A lot of what you need to know about the 'Test Technique'

A snowHead

I have started a blog with all of the information I could think of about the test. If you have questions you can post them up here (and I will update accordingly) or on the Blog to help people who may visit it. I will answer as best I can!

Also I may try to post up some videos soon. They will probably just be of myself, and if I get permission some of my friends who failed. The footage of me is all 2 between 2 to 3.8 seconds under the time. To calibrate the time we used Georgie Hunt, so it was fairly accurate.

http://ross-macewan.blogspot.com/

A snowHead

R555MAC, thanks a very useful resource and video would be great to see... Was georgie the opener? or your training partner and you went off his fis points when determining how close you were to the mark... when you say 3 seconds off what time did georgie come in? He is pretty handy isnt he..... wink

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

R555MAC, Good blog, looking forward to reading more

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skimottaret, I did my final 3 weeks of training with R21 on the Tignes glacier in the run-up to the test. As Georgie was there he seemed a logical choice to get some base timing from due to his decent FIS points. We then calibrated the times of the trainers (Blair Aitken and Augstin Torres) to gain base times from every course that was set. So for us to pass we would have to be within 4 seconds of Blair, I would usually be around 2 seconds off him depending on the type of course (his worst VS my best I'd say!, also this kind of time in racing is fairly significant really!!). IIRC Georgies time was still another 5-6 seconds up on the times of the trainers. So he is pretty handy in the gates! That would put me 2 off the trainers (just Aitken, Augustin is around 1-2 up on Blair) but 6-7 off Georgie. Its great watching the likes of Georgie ski!

The openers used are very quick aswell, but this should not matter assuming that their calibration has been done correctly (not always the case i.e. Augustin Torres for Eurotest opening calibrated incorrectly resulting in 1 pass out of over 250 people!). When I did the test in ADH the Stade had not frozen for days, which was ideal as we had all been training in powder in Tignes. Softer the better. However it froze the night before, so many people struggled just due to the ice, I skied conservatively to get 0.8 under. Obviously the openers love the ice and this is where their performance is so much better, so if you can get training in on the ice you should be well prepared. Also going into it with good times was very good for me mentally in the start gate!

Patch, yeah hopefully I will have some more to offer soon. We shall see what BASI or the French throw up that seems awkward and could benefit from some explanation!

Ill see about video, maybe sort some out soon just need to try and get the raw footage from Blair.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

R555MAC, sounds like you did real well and probably started at a pretty high level already prior to training i am guessing. I would have a lot of work to do to get to within a second of Blair (he shadowed my trainee instructor course back in the day and i seem to remember he was ex scottish team??) What sort of total times did you you come in at, 50 or so? I m not clear how many gates the TT is and how tight it is set...

the whole ET calibration is a nightmare, one opener told me that his was screwed up as well as he was recovering from injury when he did it and his first opening they had a word to tell him to slow down as noone was anywhere close to his first run.

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Well I hadnt ever skied slalom or even been on a real WC ski or in race boots. But they just seemed to make everything more fun and powerful! I have been skiing for 13 years (since 6) so after the first 2 weeks or so found slalom fairly natural. Blair used to be the dry slope champ, I expect he was maybe quicker back then, but not sure. We had some really good training in the stubbies where we would chase each other, great fun!

Dont really recall the times, normally 43ish in 45 gates depending on flats and the setting etc.

TT course was nicely set had some very fast vertical gates in it aswell! Not too hard, you can use your ski to measure the distances and maybe compare that to some of your training runs. Basically just go for it, if you hold back you lose more time than if you have the odd mistake in the run.

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R555MAC, just found this thread, I suspect you underestimate your achievement, if you went from never having skied gates to keeping up with a (decent!) BASI trainer in 3 weeks and TT in 6!! Do you think your experience/achievement was typical of your peers?

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Excellent, wonderful achievement - very, very well done. I think the key here though is

Some people are just naturally talented skiers and are able to pick up new things, change the way they ski easily. I don’t think it makes much difference if you’re learning to ski gates or ski bumps – natural skiers will pick up both equally quickly.

I bet you’re also a natural elsewhere aren’t you, R555MAC,? How did you do grade wise in your L2 and by comparison to others on your course?

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beanie1, must be something about that Lancashire water. The Rydings come from Pendle (David at the Olympics, and even coming back from injury Jo is one of the best girls), along with three other of the top 11 lads on the dry slope rankings.

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slikedges, Yeah I guess it wasnt typical of my peers to be honest. I did seem to pick it up fast!

beanie1, I do tend to learn pretty quickly, certainly on my skis anyways. Last season I had the chance to train with some L4 tech candidates (and obviously took it!), 3 of who passed the exam. we were focusing on bumps, having never had a real focus in bumps after 4 days I was pretty much there with standard playing cat and mouse and skiing rut lines. Since then the skills I learnt seem to have become completely autonomous and I continue to get faster/smoother. I just love skiing and pushing myself! and I find it so much easier to do so with somebody providing feedback and advice.

After the training at the end of last season and the time I spent in NZ I have really enjoyed my skiing this season. Its been the best one yet as I can do everything better. I just want to continue progressing! I guess that ideally I would like to get involved in some high level coaching in the future. BASI trainer, GAP course trainer or (probably just juniors) race coach, something along those lines. I would love to work with talented and enthusiastic skiers!

Regarding the L2. I did get the best grades for my Technical section, teach was good aswell but tech certainly stood out.
6 Piste long
5.5 piste short (had some upper body rotational separation problems then)
6 bumps and variables.

My BASI training and exams were the first structured teaching I have ever had and it was great! From simply watching and replicating to having an understanding was the key. Since the 2 my progression has certainly accelerated significantly!

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ross..that's a top effort. I've seen a TT and they're tough. I've done eurotest stuff and tho on paper its harder, in reality I think the TT is. Hard on some frenchies having to nail that thing before you can teach a flipping lesson. You must have a lot of miles under your belt and be pretty damn sporty before you're snapping at the heels of ex nat. team racers after 3wks training! Or maybe I'm just jealous as I find it such hard graft! Crack on and get the eurotest done in dec - sounds like you'll sail thru the system..I know what you mean about getting good coaching...it's great training alongside people, having a focus and training for a goal..all great fun imo..

Yeah the French system is incredibly tough. We have it easy in BASI by comparison. The Eurotest appears on the livret de formation. So after the French pass the Test Technique and a teaching exam they then have a training period another exam and the Eurotest, at this point they are just under half way through! So all of their entry level stuff is very much race based to make sure all of the skiers entering the system are good. The exam style is exactly that, an exam. We have the benefit of training to get to the standard and to adapt. The French are given bibs and tested methodically with someone stood at the bottom of the piste marking down whether or not the skiing was good. So pretty harsh!

The test is very challenging, my friend has his Carte Pro but has been attempting the TT to prove he can do it. He was 0.10 off with bib 1 so is now determined to pass it. Im looking forward to the Eurotest. After some training again in Tignes I am hoping to get it at ADH. I personally find GS harder just because I dont feel that I can push the same in a first run the way that I can in SL due to the potential risks! Cant wait to get a shot at it though!!

You know it makes sense.

Where/how does the TT fit into the instructional systems - is it regarded as lower level than teh Eurotest, is it a prerequisite for anything in BASI?

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A snowHead

stewart woodward, have you had a go at the TT or did you get in before this came into play... would be interested in your views on the TT as you are nearer my age than i am to R555MAC wink

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A lot of what you need to know about the 'Test Technique'

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