BASI News Spring Issue 117

Chief Executive’s Vision Statement South Pole Adventure Extracts from Clive Freshwater’s Eulogy Preparing for the Eurotest

Newsletter /

2015

Spring Issue 117 MARCH 2015

DESIGNED FOR FREEDOM To reach escape velocity, you need precision, power, and control. X-Race is carefully crafted to enable ultimate confidence so you are free to go faster.

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As I sit and write this I am looking up at 70mph winds blasting the face of the Snow Goose at Nevis Range in Scotland. It’s Scottish Eurotest day and despite promising snow conditions the mountain has reminded us who is in charge of play today – it’s not us. It’s a salutary reminder that despite the best laid plans and preparation we don’t always get the outcomes we wish for.

It was also with great sadness that we heard of the loss of Clive Freshwater who passed away at the end of February at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. A former Chairman and Secretary of BASI, Clive commanded respect, ruled with the stubbornness of a mule and grew an immensely successful 45 year old family run business at Loch Insh with unswerving support from wife, Sally, and boys; Duncan, Andrew and Johnnie. Clive’s straight talking, direct manner did not always endear him to every heart but you always knew where you stood with the man, and all who knew him respected him for the mountain of a man he was.

There has been a notable increase in inspirational subject matter for BASI News dropping into my inbox from all disciplines and all levels of the Membership. It really does demonstrate the breadth and depth of the Association, so please keep those articles coming. I really enjoyed the approach Joe Beer took to “A Round Table Discussion on Strength and Conditioning Training specifically for Telemark” and Kevin Gray’s account of his Antarctic South

With the back of the 14/15 season now broken, there is Hintertux to look forward to and BASI’s spring course season followed by the summer season of refreshers and Member events. If you haven’t booked a course yet, there is still plenty of opportunity to do so by visiting; www. basi.org.uk/content/hintertux-.aspx.

Here’s to longer days and some great spring snowsports.

Tania Alliod tania@basi.org.uk

DiaryDates

Hintertux EGM Hotel Hohenhaus, Ho henhausgasse 774, Hintertux, Austr ia 25 April 2015 Grantown-On-Spey Board Meeting and Open Forum BASI Head O ffice 22 August 2015 Interski Congress Ushuaia, Argentina 5-12 September 2015 London Ski and Snow board Show Earls Court 5-8 of November 2015 More Diary Dates on page 14

Contents

Chief Executive’s Vision Statement

CONTENTS

Welcome

Pole journey to fly the Queen’s Award for Industry Flag (he says it wasn’t a race), you can decide for yourselves!

Mark Withington, with a recently acquired Adaptive Qualification is putting it to good use; he has taken off his Tax Advisor hat and signed up as a Ski Buddy with Skiing with Heroes. Trainer, Becci Malthouse, shares her experience of having her performance put under the spotlight in the Trainers’ Review programme.

Keep all your contributions and suggestions coming and thanks for sharing.

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1 Extracts from Clive Freshwater’s Eulogy

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1 British Schoolgirls’ and 08 Schoolboys’ Races 2015 1 Abernethy Outdoor Centre

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10 1 Preparing for the Eurotest 12 1 Diary Dates 2015 14 1 BASI Trainer Quality 15 1 South Pole Adventure

Assurance

1 BASI Qualifications Open Doors

16

17 1 Eurotest Calibrations, 18 1 Summer Reading Sestriere (ITA)

1 Report from ISIA Meeting

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22 1 BASI Member Pro Deals 23 1 BASI at SLIDE & ISPO and Discounts 2015

1 Strength and 24 Conditioning for Telemark

7 Cover Image: BASI Nordic

Course, Rupholding, Bavaria.

Advertising Bookings

Advertising Copy

Editorial

BASI Morlich House, 17 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, PH26 3HG T 01479 861717 F 01479 873657 E tania@basi.org.uk E www.basi.org.uk

BASI News Its All Good 10 The Haughs, Cromdale Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3PQ T info@itsallgood.org.uk W www.itsallgood.org.uk

Issue 118 May 2015 Booking Deadline: Mon 18 May 2015 Copy Deadline Mon 25 May 2015 Published: July 2015 E tania@basi.org.uk T 01479 861717

BASI News is the official house journal of the British Association of Snowsport Instructors. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic or electronic means without the express written permission of BASI. Opinions presented in BASI NEWS are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of BASI or of the Editors. BASI has the right to refuse publication of any manuscripts which do not meet publishing standards or the BASI Code of Ethics. BASI invites the submission of manuscripts, photos and letters to the editor from its readers - (E&OE)

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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CEO FEATURE

Chief Executive’s Vision Statement

by Andrew Lockerbie, CEO BASI BASI’s new CEO, Andrew Lockerbie, presented his vision for BASI and a Draft Headline Strategy Paper for Members to consider at the Members’ Open Forum held in Chamonix in January 2015. Members had until 28 February to comment directly back to Andrew Lockerbie and thank you to all who have taken the time to do so. There will be a further opportunity for Member review in April 2015, as provided for in the timeline for the Strategic Plan Development, which is detailed at the end of this article.

At the start my role as the new Chief Executive of BASI, I wanted to outline some of my own initial thoughts on the way forward for the Association. Stephen Burke deserves a lot of credit for stepping in as Acting CEO and steering the Association through a transitional period whilst the recruitment process was taking place and I want to thank him for leaving things in great shape.

to a higher level. If clients have a great experience, they will encourage friends and family to get involved too thank you all for doing such a great job.

I truly believe in BASI; even at school my ambition was to become a ski instructor, make a career out of snowsports and become part of the Association. I’ve already achieved this and gained valuable experience of teaching snowsports at all levels from beginners through to national team members and everything in between. I enjoy working at both ends of the spectrum and have gained a lot of enjoyment and personal satisfaction from the difference that I have made to people’s lives.

Our aim is to ensure that you see value in your qualification and in your continued Membership and that by being open, fair and transparent you will support the BASI community in achieving our future goals.

The experience of owning, managing and running snowsports schools and centres has provided me with an insight into the industry and my involvement at management level and on the boards of many snowsports organisations, including Chairman of BASI for a six year period (2004-2010), places me in a good position to serve the Association as its new Chief Executive Officer, and I am very proud to step into the role.

I’m sure that I share the same goal as every other BASI Member – we all want to see a successful Association and it is my aim to build on its reputation and maintain the respect that it has with other national and international snowsports organisations. As BASI continues to be successful then we all benefit.

BASI has highly skilled and knowledgeable staff working in the office and out on the slopes to ensure that we provide and deliver a quality product that is respected by all snowsports clients, newcomers to the market as well as those who wish to develop their skills to a higher level. Our instructors and coaches deliver snowsports teaching to individuals in a way that meets their needs and inspires them to continue and progress

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Our infra-structure, which includes; Members, the Board of Directors, management team, trainers, HQ staff, qualified instructors and coaches in the field, ensures that we have an Association that can deliver!

• We will be putting together a strategy, plan and budget that you will be able to monitor (via the Board that you elect) and have input into this via your discipline Director. Their contact details are listed on the next page.

• We will ensure the credibility of BASI qualifications, making sure that they meet market needs and ensure the employability of BASI members at home and abroad.

• We will keep members informed of progress by regular communication via multiple media methods.

• We will ensure the credibility of BASI by continuing to deliver excellence. The quality of the training, content and outcomes will be achieved by internal and external monitoring and guidance.

• You will all see career pathways being made accessible to you with employment opportunities made available for all levels and disciplines.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for a great winter season and look forward to developing and sharing the pathway later on this year towards a bright future for each and every BASI member.

Andrew Lockerbie Chief Executive Officer

Contact details Chairperson

Gareth Roberts

gareth@basi.org.uk

Chair elect

Vacant

Snowboard

Ben Kinnear

ben@basi.org.uk

Telemark

Joe Beer

joe@basi.org.uk

Alpine Vacant Nordic

John Mordue

john.mordue@basi.org.uk

Adaptive

Rachel Easton

rachel@basi.org.uk

Trainers

Jaz Lamb

james.lamb@basi.org.uk

Legal

Stephen Burke

stephen.burke@basi.org.uk

Marketing

Andi McCann

andi@basi.org.uk

Finance

Heathley Clarke

heathley@basi.org.uk

Secretary to the Board

Don Bates

don.bates@basi.org.uk

Ombudsman

Robbie Young

robbie@basi.org.uk

Strategic Plan Development – Indicative Timeline Member Consultation 1st Draft

ended 28 February 2015

Draft 2

completed by March 2015

Review and Comments on Draft 2

completed by April 2015

Final Plan

agreed by May 2015

Implemented

from June 2015

If Members have any comments on the Key Objectives of the BASI Strategy please email them to Andrew Lockerbie. andrew@basi.org.uk

BASI Strategy, Vision and Key Objectives 1.0 Vision Statement (Why BASI exists) “To be recognised by both the public and the industry as an organisation with a reputation for training excellence, both nationally and internationally, by providing the highest standards of Training, Assessment and Member support services for snowsports instructors and coaches across 5 disciplines.”

2.0BASI Brand Proposition “We promote a passion and pride in our Association, motivating and inspiring all to be the best that they can be – professionally, consistently and responsibly”.

CHAIRMANS CEO FEATUREREPORT

BASI Board of Directors

3.0Key Objectives (What BASI will do) The Key Objectives of BASI are to:

1.

Develop BASI Training Programmes and Educational Resources in order to provide the public and the industry with relevant, skilled, professional instructors both in the UK and internationally across 5 disciplines 2. Continue work to secure both national and international acceptance of BASI qualifications, ensuring that all levels of certification are one of the most exportable and accepted snowsports qualification in the world 3.

Review and develop an effective Corporate Governance Model for BASI that will secure its future success and reflects the future management and operational needs of the Association 4.

Provide a service for Association Members that is recognised and valued by them 5. Manage our finances in order to secure the viability and long term sustainability of our organisation

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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OBITUARY

Extracts from Clive Tim Walker Freshwater’s Eulogy Clive Freshwater’s funeral took place in Kingussie Parish Church on 5 March 2015.

Many hundreds of people attended the service.

• The first Mountain Leader (Summer) Certificate course was run; Clive with Derek Brigh • Skiing courses for tman school children were introduced;

• The Mountaineering Instructors Scheme was formed; • Ski Party Leader courses were introduced; • The first professional ski instructor courses were held; • The Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland was formed; • The Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team was formed; • A delegation from the area visited the Avalanche Information Centre in Davos, Switzerland; Clive with wife Sally

in both achievement Clive Freshwater was a giant of a man a loyal and generous and a physical presence. He was ethic which was without friend to many. Clive had a work is an example of what can equal and Loch Insh Watersports dogged determination. be achieved through vision and le Freshwater family.

The Centre is a tribute to the who d Clive will have a story Anyone who had ever encountere , his death marks the to tell and, for those who know him end of an era.

Tim Walker The Scotsman, 2 March 2015

I have been given the privilege of saying a few words about Clive and the main challenge I face is not what I should say but what I should leave out.

Last week our local paper, the Strathy, published an extract from Clive’s draft autobiography. If you read it you will know that it was all about Clive’s formative years. I really hope the book is published in full and, if it covers all of Clive’s life, then it will be a sizeable publication, perhaps similar in size to War and Peace and, come to think about it, that’s not a bad title.

In the few minutes I have been given I can barely scratch the surface of the story but here goes.

The Pioneering Years or the Klondyke Years Clive was appointed to the instructional staff at Glenmore Lodge in the early 1960s and remained there until 1970. These were pioneering years in the whole field of outdoor education and sport. Scotland was leading the way and it was in Speyside, in particular, where things were really happening.

During this decade: • The British Association of Professional Ski Instructors (BAPSI) was formed; • Benmore and Lagganlia Local Authority Education Centres were opened;

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BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

• The first permanent custom-made ski tow was installed on Cairngorm; • The Mountaineering Council of Scotland was formed The so-called Glenmore Lodge Committee, having accepted that they might now have to pay instructional staff, concluded that it might also be possible to consider appointing an instructor to the Glenmore Lodge staff who was married. It took a further 15 years or so for them to be persuaded that the role of instructor could be carried out by someone who did not live at Glenmore Lodge.

It was during this time at Glenmore Lodge that Clive and Sally met – Sally was secretary to the then Principal, Eric Langmuir. When they decided to get married, it was beyond the comprehension of the Glenmore Committee that husband and wife might both work at the same organisation so Sally had to resign her position.

You will perhaps know that Glenmore Lodge has been hugely successful as a marriage bureau over its 65 year history.

The Cairngorm Canoeing and Sailing School During the pioneering years and towards the end of Clive’s time at Glenmore Lodge, the vision for a Cairngorm Canoeing and Sailing School was formed

by Clive and Sally. The purchase of Insh Hall and the boathouse, with land rented from the Forestry Commission, enabled the vision to become reality.

You will have seen on the Order of Service that there is a quote from Vince Lombardi – well, I would like to include another one here.

“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.”

At that time Clive and Sally had very little and the Centre was built up with the help of many friends and materials such as disused telegraph poles, old sheds, cast off furniture and all sorts of things – nothing was wasted.

As we all know, Clive had a work ethic and a dogged determination which was without equal. During the 45 years of continuous development, the Centre went from strength to strength, achieving many awards and

OBITURAY

BASI 50th Anniversary Gathering, Clive Freshwater, left with BASI chairmen and CEO’s past and present

it was fitting that it was Princess Anne, arguably one of the hardest working members of the Royal family, who would visit Loch Insh and pay tribute to Clive and Sally.

Some say that Loch Insh Watersports replaced National Service. It also became known as the place where you could be fired in the morning and hired again in the afternoon – working there for more than a few weeks was an achievement and a solid endorsement of character.

On an inspection visit by the Adventure Activity Licensing Authority, the inspector commented on the maze of corridors and doors within the Boathouse, to which Clive’s reply was: “yes, that’s right, it works well and the staff don’t know which door I am coming through next”.

Clive was never one to be daunted by authority or bureaucracy and he took on most of the main public

agencies in Scotland. They got to know him well, they knew what to expect and, of course, the Spey Canoe Case was one such battle and we will hear more of that later from Lord Abernethy.

(Lord Abernethy QC spoke specifically at the funeral about the Spey Canoe Case).

During the past 45 years many thousands of people have passed through the doors of the Centre and have come to love the great outdoors. The local school children have had access to training and its facilities and the reputation of Speyside has been enhanced by its existence.

And, of course, the Freshwater family provided an Olympian, Andrew, to join the other 16 Olympians who were born and brought up in this area.

Personal I got to know Clive well when he was Chairman of BASI and I was the Nordic Director. We travelled the length and breadth of the country attending various BASI meetings. Clive proved to be the right man for that time, a strong and, when necessary, a formidable Chairman.

BASI has been a great success story and Clive rightly deserves his place in their Hall of Fame.

Over the years, like many of you, Helen and I have enjoyed Clive and Sally’s generous hospitality. His 75th birthday party was just such an occasion – surrounded by their many friends, we had a wonderful day.

Each of you will have your own memories of Clive and these memories will stay with you, as with me, for the rest of our lives.

r members of BASI including Frith Clive Freshwater far left with othe , Partenkirchen isch Finlayson, Hazel Bain,1971 Garm

Each of us knows that we will never meet his like again.

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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BASI MEMBERS FEATURE

British Schoolgirls’ and Schoolboys’ Races 2015 - supported by BASI A BASI objective is to encourage young participants to consider entering the world of snowsports instruction. Most BASI Members do this without thinking on a day to day basis as they deliver great experiences to all their younger students through ski school and coaching programmes.

BASI also has a Sponsorship and Giving Policy that supports the daily efforts of the Members. The British Schoolgirls’ and Schoolboys’ Races have been beneficiaries of this sponsorship policy in 2015, where BASI provided jackets for the winning girls’ team and a perpetual Quaich for the boys’ event.

Chief of Championships at the Schoolgirls’ Races, Anne Taylor, gave BASI a summary round up from Flaine.

“The races went really well this year – the weather was kind to us with a large dump of snow arriving just in time. We managed to get in all the races with very little delay.

We were lucky to have Chemmy Alcott and husband Dougie Crawford arrive on the second day – they acted as fore-runners for both runs of slalom, and spent time chatting to the girls. That evening Chemmy gave out the prizes which was really exciting for the winners.

BASI’s fantastic jackets were awarded to the team who won the Lees-Jones Salver for the “Best School”. This was Richmond School in Yorkshire and the winning girls were Honor Clissold, Cara Websdale and Katy Jackson.

A big ‘thank you’ to BASI for once again supporting our event.”

BASI staff members Tania Alliod and Nick McKelvey met one of the winning team members, Cara Websdale, who introduced herself to the BASI stand at the ‘Careers in Sport’ roadshow hosted by Leeds University. Cara who came to say “thank you” in person, couldn’t be missed in her newly acquired Halti jacket.

BASI undertakes a review of its’ sponsorship and giving policy every 3 years. The current beneficiaries of BASI support include the following organisations:

Featured model: PDG - 831gm in size

Our website www.britishschoolgirls races.co.uk has some great photos of the event and also a video of last year (shown on the first evening) and a second video of the 2015 event, shown at the prize-giving.

Cara Websdale (left ) with Richmond School team members Honor Clissold and Katy Jackson.

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

Interski: BASI supports a sponsored programme that Interski run annually for youngsters who want to enter the snowsports profession.

BASI supports the programme by providing a trainer for the course assessment weeks, at cost.

BaseCamp: Takes teenagers from deprived inner city environments and through a programme, run at dry slopes and domes throughout the UK, introduces them to the world of snowsports’ developing their skills and confidence.

BASI supports the programme and offers five Level 1 course places to those students who are selected by BaseCamp to enter their Ambassador programme.

Members will have read about their achievements in previous editions of BASI News.

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Abernethy Outdoor Centre, based in Nethybridge, near Grantown has, this season, hosted its first BASI Level 1 course at its chalet in the Swiss alpine resort of Villars. This annual European ski training week for the Abernethy team, a long established event, was a great opportunity for some newer team members to begin their BASI journey at the start of the new season. Adding skiing to an already impressive list of outdoor activity qualifications is a great boost to the instructors who are able to enjoy working with groups, young and old, all year round.

Abernethy offers residential stays and non-residential visits to a variety of groups such as schools, churches, family and charity organisations.

Depending on a group’s preference, a visit to the Centre can include adventure activities from Abseiling to Zip Wiring and the whole activity alphabet in between, or it simply provides the space to run a nonactivity programme or conference.

in the chalet. The support we got from the staff at Abernethy was really appreciated; offering help and allowing us space to do things like planning sessions and filling in workbooks for our course. The BASI trainer, Andi McCann, was brilliant and very helpful; he made us feel relaxed during the assessment parts and made the week great fun. The day was always topped off by an awesome 3 course meal which was important after the long day skiing.”

BASI FEATURE

Abernethy Outdoor Centre Staff Training in Villars

instruction for residential mid-week school groups and weekend youth clubs at the Lecht and Cairngorm; while Abernethy’s Ardgour Centre provides ski instruction in Villars from December through to April.

The on-site dry ski slope at the Nethybridge Centre is in use all year round but especially in the winter when non-residential groups also benefit from the great facility.

Abernethy has a long association with snowsports and a good relationship with BASI with many of its’ instructors achieving skiing and boarding qualifications over the years. The Christian adventure activity centre, based in Nethybridge, has an instr uctional team of up to 14 people and offers ski and snowboard

New staff members, Josh and Emily, were on the pre-Christmas BASI Alpine Level 1 course in Villars and had this to say: “A great week was had during our BASI 1 with Abernethy; such welcoming staff and fantastic food BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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BASI MEMBERS FEATURE

South Pole Adventure Kevin Gray

This was not a normal start to a ski trip. Having spent a very enjoyable New Year exploring southern Chile in the company of accomplished polar explorer Conrad Dickinson, who lead Prince Harry and the wounded veterans to the South Pole last year, I was now sitting in the cargo hold of a Russian built Ilyushin IL-76 heavy lift transport plane taxiing out to the runway at the airport of Punta Arenas. The take-off would be fairly conventional but the landing on a blue ice runway, marked out on Union Glacier in the interior of Antarctica, would certainly be a new experience.

We were running a couple of days behind schedule because, in order for the IIyushin to be able to safely land in such a hostile environment, not only did the wind speed and visibility have to be suitable, but the surface ice temperature on the glacier had to be below -8 degrees or the runway would be too slippery.

Unfortunately a period of excessively hot weather had rendered the ice too warm, but conditions were now good enough to go, even though the wind speeds on the glacier were marginal.

As the power of the four Soloviev D30KP turbofan engines kicked in and threw us skyward, it was obvious that there was no turning back from this point. The plan? I was going to strap on a set of skis and head as far south as it is possible to go dragging all my equipment behind me. The reason for this trip was to get to fly the ‘Queens Award for Industry’ flag at the geographic South Pole.

The landing was silky smooth and a credit to the experience of the Russian crew, although the fact that they opened the hold door before we had finished the taxi, was a little disconcerting. The ice runway was

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15km from the Antarctic Logistics base camp and transport to camp was in 6 wheel drive polar modified vans with massive glacier tyres over a marked crevasse free route.

Once at the camp we immediately began a second round of detailed equipment checks and we were issued with skis and pulks. The first gear check had taken place at the hotel in Punta Arenas before we departed but a second round of checks was an ideal time to lose the ‘just in case’ items that were pushing up the weight of your pulk.

The boots I had taken with me were Canadian Mukluk boots from Baffin Boots. I had chosen the Endurance boot from their polar range; these boots were massive but had the best reputation for warmth. They did however have no toe piece for 3 pin bindings and required an Icetrek binding. This caused a little difficulty, as being size 13, my boots were a little ‘snug’ for the standard binding configuration; fortunately a little ‘tweaking’ with a large pair of pliers provided enough room to slip in fairly easily. The touring skis were set up with full length skins that were screwed through to the bases every 200mm. This was done to prevent any possibility of problems whilst hauling the pulks over difficult sastrugi. I have to say the boot fit was akin to wearing a large pair of comfortable, warm fluffy buckets; a little alarming for someone used to a much snugger fit and a lot less ‘comfort’.

With final kit checks completed we

then headed out onto the glacier to set our first camp and shake down any final problems within reach of support.

The following morning we eagerly anticipated the weather report but news was not good as the visibility and wind speeds were not within range in the drop zone for flying the modified DC3 that would drop us off at our start location. With an extra day of time to fill, three of us set off on ‘fat bikes’ to do a little glacier cycling and make the most of what was a bluebird day on the glacier. We also had the opportunity to improve our knowledge of Norwegian and Swedish polar explorers as Union Glacier camp was lucky enough to be hosting an experienced lecturer who, being a Swede, was more than happy to spill the beans on Amundsen’s true character.

The following morning the conditions were marginal but improving and just before lunch we got the green light and started to load the DC3.

The plane had been built in 1942 and was still in better condition than many civil planes I have flown in recent years. With skis, pulks and bodies loaded we took off to fly to our start point. We would be landing at 89 degrees of latitude.

Departing at the same time in a Twin Otter plane, for the same latitude but different longitude, was a team

Although it was fairly late in the day we were keen to get some distance under our skis so immediately set off once we had watched the DC3 complete its painfully lengthy and slow take off from the deep sugary snow.

Although it was just less than four nautical miles before we set camp it was a properly tough start, the snow conditions ensuring that neither the skis nor the pulks had any glide at all so every step was hard won.

The overall impression is one of amazing beauty, magnificent isolation and brutal unforgiving harshness; I really did feel blessed to be able to experience this most precious of places. It is said that less people have arrived at the South Pole on skis than have stood on the summit of Everest.

of two Germans and two Norwegians under the expert guidance of their guide Christophe. Now this was definitely not a race, there was definitely not going to be any competition between the two teams to get to the Pole, but our group’s guide was called Scott! Part of me really did not want to get to the Pole to find the Norwegians already there and, although I knew my training regime had not been as rigorous as maybe it should have been, I knew that mentally I would find whatever was needed, but of course this was not a race.

At 89 degrees after a four and a half hour flight we landed on the virgin snow, putting the planes ski undercarriage to full use. We stepped out into bluebird conditions and a balmy -30 degrees temperature with only a slight wind.

Our plans were to make eight nautical miles each day and push for a little more but not to overdo the distance as we were a mixed ability group. This mix of abilities became apparent on the second day when one of the team started to struggle so we immediately rallied round and spread their load between us.

For those interested, toilet arrangements are strictly controlled and all ‘waste’ has to be bagged up and hauled with you to be flown out when you leave. Whilst this is inconvenient, it does protect the pristine nature of this unspoiled wilderness.

It was after six days of good progress when I experienced a ‘minor’ problem. A combination of additional load and faster pace causing me to push myself a bit too hard and spend an extended period breathing more deeply than normal. This saw the onset of bronchospasm, not something I wish to experience again. Basically my lungs were saying ‘no’ to any more of the cold air and my upper airway had closed off to protect the rest of my lungs. Sometimes called cold air asthma, but I’m told it is called ‘doing a Cracknel’ after James Cracknel’s very public documented meltdown in the South Pole race with Ben Fogle a few years ago. That

evening, listening to the gurgling and wheezing as I tried to breath normally, was more than a little worrying but my biggest concern was that I would not be allowed to continue; however a brave face and some positive spin on how I was feeling, as well as an O2 sat that showed it was not pulmonary oedema, allayed any further concerns.

Whilst we had planned to complete the remaining line of sight distance of 16.8 nautical miles over two days, the weather was worsening and the wind was increasing; so the prospect of setting camp again was not a pleasant one especially as we knew that a hot meal would be waiting for us at the Pole. With this in mind we pushed on through the poor visibility and blowing snow. The approach to the South Pole is tricky as there are lots of ‘no go’ areas to protect scientifically sensitive areas. Therefore the approach is frustratingly convoluted especially with a 2km long VLF antenna array in the direct line of sight to the pole.

The last day finally ended after just over 12hrs of hauling and nearly 18 nautical miles of skiing.

BASI MEMBERS FEATURE

Although the altitude at 89 degrees is only 2800m, the effect of the thinner atmosphere at the Poles is to make it the equivalent of 4200m. This and the cold air immediately made itself apparent on your lungs when attempting to do anything in a rush.

To finally arrive was an amazing and emotional experience, to be greeted by a hot meal and champagne was incredible. It was not difficult to sleep that evening.

We were lucky enough to be invited to the South Pole station to see the work that they do there, an amazing structure in an amazing location.

The trip was tough and the environment was definitely unforgiving. Would I do it again? Definitely I would go tomorrow.

But what of the ‘Norwegian’ team?

They were not there when we arrived, they did not make the Pole until a full two days later, but then it was definitely not a race!

Trip Arranged through Jagged Globe, Logistics by Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions.

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MEMBERS FEATURE

Preparing for the Eurotest

Neil Maclean-Martin is leading ski physiotherapist in Chamonix and clinical director of the SkiFit programme. His experience results from over 15 years’ experience in the world of elite sport. Not only does he help professional and recreational skiers, guides and instructors in the Chamonix area, he works also with elite climbers, cyclists and runners in a coaching capacity by helping them with their training programmes. He is travelling physiotherapist with the GB judo team and also performance director for team DongFeng in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Getting fit and strong with a ski specific exercise programme can make the difference when preparing for your Eurotest. In this article Neil Maclean-Martin, leading ski physiotherapist in Chamonix and clinical director of the SkiFit programme, discusses how specific strength and fitness leads to improved performance, reduced risk of injury and more chance of passing your Eurotest.

The dreaded Eurotest stands as the main barrier for British Ski Instructors to prove their worth and meet the minimum standards required to become a Level IV instructor and benefit from the same rights to work as their French counterparts. In case you are new to the politics of ski instructing, only those who have passed the Eurotest, as part of their training, can progress to instruct in France. Yes this is specific to France, and to a certain extent, it is to protect the French ski instructors, however whatever your standpoint regarding what qualifies you to teach and be a good teacher, all the Instructors have passed this test. So in my opinion, the Brits aren’t being asked to do anything extra, simply meet the same standards.

The test is raced over a GS (Giant Slalom) course under FIS control. The qualifying time is a little complicated to work out, however it is set by ‘Openers’. These are skiers (normally recently retired world cup level skiers) who have all done their own testing and have a coefficient set for them each year that equalises their time to the equivalent of 0 FIS points, thereby setting a standard. At each test they ski before and after, with the two fastest times taken and averaged. To pass, the men must be within 18% of this time and women 24%.

How to pass the Eurotest. Obviously it is not possible just to rock up and give it a bash – this is serious skiing

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Neil Maclean – Martin

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

requiring not only well developed race technique in GS gates but also a significant level of strength and fitness for the race and also for the training it will require to develop the necessary skills.

All training for high performance sport gets separated into its component parts. We no longer just ski to get faster- this results in all systems getting trained equally rather than separating them out and working harder with better focus and return on the main elements of; aerobic endurance, strength, strength endurance and power.

Essentially for those not up on their sports physiology this is the process of building an engine which has a large fuel tank, is efficient, is big and able to rev up to maximum force quickly. Strength comprises the ability to generate and manage huge forces many times that of normal gravity in patterns of movement that we don’t routinely work. Good GS technique requires the skier to have the hips facing in a different direction to the upper body – they also have to tip and roll as well in order to keep the maximum pressure on the ski during the turn. This control of the pelvis, linking the lower body to the upper body therefore requires very high levels of core strength and control.

Planning of training is essential – once behind it is not possible to make up for a slow start without having one stage left incomplete. Training response is individual based on starting fitness levels, experience, age, gender etc. Common to all training programmes should be the result of a well-trained athlete who is robust and adapted well for the specific needs of the sport. The specific requirements for GS skiing are similar to a 400m runner with about a 50/50 split in fast/slow twitch fibres.

PHASE I SESSIONS Some long sessions of more than an hour (run, bike, row etc.) that allow you to keep a steady pace and a heart rate at around 70-75% of max. Then some stronger pushes for aerobic capacity of around 20mins and 85% of max and then finally some interval work that takes you into the lactate zones 87-90% of max for short repeated exposures to that intensity.

Aerobic base - Continuous

Greater than 1 hour

70-75% of Heart Rate Max

Aerobic capacity – Intervals

3x20mins with 2mins rest

85-87% of Heart Rate Max

Threshold - Intervals

4-6x4-8mins with 6-12mins rest

87-89% of Heart Rate Max

PHASE II Strength; this takes you through from starting to build control to building the characteristic big quads and glutes that are the engine of the downhill skier.

MEMBERS FEATURE

PHASE I General cardiovascular fitness; this comprises the aerobic or fat-burning base that allows for a constant background energy supply, a high threshold for carbohydrate burning, a good tolerance for the lactic acid produced and the ability to push repeatedly into these high intensity training zones. Overall high VO2 max is less important than the ability to work at high percentages of your VO2 max (since even with specific training it won’t change as efficiently as the thresholds).

Start with basic movement patterns of body weight exercises, that prepare the soft tissues for adaptation – tendons take longer than muscle to adapt to new loads, so if you want to avoid some of the potential injuries that keep you off your training it’s good to work steadily through this phase of four to six weeks.

PHASE II SESSIONS x3-4 per week Core mixed workout using straight planks, side planks, rotational work, on front, back, side, CLANKS etc. A mix of Pilates and Ashtanga yoga can give you a great variation to the standard exercises. Body weight squats, lunges progressing to single leg work will bring on the strength and control. Lastly come to the weights.

Core

15-20mins

X3-4 per week

Body weight exercises

3x15-20reps

X3-4 per week

Weights

5x5 reps with weights at 80-90% of X3 per week one repetition maximum

PHASE III – POWER Continuation of the above training with reduced weight and greater speed; this can incorporate plyometrics (hopping and bounding / explosive movements) to help peak for the race to get the best result of strength and speed for racing.

Phase III – SESSIONS Legs

Explosive squats 4x6 at 75% of max X2 per week

Core

Medicine ball work out throw / catch X2 per week

Dynamic control

Single leg hops with jumps and X2 per week rotations In conclusion, taking the Eurotest is a big undertaking; the body must be sufficiently prepared to allow you to ski with sufficient technique that you can go fast enough and do many hundreds of runs without the body breaking down.

Plenty of time should be scheduled so as not to rush any of the stages. The above sessions are a guide to illustrate the process and do not represent a full training programme. An ‘off the shelf’ training programme that we recommend is our very own SkiFit programme which addresses all the phases mentioned above and provides good groundwork for your training. For personalised programmes, a strength and conditioning coach should be consulted as they will help establish your base fitness and also your strengths and weakness which need to be addressed as part of the programme.

Without doubt, proper physical conditioning improves your chances of passing the Eurotest – improper preparation leaves you wide open to injury and not meeting your goals.

BASI members can access the SkiFit programme at a discounted Member rate of 50% via this link: https://www.basi.org.uk/content/skifit.aspx

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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MEMBERS DIARY DATES 2015

Member Events for You....

Diary Dates 2015 Hotel Hohenhaus, Hintertux EGM Hintertux, Austria,

The Snow Centre, BASI Members’ Event Hemel Hempstead

ad The Snow Factor, Braehe BASI Members’ Event ad The Snow Factor, Braehe

a me co be to w Ho y Snowsports Instructor Da University of Chichester ow National Sports Roadsh SnoZone Castleford BASI Members’ Event SnoZone Castelford How to become a y Snowsports Instructor Da r Chill Factore, Mancheste BASI Members’ Event r Chill Factore, Mancheste How to become a y Snowsports Instructor Da BASI Head Office

Grantown-On-Spey Board Meeting and Open Forum Ushuaia, Argentina Interski Congress Tamworth SnowDome r Second Discipline Taste Day (Adaptive) Tamworth SnowDome BASI Members’ Event Earls Court London Ski and Snowboard Show

25th April 2015 23rd May 2015 20th June 2015 21st June 2015 23rd June 2015 11th July 2015 12th July 2015 1st August 2015 2nd August 2015 22nd August 2015 5-12th September 2015 12th September 2015 13th September 2015 5-8th of November 2015

SkiA SkiTrainer

EUROTEST, TEST TECHNIQUE, INSTRUCTOR TRAINING SUMMER, WINTER & AUTUMN

Trainers include...

P lus... other current & former trainers

Supported by:

Emma Carrick-Anderson : 4 time Olympic Skier & current BASI Trainer Lee Townend : current ISIA BASI Trainer Mike Barker : former National Team Trainer

For further details Visit: www.snoworks.co.uk/pro.asp Tel: 0844 543 0503

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BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

Emily Sarsfield, Ed Drake

Tignes

skia.com

BASI Members 45% discount code: basi45

Becci Malthouse.

Life is full of challenges and the road to becoming a BASI trainer was certainly one of the most demanding. Working through the BASI system in itself is a long process that involves training, gaining teaching experience and exams at each level. In fact, it was so long ago that I qualified as a fully-fledged Level 4 ISTD that the qualification was then known as Grade 1.

Since becoming a trainer I have had the privilege of working with many groups in both snowboard and alpine disciplines, at all levels, and felt the joy of success and the emotion of failure when the results come around on Friday.

But, and there is a ‘but’; being a trainer for BASI is a job and not a qualification. There are new Level 4 teachers qualifying each year who would love to do this job so there will always be an evolution of new trainers joining the crew and other trainers leaving the team.

Each trainer receives an annual review, which, provides feedback from the course debriefs, peer reviews with additions from the BASI office and training department. This review process has developed hugely in the last few years, becoming a valuable tool for continual professional development. If we fall below acceptable levels we risk being removed from the trainer list.

We all strive to develop our knowledge and skill to continually improve our delivery of the BASI product. In our own ski school, we have an incentive to ‘learn something new’ each year to give us the perspective of a learner and to encourage ‘new thinking’ that we can apply to our teaching.

However, we are all aware, training and developing is very different from

being assessed. Training encourages us to ‘trial by error’ in a pressure free environment where we can learn by our mistakes. Assessment is ‘prove what you can do’, ‘show us that you are good enough’.

The BASI training department decided it was time to live by our own values and reintroduce a quality assurance assessment, to be attended by all trainers, which has not been part of our processes for quite a few years.

So, what is involved?

One day of training followed by a one day assessment. That’s right, one day.

It’s pull it out of the bag time, baby.

My approach was get ready and prepare. I attended the Interski selection weekend in December 2014 in Zermatt with the aim of getting out on the hill with good skiers and raising my game. I hadn’t really thought about it but we had results day on the second afternoon, which is the same as every BASI course. Sit in the café and go to the trainer/selector for the result, one by one. This was easy, my goals had already been reached by having a fantastic weekend of skiing with fabulous people so, no nerves. This was only thrown out of kilter by being selected for the team: one more reason to keep my skiing up to scratch.

During the season I spent time training bumps as this is the weakest area of my skiing. I felt it needed the most attention to make sure I felt solid for the assessment. Teaching all season is not an excuse for not skiing well enough.

Next stop, Hintertux in May 2014. I arrived a day early to ski on the terrain, see what the bumps were like and check out the conditions and consider whether I should spend more time sharpening my edges?

Photo Hugh Monney BASS

The assessors were out on the hill, checking out the assessment criteria for each level and calibrating and preparing for the weekend.

MEMBERS FEATURE

BASI Trainer Quality Assurance

Saturday 10 May This was supposed to be our training day but bad weather forecasts forced the assessment to be shifted to the first day in case we couldn’t get onto the hill on Sunday. Here’s how it goes; 3 runs of longs, 3 runs of bumps, 3 runs of shorts, central theme, 3 runs of variable. The pistes had turned solid overnight, the bumps were no softer and the variable pitch felt like frozen elephant snot. No demos, no feedback, just get on with it.

Off snow, back to the café and queue up to get your results. Now the nerves set in. If I get a no, I lose my job, simple as that. Take my action plan and set to work to get ready to be reassessed.

Relief, I passed. Ok for another 3 years before another QA assessment. Phew!

Sunday 11 May This was our training day. We are split into groups depending on our training focus and set off to work. Simple, clear feedback helped each of us clarify and start working on our action plans.

A few things struck me during the process.

Firstly, what a talented, supportive group of people I work with at BASI. Secondly, if you want to pass a course, do the work and prepare.

Lastly, if your only focus is on passing a course, you put yourself under enormous pressure. Be honest about what will give you a successful outcome. If you are open to learning, every course you attend will give you something positive to take away.

Slide, enjoy, learn - enjoy, aspire, enjoy.

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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BASI MEMBERS FEATURE

BASI Qualifications Open Doors –

Ski Buddy with ‘Skiing with Heroes’ n

Mark Withingto

Founded by Gilly Norton, SwH is chaired by Lord Glentoran, Olympic Gold Medalist in the two-man bobsleigh, former Grenadier Guard, front bench spokesman, former Conservative Party Shadow Minister of the Olympics, and Chairman of the Paralympic World Cup. The charity has an expanding active committee and draws on a network of supporting people and companies to deliver its annual events and rehabilitation programmes.

SwH Mark with his Heroes

Mark Withington has an employer who encourages community giving and Mark chose to undertake his BASI Adaptive qualification. He has now secured a place as a Ski Buddy on SwH 2015 trip and here he writes about his journey to achieve this. Mark has also promised to give us an update on the whole trip in the next edition of BASI News.

I have received the privilege of being selected as 1 of 20 Ski Buddies to assist ‘Skiing with Heroes’ in Klosters during March 2015. ‘Skiing with Heroes’ (SwH) is a UK charity that support medically discharged campaign soldiers from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Their aim is to achieve rehabilitation, back to employment, through a unique ski based process of mental and physical re-building, combined with a follow up business mentoring scheme.

I noticed SwH advertising on Facebook for volunteer Ski Buddies to assist wounded war veterans on and off the mountains during a 1 week trip to Klosters. After shamefully realizing this wasn’t my opportunity to ski with my heroes (lucky escape for Klammer, Bode et al) and having a hernia at the fundraising target (long since achieved), perspective prevailed and I challenged myself to apply just as these guys face daily challenges in and after active service. SwH is annually inundated with applications for Ski Buddies, but crucially, my BASI Adaptive and Alpine qualifications sealed my selection as this was a first priority for the charity.

Being office based, my Level 1 courses were initially to interrupt office boredom and no more. However, I experienced some incredibly talented and confidence inspiring trainers in the guise of Andy Jerram, Rachel Davies and Tim Carter. Their “can do” attitudes fueled my motivation to utilise my employers’ positive approach to community volunteering. This resulted in taking a group of special needs children from Regency High School, Worcester, to Tamworth every month, along with fellow course attendees Mike Eglesfield -and Paul Williams.

There I had the pleasure of working with some amazing children who don’t let their disabilities deter them from new challenges. This experience, facilitated by my BASI involvement, further enhanced my application and helped

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counteract being a Tax advisor from the West Midlands!

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

Paralympic sport is a proven, potent medium for confidence building, and skiing levels the odds between the ‘able’ and ‘disabled’ as few sports can. Using two principal events per year, The Ski Week each March and the Business Challenge in January, together with various one-off fund-raisers, SwH are rapidly expanding their ongoing help platforms. In doing so, SwH aim to provide lasting solutions for increasing numbers of Veterans who face life changing disabilities. The charity held its first Ski Week event in Klosters in 2013, during which 18 Veterans were taken to Klosters for seven days for a process fondly called ‘skihabilitation’ – whereby wounded Veterans regain their confidence and start on a path to fitness, sustained wellbeing and then, if desired, employment. Some veterans hadn’t ventured outside since being discharged and others struggle with simple social situations.

Such was the success of the inaugural Ski Week that a second was held in 2014 and the third will take place in March 2015, firmly setting the schedule for the Ski Week as an annual event. By March 2015 SwH will have supported up to 55 veterans.

Injured Veterans have used the SwH programme to help transform their lives. Some have gone on to represent Team GB in the Paralympics and The Invictus Games. The impact of disabilities such as amputation, paralysis, blindness and post-traumatic stress disorder are being softened using skiing as a catalyst to rehabilitation back to employment and life in general.

Please check out their website for inspirational stories of some of the rehabilitated Veterans and contact details, or drop me an email for further information if you would like to assist SwH. I’ve decided to cover my own costs for the trip to ensure SwH benefit from every penny and I am keen to maximise awareness for the charity.

My JustGiving page contains further details and links and achieved top 5% status for donations in 2014 – it would be great to continue this for 2015 at https://www.justgiving.com/MarkWithington or text MWSH99 £2, £5 or £10 to 70070. If all Members donated £1 this would help wounded war Veterans immensely.

Mark Withington

A Complete Guide to Alpine Ski Touring, Ski Mountaineering and Nordic Ski Touring

by Keith Jenns and Henry Branigan BASI Nordic Trainer Keith Jenns is the co-author of a newly published book ‘A Complete Guide to Alpine Ski Touring, Ski Mountaineering and Nordic Ski Touring’.

BASI Member and former CEO, Bob Kinnaird writes in the foreword: There is something extraordinarily special about sliding on snow that has excited generations of snowsports enthusiasts. Add to this the dimension of travelling through the mountains and the result is a recipe for some of the best outdoor activity days you could ever imagine. I have been fortunate to share some of these adventures with Henry Branigan: skiing off the summit of Mount Blanc at dawn or, equally enjoyable, skiing under the Northern Lights from hut to hut in Norway: still my all-time favourite way of travelling through the mountains.

Anyone who has experienced journeying on skis over a period of time will have enjoyed similar special moments, but they will also have developed a deep respect for the unpredictability and power of mountains, intensified even more when covered in a blanket of snow. Crucially they will have developed the knowledge, skills and ability to enjoy, survive and make the right decisions. Henry Branigan and Keith Jenns have a wealth of experience in the mountains that they have drawn on to write this excellent book.

‘A Complete Guide to Alpine Ski Touring, ski Mountain-

TEKO keeps the riders on the Freeride World Tour on top of their game so they can concentrate on their performance www.freerideworldtour.com

Available to purchase online from Wordery £12.66 inc P&P https://wordery.com/a-complete-guide-to-alpine-ski-touring -ski-mountaineering-and-nordic-ski-touring-henry-branigan9781491888087?currency=GBP&gtrck=U2RXekpqK2ZzeE 16Rkx0Wm5SRTBFamxkQklYMitwL1Bqd2lSL21yL2cwS0V 1OFhicldzSjhwcitMVExjejZlY1F3MHl5RWpsdEtjSU9WSFlB Y1JNVGc9PQ&gclid=CMe7tanWw8ICFQjLtAodDAwABg

BASI MEMBERS FEATURE

Summer Reading

eering and Nordic Ski Touring’ sets out to provide the fundamentals about going off piste and then journeying through mountain terrain, in a logical, easy to read format.

Adapting ski technique for various off piste conditions is an essential skill that makes all the difference between surviving and savouring adventures off piste. The book also covers the fundamental mountaineering knowledge including navigation, weather and avalanches that are essential before venturing beyond the confines of a ski area. Equipment and planning a tour are covered, whether it is in an Alpine or Nordic environment. All in all this is a very comprehensive and valuable resource for anyone aspiring to venture into the mountains on skis.

TESTED AND USED

BY THE BEST Official Brand Partners of the Freeride World Tour

The guides working for The Skiers Lodge based in La Grave, France wear TEKO every day www.skierslodge.com Photo © Dan Milner 2013

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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BASI FEATURE

Eurotest Calibrations, Sestriere (ITA) 12-14 January 2015

by Susie Berry

(BASI Eurotest Representative) The 2015 calibrations were held in Sestriere, Italy in the middle of January 2015.

Attending the calibrations were the BASI team of openers: James Bennett, Jas Bruce, Ed Drake (first time this year), Craig Robinson and Aaron Tipping. Alain Baxter was unable to attend owing to other work commitments. Only 43 openers in total were present which was considerably fewer than previous years. As well as the GB representatives, there were Italians, French, two Austrians, together with two Germans and two Slovenians.

In common with everywhere else in Europe conditions were challenging and there was very little snow in Sestriere. Training day, scheduled for the Tuesday, did not take place owing to 80 kph winds but calibration day went ahead as planned on the Wednesday.

The six designated reference skiers were Matteo Magnani (ITA), Aaron Tipping (GBR), Hannes Naberger (GER), Yannick Turrel (FRA), Cret (FRA) and Enrico Barotti (ITA).

When the final calculations were made, the Jury (one person from each of the five nations present) scrutinised the results and agreed, that in order to maintain the standard of the Eurotests, an adjustment had to be made. The reason for the adjustment was because the course was shorter than it should have been, and also rather steeper than usual, resulting in most of the established openers achieving a poorer coefficient figure than in 2014. This would have resulted in the pass time for candidates being harder to achieve.

It was unanimously agreed to add 0.01 to all the calculated coefficients.

It was further agreed that the three openers, who has skied far below their expected standard, and an Italian who was injured in the first run, would not be awarded a coefficient in the January calibrations but could requalify as openers after they had been recalibrated at a Eurotest, attended by another country’s representatives as well as their own. The same re-

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Eurotest Calibrations BASI Openers LtoR: Ed Drake, Craig Robinson, Aaron Tipping, James Bennett, Jas Bruce

qualification criteria was also applied to Alain Baxter.

The 2015 coefficients for the BASI team of openers are as follows:

Whilst this may appear to be a convoluted solution to the January calibrations, I was quite satisfied that the decisions were correct in the light of the prevailing conditions and in the interest of maintaining the pass times for Eurotests at their present level.

James Bennett 0.8999 Jas Bruce 0.9025 Ed Drake 0.9209 Craig Robinson 0.9090 Wishing all BASI Members the very best with their Eurotest this coming season.

Ed Drake talks about his first calibration in this video link: http://blog.basi.org.uk/2015/01/eurotest-calibrations-sestriereita-12-14th-january-2015/

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BASI FEATURE

Report from ISIA Meeting, 19 January 2015 Dave Renouf and Debbie Khadi The ISIA workshop was hosted

by APUL, the Czech Republic’s snowsports training organisation.

The workshop took place in the winter resort of Pec pod Snezkou which is about 2½ hours north east of Prague near the Polish border.

There were 35 participants from 18 nations. Attendees from BASI were Debbie Khadi and Dave Renouf.

The subject areas of the workshop were; Promotion in snowsports EU Update Work completed on the ISIA database Update on preparations for the Interski International event in Argentina Adaptive teaching in Folgaria, Italy Our hosts from the Czech Republic gave the first presentation; Libor Knot (of APUL) talked about the snowsports industry and showed statistics of how important ski tourism, in particular, is to their country. There are over 36,000 people employed in the industry, an important element of the tourist market, which itself represents at least 5% of the Czech Republic’s GDP out of a population of 10 million.

Please see the link below for the full presentation. http://prezi.com/sqxc3u5eweac/ ?utm_campaign=share&utm_ medium=copy&rc=ex0share Like BASI, APUL are developing their CRM systems to reflect the needs relating to the public accessing instructors and, in turn, instructors accessing training and qualification courses.

The Dutch representation, Ruud van Dangen and Frank Luiten also

gave a presentation on “How to get more clients and keep them”. This revolved around the use of an online bookings system for booking ski school lessons that led to an increase of 34% in revenue. The system showed a greater profit margin for ski schools because of the reduction in administration due to a userfriendly system for customers to gain satisfying interaction through their online system. This, in turn, means that there is more attention on the face-to-face time with the clients.

They showed how the day-to-day administration enabled immediate interaction with the instructors’ daily programmes and also how the instructors could create goal-setting plans for their individual clients.

Dr Gaster, from the EU commission, also gave a presentation on the possibilities open to EU nations concerning the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications (MRPQ) Directive and the process for the current pilot Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to become a Delegated Act and thus be in EU law. The ISIA was keen that whatever the outcome they wish for the best option for snowsports instructors The ISIA Vice President of Europe, Vittorio Caffi, presented updates on the work being done on the ISIA database. This will ultimately be a tool for each nation to register their ISIA members. The concept is to provide this as a resource for potential employers to see who is currently active as well as a means of statistical analysis of overall numbers of ISIA registered instructors in different parts of the world. Administrators from ISIA member countries are now able to populate the database remotely. BASI already does so on behalf of Members.

Justo Oliveiri from Argentina gave a presentation on the progress made with the building of slopes and buildings to host the Interski event.

Erich Melmer, Interski President, expressed his positive satisfaction of the works going to plan to create a very successful event in September 2015 in Ushuaia.

Lastly San Marino’s representative Marco Albuge shared with us their successes in teaching people with varying degrees of disability in the Italian resort of Folgaria in the Trentino region of Italy. It was inspiring to see how more national systems are valuing this section of the population and working to ensure their inclusion in snowsports.

He cited that there are over 60 million people with disabilities in Europe which means that there’s an increasing need for specialised instructors with this inclusive and empathetic approach. This extends to improved accessibility in terms of transport, hotels and other resort logistics which is great to see.

Marco then went on to describe their system of qualifications.

The Hungarian representative expressed her agreement that this work is important and that they also have a system for addressing this market.

The following day the hosts organised an ISIA Test where 29 skiers from five nations took part and a quick analysis of the results shows around 19 passes.

The resort is a very pleasant one with much old charm interspersed with one or two modern hotels.

Many thanks to our Czech hosts for organising a very successful ISIA workshop with such warmth of welcome and amazing value.

Exclusive UK and Ireland distributor:

Anatom Ltd sales@anatom.co.uk www.anatom.co.uk

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BASI FEATURE BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

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BASI FEATURE

BASI at SLIDE & ISPO

Nick McKelvey At the end of January BASI’s Nick McKelvey and Tania Alliod attended SLIDE trade show. SLIDE is a UK trade show aimed at action sports and streetwear retailers. This is where all the ‘must have’ snowsports brands showcase their 2016 range, along with a few upstart brands who are hoping to make a name for themselves in the action sports industry. Straight off the back of our trip to SLIDE, Nick made the journey to Munich to attend ISPO 2015.

ISPO is the leading international exhibition for the sports industry, and with 2,585 exhibitors, the show proved to be the perfect place to expand our Member offers.

The first reason for BASI attending was to catch up with all our current Pro Deal and Member discount suppliers; making sure everything is running smoothly and ensuring that we retain and improve these offers for the coming season. While we have a broad range of Alpine and Snowboard offers, one area in which we have traditionally struggled, is the smaller Nordic and Telemark disciplines. Through attending these shows, we hoped to expand into these areas, ensuring that all of our Members benefit from these deals.

All of our Pro Deal suppliers were more than happy to continue these offers so you will still be able to buy all of your favourite brands next 22

BASI NEWS ISSUE 117

season. We are especially pleased to announce the return of two former Pro Deals after a short period of absence from the BASI system.

Westbeach - This offer, now back up and running in the BASI Members’ area, offers a staggering 40% off RRP in selected products. We had a quick catch up with the Westbeach team at SLIDE and we are sure that you will love their new range for 2015/16. Keep an eye out for BASI’s exclusive look at the new Westbeach range throughout the summer.

Ride Snowboards – The Ride Pro Deal has taken a quick break this year while they re-locate to a much bigger factory. This means, when they do return, there will be even more on offer! Once again, keep a look out for our exclusive preview of next year’s range; a bit of inside gossip to keep you interested – looks like there is going to be something a little extra thrown into this offer, and we can’t wait!

As already mentioned, we took the opportunity to try and secure as many new suppliers as doable to give BASI members as much choice as possible, something you have been asking us to look into.

Zeal Optics has jumped on the Pro Deal bandwagon and is ready to launch for 1 March. Zeal is an optical eyewear company from

Boulder, Colorado. They use some of the most advanced technology available, meaning that whatever way the weather changes, you will never have to change your lenses again! Zeal also offers a model with an HD camera built in, so you never need to worry about forgetting your GoPro and missing out on catching that perfect line on film.

One of our other tasks at these shows was to evaluate and source potential products for our new BASI merchandise range. After conducting some research with the membership we had an idea of what kind of branded merchandise you would like; and after some successful discussions at both SLIDE & ISPO, we are making some exciting developments. More details will be released as the product lines move forward; be sure to keep an eye on the BASI shop over the coming months as you don’t want to miss out on some high quality BASI gear.

We have lots more agreements being put together as you read this.

If you are a Telemarker or a Nordic skier you should be on the edge of your seat as, in September, we plan to launch our first Nordic & Telemark specific Pro Deals, along with a range of other offers on equipment and outerwear.

BASI Member Pro Deals and Discounts 2015 In order to access the current discounts your Membership must be current for season 2015.

BASI relies on the goodwill and generosity of the providers in supplying these discounts to Members, so we ask that you do not abuse them. Discount suppliers do conduct random checks with BASI Membership & Marketing department to ensure that users are legitimate BASI Members. Membership checks may be carried out by suppliers prior to order confirmations.

Login to your Member’s area and click on ‘Member Pro Deal’ and ‘Member Discounts’ to access the offers.

PLEASE NOTE: Offers are provided in good faith by suppliers and they should not be abused by Members as this may jeopardise future offers. Abuse includes but is not limited to: purchases for non personal use or on behalf of friends and family and purchase with the intent of reselling. These actions are unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action.

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BASI MEMBERS FEATURE

Strength and Conditioning for Telemark

Round Table Contributors: Joe Beer (BASI Telemark Director), Chris Stewart, Jaz Taylor, Dave Murrie

Recently, we at BASI, asked for your ideas for a wish-list. One of the easiest to respond to was a request for ideas on Strength and Conditioning (S&C) for preparation and / or while Telemarking. So I thought rather than answer myself, I would ask a few people I know who are far more qualified than me to share their knowledge with you.

Any terminology can be Googled. So, in this first Round Table Discussion on S&C specific to Telemark, I invited Chris Stewart, Jaz Taylor and Dave Murrie to share they wisdom and experience.

First up is BASI L3 Telemark, BASI role model and aspirant Telemark trainer, Chris Stewart; “I competed for Great Britain in Telemark skiing, achieving the highest ever finish in a world cup race by a British male Telemark skier (15th) and I was three times British Telemark Champion. I have a degree in BSC Sports Coaching from Leeds Met, attaining MSc in Strength and Conditioning from St Mary’s University, Twickenham. So I offer some S&C insight from this perspective.Outside of skiing I have a great passion for many sports and fitness activities. I have been resistance training (training with weights) since I was 14 and I became fascinated how, through training, you can progressively make the body adapt, depending on the stress you put it through.

Over the years my hobby became my true passion and I began to pursue a professional route in strength and conditioning, from personal training and Chairman of Leeds Met (now Leeds Beckett) weightlifting club, to being the S&C coach at Championship Rugby league side Featherstone Rovers. Work experience at the English Institute of Sport, working with GB athletes from various sports all led to winding up here at my very own Strength and Conditioning facility.” www.leadingphysique.co.uk What are the major muscle groups to develop for Telemark?

Gluteus, Quads, Hamstrings and Calves. The exercises needed to develop these muscles will develop the “core” and trunk too. You want to aim to build the size of the muscle and the strength to truly aid performance and injury prevention.

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Strength or cardiovascular?

Make sure you are in the best condition before you leave to go away skiing. From my experience in all skiing disciplines, technique and skill is the overriding factor, so make sure you are doing the sport correctly. That being said, the most stand out feature for most recreational and competitive skiers I see time and time again is a lack of basic strength. Strength is the one physical quality that all others stem from - power, speed, strength endurance, starting strength, muscular endurance and many others.

All you have to do is look at any sport and observe the ‘best’ athletes within it; they are normally extremely ‘strong’. And strong, being compared to their peers and for their sport, not a world champion power lifter. Being stronger makes daily tasks easier, improves economy and efficiency of movement. This being said, cardio vascular training, aerobic and anaerobic should not be dismissed. The fastest way to increase aerobic capacity is interval training. Training for strength is very different to how most people train, therefore it takes time to become accustomed to the different elements such as: being used to handling heavy external loads, time under tension, the longer rest periods needed to truly train for strength. It is common for people to ‘feel ready’ but it’s far more complicated than that; you might feel ready for the next set, but the chemical reactions that take place with the body and muscles may need longer rest to restore.

Note; just being strong is not in itself enough – adding strength onto a high level of skill, finesse and adaptability will be better than just relying on strength (JB). Maybe another article!

What are the 3 or 4 most useful exercises?

Master the most basic and fundamental movements; to help build the physically robust body you need to perform your best this season on the slopes or back country: The four fundamental movements to master in the gym are squat, hinge, press and pull.

Squat - start with Goblet squats, progressing into Front squats and Back squats.

Hinge - movements such as Hip thrusts / Glute bridges, Romanian deadlifts, Good mornings, Kettlebell swings and deadlifts.

Go for low GI carbs; sweet potatoes, couscous to name a few. High GI carbs are for post exercise; rice, white potatoes.

In addition to these, unilateral movements should be done too like split squats, forward and reverse lunges, and walking lunges.

What no beer?? (JB) “Everything in moderation” I hear Chris’ grandma!

Pull - inverted row, pull ups, chin ups, bent over rows, single arm rows.

I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to really focus on the technique of each of these movements, all movements should have straight lines and nice angles, no rounded shapes or diverting limbs. Posture is paramount.

Develop an understanding of how your body moves, controlling all of these movements and mastering the skills needed to complete them.

Where are the Planks and other ‘core’ exercises? I hear you cry; that can wait for another day.

Best advice for warm up?

A nice brew and a warm shower!! I have always liked to warm up initially off the skis. Use the acronym RAMP: • Raise - the body’s core and external tissue temperature.

• Activate - the muscles to be used.

• Mobilise - the major working limbs.

• Potentiate - this just means get the muscles and nervous system firing ready to exert and deal with the high forces when skiing.

(What about powder days? We all know we plunge straight in on a POW morning!) - If you don’t have time, warm up with a gentle run, practicing all aspects of what you’re going to be doing at full tilt – increasing rate and range of all movements; Lead change, rotary, edging and pressure related. Beware of getting too warm and then sitting on a chairlift for five minutes in the cold (JB).

The ideal number of training sessions?

The optimal amount to train leading into the winter; 3 gym based sessions and 2 ski based sessions and 1 aerobic/anaerobic sessions. If that’s too many, try 2 gym, 1 ski, 1 aerobic/anaerobic.

Flexibility and mobility?

If proper attention is paid to the basic lifts and you work hard at them with good form, then flexibility and mobility will improve. Importantly though, we want stable joints, so don’t overkill and try to turn yourself into a teenage gymnast.

• Foam roll • Static stretch tight muscle groups before and after exercise • Dynamic movements before exercise Nutrition?

Like your grandma said, eat a broad and balanced diet.

Limit carbohydrates (carbs) intake on days with low activity levels.

BASI qualified Jaz (Jazmin) Taylor is 2014 British Champion, 2013 French Cup Champion and the first ever Briton to podium in the senior World Cup, finishing 2nd. Based on her World Cup ranking she is currently #1 for Great Britain and #7 in the world.

Jaz joined the British Ski Academy as an athlete aged 12, competing as an Alpine skier. After becoming the youngest British Ski Cross Champion ever, aged just 15, she made the England Freestyle Ski Team in 2009.

It was during this time Jaz started Telemark skiing, a discipline for which she showed potential on a far larger scale, competing in her first World Junior Telemark Championship in 2011. Jaz was invited to the World Junior Championships after the British Telemark Ski Team spotted her results in the French Cup Series following her frequent podium appearances. Jaz has been on the British Team ever since.

Based in Chamonix, France, Jaz is currently training for the World Cup season and the 2015 World Championships in Steamboat Springs, USA. Persistent and hardworking, Jaz’s exceptional talent for Telemark is matched only by her fierce determination and ambition to one day be World Champion. Follow Jaz here: www.jaztelemark.com Jaz’s insights on this S&C Round Table are: “I would agree with Chris’s answers completely and add in some balance and proprioception work to make the “strength” more functional; that way it’s more likely to transfer to Telemark and people should become more ‘connected’ to their postures and placement under foot.

I would also recommend doing: • play catch on a wobble board/swiss ball - try closing one eye and change hands to catch/throw • swiss ball balances: start sitting, then kneeling, then squatting - challenge the position as long as possible • walking backwards lunges with one eye closed, control every inch of your position - with the idea of becoming in tune with your body’s placement • wobble board single leg squats, once this is easy close both eyes Last, but not least, Dave Murrie, a man with loads of professional credits after his name and someone many Members may have met when attending the Common Theory Course at Glenmore Lodge in Scotland. Dave has coached internationally across a wide range of sports, been head of a number of sports science departments and specialises in Biomechanics. For more information on Dave see; tinyurl.com/davemurrie.

Dave offers his own wisdom and guidance on S&C:

Loads of veg from a range of sources.

For injury prevention (and under-pinning improved performance and longevity) - the `foundation` training I would propose is effective strength and stabilisation of the key joints of the knee and lumbar spine and effective mobility - mobilising as opposed to just stretching - of the pelvis and whole foot, not just ankle. There is a need for prehab before strength...

Fats - get them in you; nuts are a great easy way to get good fats ingested.

Note - the idea of aerobic training as a base is not a very good one.

You can increase carb intake on days when training or being active.

Good lean sources of protein.

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Press - horizontal bench press with barbell and dumbbells - multiple variations and vertical (overhead with dumbbell or barbell)

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If you have previous injury - are you still doing your rehab exercises? - because you should be!

For the strength work I fully support the hinge movements and would add step ups and lunges for independent leg action too.

I would add a caution, that while squats are fantastic - the majority of people are asymmetrical and many do not have the ankle range of motion (and `equally`) plus hip/pelvis biomechanical symmetry to do the most effective range of movement/resistance without potentially creating back issues. In simple terms, they cannot stack themselves well even with good coaching since their biomechanics are twisted.

Emphasis on the gluteus and hamstrings is important to protect the knee (hamstring strength not less than 70% of quad strength) for example.

I agree on the `core` comments but I have found as many athletes who weight train as those who do lots of core (plank etc.) whose lumbar area has muscular imbalance - and in particular have too little isometric endurance in the stabilisers of the posterior chain which leads to non-specific low back ache and pain.

This is another area for remedial work first.

Have the strength and neuro-muscle balance to support good posture throughout and the strength through the required range of movement to perform effectively.

There are many screening tests that people could take to identify a specific weakness or get an `MOT` type of checkup with a good sports physio for example.

On nutrition - on my website you will find a 2012 version of the Nutrition for Snowsports lecture given at the Common Theory by sports dietician and IOC accredited nutritionist Rebecca Dent that could help you.

I hope that helps in the interim, meanwhile my mantras are; aerobic conditioning, unless you’re skinning, generic flexibility (as opposed to targeted) and the ubiquitous core training are `oversold` in the `exercise and fitness` industry.

Many thanks to Chris, Jaz and Dave for giving this Round Table article some of their valuable time and I’m sure they’d be happy to share more if needed. If you have any further questions you can send them to me joe@basi.org.uk or telejoe@alpinelearningcurves.co.uk or to the BASI Telemark Facebook page.

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