SKI ANDBOARDALL YEARROUNDSki On Real Snow All Year Round At The Snow Centre In Hemel Hempstead

TAKE ME HOME TODAY

ISSUE 1 | 2013-2014

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

W

3

WELCOMEIan BrownManaging Director

InTheSnow

PUBLISHED BYInTheSnow Magazineadmin@inthesnow.com

EDITORPatrick Thornepatrick@inthesnow.com

DEPUTY EDITORBen Clatworthyben@inthesnow

The Snow Centre

HEAD OF MARKETINGJohn Attwoodmedia@thesnowcentre.com

MARKETING EXECUTIVEJenny Bletchermedia@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

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

Snow Centre, including many

Winter activities you may not know

about! We’ll also introduce some of

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

you know what’s

new out on the

slopes.

Since the centre

re-opened 4

years ago with

fresh snow on

the impressive

indoor slopes,

over a million

people have enjoyed the fantastic

facilities, including everyone from

the Beckhams and family or Dame

Kelly Holmes to our very own Snow

Centre ambassador and British

Winter Olympian Ed Drake. So

you are following in some very

illustrious ski tracks!

But everyone is welcome here, be

4

W

ENJOY THE RIDE!

4 Years Old Opened May 2009

250 Schools Visit Each Year95K+ Hot chocolates served70 Our Oldest Ski Instructor18 Our Youngest Ski Instructor230K Ski Lessons Taught

SNOW CENTREIN NUMBERS

Welcome To The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead

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 AcademyThe coverage snowboarding

received at the last Winter

Olympics fuelled the already fast-

growing 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 RefresherIf 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 Instructor-

guided practice sessions will give

you all the help you need to move

forward on your skis.

thesnowcentre.com

5

Call 0845 130 1114 or visit your local travel agentwww.balkanholidays.co.uk

Bulgaria &SloveniaSki & BoardHolidayswith flights from London• LowDepositof£70pp• Non-EuroValueformoney• SkiPacksfromjust£115pp• 20kgLuggageFREE• FreeChildPlaces (conditions apply)

Pamporovo

Borovets

Lake Bled

Pricesfrom

£244perperson

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

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, un-

pressured 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

L

6

LEARN 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!

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.

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.

7

LEARN TO SkI

Pete Gillespie,Head of Snowsports School

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

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%.

A

8

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

WHAT’S NEW IN THE ALPS

France: Dancing On High

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.

9

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.

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

T

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.

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.

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.

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.

E

10

SkI STAR?

IS YOUR CHILD A...

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

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.

WHY CHOOSETHE SNOW CENTRE?

11

Call us on 02380 206 971

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12

ERSOY TEWFIkHEAD CHEF IN THE EDGE CAFéBAR

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.

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!

ZOE GREENSALES 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!

GREG PRICESLOPE & RENTALS MANAGER

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: 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.

DAvID WILkINSONFACILITIES 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.

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.

LUCY TAPEOPERATIONSTEAM LEADER

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 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.

STEvE CROSSFREESTYLE MANAGER

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.

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.

MEET THE TEAM

13

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 off-

piste 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 PrerequisitesHenry 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.

W

Three Days With Henry off-piste

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, snow-

Camp 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.

O

Snow-Camp At The Snow Centre

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 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.

SBored of your own mountain view?

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

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.

I

14

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16

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!

T

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

17

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

L

snoworks – open for snowy Business

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

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

E

18

Olympian + The Snow Centre Ambassador

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RDS:

BEN

CLA

TWO

RTH

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PIC

: TB

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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.”

19

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

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.

O20

Train your balance for “Sweetspot” Success

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?

I

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!

I

21

THE EDGEC A f é B A R

Weekly SpecialsCheck out our daily and weekly specials on

your next visit or on our NEW Facebook and

Twitter Pages!

Facebook.com/TheEDGECaféBarTwitter@EDGECaféBarThe EDGE Café Bar offers a safe and

relaxed environment for adults and children.

With easy access and free parking.

www.thesnowcentre.com

Anyone for Après Ski? Relax and unwind at the bar

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

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

SöLDENSnOW GALOrE + PurE Fun

T

22

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.

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

BIG3

23

Obergurgl -Always First to Open

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 “non-

glacier” 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 Obergurgl-

Hochgurgl, opening this winter

on 13 December, with affordable

package deals made to measure

for families.

The Very First Winter Kick-Off in the Alps

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

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,

24

accompanied by high-end Austrian

and international wines.

Wine is the central element and

among other top class wines, a so-

called “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

25

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 barrier-

free and suitable for disabled

persons as well as pushchairs.

The Gaislachkogl restaurant will

be open from December with

planned night-time operation.

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SnowSure_LVWWC_Aug2013.indd 1 15/08/2013 09:51:15

Three Days Off -Piste with Henry andHis Adventure TeamHenry is the leading authority on mountain and avalanche safety in the UK and is a fully qualifi ed ski instructor. His three day program based in Val d’Isère and Tignes combines great o� -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 seasonfrom December to April.

www.henryoff piste.com

26

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.”

W

27

YOU’RE NEvER TOOOLD TO SKI Young blood – 90-year-old hits the slopes of Hemel

F r e e s T Y l e r

28

From 14-year-old school boy to Freestyle Skier and

winner of the 2011 Ski and Snowboard Morrow Jam

Competition, Callum Welch has been skiing at The

Snow Centre since he was six years old; during this

time he has successfully competed in competitions

across the UK and in Switzerland.

Having been introduced to skiing on his family

winter holidays, Callum first tried skiing close to

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

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

Centre re-opened with real snow on its slopes,

Callum’s passion for all things ski progressed to a

new level. With real snow on his doorstep, fitting

practice sessions in around his school studies

became much easier and three years ago he was

introduced to the joys of Freestyle Skiing.

Freestyle Skiing involves developing exciting

and challenging tricks in a snow park complete

with kickers, rails and half pipes. Taking inspiration

from Pro Freestyle Skiers and video edits, Callum

threw himself wholeheartedly into the world

of Freestyle and combined fun, hard work and

learning to achieve the high standard of Freestyle

Skiing he has reached today.

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

on snow or travelling to the mountains, you can

find him preparing for his next competition in other

ways. Amongst other things Callum takes the time

to look after his ski equipment and keep himself

fit for the slopes through running and football.

Regular gymnastics sessions also contribute

towards his strength and the development of new

Freestyle Ski tricks.

Despite many believing skiing to be a seasonal

sport The Snow Centre allows Callum and many

others to train every week all year round. The Winter

Season offers him trips away to compete, but the

Snow Centre offers a place to train, compete and

have fun throughout the summer season too.

With an exciting Snowsports future ahead of him,

Callum Welch hopes to perfect many more Freestyle

tricks and win many more competitions. With

plans to seek further sponsorship to help fund his

spectacular achievements, it’s fantastic to witness the

opportunities a facility like The Snow Centre can offer.

: CALLUM WELCH

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.

F r e e s T Y l e r

f

29

30

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.

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.

f

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

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

T

31

SKIfAMILLE

Totally Ski.Exclusively family.

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

0

32

ONCEUPON A TIMEThe Story of Three Primary School Teachers Learning To Snowboard At The Snow Centre.By Dave Rogers, Ski & Snowboard Instructor

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.”

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 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 Story

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.”

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 SlopeThe 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

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 DinnersAfter 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.

33

34

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

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.

S

TRAIN WORk +LIvE SKIINg OR

BOARDINg

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

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.

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)

Team Night Out

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!

A

35

Great For Adult Groups!family, friends and corporate are all welcome at The Snow Centre!

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 DaleevenT ORGanISeR,lanD ROveR

36

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 SnowIndoor snow making has come on leaps and bounds

since the first refrigerated indoor snow centres

appeared in the late 1980s. Back then people

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

H

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 FriendlyBeing 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 SmoothWe 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 TeamTo 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.

37

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.

38

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

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

S

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 VerbierBy Jon (Aka Westy)At Altitude Verbier

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39

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40

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

T

41

IMPRESSIVE RESULTS FOR SNOWBILITY

AT THE SNOW CENTRE

42

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.

M

THE ADvENTURES OF SNOW CAT! Start your Snow Cat adventure today and you might WIN some fantastic prizes!

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

PLUS 9 OTHER STORES ACROSS LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST:BRIGHTON I CHERTSEY I CROYDON I ROMFORD I PORTSMOUTH I COVENT GARDEN I KENSINGTON I MONUMENT

FOR A FULL LIST OF STORES AND TO SEE OUR FULL RANGE GO TO:

WWW.SNOWANDROCK.COMSTORE ALSO INCLUDES: CYCLE SURGERY

Find the world’s best snow sports brands atThe Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead

no hasslesexchange

boot comfortguarantee

uk pricematch

£0%fi nance

%

Test all the latest skis and snowboards with our Demo Pool.*

Get your equipment serviced at our on site workshop.*

Master boot fi tters in-store.

Experienced staff available for advice and tips.

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

*Fees apply.

3541 S+R HemelSnowsureAd.indd 1 09/08/2013 12:57

www.enjoyhertfordshire.com @enjoyherts