Snow Sure Issue 1

ISSUE 1 | 2013-2014

TAKE ME HOME TODAY

SKI AND BOARD ALL YEAR ROUND Ski On Real Snow All Year Round At The Snow Centre In Hemel Hempstead

Ian Brown Managing Director

WELCOME W

elcome to the launch edition of our new magazine SnowSure!

I hope you find it interesting and informative. Whether you are a first time skier looking to learn before you go on holiday, or a regular participant looking to improve your technique I believe here at The Snow Centre we provide great products and services for everyone. Our philosophy is about teaching people to ski and snowboard and sharing our enthusiasm for Snowsports to ensure each and every person has an enjoyable experience. We are very proud of our reputation here for all the services we offer in this fantastic facility. Over the last 12 months we have significantly increased the number of schools and youth groups who visit here, and we continue to develop links in the local community as well as building relationships with partners in the snow sports industry. We cater for all ages and abilities; our oldest skier who visited us this year was 91!

In partnership with DSUK and Snowbility we have welcomed an increasing number of guests with additional needs.

As we go into our 5th winter since opening, we

continue to invest significantly in our centre and equipment to further enhance your enjoyment each time you visit. We also continue to develop new products such as the “Rusty Refresher” and our new junior snowboard academy – Ignite – to enhance the wide range of lift passes, lessons, freestyle, sledging, parties, and corporate products we currently offer. More details of all these can be found in this magazine.

In February we will all be watching the Winter Olympics from Sochi in Russia. I am proud to say we host the Team GB Paralympic Team here at the centre, as well as Ed Drake, a member of the GB Ski Cross Team. I wish them well in their various events.

Looking even further ahead we plan 5 days of celebration to mark our 5th birthday at the start of May. I hope you will join us over these days.

Finally I would just like to say thank you to our partners who have supported us since we opened and with this magazine, in particular, The Oeztal region in Austria – well worth a visit – B.A.S.I., and Snow & Rock, located on the ground floor here in the centre.

I do appreciate all the feedback we receive from you about how much you enjoy visiting us and also what we can do better. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly by email MD@thesnowcentre.com or on twitter@MDTheSnowCentre

InTheSnow

PUBLISHED BY InTheSnow Magazine admin@inthesnow.com EDITOR Patrick Thorne patrick@inthesnow.com DEPUTY EDITOR Ben Clatworthy ben@inthesnow

The Snow Centre HEAD OF MARKETING John Attwood media@thesnowcentre.com MARKETING EXECUTIVE Jenny Bletcher media@thesnowcentre.com © Copyright 2013 No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any way or by any means, either by recording or otherwise, without permission of the publishers in writing.

Printed in the United Kingdom

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ENJOY THE RIDE!

Welcome To The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead

W

elcome to The Snow Centre – home to the closest real snow to London and the UK’s newest indoor snow centre. You can hit the slopes here 363 days a year and conditions are always excellent!

Whether you’ve come to learn to ski or snowboard for the very first time, brush up your technique ahead of a ski holiday, keep your ski legs in shape or just have fun in the snow on a sledge, The Snow Centre has fast become the greatest skiing, snowboarding and sledging revelry this side of the Alps.

Through the pages of this magazine we’ll bring you a widespread picture of all things Snowsports inside and out of The

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Snow Centre, including many Kelly Holmes to our very own Snow Winter activities you may not know Centre ambassador and British about! We’ll also introduce some of Winter Olympian Ed Drake. So the key members of our 300 strong team, take a look behind the scenes, provide some insider tips on making the most of our many facilities and let 4 Years Old Opened May 2009 you know what’s new out on the 250 Schools Visit Each Year slopes.

95K+ Hot chocolates served Since the centre 70 Our Oldest Ski Instructor re-opened 4 18 Our Youngest Ski Instructor years ago with 230K Ski Lessons Taught fresh snow on the impressive indoor slopes, over a million people have enjoyed the fantastic you are following in some very facilities, including everyone from illustrious ski tracks! the Beckhams and family or Dame But everyone is welcome here, be

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it the hundreds of schools who visit each year, or the participants in our Snow Stars programme, our party goers, our corporate guests or our Olympian in training! In short, anyone who loves snow will love The Snow Centre!

What’s New: Ignite Snowboard Academy The coverage snowboarding received at the last Winter Olympics fuelled the already fastgrowing Snowsport and now one thing’s for sure: it’s a trend that’s here to stay!

In line with this growing phenomena, The Snow Centre launched Ignite Snowboard Academy, snowboard coaching for snow-loving youngsters ages 7–16. Creating talent to match that of our Junior Ski Academy,

Ignite aims to open doors for many juniors, progressing members technically and socially within all aspects of snowboarding. Preparing many for competitions and to other exciting events, weekly Ignite sessions are about more than just hitting the slopes on a board.

Rusty Refresher If you’re looking to find your ski legs again, but it’s been a little while, then this one’s for you!

Our Rusty Refresher sessions are the ideal way to get back into skiing. If you’re wondering whether you’re ready for the mountain or don’t know which level lesson to book our Instructorguided practice sessions will give you all the help you need to move forward on your skis. thesnowcentre.com

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Learn L

earning to ski on our indoor snow makes sense in so many ways: If you’ve never skied or snowboarded before The Snow Centre is your chance to try the sport easily and affordably with friendly professional British instruction and with guaranteed good snow conditions. It’s a much better option than forking out thousands to travel abroad to try a sport for the first time in potentially difficult weather conditions that you don’t know if you’ll actually enjoy, although, let’s be honest, the odds are very high that you will!

So it’s no surprise that in the last 12 months The Snow Centre has provided group lessons for around 35,000 people, with more than 10,000 people opting for a Private Lesson.

Besides all these positives there are many more reasons why many choose to learn with us!

For starters, with The Snow Centre Snow Sports School you are truly in the hands of dedicated and motivated teachers.

Our philosophy is that we teach PEOPLE Snowsports rather than SNOWSPORTS to people.

We aim to be the best at what we do and infect our guests with our passion for Snowsports. We

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are at the forefront of jargonless teaching and follow the basic principles of building fundamental Snowsport skills in a fun and safe environment – all delivered on the largest Lesson Slope in the UK or our 160m Main Slope.

Our instructors are all qualified with a national professional training body, with the majority qualified through BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors). As a team we train regularly and review our products to match our guests’ requirements, catering for a variety of different learning needs.

It’s not just about learning technique either.

Learning to ski at The Snow Centre means you can get used to all the equipment – the boots, the boards, skis, helmets, and even lift passes – which you’ll need if you hit the slopes at any regular ski area in the world, but here it’s all included in the price and all there to try out in a friendly, unpressured environment.

“Taking a few lessons on real snow before your skiing holiday is the best possible way to boost your confidence and give you the skills to ensure you’ll enjoy the mountains from day one,” says Pete Gillespie, Head of Snowsports at The Snow Centre. He went on to explain, “I have been around Snowsports all my life and have made my passion my profession. The real joy now comes in seeing

To Ski people learn and develop a Snowsport on real snow in this unique urban environment, something that 25 years ago would have been science fiction! The icing on the cake has to be the team I work with, who are all dedicated and passionate teachers looking to share their love of Snowsports with as many people as possible.” A qualified instructor will help ensure you can turn and stop with confidence in an environment that it is wholly safe and controlled. This better preparation will mean you’ll spend less time on the nursery slopes and more time enjoying the mountains.

We Introduce and Teach Many Children to Ski and Snowboard At The Snow Centre we have introduced literally thousands of children to Snowsports too, who are now very accomplished performers. But it is important to have realistic expectations when bringing children in to Snowsports for the first time. Each step must be introduced in a fun and enjoyable way and we take pride in understanding the required approach to each child’s learning – which is so different from adults.

We know one size doesn’t fit all, so when we set about giving juniors great Snowsports skills for life we

adjust our teaching styles, approach and timescales to suit every individual. Which explains why we have a tailor made junior level system, with more developmental steps than our adult programme.

Comparably our Adult Lessons are available as 1 and a Half Hour Lessons to full day courses, while we offer juniors 1 Hour Lessons up to the age of 11 and 1 and a Half Hour Lessons for ages 11 –16.

We also take into account important influences that can affect the enjoyment or learning process, such as height, weight and other variables. For example, children heat up and cool down very quickly and can get uncomfortable at a different rate to adults. Taking the time to make sure children are suitably clothed or prompting fun warm up exercise often proves a simple solution.

Understanding our guests is all part of what we do!

Alternatively, if you’ve ever thought of becoming an instructor we host a variety of BASI and IASI Level 1 Instructor Courses at fixed dates throughout the year too.

We even have special group packages for school children and corporate groups.

Find out more…

Call us on 0845 258 9000 or visit www.thesnowcentre.com for bookings and more information.

Just some of what we offer: We offer a range of Group and Private Lessons 7 days a week. These range from 1 Hour Junior Group Lessons to Adult Ski or Snowboard Day Courses. Not forgetting our 2 Hour Après Lessons, which are followed with a free drink in the bar, or why not try one of our Private Lessons, including our popular Family Lessons.

Pete Gillespie, Head of Snow sp

orts Sc hool

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What’s New In The Alps

Patrick Thorne, Editor of InTheSnow Magazine, Investigates The Latest Happenings On The Slopes

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lthough the easiest and closest place to ski may always be The Snow Centre, thanks to glacier ski areas like Sölden, which usually open for the ski season in September, you can travel to the Alps at almost any time of

the year to ski.

With the Sochi Winter Olympics coming up, the 2013–14 ski season is shaping up to be a good one, and there are lots of exciting plans from some of the top resorts to look out for too.

Austria: New Cable Car Has Open Air Balcony New cable car cabins installed on the existing ropeway to the Dachstein glacier near Schladming in Austria have the novelty of an upstairs “balcony” where up to ten passengers can get a fresh air view of the massive Dachstein massif as the

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lift climbs 1000 vertical metres to 2700m in 5.5 minutes, rising up to 210m above the south face of the mountain and requiring no support towers.

The new panorama lift will officially open in July but is already operating and access to the balcony section is on a first come, first served basis with special access at the lift stations at no additional cost.

Austria: New Extreme Black Run A rare new black run will also open in Austria next winter, an event so unusual that the new trail has already been given an intimidating name – the Black Mamba.

‘Extreme piste’ number 14 on the Kitzsteinhorn above Kaprun will plunge 290 vertical metres during its 1km length, at gradients of up to 63%.

There is some debate as to which is Austria’s steepest groomed piste but Mayrhofen claims it is their 1.1km long Harakiri slope, which has a gradient of 78%.

Switzerland: Old Friends United Along with the news from Austria that the Arlberg ski area will increase to 340km with a lift connection from Lech to neighbouring Warth and Schröcken, two long-standing neighbours, Arosa and Lenzerheide, are finally to be physically connected by a giant 150-person cable car running between the Hornli and Urdenfirggli mountains and by two high-speed six-seater chairlifts. Altogether there’ll be 225km of runs shared between them.

France: Dancing On High

You can ski the area before everyone else by buying a ‘Private Mountain’ package at the luxurious Tschuggen Grand Hotel in Arosa on Friday 29 November when the Arosa mountain area will be opened especially for the Tschuggen with two or three night half board packages with lift pass (but not travel there and back) from £485.

In Other News…

Ski Jacket To Become Holy Relic The news that Pope John Paul II is to be made a saint, having had several miracles attributed to him, has implications for those who own the former pontiff’s personal property, including a US high school where Pope John Paul II’s ski jacket is on display.

The ski jacket will now become a holy relic (second class) in the eyes of the church. A second class relic is normally something a saint owned in their lifetime; a first class relic is normally part of the physical body of the saint.

Alpe d’Huez has announced that a new main attraction for winter 2013–14 is the Folie Douce village – under construction at 2300m – the fourth after Val d’Isère, Val Thorens and Méribel.

Along with a choice of restaurants and shops, the Folie Douce daily cabaret show – on a specially built stage – will be a “high class, imaginative dance spectacular, bringing the dining show concept bang up to date, and taking it high up on the mountain,” the resort promises.

The La Folie Douce team incorporates a clubbing crew with resident DJ, a couple of singers and a mini horn section (sax/trumpet).

There’s an outdoor bar and huge outdoor dance floor where the musical content evolves throughout the day, with lounge style during restaurant hours, transitioning through the cabaret show to a full-on dance party.

Norway: Crystal Add Norway To Ski Programme Crystal Ski, the UK’s largest ski holiday tour operator, have launched their main 2013–14 brochure with winter sports holidays to three continents, 13 countries and 132 ski resorts.

Norway is a new addition to the brochure with three resorts to choose from: Geilo, a traditional “chocolate-box” village at the heart of Norway’s Winterland region with ski areas on both sides of the valley. It offers 40 pistes to suit mainly intermediate and beginner skiers, several snow parks and over 220km of cross-country tracks. Hemseda – renowned as the largest ski area in Norway – offers a huge diversity of terrain, some convenient slope-side lodging and good children’s nursery slopes. Finally, the small resort of Beitostølen located in the Jotunheimen National Park offers a well-planned and efficient lift network, a high quality English-speaking ski school and gentle, confidence-building slopes for families, beginners and low intermediates.

World’s Most Expensive Ski Chalet Hits €45K Per Day

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he most expensive ski chalet rental for 2013–14 was believed to be the €450,000 being asked for a ten night stay at the start of January over the crucial Russian New Year holiday period at Chalet Edelweiss in Courchevel 1850.

That was the price according to The Luxury Chalet Collection (www.luxurychaletcollection. com) which has just released its annual selection of the world’s 20 finest chalets, but if you wanted to make a reservation you’re too late as that

period has already been booked.

The chalet sleeps 16 and has a comparable number of staff, including two chefs, two butlers, a chauffeur, concierge, several housekeepers, a massage therapist and a ski instructor. During low season you can access all this and its extensive luxury facilities for 80% less, €80,000, and weeks are still available during this unfashionably quiet time even though the peak period has gone. It was available at that lowest rate for the end-of-season week from 20 April 2014 as SnowSure went to press.

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IS YOUR CHILD A...

SKI STAR? E

very parent wants to nurture and encourage their children’s talent – but when you live in the UK it can be difficult if they show an aptitude for skiing or other Snowsports!

Lessons at The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead, North London take your child from complete beginner through to level six – increasing confidence on the snow and ensuring they’re mountain ready before your holiday.

Controlled skiing, the ability to stop (always important!) and competent use of the slope will add hugely to their enjoyment and allows mums and dads to relax and enjoy themselves too.

WHY CHOOSE THE SNOW CENTRE? The Snow Centre has the UK’s largest indoor real snow nursery slopes as well as its 160m Main Slope.

Expect first class instruction with well qualified instructors – The Snow Centre is a BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors) Centre of Excellence and they boast the most qualified

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instructors this side of the Alps.

For more information about performance coaching in Snow Stars, lessons for all abilities and ages (including adults) as well as school holiday courses click on thesnowcentre.com (then Lessons > Children’s Group Lessons) or call 0845 258 9000.

But what if they want to progress to the next stage?

The Snow Centre’s Snow Stars Ski Coaching is for children aged 4–12 who are looking to significantly improve their performance and technique.

Regular sessions and a club ethos with sweatshirts, record books and the same instructor every week really help develop their skills on the slopes.

“It’s a really fun environment that pushes the kids onto the next level,” says Snow Stars instructor Lesley Pinkerton, “We encourage them to improve their technical skills but also teach them tricks and build up their confidence on skis by getting them to ski backwards, over jumps or on one leg! The kids love it and Snow Stars has become a real social highlight of the week for them.”

“We have a different focus each week and because the kids are already competent on the snow it means we can give lots of one-to-one attention so they progress really quickly.”

Guest instructors include The Snow Centre’s own Freestyle and Performance skiers and even British Number One Ed Drake. Snow Stars at a recent session were delighted when they realised that their usual instructor had been replaced with a Winter Olympics contender!

Ed, who started skiing before he started school, works with kids on their technique and poses for photos afterwards.

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Ersoy TewFik Head Chef in The EDGE CaféBar

Greg Price Slope & Rentals Manager

It’s my job to make sure all our guests are well-fed and can enjoy a range of delicious dishes whilst appreciating the panoramic view of the slopes.

I work with my team to ensure visitors to the centre have access to all the necessary rental equipment they might need. We also set up the slope with lesson and race lanes, man the lifts and maintain slope safety.

Skier or Boarder: I’m learning to ski.

Favourite Resort: Sölden, Austria.

Time at The Snow Centre: 4 Years.

Favourite Food at The EDGE CaféBar: Chicken Caesar Wrap.

Top Tip: Don’t slave over dinner on Sunday’s have one of our Roasts instead!

Skier or Boarder: Skier / ski instructor.

Favourite Resort: Sölden and Whistler.

Time at The Snow Centre: 4 Years.

Favourite Food at The EDGE CaféBar: Cheesy beans on toast.

Top Tip: Buy a monthly pass, attend social ski lessons and practise in your free time.

Zoe Green Sales Manager My team are here to help all our guests, whether that’s over the telephone, at the front desk or via our live web chat. We can help you make the most of your visit!

Skier or Boarder: Both but I think I’ll always be a skier at heart!

Favourite Resort: Banff & Lake Louise.

Time at The Snow Centre: 2 Years.

Favourite Food at The EDGE CaféBar: Tartiflette.

Top Tip: Pre-book your session, either online or over the phone with one of our friendly team!

MEET THE TEAM David Wilkinson Facilities Manager

Steve Cross Freestyle Manager

My team and I maintain The Snow Centre.

Known as the Technical Team we create the snow on the slopes, drive the piste basher and keep things running smoothly.

Responsible for delivering Thursday and Friday night Freestyle sessions and other events, I work on putting together new and exciting park plans so our guests can have fun styling tricks.

I work across departments as a team leader in rentals and out on the slope. I also teach skiing and snowboarding and I even drive the piste basher.

Skier or Boarder: I Instruct both, but I’m primarily a snowboarder.

Favourite Resort: Sunshine in Canada.

Time at The Snow Centre: Over 4 years.

Favourite Food at The EDGE CaféBar: I Love the Pizzas.

Top Tip: Arrive early on Thursday night; it’s often quiet at the start of the session.

Skier or Boarder: I teach both, I’m a snowboarder at heart though.

Favourite Resort: Jasper, Canada.

Time at The Snow Centre: 4 years.

Favourite Food at The EDGE CaféBar: Kid’s Chicken Crunchies.

Top Tip: Come down in the morning when the snow’s at its freshest.

Skier or Boarder: Skier.

Favourite Resort: Glenshee, Scotland.

Time at The Snow Centre: Over 4 years, since day 1 in fact! Before that I worked here when it was a dry ski slope.

Favourite Food at The EDGE CaféBar: Burger and Chips.

Top Tip: Enjoy yourself; that’s what it’s all about.

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Lucy Tape Operations Team Leader

Bored of your own mountain view?

S

now Swappers (snowswappers. com) offer ski property owners the chance to explore other ski resorts at minimal cost. The website is a home swapping club exclusively for property owners in ski resorts around the world. The service is designed for those who love their home resort but also want the freedom to explore new ski areas without any accommodation costs. By arranging a home swap, you can experience a new resort and, likewise, your swap partner will enjoy a holiday in your resort.

Members of Snow Swappers communicate with other

homeowners, and agree to swap their properties. The member you swap with could be based anywhere in the world, as long as they want to visit where your own property is located; then a swap can be arranged.

Who is the service aimed at?  Home owners who live in a ski resort but want to holiday in another.  Second home owners who want to try another resort but always feel they should use their own place to save money.

For a family who live in a resort all year round, the chance for free accommodation in summer, or to try somewhere new in winter, will prove an opportunity hard to resist.

Snow-Camp At The Snow Centre

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ne of the UK’s leading snow sports charities, Snow-Camp, is a key partner of The Snow Centre, using the slope and other facilities for fundraising, fun and educational activities.

Snow-Camp (snow-camp.org. uk) is an innovative youth charity that uses a unique combination of skiing, snowboarding and life-skills programmes to support inner-city teenagers. Through the combination of Snowsports and lifeskills, their programmes enable young people to grow in confidence and self-esteem, develop as individuals and make positive choices in their lives.

Among many initiatives each year, Snow-Camp and The Snow Centre have teamed up with the British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) to develop the skills of two young aspiring instructors, taking them on to the BASI Alpine Level 1 Instructor Course.

Now fully qualified as a BASI

Level 1 Ski Instructor, sponsored student Aaron Minto (19) from Lambeth has been issued with a certification to work on dry and indoor snow slopes with novice and early intermediate skiers.

“I want to thank BASI, SnowCamp and the Hemel Snow Centre for the opportunity to take part in the BASI Level 1 instructor course.

It was a really intense week but very enjoyable!” said Aaron. “Our trainer, Ali Smith, was a pleasure to work with and he was really approachable.”

Aaron originally learnt to ski with Snow-Camp six years ago and is now a long term volunteer at The Snow Centre.

Snow Swappers charge an annual membership fee of £39, allowing access to every property featured

on the website. For a limited time, membership will be offered free of charge for the first year.

Three Days With Henry Off-Piste

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ith the last two winter ski seasons seeing record snowfalls, and with new ski equipment becoming better and better, there’s the temptation to head further offpiste in search of the powder. With all this snow comes risk – but a risk you can learn to manage.

Based in Val d’Isère, Henry Schniewind, the founder of Henry’s Avalanche Talk, is internationally renowned as the expert on off-piste skiing and snowboarding. If you’re hooked on perfecting your powder turns but you’d also like to learn to risk manage them, a three day ‘Henry Off-Piste’ course with Henry and his Adventure Team is a must.

Based around the simple question ‘Is it safe out there?” the course encourages you to assess the conditions based on the quality of snow in addition to decision-making, and risk and crisis management.

Val d’Isère is one the leading ski resorts in Europe and, linked with Tignes, makes the area ‘Espace

Killy’ one of the largest in the world.

The region is renowned for its off-piste skiing and is an ideal entry environment for skiers wishing to learn advanced off-piste technique.

Course Prerequisites Henry Off-Piste courses are run from Introductory Level Off-Piste (skier can confidently get down a steep red run, and traverse a slope in fresh snow) to Advanced Level Off-Piste (skier can link as many turns as you want in light fresh snow). Henry Off-Piste courses operate in Val d’Isère and Tignes from December 2013 to April 2014.

Dates for the three day course are Tuesday to Thursday, weekly from 10 December 2013 until 29 April 2014.

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T E G T I F

FORE TH PES SLO

I

t’s especially easy to forget that skiing and snowboarding are in fact strenuous physical activities, and require a good level of fitness. Whether you’re skiing indoors, or in the mountains, much of the same advice applies to both. Of course if you are heading to the hills then the altitude and a longer day contribute too – so an even higher level of fitness is advisable.

But fear not. If you think your fitness isn’t quite what it was when you were in your 20s, there are lots of simple steps you can take to ensure you’re in the best condition for your time on the slopes.

The fitter you are, the quicker your heart rate returns to its resting rate – and, given that ski lifts can be quite short, the faster the better.

Before Try to improve your general fitness before embarking on a ski trip. Taking a daily jog – or cycle ride – is ideal for improving cardio endurance and increasing lung capacity. The latter is particularly important if skiing at altitude, but also if you’re planning on doing lots of fast runs at The Snow Centre. Don’t go too hard too soon though: it is more beneficial to start slowly, but go every day, than to overdo it on the first day, and need a week to recover.

Leg strength is crucial for both skiing and

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snowboarding. Some of the best ways to achieve this are by regularly doing squats, calf raises, and lunges. If you are unclear on how to do an exercise always seek advice, or you risk injuring your muscles.

Core strength is vital, especially if you’re a beginner as you’re going to spend a lot of time getting back up, but also for more experienced skiers. Sit-ups and push-ups are a good starting point, but the plank (lie flat, then push yourself up on your toes, keeping your arms, and core straight) is one of the best exercises. If you can hold it for one minute you are doing well.

At the slope Stretch. Stretching before – and after – physical exercise is a must. Start at your toes and work your way up the body. Warming up the muscles makes them more flexible, so if you do fall you’re far less likely to pull a muscle. A proper stretch can take anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes, but it’s well worth investing the time once off the slope as well, to avoid stiffness the next morning, and disperse lactic acid.

If you’re unclear on how to stretch properly then any fitness professional will be able to advise you.

Crucially, if you are concerned about your fitness then seek professional advice. Many gyms and fitness clubs run weekly ski fitness specific classes during the autumn and winter, so joining one may be a good place to start.

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Ready For Sochi?

The countdown clock to Sochi is ticking, so get set for action, says Patrick Thorne

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T

he Sochi Winter Olympics are now only a few months away, leading to ever greater excitement at The Snow Centre – not least because we are home to Olympian Ed Drake and our facilities are used by other British Olympians in training.

Although there has been controversy over the Sochi Games (sochi2014.com), the Sochi 2014 Olympic Torch Relay will be the longest Olympic torch relay in Winter Games history, covering more than 65,000km with 134,000 torch bearers travelling through 83 Russian regions including by car, train, plane, troika and reindeer sleigh.

The torch is also due to take excursions to the North Pole, to the bottom of Lake Baikal in Siberia, the world’s deepest at 1637m, and it will travel to the ISS on the Soyuz TMA-11M manned spaceship; and once in space, Russian cosmonauts Sergei Ryazansky and Oleg Kotov will take the (unlit) Olympic torch on a spacewalk.

It’s not known yet how popular Sochi will be as a destination for Brits after the Olympics. The legacy of the Games will be a network of four world-class ski resorts, largely inter-connected by gondola lifts and with a promised joint pass. However, Crystal ski (crystalski.co.uk), who have been operating holidays there for a few seasons, say that they have not taken more than ten skiers a year there.

“We love Sochi for the snowfall, not dissimilar from North America in its consistency, and for the

vast slopes offering a massive variety of skiing, including plenty to keep even the hardcore skiers entertained,” our friends at Crystal Ski told us.

If you want to go to Sochi for the Games itself the advice boils down to “Good Luck!” Tickets and accommodation packages are available through website cosport.com but they’re not cheap and keep changing. When we went to press, two nights B&B in a Sochi tower block 3 star hotel, with tickets for the Ladies’ Super Combined, and Luge on 11 February 2014, were priced from €2243 for a double room, excluding travel to Sochi, or from Sochi to the venues in the mountain above.

A five night package incorporating the Men’s and Women’s downhill races plus the Opening Ceremony on the same board basis quickly rises above €6000 with plenty of choices above €20,000 for your short Sochi break!

Thanks to the high prices and questions over accommodation availability, international tour operators are reported to have chartered seven cruise ships to be anchored in the Black Sea off Sochi, with over 5000 cabins to sell during the games. They did the same in Vancouver for the Whistler Games and say it really worked well.

Everyone heading to the Olympics will also need a tourist visa and a special “Spectator pass” as an additional security check.

It may be easier to watch The Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony in Sochi on 7 February, 2014 on the TV, and then hit the slopes of The Snow Centre to celebrate yourself and watch the action on the sports TV in The EDGE Café bar!

Snoworks – Open for Snowy Business

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ast winter I caught up with Phil Smith and Emma Carrick Anderson of Snoworks to find out what their open teaching philosophy was all about. Sports such as skiing aren’t the same as running or swimming; the environment is constantly changing

and we need to adapt to that. When beginners learn to ski, they receive specific commands necessary to perform certain manoeuvres, and whilst these work on the relatively constant conditions of the nursery slope, once they move beyond this, things start to break down.

“Skiing is probably one of the most ‘Open’ and dynamic sports there is”,

says Phil, “yet the industry has built its understanding and foundations of skiing, and teaching, on ‘closed sports’ methodology. It’s why there are so many different systems and ways of learning to ski, and why so many skiers are left confused, bewildered and despairing at the inconsistencies of how skiing is taught, and why so many just don’t bother pursuing ski tuition

beyond the ‘basics’.”

An open sport such as skiing is where the environment and conditions are constantly changing. Skiers at any level can learn to develop the skills required to adapt to these changes, and in turn they become better skiers.

I talk to one returning Snoworks skier, Fabienne Durant, who’s honest in saying she’s been skiing “badly for years”. “The All-Terrain course has transformed my skiing, and ski experiences completely”, she says.

“I was always stuck on the blues and reds, often struggling to get down them. After taking part in the All-Terrain course I can happily say I’m now a true all mountain skier.”

Snoworks challenges the traditional thinking of learning to ski and encourages a new world of openness. snoworks.co.uk

By Robert Stewart Ski Writer and BASI Instructor

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Olympian + The Snow Centre Ambassador

WORDS: BEN CLATWORTHY | PIC: TBC

E

d Drake, British Olympian, has high hopes of racing for Great Britain at the Winter Olympics this season in Sochi, Russia.

Ed has switched from downhill Alpine ski racing, in which he was Britain’s number one and the discipline in which he competed at the Vancouver Olympic Games in Whistler in 2010, to the exciting new Olympic sport of Ski Cross.

Despite his busy life, when not competing or training at his French Alpine base in Morzine, Ed often finds time to visit The Snow Centre, both for training and to help inspire the next generation of ski racers.

We asked Ed about his Olympic ambitions and his top tips for those hoping to emulate his many achievements, or just to make the most of their skiing.

Q: What’s it like to be in the Olympics?

Ed: “Going to the Winter Olympics was unbelievable – a real privilege. I remember standing in the

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downhill gate and having to take some extra breaths, remembering what a long road it was to get there, and the sacrifices my parents and I had had to make. It was an amazing experience.”

Q: Why switch to Ski Cross?

Ed: “I was ready for something different and exciting.

I wanted a fresh take on skiing, and I felt it was time to move away from the Alpine side of racing. Moving to Ski Cross restored the hunger that I had when I first started doing Alpine. It has been really nice and exciting to be in a new environment and a new discipline.”

Q: You started skiing before you started school.

What are your top tips for people wanting to start Snowsports?

Ed: “First and foremost, if you’ve never skied before get in some lessons before you go – ideally on real snow. It will make such a big difference to your confidence if you have mastered the basics in stopping and turning. Look where you want to go, choose a route and decide where you will make your next turn. If you look at the snow just in front of

you the chances are that this is where you’ll end up!”

Q: What would you advise people wear to be safe, warm and comfortable on the slopes, inside or out?

Ed: “It’s important to dress adequately for the snow – it’s so important to make sure you stay warm and dry, especially if you’re new to Snowsports. Go for lots of layers, ideally a thermal layer next to your skin and make sure your outer layer is waterproof (especially the bottom half). Sunglasses or goggles and good quality gloves are essential. And whilst it’s not always top of the fashionista list, don’t leave for the slopes without a helmet!”

Q: Any other advice to new skiers?

Ed: “Make sure your boots are comfortable. If you’re a first-time skier the chances are you’ll be renting your boots but it’s worth making sure they fit well.

You should be able to move your toes but your feet shouldn’t slip around inside the boot. Keep them as tight as is comfortable around your legs but not too tight across your feet otherwise they’ll restrict the blood flow and you’ll get cold toes.”

Q: So once you’re warm and comfortable from helmet to ski boots, what next?

Ed: “Get familiar with moving your skis. It sounds obvious but if you turn your foot to the right your ski will turn to the right. Try picking up one foot at time and turning to the right and left so you become familiar with how it feels and which muscles to use.

Remember skiing under control means making regular turns, shifting your weight from one foot to the other. Make sure your stance is right. Lean backwards and you’ll lose control as skis are designed to turn when your weight is balanced in the middle. For greater stability keep your feet about a shoulder width apart, toes pointing slightly inwards, heels apart. This is the snow plough position and it will help you move under control until you feel more comfortable about sliding down a mountain on two planks!

Q: Back to your own career, how have you found the transition to the new discipline?

Ed: “I wouldn’t say I found it easy at all. I didn’t understand it until I gave it a go. Skiing downhill

or Super-G I didn’t really have to concentrate that much on turning – it becomes natural after so many years – it was more about the line and terrain, and, in fact, a lot of my Alpine skiing when I was racing was autonomous. That’s all different with Ski Cross. I need to think of lots of things at the same time, which is when mistakes start to creep in. Even though it is skiing, it’s very different to what I was doing. The jumps, or features, are vastly different to Alpine racing.

There are corners and high jumps, whereas downhill is fast, long jumps.

Q: Will you be racing at Sochi?

Ed: “I would love to go to Sochi, but I’m not doing Ski Cross just to go to the Games. I’m doing it because I want to be good at it. I’ve already been to the Games once, so have had the experience, therefore, I only want to go again if I know I’m going to be good, and vying for the top spots. For me in Ski Cross it’s about being competitive at the “sharp end”, and along with that will mean qualification for Sochi. But we shall see.”

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I

f you’re looking for the next adrenalin rush, an unforgettable day with a group of friends or somewhere to celebrate a special occasion Lee Valley White Water Centre is the place to be. Choose from a range of activities from beginner’s paddling to extreme white water rafting!

Tackle the Olympic Standard Competition Course with your mates as you raft the rapids with 13,000 litres of water pummelling down per second and a 5.5m descent – it’s an adventure you won’t forget!

Adrenalin fans will also enjoy carving and surfing the rapids of the 160m Legacy Loop hydrospeeding; a fun filled activity similar to bodyboarding or our Hot Dog sessions are a great introduction to kayaking as you navigate your way down the white water rapids in a two man inflatable.

If you’re a keen kayaker or want to get into paddle sports you can also choose from a range of kayaking and canoeing sessions. Members can paddle the Legacy and Olympic course on successful completion of the centre’s kayaking competency assessment.

For full information and to book visit: gowhitewater.co.uk or call 08456 770 606.

We’re giving one lucky the reader the chance to win a white water experience at Lee Valley White Water Centre. The winner can choose from Rafting, Hydrospeeding or a Hot Dog Session.

To be in with a chance of winning please visitvisitleevalley.org.uk/ snowsure and answer our simple question: How long is the Legacy Loop at Lee Valley White Water Centre?

Train your balance for “Sweetspot” Success

O

ne of the most important elements to master for any skier is the art of centred balance.

It seems obvious that our balance should be up to scratch when

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we go skiing, whether we are beginners or professional ski racers, but surprisingly most people don’t make it a priority. Expert skiers can control their turns with very subtle movements of the feet, something that makes all the difference when trying to break through to the next

level of the sport.

The SkiA Sweetspot Ski Trainer is a dry land training device designed to improve centred balance and therefore make it possible for all levels of skier to master those subtle movements normally reserved for the elite.

With its four levels of difficulty,

starting with green, progressing to blue, red and ending with black, anyone from complete beginner to downhill ski racer can challenge themselves at their ability level. The blocks are completely interchangeable and fit easily onto the trainer which in turn fits any adult ski boot on the market.

The idea is to train in short bursts of around five minutes and there are several sets of exercises that are recommended to teach the central nervous system the ability to unconsciously improve balance to a very high level. Mastering each level takes time and even the very best skiers are challenged on the black blocks, which are incredibly hard to balance on.

The trainer costs £45 a pair and comes with a full set of blocks (green, blue, red and black). It’s available to purchase online at skia.com.

THE EDGE C

a

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é

B

ar

Anyone for Après Ski? Relax and unwind at the bar

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f you’re not on the snow, the place to relax and refuel at The Snow Centre is The EDGE CaféBar. With seating for 150, there is plenty of room to enjoy the great views over the slopes, while being served by our enthusiastic team. Open 7 days a week, it’s the spot to enjoy your pre-ski or après-ski food and drink, plan your time on the slope or relive your experiences while watching the current action on the snow and maybe even enjoy a glühwein or two.

That’s not to say you have to be into Snowsports to come down and enjoy a delicious meal, coffee, make use of the FREE Wifi or watch the fun on the slope. Everyone is welcome in The EDGE! There’s a fully licensed bar, a full wine list and

if you want a change from watching the skiing, boarding and sledging out on the slopes, you can enjoy live Sky Sports on one of the big-screen TVs. In fact there’s no better place to watch the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, or even next summer’s world cup.

Our team of friendly, dedicated staff – lead by Head Chef Ers Tewfik – serve up good sized portions of freshly prepared hot food, sandwiches and more, with daily specials and a kids menu also available.

Ers is at least the third generation of his family to be a cook and says that his main influences and inspiration come from the Mediterranean region he hails from.

The most famous people Ers has cooked for?

David and Victoria Beckham during their visit to The Snow Centre!

Weekly Specials Check out our daily and weekly specials on your next visit or on our NEW Facebook and Twitter Pages!

Facebook.com/TheEDGECaféBar Twitter@EdgeCaféBar The EDGE Café Bar offers a safe and relaxed environment for adults and children.

With easy access and free parking.

www.thesnowcentre.com

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Sölden

Snow Galore + Pure Fun

T

he Snow Centre has successfully partnered with ski resort Sölden since opening – to the extent that the centre’s very slope walls are graced with the Sölden mountains branding and the famous panoramic viewing platform at Gaislachkogl, Sölden. Proud to link with one of the world’s leading resorts located in the Austrian Tirol, The Snow Centre offers many of our guests the chance to visit the resort on annual group ski trips, plus our instructors visit each winter.

Because of its twin glaciers, Sölden can open for almost as many days annually as The Snow Centre, and unlike 99.9% of ski areas in the Alps, you can ski there from September to late spring.

It’s also the ski capital of the world in October when a varied event and activity programme kicks off with the First Snow Glacier Start on 12–13 October, followed by the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup from 26–27 October and plenty of other highlights on almost all weekends in autumn, winter and spring – until early May.

Linked Ski Areas in the Eternal Ice The glacier slopes in the upper Ötztal, towering high above the skiers’ village, offer perfect snow conditions from early September. That’s the time

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when the valley’s meadows and forests usually wear their most colourful dress – ranging from yellow to russet and dark red.

The highest panoramic road in the Eastern Alps takes skiers and snowboarders effortlessly by car or coach from Sölden to the slopes of Tiefenbach and Rettenbach glacier, one of Austria’s largest glacier ski areas.

The two glaciers are linked by a road tunnel and a separate skiers’ tunnel. Sölden therefore boasts the only interconnected glacier ski area in the Alps. There are 36km of immaculate slopes and 10 mountain lifts with an hourly capacity of 20,000 persons to guarantee unlimited skiing fun for all ages and preferences, and no queues.

Additionally, Sölden’s Rettenbach glacier boasts the only European Test and Exhibition Centre, where winter sports fans can test the latest material and equipment for the 2013–14 ski season from all renowned sports brands from September to November.

Sports Arena of Superlatives In addition to the glacier ski slopes, the opening of the Sölden and Hochsölden winter ski area is expected for November. Skiers and snowboarders can choose from no less than 144km of perfectly groomed slopes for all levels and abilities, featuring 33 mountain lifts with absolutely no lift lines. Snow

is, of course, also guaranteed between 1350m and 3340m above sea level from October through May – thanks to the modern snow making system covering some 80% of all slopes.

Every Wednesday evening all Sölden fans can look forward to a special attraction, the new multi-media “Night Ski Show” taking place at the middle station of the Gaislachkogl mountain gondola. The local ski schools and the traditional Sölden Ski Club perform a truly breathtaking winter sports show, giving an insight into the roots of winter sports up to the modern age.

“Schmarr’n” means…

It’s not all sport though – the food is excellent as well and what “Schmarr’n” means is a kind of scrambled pancake – it’s delicious! A perfect snack for hungry winter sports fans – light, fluffy and with plenty of powdered sugar. This typical Tirolean delight ranks among everyone’s favourites. Many more regional specialties and hearty snacks are served in 20 serviced huts and mountain restaurants spread over Sölden’s ski area.

Hot Spot in the Alps Phat beats, great shows and unforgettable moments – these are the ultimate ingredients of Sölden’s top class entertainment. Last winter the first edition of

the “Electric Mountain Festival” celebrated a great success, featuring stars like David Guetta and DJ Antoine. Of course the glacier spectacle “Hannibal” also always ranks among the undisputed highlights.

The coming 2013/2014 winter will again see a fantastic lifestyle and entertainment programme.

Party people get together for the Electric Mountain Festival in April, which presents great attractions and surprises on the world’s highest turntables. All important details on event highlights.

BIG3 Sölden has another unique attraction: Three mountain peaks above 3000 metres which are easily accessibly on skis - Gaislachkogl (3058m), Tiefenbachkogl (3250m) and Schwarze Schneide (3340m). A tour of all three summits called “BIG3” can be made in one day.

This spectacular “BIG3 Rally” starts at the base terminal of Giggijoch mountain gondola and ends at the base terminal of Gaislachkogl mountain gondola. A truly challenging experience: in four hours you conquer 50

kilometres of slopes and 10,000 metres of difference in altitude whilst enjoying three awe-inspiring panoramic views of the Alpine scenery from the “BIG3” viewing platforms.

By prior arrangement at the Gaislachkogl “BIG3” platform (weather permitting) small groups of 4+ persons can enjoy not only substantial Tirolean breakfasts or hearty snacks but also fine gourmet dishes, Asian delights, fresh-caught oysters, caviar with champagne or Mediterranean-style seafood. soelden.com

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Obergurgl Always First to Open

The Very First Winter Kick-Off in the Alps

Obergurgl-Hochgurgl – at 1930 meters above sea level, the valley’s second top destination, and surrounded by countless mountain peaks beyond 3000 metres is the very first “nonglacier” ski area to open in the Alps each winter. Here you relish the peaceful atmosphere of an almost unspoilt mountain world, where guests can expect plenty of snow and little traffic. The resort offers atmosphere, not a facade. It’s a truly unique place where winter sports still have class.

This season kick-off will be on 14 November with opening parties being held in the “Winter Palace” for all Snowsport fans getting together in “The Diamond of the Alps”.

The valley’s third biggest ski region – Hochoetz – located between 700 and 2000 metres above sea level at the entrance to the almost 70km-long valley, is third after Sölden, then ObergurglHochgurgl, opening this winter on 13 December, with affordable package deals made to measure for families.

The “Diamond of the Alps” at the top of Ötztal is not only located at an altitude of 1930m above sea level, but also offers top level quality in every other respect.

The traffic-free village welcomes all winter sports lovers who want to enjoy unlimited snow, an unspoilt mountain landscape and top levels of comfort.

In 2013/14 Obergurgl-Hochgurgl not only offers 110km of immaculate slopes with ski-in/ski-out convenience but also a ten-day opening festival of concerts, fireworks and parties at the “Winter Palace” in the village centre and at the many mountain huts on site, all with reduced price season opening passes.

In Obergurgl-Hochgurgl winter sports start where they usually end in other ski areas as the huge ski slopes stretch between an altitude of 1800m and 3000m, offering breathtaking views of 21 mountain peaks higher than 3000 meters.

24 state-of-the-art mountain lifts with a capacity of almost 40,000 persons per hour ensure that you get up fast without lift lines. They give you access to 110km

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of immaculate slopes suitable for all ages and preferences. As heavenly as the conditions for winter sports are, they are equalled by the wellness facilities.

Two well-known gourmet highlights can be enjoyed high above the clouds: the 360° “Top Mountain Star” panorama bar at an altitude of 3080m or the sunny “Hohe Mut Alm” mountain restaurant at an altitude of 2670m.

Stylish après ski and the sophisticated spa culture of varied top-class hotels on site make your stay an unforgettable experience. wobergurgl.com

A Peak of Design on Gaislachkogl Mountain in Sölden With the start of the winter season 2013, Sölden’s lift company will unveil a new restaurant of innovative design on top of the Gaislachkogl peak.

This unique restaurant combines modern architecture, top culinary art and direct access to the peak via a suspension bridge. Together with the high-tech Gaislachkogl lift, this new culinary meeting place on top of the mountain is to be a gourmet experience at 3048m altitude.

The new restaurant promises Alpine cuisine and wine culture for guests occupying the 100 seats indoors and 70 more outdoors on the terrace, with an additional sun-roof terrace on top of the Gaislachkogl Mountain.

The restaurant design comes from the renowned Tyrolean architecture group Obermoser, who also planned the three mountain railway stations.

The glass exterior affords spectacular views of the Ötztal’s mountain scenery and gives the building a light and transparent feeling. This new restaurant, together with the top station of the lift system, makes the Gaislachkogl one of Tyrol’s most impressive skiing peaks from an architectural viewpoint.

Top Cuisine at Top Location It will not only be the skiing area’s highest restaurant in terms of altitude, but will also offer top cuisine. Under the title of “Alpine Cuisine” the impressive menu includes traditional meals from the region, cooked exclusively with high quality local ingredients. The meals are served in a modern style,

D IS C O V E R

WITH Train to become a ski or snowboard professional on Canada’s west coast The most comprehensive ski & snowboard training course on the planet! accompanied by high-end Austrian and international wines.

Wine is the central element and among other top class wines, a socalled “Pinot 3000” will be served – a cuvee out of three different grape varieties matured in casks on top of the Gaislachkogl Mountain itself.

Infine weather selected gourmet

meals and drinks will be offered in the new “Gourmet View” area on stylishly decorated bistro tables. How about some fresh oysters and champagne?

Breakfast on top of the mountain? An Asian snack? Or something heartier with Tyrolean speck and a nice bottle of wine, a pot of sausages and draught beer? soelden.com

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A Technical masterpiece The glass and steel structure is built at an altitude of 3048 metres, which means that it is built on permafrost. To avoid movement and subsidence the restaurant’s foundation is built on adjustable baseplates, similar to those used for lift stations. As well as the restaurant, the four-storey building also includes the “Top Lounge” – an 80m2 multimedia room with a terrace for presentations, meetings,

conferences, or other exclusive events. On the very top of the building visitors can enjoy the view outdoors. The roof terrace is connected to the top of the Gaislachkogl peak via a suspension bridge, which adds an additional highlight.

The entire building is barrierfree and suitable for disabled persons as well as pushchairs.

The Gaislachkogl restaurant will be open from December with planned night-time operation.

CANADA’S DEEPEST SNOWPACK!

www.discovermountwashington.com VANCOUVER ISLAND BC

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Three Days Off-Piste with Henry and His Adventure Team Henry is the leading authority on mountain and avalanche safety in the UK and is a fully qualified ski instructor. His three day program based in Val d’Isère and Tignes combines great off-piste skiing with the chance to understand the mountain environment and gain skills to stay safe out there.

Courses are open to intermediate skiers and above (see website for more details) and run throughout the season from December to April.

www.henryoffpiste.com

h s a Make a spl at Lee Valley White Water Centre

£30

pp*

*Terms & Conditions apply

BOOK NOW gowhitewater.co.uk 08456 770 606 SnowSure_LVWWC_Aug2013.indd 1

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@LeeValleyWWC 15/08/2013 09:51:15

YOU’RE Never Too Old To Ski Young blood – 90-year-old hits the slopes of Hemel

W

hen Stanislaw Sosnowski’s daughter asked him what he wanted for his 90th birthday his answer wasn’t quite what she expected. “I want to ski,” he said. ‘I want to feel the snow beneath my feet again.”

For many of us skiing has fast become a seasonal holiday “must do” or with the introduction of real snow indoor centres, an all year round leisure activity, but when does it have to end? As we begin to take hitting the slopes for granted, is it age that will stop us in our tracks?

Thanks to The Snow Centre the long distance travel difficulties maturity can often bring, didn’t stop 90-year-old Stan getting back on his skis.

Stan from Surrey had skied all his life. He first learned to ski as a young boy in Poland before the

war, on the hills just behind his house in the small town of Chyrow. In those days boots were made of leather, wooden skis were strapped on with leather straps rather than bindings, and ski lifts hadn’t even been dreamed of. It was all so simple – just pick up your skis and walk up the hill and ski.

The war put an end to Stan’s skiing and, after spending two years in a Siberian labour camp, he joined the Polish army and ended up being shipped to England where he joined thousands of other young Poles as an RAF fighter pilot.

Stan’s birthday wish became a reality when The Snow Centre put plans in place to host him in his venture back onto the slopes. On Friday 26th July 2013 Stan found his ski legs, becoming the oldest person to ski the real snow, 160m Main Slope. Our Team at The Snow Centre were so pleased to offer Stan and family the chance to enjoy a sport they thought unlikely they would revisit again together.

The Snow Centre’s Managing Director, Ian Brown said. “We aim to make the joys of Snowsports and our fantastic facilities available to as many people as possible. That’s why we welcome a wide range of ages and abilities to our slopes and go that extra mile to accommodate our guests’ needs.”

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F REES

From 14-year-old school boy to Freestyle Skier and winner of the 2011 Ski and Snowboard Morrow Jam

: Callum Welch introduced to the joys of Freestyle Skiing.

Freestyle Skiing involves developing exciting

Regular gymnastics sessions also contribute towards his strength and the development of new

Competition, Callum Welch has been skiing at The

and challenging tricks in a snow park complete

Snow Centre since he was six years old; during this

with kickers, rails and half pipes. Taking inspiration

time he has successfully competed in competitions

from Pro Freestyle Skiers and video edits, Callum

sport The Snow Centre allows Callum and many

across the UK and in Switzerland.

threw himself wholeheartedly into the world

others to train every week all year round. The Winter

of Freestyle and combined fun, hard work and

Season offers him trips away to compete, but the

winter holidays, Callum first tried skiing close to

learning to achieve the high standard of Freestyle

Snow Centre offers a place to train, compete and

home, at The Snow Centre, back in the days of

Skiing he has reached today.

have fun throughout the summer season too.

Having been introduced to skiing on his family

Freestyle Ski tricks.

Despite many believing skiing to be a seasonal

the dry ski slope. In May 2009, when the Snow

It doesn’t end there: when Callum isn’t sliding

Centre re-opened with real snow on its slopes,

on snow or travelling to the mountains, you can

Callum Welch hopes to perfect many more Freestyle

Callum’s passion for all things ski progressed to a

find him preparing for his next competition in other

tricks and win many more competitions. With

new level. With real snow on his doorstep, fitting

ways. Amongst other things Callum takes the time

plans to seek further sponsorship to help fund his

practice sessions in around his school studies

to look after his ski equipment and keep himself

spectacular achievements, it’s fantastic to witness the

became much easier and three years ago he was

fit for the slopes through running and football.

opportunities a facility like The Snow Centre can offer.

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With an exciting Snowsports future ahead of him,

T Y LER

F

reestyle has been the biggest thing in Snowsports for the past few years and as ski design has caught up with snowboarding, anyone can now take to the terrain park features on one plank or two.

One of the great things about indoor snow centres is that you can practise your technique, and master your style, all year round. As well as having a great time on the indoor slopes whenever you like, when you get chance to get out to the Alps, you already know the technique and have the skills you need to master the terrain park in whichever ski resort you roll up to!

Our Ever-Changing Park We design an all new terrain park on The Snow Centre’s slopes every week. Each park design includes up to eight freestyle features catering for all ability levels. These usually include the biggest kickers you’ll find in a British indoor snow centre!

It’s no surprise that The Whitelines Rail Tour voted us “Best Park” earlier this year.

Our two main weekly community freestyle evenings are Thursday Freestyle (6–10pm) and Friday (6.30–11pm). Along with finding the new park in tip top shape, there are our highly experienced Freestyle coaches on hand to give you the best advice – free of charge. Admission to either evening is discounted to members and juniors.

On top of these regular weeknights we often host special events such as All-Day Freestyle Saturdays and work with organisations like Snowboard Club UK (snowboardclub.co.uk) on other events.

The new park plans are published each week

online at thesnowcentre.com/freestyle/ where you’ll also find online videos so you can see what to expect. There are even specially filmed hints and tips. Our Twitter feed @the_snowcentre and Facebook page (‘The Snow Centre – 6500 fans and counting can’t be wrong!) are also good sources for info and the latest community news. (*You will however need to be a minimum Level 6 standard skier or boarder – check out our ‘What Level Am I?” section at thesnowcentre.com/ lessons/ if you have any doubts!)

Freestyle Clinics If you’re new to freestyle skiing or boarding then our Freestyle Clinics are the best way to learn the basics … or if you know them already, to brush up on and progress your technique.

With the help of our expert freestyle instructors, we will teach you how to best hit our range of features and kickers. It won’t be long until you’re enjoying our Thursday and Friday park features, including our boxes, rails and kickers.

Sponsored Freestylers The Snow Centre is a leading sponsor of emerging freestyle talent; after all this is an area of Snowsports where Brits have gone all the way to the top of the podium at senior international level.

Among the youngsters we’re supporting are brothers Callum and Ross Welch (rosswelch.co.uk) and 13-year-old freestyle snowboarder Cerys Allen.

All are already making their mark on the freestyle scene nationally and internationally, competing at events like the British Snow Tour and the Relentless Freeze Festival.

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PARTY TIME!

The Snow Centre Is The Perfect Place For Your Child’s Party!

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ive-year-old Callum Christie enjoyed his fifth birthday party at The Snow Centre, sledging with 17 of his friends. Boys and girls hit the slopes of Hemel Hempstead on sledges, ringos and zipfys.

Having desperately requested his very own sledging party months before, Callum’s Mum, Emma Christie finally put the date in the diary. “Callum, all of his friends and the adults all enjoyed the party from start to finish,” said Emma.

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The children especially loved Snow Cat, who visited them in the party room after sledging on the slope. In fact the party was such a success that many of Callum’s friends have already or are now planning their own sledging party at The Snow Centre.

Callum’s not done with the activities at The Snow Centre yet; he like many others at the party saw the joys of TSC’s latest attraction – Arctic Alley – while they were out on the slope sledging. When they are older they are keen to have a go at sliding down the brand new extreme Sledging Run.

SKI FAMILLE T Totally Ski. Exclusively Family.

aking children up a mountain can seem a daunting prospect – even for parents who were dedicated skiers before parenthood. There are, however, ways of ensuring it’s fun, hassle free and enjoyable for the whole family.

Travelling with a specialist is an obvious first step. Ski Famille is fully focused on the needs of families travelling with young children. All resorts and properties have been chosen with the needs of families in mind, but with no compromises in terms of quality or location.

Whether you choose a catered chalet with free childcare, a family-run spa hotel in a picture postcard Tyrolean resort, or a self-catering apartment in a high altitude modern residence, you will return from the mountains well-rested, well-fed and having enjoyed world-class skiing or boarding.

Catered chalets Ski Famille is best known for catered chalets with inclusive in-house childcare. All Ski Famille chalets are ski-in, ski-out or an easy walk from the slopes. Childcare is included in the holiday price and is hosted in the chalet you stay in, rather than

in an impersonal centralised crèche. Both you and your children will quickly warm to the home from home environment.

Inclusive Childcare

Ski Famille’s childcare service varies depending on the ages of the children. For babies and toddlers, it may mean tailored care in a warm and safe chalet environment. Meanwhile older children might be taking part in their very own “Winter Olympics” or going on a Bear Hunt in the woods... don’t be too concerned – in 22 years of searching the Ski Famille nannies have yet to find a real one!

Children are also taken to and from ski lessons.

Expert Advice All of Ski Famille’s UK office team are keen skiers or snowboarders with young children of their own.

They know what is important when travelling with children, and will help you select the best winter sports holiday for your family’s needs. They can arrange free nappies in chalets, private ski school lessons, all of your lift passes – and can even talk you through the chalet wine lists. What more could you wish for?

Learn more at skifamille.co.uk or call 0854 64 437 64

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ONCE UPON A TIME The Story of Three Primary School Teachers Learning To Snowboard At The Snow Centre.

By Dave Rogers, Ski & Snowboard Instructor

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nce upon a time there were three primary school teachers called Sam (26), Jenny (21) and Kirsty (23).

Sam thought they should all get to know each other better so suggested they all come to The Snow Centre and learn to ski and snowboard together.

Now with 10–15 lessons under their belts since January all three now cruise around the slopes without an instructor.

In fact Sam’s idea worked so well that the three are not only off on a ski holiday to Austria this Christmas, they’re also going to house share.

Sam’s Story

“I wasn’t so active before coming here. I’ve got no coordination whatsoever but I’ve managed it. It was more of a workout at the beginning but I think it’s reignited my interest in being active. I don’t remember learning to swim but snowboarding is fresh in my mind so it feels like a real achievement. I had a break and felt a bit demoralised when I came back to see the others had progressed without me but Jenny persuaded me to continue. That’s where

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learning with people you know comes in really handy.”

“I like that we make a whole event of it. It’s a good way to catch up, the three of us. It’s a new skill. I like learning new things and I found you do learn faster if you have private lessons.”

Kirsty’s Story

Sam’s Hot Tip “In the beginning we were coming once every three weeks or so but it wasn’t regular enough so we stepped it up to once a week, and you learn faster if you have private lessons.”

Jenny’s Story

Jenny and Sam snowboarded in group lessons, first with instructor John Challis, then with Kris Amstutz, then had a private lesson with Dave Rogers, whom they requested for the remainder of their lessons. Kirsty learned to ski in group lessons with Tom Harkins (Group) and had a private lesson.

“You see all the skilled people and you think you must look uncontrolled, but then we didn’t look bad on video,” said Sam. “You feel like everyone is watching you all the time but when you sit in the restaurant you realise they don’t,” added Jenny, even though the friends play “The Numbers Game,” when they are sat up in The EDGE and try to guess who out of five people skiing down the slope is most likely to fall over!

Family Dinners Kirsty has been tap dancing since age two and had skied once on a dry slope but considered herself a beginner.

“I haven’t been on a cold holiday so I didn’t know what to expect. The Snow Centre is really tall and I can’t believe how good the snow is. You can do it all year round and as The Snow Centre is open late we can come here straight after work and there’s the restaurant for afters.”

Jenny had been a skier for six years but hadn’t enjoyed it.

“Jenny who is not into sports at all has just taken to this. We’ve been skiing for years and she’d admitted she never got the hang of it. She hated it so much, we’ve been astonished really,” said Jenny’s Mum, Irene. “In the beginning we weren’t sure whether a membership would be worthwhile but retrospectively it would’ve made sense,” says Jenny, who bought an unlimited pass in the summer.

Jenny’s Hot Tip: “Wear knee pads.”

Kirsty’s Hot Tip “Try and find a quieter time to come as you’ll feel more confident. Learn with friends because it makes it more exciting and it makes you more determined.

Don’t be afraid just enjoy it.”

Conquering The Slope The trio started with group lessons, with a frequency of one lesson every three to four weeks but decided the frequency of lessons wasn’t enough so they started coming every week. They enjoyed slow motion skiing past high fives and stopping off to have a dance to the music

After each lesson, Kirsty’s mum Julie and Jenny’s Mum Irene, who is in the process of moving to Austria, join them for dinner in The EDGE. “We are now experts at commentating,” says Julie.

“Ski Sunday will be calling us. We can tell what’s wrong and what isn’t.”

“It’s great what with us moving to Austria and them being dead excited to come and visit,” said Irene. “I stopped skiing before because Jenny didn’t enjoy it.

We used to just sit in the cafés on the mountain and not ski. She came home and was so pleased when she could do it.”

“You might as well put a caravan in the car park,” added Julie.

“I think Kirsty’s confidence has really come on and it makes me itch to do it. I’m the only one in the family who doesn’t ski or board now.”

The three all now visit The Snow Centre once or twice every week and are thinking of becoming members so as to access additional discounts and special offers. Kirsty is looking at an unlimited pass like Jenny (who has also bought her own snowboard boots) already has.

Besides learning a new skill, the three friends all agree that they have got to know each other a lot better as a result of coming here.

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N I A TR RK WOVE +LI

or skiing g boardin

S

ki and snowboard instructor courses were once considered a great gap year option. And although they still are the best way to spend a season on snow, more winter sports enthusiasts see becoming instructors as a career option.

So how do you become an instructor?

To instruct worldwide you must take an internationally recognised qualification.

In Canada these are authorised by the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA) and the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors (CASI). In New Zealand the NZSIA is the umbrella organisation for ski and snowboard instructor qualifications. In the UK the British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI) trains and certifies skiers and boarders.

BASI run Level 1 courses in the UK for instructors who want to teach on artificial snow.

To work in the mountains, Level 1 and Level 2 courses are run in Canada, New Zealand, and in the case of BASI, in Europe.

Courses last from 3 to 18 weeks – November to April in Canada, June to October in New Zealand, and

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December to April in Europe.

Once qualified you can work anywhere in the world.

The Winter Sports Company has managed instructor courses for eight years. They provide the best in training and give ongoing assistance to find work after a course.

If you are interested in Canada, an 18-week course at the ski-in, ski-out resort of Sun Peaks is an amazing way to spend a season on snow. Here the empty pistes – and the quality snow school – guarantee a truly Canadian experience.

For New Zealand the 10-week course is run at Cardrona, staying in the town of Wanaka. This is a beautiful place, and there is no doubt you will fall in love with New Zealand.

For a BASI qualification there can be no better course than a 15-week programme in Courmayeur, Italy. Here you can qualify as a Level 2 instructor within 10 weeks then roll straight into paid work, teaching school groups from the UK. This all-inclusive training course sees you learn, train and earn all in one season.

All Winter Sports Company course prices include flights, accommodation and meals. There are no hidden costs – pain free for budgeting with no nasty surprises.

Great For Adult Groups!

Family, friends and corporate are all welcome at The Snow Centre!

A

lready famous for our children’s parties, The Snow Centre is an excellent venue for adult groups to have fun in too.

If you’re planning a party, corporate event, birthday bash or reunion and trying to find a venue with that extra wow factor then why not throw some snow into the mix!

Fun on the snow doesn’t just mean skiing or boarding, although we can offer Beginner Lessons and cater for more experienced skiers as part of a corporate or group event if you wish, there’s actually plenty of fun to be had sledging together or perhaps tackling our new Arctic Alley high speed run on a Ringo.

Few party venues or corporate team building exercises can match up to the chance of hitting the snowy slopes together. You could do anything from learn a new skill and progress together skiing or snowboarding or just have effortless fun sledging.

There’s nothing quite like rolling around in the snow to bring everyone together on one of our Team Nights, tailor-made packages or Group Lessons.

Off-Piste

Team Night Out

Along with snowy slopes and our skilled staff to look after you, The Snow Centre boasts fully equipped, bright air-conditioned conference suites with panoramic views over the slopes and a fully licensed bar and restaurant.

Our Corporate Team can create on and off the slope or combined full day and half day packages, with delicious buffets and many other combinations to tailor for your individual requirements.

It is also possible to hire the entire slope and the bar for private use and corporate functions with all equipment included.

Our regular Team Night Out is a great night to get your friends and colleagues together for some fun and challenging activities on the slope. Take on the Snowman Skittle challenge, Snow Scooters and much more. The winning team on the night take home an annual membership each!

More Information Conference Suite hire £60 per day.

Full facility hire (slope and The EDGE CaféBar) from £500 for 2 hours or £750 for 3.5 hours.

For more information on any of our group packages contact our Corporate Team: corporate.groups@thesnowcentre.com; 0845 258 9000 (Select option 4)

Thank you very much for an excellent day yesterday, all of our guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I was very impressed with the catering, being constantly refreshed and clean .

Ruth Dale Event Organiser, Land Rover

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H

ave you ever wondered how we make perfect snow day-in, day-out at The Snow Centre? It’s not as easy as it might seem! And making the snow is just a part of it; once it’s made we need to maintain the snow in a fresh and fluffy condition and make sure it never gets icy or slushy.

The World’s Best Indoor Snow Indoor snow making has come on leaps and bounds since the first refrigerated indoor snow centres appeared in the late 1980s. Back then people

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skied on a kind of vaguely snow-like chemical goo spread on a sloping ice rink! Today, like all of the world’s best indoor snow centres, The Snow Centre uses snow making equipment supplied by Acer SnowMec, a British company which has pioneered the manufacture of real snow indoors, with no chemical additives, since the early 1990s. Acer SnowMec’s prestigious client list is spread across dozens of countries, including the famous Ski Dubai.

How Do We Do It? Unlike a regular ski area, the snow has been lying deep and thick and even on the slopes of The Snow

Surprise snow deliveries!

Dropping tonnes of snow anywhere, from school playgrounds, to zoos, during the summer offers everyone the chance to cool down with some unique snowball fun. On the other hand, creating real life winter wonderlands and spreading a little of the white stuff at seasonal markets in the colder months makes the festive period all that more magical! We love delivering all kinds of snow surprises all year round. In fact The Snow Centre Team have even been known to build ski slopes in central London.

If you would like your very own special snow delivery contact our team on 0845 258 9000.

Centre for more than four years now – although it is of course constantly replenished to keep the cover fresh.

Altogether there’s about 5000 tonnes of snow lying on our slopes with the snow approximately half a metre deep, providing optimal cooling from the underfloor cooling system.

Of course with the temperature maintained a little below zero all year round, we don’t get the daytime thaw you get at a regular ski area as temperatures warm up, but on the other hand we do need to refresh the snow surface so it doesn’t get “tired”, so a certain amount of snow is removed to keep the surface constantly fresh.

Every night after the last person has left the slope we bring the temperature of what we call “the snow box” at The Snow Centre down to -6 °C for maximum efficiency before we make fresh snow.

Our snow falls from eight gantry and two portable mounted snow guns. You won’t normally see them making snow during your visit, as few people enjoy an indoor blizzard. On special occasions, including our fourth birthday last May, we have given people the chance to ski in falling indoor snow!

Efficient + Eco Friendly Being snow fans we care about looking after the snow on our slopes and on the mountains, so it’s not surprising we take steps to be as environmentally friendly as possible. In fact The Snow Centre has to be very efficient in order to be a viable business, and because The Snow Centre is so well designed, keeping our snow cold uses less energy than keeping a building of similar dimensions warm in the winter.

In the snow box there is a ventilation system controlled by the CO2 level. This can both extract or add in cool air to keep the centre at the most efficient operating temperature.

The cooling of our slope is also very efficient – the

walls are very thick to keep the cold in, and unlike snow domes built on stilts, as some are to create a slope on flat ground, The Snow Centre is built on a hill so the ground temperature can be controlled. The roof is also an organic living green roof, which also helps with the insulation!!

Keeping It Smooth We operate a special groomer or ‘piste basher’ designed for indoor use. Unlike the groomers used outdoors, ours is electric so there are no emissions to pollute the air indoors.

We groom the slope every evening after use. This is to give the snow time to settle before our guests hit the slopes.

Did You Know?

Another way in which we differ from conventional ski areas is that our lifts have to work much harder. Most ski resorts only operate for 7 hours a day for about 4 months of the year. At The Snow Centre we open our slope as early as 8am and close as late as 11pm, 12 months a year – so typically twice as long a day, for three times as long as a ski season, which equals six times the annual usage.

So keeping our machinery working at maximum efficiency is always a challenge, but one we’re up to!

Meet The Team To make all this happen The Snow Centre has a dedicated team of eight Team Members led by Facilities Manager David “Wilko” Wilkinson, who has been head of the hardworking Technical Team since The Snow Centre opened. The Team is responsible for creating the snow on the slopes, driving the piste basher and generally keeping things running smoothly throughout.

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WANT TO BE AN INSTRUCTOR? A bad day in the powder is always better than a good day in the office – Becoming a ski instructor in Verbier

By Jon (Aka Westy) At Altitude Verbier

S

o what is a Ski Instructor Gap Course?

A ten week training course which prepares you for and provides you with an instructor licence. The exams assess your skiing on piste and bumps, and your ability to demonstrate the central theme (technical progression from beginner to parallel skiing) as well as your ability to teach! In addition you can also expect to have a lot of fun, ski off-piste, learn new skills, make friends from around the world and of course enjoy some partying.

What can I expect of an Instructor Gap Course?

Lots of skiing! The main element of the course is to improve your personal skiing! This is usually achieved by having training from top qualified coaches from around the world, who will push you to learn and develop your skiing and understanding of skiing.

Most providers also use video analysis so that you can see for yourself the improvements to be made and also develop your own knowledge of what makes a good skier. The top qualified coaches will help you understand exactly what you need to be able to do on skis and how to reach this goal. Lectures often take place to help you understand the terminology and various other elements involved in the system.

Can I expect to actually work as an instructor after the course?

This will depend on the resort you choose. For example in France it is not realistic to work with

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solely a BASI Level 2 qualification; you would need to do further exams which are not included in a gap course. Switzerland and Austria are probably the easiest places in Europe to work.

Some gap providers are in-house and often recruit students after the course to work for their school during the busy periods of the season. In such cases be aware priority for work is always given to students attending their own in-house gap courses.

What is included in the course fee?

The Altitude Gap Course includes accommodation, more than 200 hours of training, your food 5 days a week, a season lift pass and transfers from the airport. You can also expect discounts on equipment and drinks in the local bars, some happy memories and of course new friends for life. When deciding on a gap course, the main things to check are: who is delivering the course and the number of training hours; check the coaches are top qualified coaches with lots of experience! Also, I would recommend asking for pass rates and to talk to previous students.

Altitude Verbier Altitude Ski and Snowboard School run their own in-house BASI Gap Course in Verbier, Switzerland. If you would like further information about becoming a ski instructor then please contact Laura on info@altitude-futures.com or visit the website altitude-futures.com

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IMPRESSIVE RESULTS FOR SNOWBILITY

AT THE SNOW CENTRE

T

he Snow Centre prides itself on offering the “best Snowsports instruction this side of the Alps” with a highly qualified team of instructors, but it’s not just about mainstream teaching – the centre is also home to Snowbility, a provider of Snowsports coaching for people with additional needs, which has recently been recognised by the National Autistic Society for its impressive results with children and adults.

Richard Fetherston, who joined The Snow Centre soon after it opened as an instructor and Duty Manager, is the driving force behind Snowbility, which was established two years ago in October 2011 to make a difference through Snowsports to individuals with additional needs.

Richard’s students have a variety of needs such as autism, dyspraxia, deafness or rehabilitation challenges and he and his fellow instructors are achieving dramatic results not just in improving and developing their physical skills but in their social skills, confidence and ability to communicate.

“My hobby is skiing,” said Richard. “My work is

motivating and inspiring my students to achieve their potential through Snowsports.”

Snowbility tailor each session specifically for each student, working with their parent, carer or school to understand their individual requirements.

The lessons take place at The Snow Centre alongside regular users of the slopes and integrating the students with other skiers and snowboarders can be a real confidence boost.

“We work with the students to understand how they react, reading their non-verbal communication, ability to balance and relate to other users and reward and chart their progress,” Richard continued.

Sometimes one on one sessions are combined with, or replaced by, family sessions depending on the needs of the student.

“Seeing a child empowered by their ability on skis to feel parity with their siblings is hugely rewarding,” Richard added, “as they develop their confidence and enjoyment on the snow so it can help boost their self-esteem and ability to relate to other people.”

A typical Snowbility student is James – a young man in his late twenties who has a mixture of

health and learning issues that lead him to need daily one on one care.

Leaving the safety of his own home for a public place creates significant anxiety and social and communication skills are a constant struggle for him.

Working with Richard at The Snow Centre over several years has seen a marked improvement in James’ ability to ski, developing his physical fitness and demonstrating skills that far exceeded expectation. But just as important are the improvements to his psychological well-being, with a reduction in his levels of anxiety and a greatly improved ability to communicate after his lessons.

“These skills are so valuable to his development,” said his mother Helen, who is his primary carer. “The improvements to both his verbal and communication skills and to his ability to tolerate others have made a real difference.”

“My aim is to establish The Snow Centre as the primary centre for excellence for Snowbility and then encourage other real snow centres around the UK to offer a similar programme. We want to make a positive difference through Snowsports to as many people as possible,” concludes Richard. snowbility.co.uk

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The Adventures of Snow Cat! Start your Snow Cat adventure today and you might WIN some fantastic prizes!

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M

any of you may have met Snow Cat at our Sledging or Snow Scooter Parties, at events and out on our snowy slopes. The Snow Centre mascot, Snow Cat has graced us with his presence since the centre opened four years ago and now, for the first time ever, you can take your very own Snow Cat home with you!

However, he doesn’t have to stay home bound; in fact Snow Cat loves getting out and about so much we’ve given him his own passport. He has a checklist of places he just can’t wait to visit, from The London Eye to the Austrian Mountains, and you can help him see them all and WIN yourself some great prizes along the way.

We have skiing and snowboarding lessons , lift passes, sledging and arctic alley sessions, plus delicious family meals to give away. So pick up or order your Snow Cat at The Snow Centre now and start your own Snow Cat adventure today.

Snow Cat isn’t camera shy! All you have to do to WIN some of these fantastic prizes is snap him having fun in all the “must go” places in his passport and more. Then return his completed passport to The Snow Centre reception. Make sure you send The Snow Centre these happy snappies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; we love to see Snow Cat on tour and you might just WIN yourself some extra goodies too!

Get your Snow Cat Passport from The Snow Centre reception right now.

Need some inspiration? Check out some of the places Snow Cat has already been on our website!

Every completed passport returned before 30 September 2014 will WIN a prize. Subject to availability. One prize per completed passport.

Further terms and conditions may apply.

Find the world’s best snow sports brands at The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead Test all the latest skis and snowboards with our Demo Pool.* Get your equipment serviced at our on site workshop.* Master boot fitters in-store.

Experienced staff available for advice and tips.

Learn about servicing at regular workshop evenings - ask in store for details.

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SNOW+ROCK, THE SNOW CENTRE, ST ALBANS HILL, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, HERTFORDSHIRE, HP3 9NH. TEL: 01442 250099 BRIGHTON

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