend an instructor called Kerry (who teaches both skiing and snowboarding) - she even got my 5 year old doing the rail
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Renry wrote: |
on the SNO!slope
Moguls at Castleford
Test yourself on the only real snow moguls in the UK on the following dates:
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Wonder why they don't do this at the other X-scapes?
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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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Quote: |
I could quite easily dispute that. However, there is such a thing as a bolt on one to one coaching session.
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Cheers for the advice. It is appreciated.
Do you work a xscape? The people on the front desk dont seem all that knowledgeable when you ask a question. Thats all I meant!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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Mattmulkeen wrote: |
Do you work a xscape? The people on the front desk dont seem all that knowledgeable when you ask a question. Thats all I meant! |
In my experience the info you get off the front desk either in person or by phone is patchy and sometimes simply wrong, however emails seem to get directed to people who DO have the answers. I wrote complaining that they had no sessions with informal instructor support like those advertised at Tamworth, and I got a nice email back from Aidan (chief inst) telling me that they DID and giving me the details. It wasn't at that time advertised anywhere - it seemed to be only for those "in the know".
As an example of wrong information - back in the late spring, I arranged to meet friends there whose two sons were booked into a teaching slope lesson. We were intending to ski for the same hour. I had told my friend when she booked the boys in that I thought the main slope might be closed for grooming at that time, so she rang back and explicitly asked. She was assured that being a Wednesday the slope would be open at that time, as grooming was done only Thurs-Sun afternoons, their busier days.
We arrived and you can guess, can't you! So I'd gone all the way there for nothing and the 3 of us had to sit in the cramped window area of the bar trying to just watch the boys' lessons for something to do!
On another occasion, in the summer, when there was a race training session on, the same friends had booked the boys' next lesson for just after lunch. I rang and asked if the race event meant that it was not really an ideal day for a nervous skier, only just at recreational level to go; I also asked if there were many ramps/rails out as they limit the free slope area of course. I was told that all the racers were on a separate, roped off part of the slope and that there were NO ramps/rails and that it'd be fine for me to go.
Yes well, there was the biggest ramp I'd EVER seen, right in the middle of the slope with a narrow quite icy course round either side, at the end of which there was a rail one side and a netted off toboggan area the other. The boys were taking the level of lesson that introduced them to the main slope at halfway - so they were starting off at this narrow icy part with reduced visibility! The race event had finished, and the racers (kids) were still there free skiing. Now they were great kids - totally polite, and considerate, but nonetheless fast on a limited slope. I felt intimidated and that the conditions were NOT really suited to a nervous novice skier and was quite cross we had yet again been given false information. I have not been back since!
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