 Poster: A snowHead
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Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction.
I've just booked my next hol (going to Zell am See at the end of Jan) and would like to get a few hours of private tuition whilst I'm out there - and would be interested in any recommendations of ski schools and/or instructors.
In an ideal world it would be nice to find a good local British instructor/school (IME it seems that you get a lot more done with a native English speaker), so if anyone knows of anyone in the area, even better!
Thanks in advance for your help 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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At the city express gondola (near the bus station) next to the large Inter Sport shop there is a ski school office.
I cant comment on what they are like though. They are Austrian but im sure they soeak better English then most of us anyway.
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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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abj, I am also going to Zell Am See at the end of Jan and am also looking for some private tuition!
Basically Ive got four weeks of skiing under my belt but I m what you would call 'cautious and timid'. My family meantime are speed freaks and I would like
to boost my skill and confidence mainly. Im going to email our hotel and ask for a recommendation, if I find any info I will let you know
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It's a couple of years since I've been, and I know there were some changes in the ski school, but Anthony & Nicola are two British instructors tat used to be there and I would recommend. They worked for the ski school at the bottom of the City Xpress IIRC.
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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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abj, Les Salmon is the best ski instructor I have ever used by a country marathon!
http://www.lessalmon.com/ski/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137&Itemid=117
Les is independent but works with the blessing of the head of the main local ski school.
As for the competition;
The main school is Ski Schule Zell am See who have some good instructors but it is pot luck. I have been in ZamS for 10 days now and have another 12 to go, my main impression is that the vast majority of this years instructors are young Dutch kids who are here to party first and teach skiing second.
Sport Alpin have a good reputation but are very few and far between this year.
Outdo Ski appeared from nowhere last season and got some good reviews. Yesterday I saw a snowboard instructor, on a snowboard, in their gear, teaching a class of skiers whilst sitting on his ass? WTF??? Avoid!
PM me if you want to know more?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We booked Anthony, for the week when we were in Zell in early January ,he is a great instructor ,very patient and encouraging and really interested .
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robboj, Outdo skischool have been around for at least four years.
I FAIL to believe that there was really a snowboard instructor teaching skiing. Sport Alpin have also black uniforms this year maybe you have them mixed up.
I have used Outdo for my last couple pf trips to Zell am See and have been rewarded everytime with patient, responsible instructors.
As for promoting Les Salmon; he works ILLEGALIY in Zell am See, no-one who is not employed in a ski school is allowed to give lessons. That is the LAW in Austria - no exceptions.
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christine051176,
Has anyone ever pointed out to you that it is considered rude to use CAPITAL letters in an email or online post?
Yes I have noted Sport Alpins new uniforms, and there are very few of them to be seen from my experience. That could be coincidence or could be because there really are less of them - which would be a shame.
Interested to hear about Outdo being around for at least four years. I was unaware of them until their office appeared on the Schmittenstrasse which I recall as being summer 2008? Perhaps you can clarify?
You can fail to believe me if you like if you like? I don't care! I was on the the Trass Express last Sunday afternoon about 2pm and he was on the blue piste above Breiteck. Maybe as it was a Sunday he was actually preaching conversion to the darkside rather than teaching?
As for Les Salmon, your statement about his status is incorrect. Have you ever met or been taught by Les?
As for putting your statement right I have informed Les of your comments.
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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 been rafting with OUTDO in the summer of 2007; at that time they were a new venture which had started the previous year. So taking that into account I believe they have been around since 2006.
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You can fail to believe me if you like if you like? I don't care! I was on the the Trass Express last Sunday afternoon about 2pm and he was on the blue piste above Breiteck. Maybe as it was a Sunday he was actually preaching conversion to the darkside rather than teaching?
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The above comment is different to your origonal statement
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Outdo Ski appeared from nowhere last season and got some good reviews. Yesterday I saw a snowboard instructor, on a snowboard, in their gear, teaching a class of skiers whilst sitting on his ass? WTF??? Avoid!
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I feel your first comment was a bit harsh as you have NO idea whether his was teahing them or just being polite!!!!!!
If Les is 'working' in Zell am See without being employed by a local ski school it is ILLEGAL:
By all means pass my comments onto Les Nothing is ment personally to him, just to people who like to work 'around' the rules
By the way it seems strange to me that you say every ski school in Zell am See is bad and only recommend Les; do you have a vested interest in him????
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christine051176,
I'm sorry but you are actually too stupid to waste time on further discussion.
However, for the record I have no interest, vested or otherwise in Les Salmon.
Tschuss!
P.S. You may wish to consider European law - I could start teaching tomorrow in Europe and it would not be illegal. Any local or national judgement to the contrary would be reversed.
P.P.S. He doesn't take it personally but his lawyer does!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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robboj,
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P.S. You may wish to consider European law - I could start teaching tomorrow in Europe and it would not be illegal. Any local or national judgement to the contrary would be reversed.
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That's not actually true. You have to be appropriately qualified (I have no idea if you are or aren't, nor am I commenting on Les' position, I'm just pointing out that EU law doesn't override a country's laws about what is an appropriate qualification to practice a profession.) If in any doubt I suggest you speak with BASI, who spend a lot of time working with lawyers to improve the rights of members to work legally in Europe.
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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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beanie1, fair point and FWIW EU law should not be able to dictate these matters, however I maintain my point that it cannot be illegal under EU law. Anyone who wished to challenge a local judgement to the contrary would probably have to spend a ridiculous amount of time and money proving that point but would be able to eventually.
That said I would agree that it would be difficult, even practically impossible, to operate any kind of formal instruction without the permission and cooperation of the local ski school and skiing authorities
Thanks for advice but I've no desire to become an instructor. The regulatory bodies of my own profession, in the justification of their own existence, leave me no desire to voluntarily engage with any more.
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robboj, you make me laugh!!!!
Stop discussing things that you have absolutley no clue about; you just make yourself look stupid 
If someone is 'working' in Austria as a ski instrucor and is not employed by a local ski school it is Illegal, end of story....
If someone has the 'Austrian Statlicher' they can still not just open a ski school. There are rules and laws in place to stop this happening. If there were no laws ,then every man and his friend could be a 'ski school'
Go ahead and keep promoting whom ever you like; just stop writing negatitive comments about everyone else!!
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You know it makes sense.
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christine051176, your tone is very aggressive, even for written comments on a bulletin board!
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Stop discussing things that you have absolutley no clue about; you just make yourself look stupid
If someone is 'working' in Austria as a ski instrucor and is not employed by a local ski school it is Illegal, end of story.... |
If you know the laws to which you refer to, could you please state them or refer to the documentation where they could be found. Or are you just quoting what you were told by an instructor in Austria one day while passing time on a lift?
Chucking insults around left right and centre seems somewhat counter productive and actually does not really support your statements.
Being a Staatlicher Geprüfte Schilehrer (correct spelling by the way) simply means that a person is a State Registered Ski Instructor. Depending upon which province you are in, then determines whether you require further training in order to run a ski school. That training may or may not require you to take further exams so that you can train other instructors yourself, OR you can employ someone to do that for you.
Unless you know the agreement between the person concerned, the ski school and the local association, I find it ridiculous for you to argue in such a confrontational manner.
There are many private instructors operating legally in Austria, both Austrian and other nationalities, without being members of a particular local ski school. The attitude is one of collegial tolerance and compromise, which is a far more adult situation than exists in some other Alpine regions. I'm sure the Ukrainian, Russian, Israeli and Czech Ski schools I have seen operating in resorts this season in Austria would be able to support this were we able to ask them.
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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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christine051176, I refer you to my first point in my post at 21.27 on 23rd Jan
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Poster: A snowHead
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Samerberg Sue, my tone has been as it is because I was attacked first 
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christine051176,
I'm sorry but you are actually too stupid to waste time on further discussion.
However, for the record I have no interest, vested or otherwise in Les Salmon.
Tschuss!
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Ski school Zell am See do not give permission for people to work like this; they may turn a blind eye because it is in there best interest, but it is still not legal.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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christine051176, if you want to be heard sympathetically, then post your evidence. It is as simple as that.
Just making big loud statements without backing it up in any way makes you look rather silly. Sorry!
The situation as I know it is as Robboj has stated, they may not like it, but they cannot stop it. Friends who run a very successful and long-standing ski school in a resort in Austria feel the same, but accept that if people gain a positive experience from such an agreement, then the chances are that they will return. And as a result more people will also come based on positive word of mouth (Mundpropaganda as it is called here), then they will ultimately benefit as well. Most Austrians are very pragmatic and see the advantages of long-term benefits, rather than cutting and running with short-term gains.
It seems that you have a personal problem with this particular situation - are you a ski instructor based in Zell am See and suffering as a result of being "deprived" of work by this person?
Robboj has had lessons with this instructor and is more than happy with him and as a result passing on his recommendation. There are many threads here on this forum doing just this. I have not read any deliberately negative comments about any other school, other than his alarm at what he observed - a skiing group being either led or instructed by a snowboarder. A bizarre situation in anyone's book, and one that rightly deserves comment!
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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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Samerberg Sue, but it is illegal to teach on Forest Service land in Colorado - unless you have a forest service permit(not easy) and in the case of a resort which will have another permit holder you also require permission from the permit holder(not really easy)... and in France you need to be an ISTD or have equivalence like Easiski
So it seems that Les is operating in 'unusual' circumstances in at least 3 countries. It is not therefore unreasonable that christine051176, may find this a little strange.
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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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christine051176, it was you that started the process that allowed the thread "to get out of hand", as you put it.
All I asked was for something that backs up your claims.
As for the comments about your English, harmless speculation on my part. My apologies if it caused offence, however I was actually trying to understand your particular vehemence on this topic. It is not too far a step to speculate that you may be personally affected by this issue in some way.
If you answer the questions, perhaps it would restore some kind of balance to your accusations. Simply reiterating the same mantra, does not really make it true.
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christine051176, you don't have your facts straight. There are some questionable laws in Austria that may mean some instructors are not entirely working within local laws that perhaps don't seem in keeping with EU laws. However, the rules are really complex and they differ in every part of the country!! It is definitely not the case that every foreign instructor / ski school operating there is illegal - there is just a certain way they have to go about it.
It's very unfair to make accusations about an individual on a public forum in this way, particularly if you fail to substantiate with any evidence. It just seems like a personal attack.
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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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Hi,
my first time posting here - sorry to bring this thread rapidly back on topic 
I am going to ZamS with my girlfriend in a few weeks, it will be our first time skiing. I am going to book us onto a course at one of the ski schools but I have a question hopefully someone can help me with:
Do we need to buy a lift pass for the whole week if we are doing the school lessons, or is it unnecessary until later in the week?
Some of the schools offer all in one packages which might work out cheaper/more expensive depending on the lift pass
Thanks!
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andyzim, I am not absolutely sure but would think it likely that you would have to by the full six day pass. It certainly was the case 4 years ago when my wife did the beginner course in ZamS.
Hope you enjoy! and welcome to snowheads 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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christine051176, I found out today who you are and will be bringing your comments to the attention of admin.
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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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robboj, thanks very much for clearing that up!
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andyzim, I have been going to Zell for several years and have always used Ski Schule Sport Alpin. I can't comment on the other schools or individuals because I've not used them.
Both myself and the people I've travelled with have been absolutely delighted with the quality and friendliness of the instruction from "absolute never skied before beginner" to "advanced ski touring". My wife went from a very timid 3 week skier who slowly ploughed blues to a confident red parallel red run skier in a week and has never looked back. She'd been in ski school on her previous 3 trips to Cervinia, Sauze & Saas Fee but never really progressed. Her tuition is the reason we originally kept going back to Zell, although we have friends there now and would probably go anyway. Also all the instructors we've come across have spoken near perfect English (plus several other languages!) which is definitely a consideration.
It's not a huge ski school compared to the main Zell school so if I was you I'd book before you go, plus there's a small discount for booking online and paying in advance on paypal. They have an office right opposite the City Express Lift so access to the mountain is easy on day one unless you are total beginners then you'll need to take the short bus ride from 50 metres away to the nursery area.
http://www.sport-alpin.at/skischule_english/index.htm
As for opening ski schools in Austria, I'm no expert but was told by one of the head instructors in Zell that you have to attain the very highest level of ski teaching qualification in Austria to open a school, and that there are a good few levels to go through before you can achieve it. It would make sense if that was the case! I also heard that you can be an independent alpine mountain ski guide independent of the ski schools with the right qualifications but this of course is very different to reaching..... and I can't confirm if its true or not.... 
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You know it makes sense.
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Thank you, I have already booked with ski schule sport alpin now, so reading your comments makes me happy I made the right choice.
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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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Hi Andy - how did you get on with Sport Alpin?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Paul100 wrote: |
| Hi Andy - how did you get on with Sport Alpin? |
Hi,
I just got back today and the sport alpin school was fantastic. We had a really good instructor who gave us a lot of confidence and got us to a competant level quickly. I'd recommend them based on my experience
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi Guys
I have just seen and read through your thoughts / ideas on which is the best ski school. I have seen www.blacksheepski.co.uk is advertising there services in Zell Am See this year. I took Private lessons with them for 3 years in a row in Soll and Kitzbuhel, They improved my skiing so much + all the instructors are from English speaking countries that really helps with the understanding and learning and they all hold some of the highest qualifications in Snow sports.
My advice would be to any 1 looking for lessons Ski or Board check out www.blacksheepski.co.uk These guys are superb and I can not speak highly enough about them.
Contact them and ask for Brett or Paul and they will organise quality lessons with there instructors.
JJ
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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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abj, Hello,, the most skiteacher in Austria speak English,,, specialy in Zell am Zee/Kaprun,, Kaprun have an exelent skischool,, ask for Eva-Lotta Harthweeger, she is swedish, english speaking and lives in kaprun since more than 30 years back
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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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Ok there may be instructors who speak English and is it a fluent English or a Pigeon English ? As before I had my first lesson with www.blacksheepski.co.uk I had many lessons I was un happy with due to not fully understanding the instructor + all of www.blacksheepski.co.uk instructors hold the ISIA qualification can other ski schools promote these facts ??
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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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Jackboy1, Are Blacksheep spamming us now then? A sudden flurry of newbies all promoting the same company? Hmmmmmm methinks these maybe employees looking to boost trade.
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FAQ
