Final 3921 bn issue 119 web

2015Newsletter / Autumn Issue 119OCTOBER 2015

Great Britain Turn Heads at Interski 2015BASI Members’ Exclusive Trip Skiing and Snowboarding in ChinaBASI Life Members

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

PROUD SPONSORS OF THEBASI INTERSKI TEAM

CONTENTS

Perpetual winters seem to be de rigeur here in the BASI office. Not because the season of summer has passed us by here in Grantown-on-Spey but the topic of snow and snowsports is permanently on the agenda. Level 1 courses in the UK have been running throughout the summer at the snow domes, Business Partners have been running southern hemisphere courses in New Zealand and Argentina as well as the European Alps and the buzz of Interski 2015 in Ushuaia is still ringing in our ears.

With over 1,000 clips of video and as many still images to review, there will be content coming your way for the next few months. If you missed it (where were you?), you can catch up with the daily posts, Great Britain’s demo’ runs and workshops along with the presentations from other nations on the BASI Interski web site www.basiinterski.org.uk/about/. For a summary overview of Interski 2015 see pages 4 and 5.

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Advertising BookingsBASI Morlich House, 17 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, PH26 3HGT 01479 861717F 01479 873657E [email protected] www.basi.org.uk

Advertising CopyBASI News Its All Good 10 The Haughs, Cromdale Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3PQT [email protected] www.itsallgood.org.uk

EditorialIssue 120 December 2015Booking Deadline: Mon 16 November 2015Copy Deadline: Mon 23 November 2015Published: December 2015E [email protected] 01479 861717

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

Contents

Great Britain Turn 04 Heads at Interski 2015

More about far flung places in this edition from BASI Member, Adam Bramley, who provides a unique glimpse into the status of the snowsports industry in the People’s Republic of China.

Snowboard chalked up another first this summer with sports fanatic, Michael Easton successfully comp-leting his Snowboard Level 1 at Hemel. Mike, who is profoundly deaf, shares his BASI experience on page 14.

Member Pro Deal and Offers for 2015/16 season are all up on the BASI web site and there’s a Kicking Horse Powder Tours holiday offer to Canada.

Congratulations to all our new BASI Life Members; Anne Broad, Martin Rowe, Martin Tomlinson, Patsy Duncan and Rosemary Burns. The breadth and depth of experience and talent within the Membership is personified by our Life Members. Thank you for your loyalty and commitment to BASI. Between you, you have clocked up over 180 years of BASI membership!

Don’t forget the BASI General Meeting is on Saturday 7 November at the Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead and we’re voting on the new proposed Articles of Association.

Below is a wee checklist to keep you straight as we move towards winter show time!

Tania Alliod [email protected]

7 Cover Image: BASI Interski Team

1 Learning Styles – 06 Fact or Fiction?

1 BASI Quality Processes 08 Part Two

1 CHEL-SKI Ski Training 09 Centre

1 Blair Aitken retires as 11 BASI Trainer

1 BASI Members’ 12 Exclusive Trip

1 Michael Easton completes 14 BASI Snowboard Level 1

1 Skiing and Snowboarding 16 in China

1 BASI Member Pro Deals 19 and Discounts 2015

1 BASI Life Members 22

1 Adventure Sports 24 Coaching Conference

1 BASI Pro Deals for 26 2015/16 now live

Welcome

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

PROUD SPONSORS OF THEBASI INTERSKI TEAM

To Do Date Due

Pay BASI 15/16 Member Subs 1 October 2015

Vote - BASI proposed new Articles online by 5 Nov 2015 or in person at GM on 7 Nov

Renew Travel Insurance check your renewal date or visit: www.basi-insurance.com/home.aspx

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The British Association of Snowsport Instructors Interski 2015 delegation has just returned from Ushuaia, Argentina and one of its most successful Interski’s ever.

Throughout the week the performance and delivery, both on and off the snow, turned heads in the snowsports industry and Great Britain’s Demo’ Team of: Jaz Lamb, Rupert Goldring, Paul Garner, Giles Lewis, Craig Robinson, James Lister, Lynn Sharp, Amanda Pirie, James Bennett, Jas Bruce, Becci Malthouse and Rupert Tildesley asserted the credibility of British trained snowsports instructors globally.

Andrew Lockerbie, BASI’s Chief Executive Officer commented:

“Great Britain’s Interski 2015 team not only did the membership of BASI proud in Argentina but was a credit to the UK’s snowsports industry as a whole. There wasn’t one country that didn’t come up to our Chairman, Gareth Roberts and me to congratulate and compliment the team. They were impressed with how the team looked, performed and presented themselves. Thanks must also go to our sponsors for this.”

The Interski Congress took place over six days in September and over those days each of the 36

nations presented five on slope demonstrations, two on-snow workshops and two off slope mini lectures, key note lectures and a 4-day ski school session run for 50 local children with instructors provided by the delegations (including BASI). There is a direct correlation to a country’s performance on the demonstration slope to the numbers who then attend a nation’s on-snow and off-snow workshops and lectures.

As a result of BASI’s demonstration of high performance skiing, there was great attendance at both the work-shops; Form- based to Skills-

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based teaching and the Bumps session. The off slope lectures saw equally good participation from a wide variety of participating nations.

In addition to the technical exchanges, there was a mixed nation team dual slalom competition. Three of BASI’s demonstrators; Amanda Pirie, Lynn Sharp and Craig Robinson were successful in the qualifying rounds and Lynn and Craig stormed through to the finals along with their Italian and Japanese team mates to narrowly be pipped into 2nd place in a closely fought final.

Great Britain’s recognition as a major player in the world of snowsports

instruction was also underscored by BASI’s Dave Renouf being elected as first Vice President on the Interski Board. This means Great Britain will play a key role in shaping and developing the format and content of the next Interski Event in 2019 which will be hosted by Bulgaria.

The British delegation, under the management of Roy Henderson, certainly delivered the objective of ensuring the credibility of all BASI’s discipline qualifications to enable all levels of BASI Members to access employment around the world. As a result of the key communications messages developed prior to Interski

2015 and delivered there, we are already beginning to see a return with a number of new instructor job posts coming on stream in this week from Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and France.

To follow what happened at Interski 2015 and review the content of workshops, delivered not only by Great Britain, but also other countries visit: http://www.basiinterski.org.uk/

Notes for MembersInterski International was founded in Arlberg (Austria) in 1951 and every four years organises the biggest Snowsport Congress in the world. The Interski Congress exists for the specific purpose of sharing knowledge and understanding of ski teaching methodologies and techniques among Interski’s associated nations.

In the beginning, it was made up of only Alpine countries; today it is made up of 37 nations, including Great Britain, represented by the British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI). During each Congress, delegations including their demonstration teams participate in on slope workshops and demonstrations as well as off slope lectures and meetings. The Congresses always take place in a different host nation, and Interski 2015, was the first time in history that it took place in the southern hemisphere, right in the most southern ski resort in the world: Cerro Castor in Ushuaia, Argentina.

Britain’s Interski 2015 team selection took place in December 2013 in Zermatt, Switzerland and was organised by BASI. Over 30 hopefuls attended the selection and the team was announced by BASI Product Manager, Roy Henderson and Interski Team Manager, Andi McCann in January 2014.

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BASI NEWS ISSUE 1196

I have been fortunate to be involved in a number of BASI courses over the years, where the levels of performance and coaching ability of the trainers have been of the highest order. However, it seems that many coaches discuss learning styles within their teaching delivery and I’d like to offer some views and evidence on the actual usefulness of trying to teach to preferred learning styles.

Learning Style Tests are endemic throughout many facets of education in the UK and abroad. They appear to have become an embedded element of teaching and coaching practice; unquestioningly utilised in the intuitive belief that they must certainly benefit learners. At the time of writing it is possible to access at least 71 different learning style preference instruments (questionnaires) online, that reveal which is the favoured style out of a choice of pragmatist, theorist, reflector and activist.

The problem exists though in the fact that none of these tests have been scientifically validated or approved and any individual answering the

questions as honestly as possible will get a full range of ‘styles’ if filling in a few different questionnaires. Such a diversity of assessment tools will lead to a wide range of results for any given individual, so how then do we decide which one to use?

It is possible to deduce that if a coach wished to ascertain which preferred learning style a client had, the result would depend on which of the many instruments was chosen. The crucial point here though, is if there is so little test consistency that allows the ‘style’ of an individual to be ascertained in the first place, what is the chance that any of us could do it without any test at all?

My view, to cut to the chase, is that trying to teach or coach as a result of perceived learning style preference is not reasonable, but what do others think? Professor Coffield was tasked by the Learning and Skills Research Centre to tackle the issues noted above and writing in The Times in 2004 he states “…we found that none of the learning styles instruments have been

Learning Styles – Fact or Fiction?

Martin Barry is a BASI Level 2, qualified in Alpine, Telemark and Nordic disciplines. He works as a senior Lecturer at the University of Cumbria on the Outdoor Degree Programme and has just completed an M.A. in Outdoor and Experiential Learning. In this article, Martin offers his reaction to research on the use of Learning Styles within coaching.

adequately validated. Some of the best known and commercially successful instruments have such low reliability… that we are recommending their use in practice be discontinued.” However, this research may be based on a flawed premise, which is that assumed benefits of working to an individual’s preference exists in the first place. Coffield tested the validity of the various instruments but not the claimed benefits to working to any assessed style, however arrived at.

Pashler and colleagues however, did just that. In 2009 they conducted lengthy and rigorous research into the perceived benefits of working to an individual’s ‘assessed’ learning style. Their research was unequivocal in finding no evidence whatsoever that attempting to work to an individual’s learning preference is in any way beneficial to their actual learning. In addition to validating Coffield’s findings, Pashler did discover something else; that working to an individual’s ‘style’ was actually detrimental to their learning!

So what does this mean to us as coaches, and why are learning style preferences still referred to? Many organisations (for example Canoe England) and particularly those involved in corporate management training have used learning style preferences as part of course structure and it seems that their use has simply gained momentum without necessarily being fully understood. As coaches and trainers, it is worth noting that learning style preferences may best be termed as ‘stations of comfort’ in that although a person may prefer to learn in a certain way, it bears no relationship to actual success. The VARK model (visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinaesthetic) as a way of offering information is valuable, providing one doesn’t attempt to teach to an assumed preference. This model may best be regarded as a multi-channel approach whereby the necessary information is delivered in a variety of media which then allows the trainee /student to get going on a given task area. Once again, if attempting to ascertain which of the VARK strands is preferred, one comes up against exactly the same issues as apply to learning style preferences.

Does this impact on how BASI coaches and trainers teach snowsports? I would suggest not

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really. Excellent coaching sessions contain many elements. Providing time to experience and experiment in a problem solving structure, whilst offering small amounts of timely technical input is common to many sports, and is frequently observed on BASI courses. Delivering the information required to attempt the task or solve the problem is where the VARK model comes in, not as a format to teach to as an assumption of preference.

The persistence of pseudoscientific, although intuitively appealing approaches in education and teaching is heavily reliant on their not being questioned and on our lack of access to identifiable and valid evidence. However, there is a huge amount of serious motor skill, psychological and sports science research in book, journal and web format which is easily available. If you’re in doubt about the validity of the information or model you are presented with, look in the index of an appropriate published text – if it isn’t in there it’s probably for good reason.

The learning styles issue has cropped up in other coached outdoor activity areas, particularly paddlesports and climbing / mountaineering. Given that the Coffield report of 2004

was published over a decade ago, perhaps it’s time that, as BASI coaches, we have an informed view on this. There’s no real intention to change minds with this article, more to introduce what the research has said, and my own reaction to it.

For further reading please see the following.

Coffield, F. (2004). Revealing figures behind the styles. The Times Higher Education Supplement, January 2nd.

Coffield, F., Moseley, D., Hall. A. and Ecclestone. K. (2004b). Should we be using learning styles? What research has to say to practice. Learning and Skills Research Centre, London.

Pashler. H., McDaniel. M. and Rohrer. D. (2009). Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9 (3), p105-119.

Acknowledgments – Steve Banks – BCU Level 5 Coach.

The British Association of Snowsport Instructors Interski Team 2015

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Over the last three years BASI has been working with The University of Edinburgh (Institute for Sport, PE and Health Sciences) to credit rate BASI courses and qualifications using the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). As part of this process (which should be complete for all levels by the end of 2015) the University provides external quality assurance for BASI. In April 2015 I visited Hintertux to see the quality assurance processes in action during alpine ski and snowboard courses. As a passionate skier this was a perk of the job and a big responsibility which was not to be taken lightly. My own background is in outdoor education and then moral philosophy and experiential learning. I am currently Head of the Graduate School of Education at The University of Edinburgh and responsible for ensuring that teaching and learning is of the highest possible quality.

In the last BASI newsletter I detailed my experiences of the course level quality assurances processes that are in place and my observations during a visit to Hintertux in April 2015. Course level quality is of crucial importance but it needs to operate within an annual quality assurance cycle for continual improvement. As part of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) credit rating process BASI reports annually to The University of Edinburgh (as the third party credit rating body). The report focuses on any learning / changes that are planned as a result of the overview that is gained and on any systems that are working particularly well. In other words it is about identifying good practice and areas for improvement.

Annual ProcessesAll of the above course level quality assurance processes provide a large amount of data: BASI run over 350 courses in an average year for around 3000 people. In addition to the course level information there is also a season “wash up” meeting by the trainers, which takes advantage of many trainers being in one place. This is a chance to gain an overview and discuss any patterns and observations from trainers through the season. Every year all of the above information needs to be analysed. This provides data to BASI to make decisions about improving what they do across all aspects of the Association, from resort choices and hotels, to curriculum and course length. Feedback is analysed by various work groups and staff. Of particular importance is gaining an overview of views and to maintain perspective. For example, if a handful of people don’t like a hotel but the great majority do then it

would be prudent to investigate more before changing hotel recommendations. Feedback to trainers comes from six sources: student feedback, peers’ reports, point person reports, the Trainer Quality Assurance process, trainers themselves and Trainer Support. All of these sources of feedback are brought together and analysed annually and each trainer receives a personal annual report summarising strengths and areas for future attention. In November every year trainers attend a five day conference. This involves a variety of sessions including highlighting any changes or areas for attention for the coming season (assuming northern hemisphere). Every July BASI submits to The University of Edinburgh a quality assurance report summarising any patterns and themes that have emerged and plans for the following year.

FinallyGiven all of the above, I can offer three pieces of advice for anyone going on a BASI course. First, don’t worry about getting an ‘easy’ or a ‘hard’ trainer – they are all individual characters but the courses are of a consistent standard. Second, come prepared for the course in terms of ensuring your own experiences and abilities. Trainers ‘hold’ the standard, you pass or fail. Trainers can only work with what they get - they do not work miracles … although sometimes they seem to come close! Third, bring an attitude of learning and development to the course to maximise the benefits of the course – regardless of outcome.

BASI Quality ProcessesPart Two

Dr. Pete Allison

To view Part 1, see BASI News 118, pages 4-6.


BASI FEATURECHEL-SKI SKI TRAINING CENTRE TO

OPEN IN WEST LONDON THIS SEASON

A new, luxury ski training centre is due to open in the heart of London’s Chelsea this autumn. The development is in the hands of the team behind the successful Clip N Climb Chelsea climbing-wall attraction, located just off Chelsea’s Kings Road. The Clip N Climb site has been drawing record crowds since it opened, and this new opportunity to slide in central London offers a cross over additional activity to the already popular climbing facilities.

The appropriately named Chel-Ski will provide a fun and safe setting for ski training, accommodating all ages and experience of slider. Visitors can expect first class instructors, cool design aesthetics and an

engaging environment in which to take to the slopes, with no lifts and no queues – just the perfect central setting in which to brush up on skills or take their very first steps into the fun-fuelled world of skiing.

In addition to individual bookings, Chel-Ski will also cater for groups and ski themed parties and will provide an enticing new leisure destination for West London.

Chel-Ski is due to open in time to train for the winter ski season – we’ll let you know when.

Take a look for yourself. www.chel-ski.uk

Discount for BASI Members on production of current membership card.

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As you will be aware, if you are viewing this through your Member area, BASI News Online has upgraded to a more user-friendly platform. You can now view BASI News online, as if you were reading a real magazine at home thanks to ISSUU Online Publishing. With optimized viewing, faster loading speed and zoom features, it makes BASI News easier to read. Issuu is compatible with desktop, and mobile devices, such as your phone or tablet. Stay up to date with BASI News by following our ‘Stack ‘.

ISSUU platform can be viewed here: http://issuu.com/search?q=BASI+News

This will only let you browse some of the BASI News content. To be able to read all your editions in full, you need to sign into your Member area via the BASI web site, and go to the Publications section:

http://www.basi.org.uk/content/publications.aspx

Let us know what you think of the new viewing platform by emailing Amy; ([email protected])

Read it on the new online platform - ISSUU

Many thanks to BASI members Steve and Clare Angus for sharing the photos of Olivia Serena Rose reading BASI News 118. Steve and family live in Val d’ Isere; Olivia apparently picked up the copy of 118 and started “reading” page after page, over and over again – we think she likes the pictures!

Anyway, Mum and Dad have agreed we can reproduce Olivia for a caption competition…

Please send in your caption comment to: [email protected] no later than 1st December 2015. We’ve got a BASI Beanie for the winner. Please refer to our competition T&Cs on the website: http://www.basi.org.uk/content/website-terms-and-conditions.aspx

Never too young…

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BASI is sorry to be losing Blair Aitken as an Alpine Trainer. Blair has been involved in delivering Alpine courses for BASI at all levels. He will be missed by students and fellow staff. We all want to wish Blair the very best for the future back in Scotland.

Prior to starting his BASI qualifications he was a ski racer. Blair went through all his BASI levels in two seasons after the late New Generation director and BASI Trainer, Ali Rainback, offered him a job in Meribel. The condition of the offer was he had to get his Carte Pro.

A year later (in 2006), Tom Saxlund, gave him the role of restarting New Generation in Val d’Isere. In the same year Blair was selected as a BASI Trainer - the youngest at the time!

Over the years Blair delivered all levels of BASI’s Alpine courses. After ten years working in the Alps, he returned to Scotland to study for the Professional Graduate Diploma of Education at Edinburgh University and is now teaching Primary 3 at George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a trainer but now wish to focus on classroom teaching, looking after my young family and developing my ski-mountaineering. I intend to stay involved in snowsports by running coaching courses in Scotland and promoting backcountry skiing in the UK”.

Blair Aitken retires as BASI Trainer

The new subs year is upon us and thank you to all who have already renewed. Remember you will only receive a BASI Licence to instruct if you have a current:1) Refresher/CPD (Continued Professional Development)2) First aid3) DisclosureAll 3 must be up to date, meet BASI requirements as per the website, and evidence provided to the office, for a licence to be issued.For those who have not renewed, there is still time to pay online via your Member area www.basi.org.uk/content/member-area-login.aspx?goto=http://www.basi.org.uk/content/members-area.aspxPlease note, several members got in touch over the last year to tell us they would like to see the qualifications showing on their BASI Member card even though it is not a licence to instruct. BASI has taken on board this feedback and has put this change in place for the 2015/16 membership year. Thank you for giving us your feedback.Take 5 minutes and login to your Member Area today and check that your postal address, telephone numbers and e-mail address are up-to-date. If details are not current you will not receive digital notifications, pre-course information, certificates, licences, or waiting list updates.

Renew your Membership for 2015/16 and update your details today!

Renew your Membership for 2015/16 and update your details today!

www.basi.org.uk


BASI Members’ Exclusive Trip - Winter 2015/16

7 day ‘Best of Canada’s Powder Highway’ trip 23 to 30 Jan 2016 Exclusive BASI Members’ offer - £1,995 per person.

Contact: Richard Barker – Kicking Horse Powder Tours

+ 44 7977 274182

[email protected]

www.kickinghorsepowdertours.com

www.thestormchasers.caThe Storm Chasers, a specialist adventure ski trip operator, have put together an exclusive BASI members only trip for this coming season – an adventure, off-piste and backcountry skiing week, tailored to showcase the very best on offer on British Columbia’s famous ‘Powder Highway’.

The trip is open to all current BASI members, suitable for both skiers and snowboarders and will appeal to those looking for powder skiing, backcountry adventure and ‘mountain learning’ experience. Spaces are limited and bookings will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis.

The trip includes:

All transportation throughout your stay (excluding flights).

Fully catered ‘on mountain’ boutique lodge accommodation at Vagabond Lodge, Kicking Horse

In resort guided skiing with KHPT

All lift passes at KH, Lake Louise and Revelstoke

1 day of ‘Big Mountain’ riding skills coaching with BMC at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

4 days of Guided off piste backcountry skiing with ACMG ski guides, Avalanche skills training Level 1 certification

This trip is also available as a self-guided ‘Stay and Ski’ package at a price of £1,650 per person. This is a perfect option for your partner or ski buddy to join you on your holiday and still includes transportation, in resort guided skiing, fully catered accommodation and lift tickets.

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The TripThe ‘Best of The Powder Highway’ trip concept is simple; it’s an ACMG Ski Guide led adventure skiing week, staying in the exclusive on-mountain Vagabond Lodge at KHMR. All transportation during the trip is included. Picked up on your arrival at Calgary International Airport, you will be transported to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort for the start of your skiing adventure. The trip offers Big Mountain skills coaching and adventure skiing in off-piste terrain including multiple guided backcountry ski touring days and an overnight stay in a remote heated expedition tent camp. During the week you will have the chance to ski in resort at Kicking Horse, Revelstoke and Lake Louise, as well as away from resort areas.

Accommodation and FoodBased at the Vagabond Lodge at Kicking Horse, this trip is fully inclusive with all of your breakfasts, lunches and your evening meals included. Vagabond Lodge is a fantastic boutique hotel very near to the main lifts and base area at Kicking Horse. A beautiful timber framed building, it offers extremely comfortable accommodation over three floors. A large entrance area leads to the main lobby, with TV area and pool table. Stairs lead up to a huge open sitting area with open fire, bar and dining area and up onto the first floor with sleeping accommodation located on a further upper level. All rooms are very nicely furnished and have private bathrooms. Food wise you won’t go hungry. Breakfast, featuring freshly baked fruit scones, fruit pancakes, homemade bread, hot and cold cereals, farm fresh eggs and homemade yogurt will set you up for your ski day. If that’s not enough to keep you going, lunch is also included every day. Home-baked cookies are set out in the afternoon and post skiing, après-ski munchies are set up around the bar area. Dinner rounds off the day with a fantastic three course meal with wine. Please note - one evening at the Lodge is left free for Members to enjoy dinner at any one of Kicking Horse’s fantastic local restaurants.

Skiing and Skills Development This trip is available to all BASI Members and will appeal to those looking for powder skiing, backcountry adventures and ‘mountain learning’ experiences. The trip is suited to those looking to get away from resort areas for the first time and gain backcountry experience, as well as those who have already spent some time in a backcountry mountain environment and who are looking to build on their experience and knowledge. Generally skiing and boarding skills will need to be strong

with riders happy and confident on black level terrain; some off-piste skiing and snowboarding experience is necessary. The trip starts with a ‘Skills Refresher’ day with the BMC - Kicking Horse’s Big Mountain Skills Coaching School. Here you will fine tune your all-mountain skills, skiing the inbound chutes and steeps at Kicking Horse with one of their top CSIA coaches. From then on you will be skiing with ACMG ski guides at all times throughout the week. Not only does this mean you will get to ski and ski tour in some amazing backcountry terrain but you’ll also learn all about skiing and travelling in the backcountry:from avalanche equipment use and search techniques, to snow analysis, backcountry terrain management and navigation and route setting. Included in the week will be an Avalanche Skills Training Certificate Pt1, which will be issued at the end of the week.This trip, and its experiences, will provide Members with excellent grounding and knowledge for their own backcountry skills development or for their Levels 3 or 4 BASI Mountain Safety courses.

EquipmentFor this trip you will need to have ski touring equipment.Skis, boards, split boards and ski touring equipment will be required and can be organised for you in resort with a great range of Demo ski options available at exclusive rates.For skiers, that means touring skis with a touring binding, skins and poles. For snowboarders, a splitboard, skins and poles.You will also need an Avalanche pack comprising a ski rucksack, transceiver, shovel and probe.The trip itinerary has been set to deliver skiing experiences to advanced skiers. KHPT and its associated operators reserve the right to alter the trip’s itinerary, based on snow and safety conditions, and to ensure that clients are offered the best conditions available.A maximum of 20 guests will be accommodated on the trip.

Additional costs Prices are based on double occupancy. Single occupancy is available for an additional room supplement of £355/ $640.

Not included Flights to and from Canada. Transportation outside of the meeting point and drop off/pickup at Calgary airport at the specified time and date, and outside of the trip’s itinerary.Ski or snowboard equipment - ski touring equipment will be required and can be organised for you in resort. Avalanche safety equipment - this can be organised for you in resort.


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Michael Easton was born profoundly deaf. At eight months old he had his first hearing aid fitted and, age six, he underwent cochlear implant surgery with some success. He can communicate both through speech and sign language and with the support of Tanya, Steve and Lee from Clarion, he successfully took part in his BASI Snowboard Level 1 at Hemel earlier this summer.

“Always the keen sportsman, I am involved in local squash leagues, competing in the England Deaf Squash Squad and Great Britain’s Deaf Snowboarding teams in the UK and abroad and I also play for Peterborough United Deaf Football Club. I pay the bills by running my own Personal Trainer business: www.backtothefitness.co.uk and train clients, either one to one or in couples, as well as running an Exercise-to-Music class programme. Additionally I work at a local sports centre where I train other clients, and use my GP Exercise Referral Qualification as well as doing some life-guarding and children’s holiday football and basketball coaching.

I was introduced to snowsports twelve years ago. Thirteen members of my family decided to go to Pila, in Italy, for a skiing/snowboarding holiday. My older

brother and I booked in at Xscape in Milton Keynes as we had decided to learn to snowboard and gain some experience before we went on the holiday. I found it all very exciting and before long I was going on at least yearly trips abroad, especially enjoying time in the fun parks. For the last five years I have been a regular at Hemel Hempstead’s Freestyle nights.

As my passion and skill for snowboarding developed, it seemed like a logical step to take a BASI qualification.

For the BASI Snowboard Level 1 course I had two brilliant sign language interpreters/note takers from Clarion; Tanya, Lee and Steve. This was funded by the Access to Work scheme to help ensure I heard and understood all the instructions and questions that were exchanged in the 5-day programme. I found the course quite

Adaptable Delivery – Michel Easton completes BASI Snowboard Level 1

hard but learnt so much from Trainer, Lyndon and my course mates, improving both my own technique and how best to teach beginners. In August I passed the BASI Level 1 Snowboarding course and I am fulfilling my dream of becoming a snowboarding instructor. I believe that I am BASI’s first Deaf Level 1 snowboard instructor!

My hope is to get some work as an instructor at Hemel Hempstead once I have completed my shadowing and First Aid course,”

Tanya, Lee and Steve from Clarion, who acted as Mike’s interpreters also enjoyed their week. Here’s what the Clarion Blog had to say.

One Small Step for Snowboarding, One Giant Leap for Mike!Mike attended the BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors) Level 1 course and passed! Congratulations to Mike!

Mike, a deaf fitness fanatic, personal trainer, squash champion and general all round fitness guru, attended the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead for a week-long BASI Level 1 course. Clarion were

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delighted to once again work with Mike; what fun we all had!

Steve, Tanya and Lee, our communication professionals, all donned layer upon layer of clothing (looking like Michelin Men!) and took to the slopes to ensure that Mike was able to follow the entire course content.

Mike learnt all the special manoeuvres associated with snowboarding, in particular ‘Landing a perfect Ollie into a toe edge diagonal slide slip!’

Mike commented on the support he received saying:

“The Clarion interpreters helped me to understand what the tutor said and to know what to do during the course… Tanya and Steve were brilliant with explaining things to me and giving me good notes too. I felt confident I knew everything that was going on, the same as the others – who were all hearing. The whole group of 7 people passed and I have been told by BASI that I am the first British-trained deaf Level 1 Snowboard instructor!”

His thoughts were reiterated by his parents, Vanessa and Paul, stating:

“We have to say that Clarion’s support has been invaluable and Mike was obviously very comfortable and confident with his interpreters. Clarion has been really supportive in all the administrative side too, which has been a huge relief”

Finally, Lyndon Boddey, the course instructor, also commented:

“I have had a deaf learner before, but they didn’t have communication support. Having the support this time has made the whole process so much easier for Mike to follow and enjoy.”

Clarion extends our warmest congratulations to Mike on his achievements in passing the course and we look forward to supporting him in his next sporting venture. Who knows, maybe next time Level 2 in the French Alps!

Clarion would also like to take this opportunity to thank BASI and the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead for their hospitality and the loan of their warm clothes! It truly was an absolutely unforgettable experience!

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IntroductionWith the recent awarding of the 2022 Olympics to Beijing, the Chinese ski industry has been thrust into the public eye, and reports, lamenting its supposedly laughable state in comparison to Western or Japanese offerings, have filled mainstream news outlets.1 While there are certainly questions to be answered by the Chinese on the ecological example set by creating sufficient man-made snow to sustain a Games in resorts, that in some years can receive only 10-15cm of natural snowfall, this largely negative portrayal does not represent a balanced view.

In addition, there is very little knowledge in the West of the status of the wider ski industry, away from the spotlight of the Olympic Games. It may surprise you to learn that China’s best skiing is located hundreds of miles away

from the Olympic sites, that resorts have been running for decades, that the Chinese dome scene rivals our own, that ski resorts are being used to sell luxury property outside of polluted urban centres and that the Chinese even possess a serious claim to the origins of the sport.

This piece aims to offer a brief introduction to the history, current status and future potential of Chinese snowsports and skiers, both in the Middle Kingdom2 and abroad.

A brief history of snowsports in ChinaIt is now generally agreed that skiing was invented independently in two parts of the world in pre-historic times; Scandinavia and what is now Western China. Cave paintings have been found in the Altai mountain range in Xinjiang province depicting what could be interpreted as skiers chasing cattle

and horses,3 and it is possible that these are proof of the beginnings of a continuous, if small and isolated, skiing culture that continues to this day. Indeed, China has recently attempted to re-patriate skiing for its own,4 with activities such as ancient skiing contests being publicised by Chinese media outlets.

Despite these distant beginnings, skiing did not develop as a leisure or sporting activity in either Europe or the east until comparatively recently. It is here, however that the paths of Chinese and western skiing diverge. While 19th century Europe was a fast developing region, with an educated gentry who possessed a sense of adventure, money and free leisure time, that development was in part paid for in Chinese blood. As a result, China’s modern history is one of being conquered by foreign powers, before then tearing itself apart, firstly in a vicious civil war

SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING

IN CHINAby Adam Bramley

BASI Member, Adam Bramley is dual qualified with Alpine Level 1 and Snowboard Level 2 and is currently working towards his ISIA Level 3. Adam received an M.A. in Chinese and French from Edinburgh University in 2010, and has spent every winter since in the Alps working for tour companies. With the awarding of the 2022 Olympics to Beijing, Adam’s choice of studies suddenly looked like an inspired plan rather than blind luck, and he is currently hunting for career opportunities involving Chinese, French and snowboarding. Adam will spend winter 15/16 instructing in Niseko, Japan. This excerpt from his BASI written project gives us an insight into what is one of the fastest developing winter snowsports markets globally.

1http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/aug/07/2022-winter-olympics-beijing-status-not-snow2From the Chinese for China, literally translated as ‘Middle Kingdom’.3http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/25/content_4098439.htm4A regular ploy, whereby Chinese authorities will seize upon a previously neglected scrap of knowledge and use it to their advantage, whether for political reasons or simply to further national pride. The most controversial example recently has been the ‘Nine Dotted Line’ that forms the basis of China’s claims to the seas to its south.


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SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING

IN CHINAby Adam Bramley

stemming from the power vacuum at the end of World War Two, and then as a result of inter-party struggles and the cult of personality created by Chairman Mao. Only since Mao’s death in 1976 can one say that China has taken a path of modern development, and concurrently begun to develop into a country recognisable as a modern nation.

As a result of this recent development, and the consequential rise in individual wealth, Chinese people have had the opportunity to invest time and money in music, the arts, sports and other leisure pass-times. Concurrently, the opening up of China has invited Western development, as well as a generation of Chinese who have now travelled abroad and returned with their own experiences – experiences they would like to replicate in their own country. Chinese passion for snowsports, or at least the economic potential created by passion for snow sports, is currently at a record high.

Despite this enthusiasm, compared to other sections of the Chinese economic miracle,6 it is fair to say that the development of the Chinese ski industry has been much less dramatic. Going by the words of excitable speculators the Chinese ski industry appears to be permanently on the cusp of an imminent breakthrough into the mainstream, but to date results have disappointed both foreign and domestic investors. However, the long-term trend has always been upwards, and growth has actually been fairly substantial, from three ski resorts in 1980 to 70+ medium resorts today, alongside around 200 smaller ones. Skier numbers have also increased, from 10,000 regular skiers in 1996 to 5,000,000 in 2010 and 15,000,000 in 2015 by one count.7

China’s domestic facilities are currently best described as modest, but they are both more widespread and grander in size than you might think, and are growing all the time.

Contemporary Chinese resorts and facilitiesSmall-scale snowfieldsThere are innumerable small scale snowfields in China, often consisting of no more than a tow rope set up near a suitable hill by a local entrepreneur. Many of these do not feature snowsports beyond rubber

tubing, and where skis and boards are available, the lack of experienced instructors and the fledgling state of China’s Alpine culture ensure that the quick thrills of the tubes often remain the primary attraction. There are, however, several areas where skiing and snowboarding take priority and the facilities have been well developed, leading to a small but enthusiastic Chinese snowsports community.

Beijing (北京)While Beijing, located on the edge of the Gobi desert, may not seem like the ideal location to situate ski resorts, there are in fact as many as 14 available to the Beijing based skier;8 several quite well established. The area may not be blessed with huge amounts of snow, with only around 140mm falling each winter, but the temperature can drop below 0°C in November and tends to stay that way until mid-March. As a result, it is well suited to artificial snow-making, which has been taken advantage of by a great many small but popular snowfields, including Badaling, Miyun, Jundushan and the most famous, Nanshan.

Luxury developmentsAn interesting phenomenon currently taking place in China is the realisation that in the current headlong rush towards industrialisation, urbanisation and modernisation, a lot of existing cultural benefits are being lost. Foremost amongst these are the quality of the natural environment. China today is synonymous with pollution, air pollution in particular, and a lack of personal space in sprawling, overpopulated cities.

Skiing today is considered by some alongside tennis, equestrianism and golf amongst the four gentlemanly sports,9 and today’s bloggers and forum users pay homage to its firm groundings in nature and requirements of skill and daring. As a result, a whole range of lifestyle concept resorts is springing up to give access

to essential skiing facilities for China’s second home buyers.

The plans for Hebei’s Yongqing International Indoor Ski Slope project were signed off in February 2009, and construction began in October 2014. This $430million project stretches over 533km2, and is divided into four distinct sections:

• The world’s largest indoor ski slope (already superseded by the recent announcements in Dubai)10

• A space station simulator with accompanying hot springs spa and hotel complex

• An adjoined business and convention centre

• Mr Parker’s European Villa community

The press article helpfully points out that despite the Yongqing location giving access to central Beijing in only 30minutes via the existing Beijing-Taipei Expressway, the region is largely covered by the Boundless Forest Park, boasting 70 forest coverage, extremely high natural oxygen levels and pm2.5 levels far lower than nearby Beijing. Construction on this outstanding natural environment is forecast to complete within 18-22 months, and the European style buildings are offered as outstanding investment and retirement opportunities.

Many similar developments modelled on American country resorts are springing up, offering small outdoor slopes amongst the local attractions for investors keen to escape to a rural idyll. It remains to be seen how long-lived these phenomena will be when the novelty wears off and residents begin to face up to the realities of the running costs of these attractions.

The dome scenePerhaps more sustainable is the Chinese dome scene. China has 8 indoor snow domes, reaching from Hong Kong in the south up to Beijing in the north. Many of these domes exist more for an experience of snow and play for southern Chinese who have never experienced cold

5http://m.csmonitor.com/2006/0315/p01s01-woap.html6Generally accepted to have begun with Deng Xiaoping’s reforms in the 1980s and only today beginning to show signs of hesitancy.7(Canadian Tourism Commission, 2012), p.5.8(Mueller, 2013), p.16.9http://bbs.8264.com/thread-2188236-1-1.html10http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/editorial/snow-and-sand

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weather before, but the beginnings of an indoor scene is certainly taking shape. All of the domes appear to offer lessons delivered by instructors, and several also appear to have a small community forming around them with hard and soft-goods retailers and clubs of riders – notably in the Hong Kong and Beijing domes. Perhaps most encouragingly, the majority of the domes are run by the Qiaobo organisation.

Named after Ye Qiaobo,11 winner of China’s first ever silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Albertville 1992, these domes feature teams of professional, full time China Ski Association qualified instructors.12 The Beijing and Chengdu branches are home to the MellowParks team of park shapers, who for ten years have been building and running snowboard parks in the Middle Kingdom.13 Responsible for shaping the Nanshan park throughout the winter, for summer they move indoors and work with China’s budding freestyle community. It’s fair to say that visitors could easily imagine themselves in the UK after a visit to a Chinese park night – there are regular competitions, special features and even ladies only events. While the scene may currently be very small, you only have to look at the UK to see where a handful of dryslopes and indoor snowdomes can take you! The Chinese domes seem to be doing an excellent job both introducing new, middle class locals to snowsports and keeping those who already have the bug keen throughout the summer months. Hopefully, these communities will continue to grow and introduce ever more Chinese to the joys of winter sports.

Ski and snowboard instruction in ChinaCurrently, the only domestic ski instruction qualification is issued by the CSA. It is a fairly low-level qualification, with no international recognition, and is only adapted to alpine skiing. The Chinese Snowboard Association has recently been founded, and it is a sensible assumption that this new body will also seek to put in place a domestic instructor pathway.

While these qualifications are being used by many of China’s instructors, there are also many foreign organisations stepping in to fill the gaps in the Chinese system, notably at higher levels. As each

resort is able to choose their own pathway, it has led to a fractured and internationally flavoured market, with e.g. the ESF continuing their existing links with Club Med in Yabuli, while the PSIA are free to form partnerships in Chongli.

As with many industries, ski instructor training demonstrates huge potential for growth in China. It seems inevitable that a country with China’s targeted skier population, size and geopolitical power will develop its own ski association to a position of national importance and eventually seek membership of, or at least recognition from, the ISIA for its domestic qualifications. In the meantime, the availability of Mandarin speaking trainers and the flexibility of foreign organisations to tailor their qualifications to the Chinese market (e.g. by changing criteria calling for proficiency in English to Chinese) will surely have a huge influence upon developments here.

Piste patrolling in ChinaJust as the independent status of China’s ski resorts has led to a disparate but slowly homologising situation with regards to tuition, piste patrol has followed a similar path.

In the early stages of most resorts’ development, ski patrol is the last item on the list, and for many years pisteurs in China consisted of little more than a team of trained first aiders whose primary responsibility was to install and maintain crash-netting style safety fences along the route. As visitor numbers increased, so did the number of on-piste incidents, and it quickly became apparent that this system was not satisfactory.

Safety is in fact a major draw for Chinese, especially when considering their children, a majority of whom do not have siblings due to the One Child Policy and therefore represent the entirety of a family’s future. China has a deeply ingrained tradition of children looking after parents into old age – it is therefore somewhat in their parents’ interests to keep the investment they have made in their children safe! As a result, safety factors highly when the Chinese are surveyed as to potential travel destinations.

It should therefore come as no surprise to learn that from these humble beginnings ski patrolling has evolved very quickly, with fully professional teams backed up by a contracted doctor and nurses on rotation from the local hospital on hand at all major resorts.

Ski patrolling in China also presents an illuminating look at the way jobs develop around a burgeoning industry. Having started off using imported equipment, the Chinese ski industry can now boast domestic made ski rescue equipment and patroller management smartphone apps, with piste bashers and international standard bubble lifts on their way! While skiing in China may at present be a niche and low-key subject of little interest to western instructors, we should not bank on this always being the case.

Conclusions Chinese skier numbers have continued to rise, with 15,000,000 expected to take to the slopes in 2015. Regardless of expectations and the particulars of their experiences compared to those of


11http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ye/ye-qiaobo-1.html 13http://bj.qbski.com/?jiaoliantuandui.html13http://www.mellowparks.cn/10mellow/10mellowe/about.asp14The UK’s largest ski tour operator estimated the UK market at just over 1 million at its recent peak in 07/08 for example. (Crystal Ski, 2014), p.3.15(International Olympic Committee, 2012)

westerners, 15 million skiers is a lot of skiers.14

Looking to the future, I feel that skiing would do well to follow world politics and economics and begin to shift its gaze eastwards. In the West we are faced with stagnation and in some countries a decline in skier numbers, serious worries about resort viability and climate change and in-fighting between organisations. By contrast, Asia as a whole, and China in particular,

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appear as a land of opportunity, with the next three Olympic Games set to take place there, constant resort expansion and 5* hotels springing up overnight. The legacy of sporting participation after an Olympic Games may be unclear,15 but it surely cannot be harmful to have two enormous festivals of winter sport on the doorstep of the Chinese over the next few years.

Despite enormous efforts in China to learn English, language

remains a significant obstacle to Chinese attempting to leverage western expertise, and the status of the industry in China at present means learning Chinese remains an investment for the future rather than an asset to be immediately cashed in on. But for those willing to commit the required years of study and training to gain both high-level ski industry qualifications and sufficient mastery of Chinese language skills, a hugely interesting niche awaits.

Ortovox TRANSCEIVERS Retail BASI Price HARDSHELL Retail BASI Price

ZOOM+ £161.00 £104.72 3L [MI] JACKET GUARDIAN SHELL £503.00 £327.02

3+ £206.00 £133.97 3L [MI] PANTS GUARDIAN SHELL £386.00 £250.97

S1+ £296.00 £192.47 3L [MI] JACKET ALAGNA / LA GRAVE £386.00 £250.97

PACKAGE DEALS Retail BASI Price 3L [MI] PANTS ALAGNA / LA GRAVE £311.00 £201.83

AVALANCHE RESCUE SET 3+ 3+ Transceiver240 light pfa probeBeast shovel

£279.00 £181.35 SUSPENDERS £25.00 £16.25

SWISSWOOL Retail BASI Price

(SW) JACKET £179.00 £116.42

(SW) LIGHT JACKET £179.00 £116.42

AVALANCHE RESCUE SET ZOOM+ Zoom+240 economic probeBadger shovel

£225.00 £146.25 (SW) LIGHT VEST £125.00 £81.32

(SW) LIGHT TEC JACKET £179.00 £116.42

(SW) LIGHT TEC VEST £134.00 £87.17

(SW) HYBRID JACKET £134.00 £87.17

SHOVELS Retail BASI Price (SW) HYBRID PANTS £224.00 £145.67

KODIAK £62.00 £40.37 MERINO FLEECE Retail BASI Price

PRO ALU III £53.00 £34.52 MERINO TEC-FLEECE JKT £170.00 £110.57

PRO ALU III + pocket spike £86.00 £55.58 FLEECE PLUS (MI) JKT £152.00 £98.87

BEAST £35.00 £22.82 FLEECE PLUS (MI) HOODY £161.00 £104.72

BEAST SAW £59.00 £38.03 FLEECE (MI) HOODY £104.00 £67.28

BADGER £32.00 £20.48 FLEECE (MI) VEST £77.00 £49.73

ORANGE II £29.00 £18.72 FLEECE (MI) JACKET £116.00 £75.47

ECONOMIC II £26.00 £16.97 FLEECE (MI) ZIP NECK HOODY £125.00 £81.32

M ULTRA 260 NET LONG SLEEVE £125.00 £81.32

PROBES Retail BASI Price M ULTRA 260 NET HOODY £134.00 £87.17

240 LIGHT PFA £44.00 £28.67 GLOVES Retail BASI Price

240 HD PFA £50.00 £32.18 FLEECE (MI) SMART GLOVE £35.00 £22.75

320+ PFA £53.00 £34.52 NATURETEC (MI) GLOVE TOUR £69.00 £44.85

320+ STEEL PRO PFA £77.00 £49.73 (SW) GLOVE FREERIDE £99.00 £64.35

240+ CARBON PRO PFA £77.00 £49.73 (SW) GLOVE PRO WP £109.00 £70.85

240 CARBON PFA £62.00 £40.37 (SW) MITTEN FREERIDE £115.00 £74.75

240 ECONOMIC £35.00 £22.82 (SW) GLOVE PRO LOBSTER £109.00 £70.85

(MI) GLOVE PRO LEATHER £89.00 £57.85

ACCESSORIES Retail BASI Price MERINO SOCKS Retail BASI Price

POCKET SPIKE £41.00 £26.33 SKI LIGHT £23.00 £14.95

FIRST AID PRO £50.00 £32.18 SKI PLUS £25.00 £16.25

FIRST AID MINI £17.00 £11.12 SKI ROCK’N’WOOL £25.00 £16.25

FIRST AID LIGHT £23.00 £14.63 Merino Ultra 105 BASI Price

FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR £32.00 £20.48 M ULTRA 105 LONG SLEEVE £69.00 £43.47

GEMINI SINGLE £44.00 £28.67 M ULTRA 105 SHORT SLEEVE £59.00 £37.17

GEMINI DOUBLE £59.00 £38.03 M ULTRA 105 SHORT PANTS £59.00 £37.17

PACKS Retail BASI Price M ULTRA 105 HOT PANTS / BOXER £35.00 £22.05

FREE RIDER 16 / 18 £115.00 £74.75 Merino 185 Retail BASI Price

FREE RIDER 24 / 26 £135.00 £87.75 M 185 LONG SLEEVE ZN £69.00 £43.47

FREE RIDER 22 W (Womens Speci� c) £135.00 £87.75 M 185 LONG SLEEVE £59.00 £37.17

POWDER RIDER 16 £69.00 £44.85 M 185 SHORT SLEEVE £49.00 £30.87

CROSS RIDER 20 £79.00 £51.35 M 185 LONG PANTS £49.00 £30.87

CROSS RIDER 18 W (Womens Speci� c) £79.00 £51.35 M 185 SHORT PANTS £45.00 £28.35

TOUR RIDER 30 £99.00 £64.35 M 185 HOT PANTS / BOXER £35.00 £22.05

HAUTE ROUTE 35 £109.00 £70.85 M 185 LONG SLEEVE PRINT £69.00 £43.47

HAUTE ROUTE 45 £139.00 £90.35 M 185 SHORT SLEEVE PRINT £65.00 £40.95

HAUTE ROUTE 32 W (Womens Speci� c) £109.00 £70.85 Merino ultra 260 Retail BASI Price

ORTOVOX ABS AIRBAGS INCLUDING MASS UNIT (Excluding Activation Unit) M ULTRA 260 NET LONG SLEEVE £129.00 £81.27

FREE RIDER 24 / 26 ABS inc MASS £539.00 £350.42 M ULTRA 260 NET HOODY £149.00 £93.87

FREE RIDER 24 W ABS inc MASS (Womens Speci� c) £539.00 £350.42 MERINO SUPERSOFT 210 / Merino Competition 230 / Rock n Wool 185 ALSO AVAILABLETOUR 32+7 ABS inc MASS £539.00 £367.97

TOUR 30+7 W ABS inc MASS (Womens Speci� c) £566.00 £367.97

BASE 20 ABS inc MASS £512.00 £332.87

BASE 18 W ABS inc MASS (Womens Speci� c) £512.00 £332.87

SPS PRO2 BACK PROTECTOR £45.00 £29.25

ABS Activation Units Retail BASI Price

ACTIVATION UNIT STEEL £86.00 £55.58

ACTIVATION UNIT CARBON £167.00 £108.23

Photo: Ortovox – Heckmair

Z-LINE Available Retail BASI Price ABS Vario Retail BASI Price

JAM Z LINE SKI + 12.0 GLIDE £699.00 £454.35 Vario Base Unit exc activation unit (small or Large) £468.00 £304.00

JAM Z LINE SKI + 10.0 GLIDE £679.00 £441.35 Vario Base Unit Silver + Vario 18 silver, + Activation Unit Carbon

£782.00 £508.00

SHINE Z LINE SKI + GLIDE 10.0 (Womens Speci� c)

£629.00 £408.85 Vario Zip-Ons (Prices From) £41.00 £26.00

PISTE - ALLMOUNTAIN Retail BASI Price Komperdell Spine Protector only for Vario Silver £77.00 £50.00

REFLEX SKI £359.00 £233.35 POWDER LINE Retail BASI Price

PLAYER SKI £445.00 £289.25 Powder Base Unit exc activation unit £468.00 £304.00

GAMBLER SKI £465.00 £302.25 Powder Zip-Ons (Prices From) £32.00 £20.00

MELLOW SKI (Womens Speci� c) £359.00 £233.35 ACTIVATION UNITS Retail

SUNDANCE SKI (Womens Speci� c) £399.00 £259.35 Activation Unit Steel £86.00 £56.00

POP SKI (Womens Speci� c) £425.00 £276.25 Activation Unit Carbon £167.00 £108.00

FREERIDE - BIGMOUNTAIN Retail BASI Price DEMON IMPACT PROTECTION Retail BASI Price

VISION SKI £489.00 £317.85 Wrist Guard- unisex £18.00 £11.70

ICON SKI £499.00 £324.35 Flex Wrist Guard £25.00 £16.25

BUZZ SKI £499.00 £324.35 Flexmeter Wrist Guard Double £55.00 £35.75

TRUST SKI £539.00 £350.35 Flexmeter Wrist Guard Single £45.00 £29.25

ULTIMATE SKI (Womens Speci� c) £465.00 £302.25 Flex-Force Pro Short £42.00 £27.30

BEYOND SKI (Womens Speci� c) £475.00 £308.75 Flex-Force Pro Short Wmn £45.00 £29.25

BELIEVE SKI (Womens Speci� c) £499.00 £324.35 Flex-Force Pro Short Youth £39.00 £25.35

TWIN ROCKER BACKCOUNTRY Retail BASI Price Flex-Force Pro Top £129.00 £83.85

FLY CATCHER SKI £499.00 £324.35 Flex-Force Pro Top Wmn £129.00 £83.85

FLY SMASHER SKI £525.00 £341.25 Flex-Force Pro Top Youth £105.00 £68.25

FLY SWATTER SKI £549.00 £356.85 Flex-Force Pro Spine Guard £49.00 £31.85

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RISE PRO X SKI £739.00 £480.35 Knee Guard Soft Cap X D3O £59.00 £38.35

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APPLE X SKI £675.00 £438.75 Phantom Helmet £49.00 £31.85

VERTEX X SKI £625.00 £406.25 Phantom Helmet w. Audio £59.00 £38.35

RESPONSE X SKI £649.00 £421.85 WAX AND TUNING BASI Price

TOURING - FREETOURING Retail BASI Price Complete tune Kit 220 UK £65.00 £42.25

BLACK APPLE SKI £465.00 £302.25 Season Pass Wax kit 220 UK £59.00 £38.35

VERTEX SKI £475.00 £308.75 Tune Up Kit £25.00 £16.25

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SWEET APPLE SKI (Womens Speci� c) £465.00 £302.25 Single File £9.00 £5.85

VISTA SKI (Womens Speci� c) £475.00 £308.75 Pocket edge stone £6.00 £3.90

BALANCE SKI (Womens Speci� c) £485.00 £315.25 Edge tuner £11.00 £7.15

MARKER SKI BINDINGS Retail BASI Price Base Brush £9.00 £5.85

FREESKI 120 85MM BRAKE BLACK £120.00 £72.00 2 - 8 inch P-Tex candles £5.00 £3.25

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FREESKI 100 85 BLACK OR WHITE £99.00 £65.00

DUKE 16 EPF L 305-365 110 £379.00 £225.00

BARON 13 EPF L 305-365 110 £310.00 £185.00

JESTER 16 / 18 (Prices from) £285.00 £175.00

GRIFFON 13 (Prices from) £189.00 £115.00

F12 TOUR EPF 265-325 110 B/W/FLY £345.00 £215.00

F12 TOUR 265-325 90 B/R/W £329.00 £205.00

F10 TOUR 265-325 90 B/W/R £299.00 £180.00

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BASI NEWS ISSUE 11922 BASI NEWS ISSUE 119 22

Martin Tomlinson I have to admit that I feel honoured to have been granted life membership of the British Association of Snow-sport Instructors after joining in 1978/9. (Of course I had to qualify and apply for it, though!)

Way back then, I had just started working for a school travel company called the

Educational Recreational Overseas Service (EROS Travel – for short) in Italy. It was not a large organisation but a friendly, smaller company competing with the giants like Schools Abroad, the School Travel Service (STS) and the Educational Travel Service (ETA). I was teaching skiing for 8 hours a day, during high season, and I survived 7 full winter seasons! Imagine the shock when I resigned my ‘proper job’ as a qualified teacher and Youth Tutor at Bideford Comprehensive School, North Devon, to go to the Alps to be a ski instructor! I remember all the serious advice that I was given at the time – don’t do it!

It was, in fact, one of the best decisions of my life. The huge number of young people, with whom I have had the pleasure of working, has provided me with some notable achievements – even David Renouf (past Chairperson of BASI) claims that it is all my fault he got ‘hooked’ on skiing! There are still occasions, for example when walking along a street in Croydon, South London, when I am reminded of the significant impact we instructors can have. A very large, threatening, workman stared at me and demanded “Are you Martin?” I was greatly relieved when he explained that he recognised me as having been his ski instructor on his school’s ski trip some years earlier! He was keen to express his gratitude and impress on me how important that experience had been for him. There have been other similar events that I am sure most instructors of outdoor and adventure activities will recognise, where successful people tell you it was your influence that helped them get where they are today. It is a great honour and responsibility.

It all started when I was 14. I leaned to ski (well sort of!) in Switzerland on 2-metre skis, with leather lace-up boots and cable bindings! It was working on the ski-lifts in Champery for the winter season, during my ‘gap year’ in 1973 that made the difference. My Artificial Ski Slope Instructor’s certificate, from the National Ski Federation of Great Britain, got me my first ski instructing job at the Exeter ski slope. Later, I joined the part-time staff at the Bowles Outdoor Centre, Tunbridge Wells, often teaching skiing for more hours than some of the full timers!

I passed my BASI Grade 3 in May 1979 and my BASI Grade 2 in 1982. The school travel company went bust in 1983 (like many others did at that time), and I joined the ranks of Local Government as an Area Youth Officer. Since then, every winter, I have continued to return to the Alps for one or two weeks, to teach skiing to children and young people. Around the millennium, the West Sussex Youth Service was top of the range, resulting in me (of all people!) being awarded an MBE in 2003, for services to young people – frankly this was a reflection of the terrific team of people I was working with at that time.

I was appointed to the post of Outdoor Education Adviser for West Sussex County Council shortly afterwards

and have maintained my BASI licence in an up to date status (with refreshers, Scottish disclosures and first aid evidence) to enable me to teach skiing annually; – hence qualifying for this honour!

Patsy Duncan I have had a 45 year association with BASI and it all began with my first experience on skis around the age of 10, on very long skis….

They were put on me by my sister, then Sue Field (now Dickson) where she launched me off a hill in the field where she kept her pony. I

subsequently landed in a burn, this didn’t put me off one bit, it was the beginning of my life , career and passion ; it was to take me to some amazing places and to meet some fabulous people end-route , many of whom are still my firm friends today.

By age 12, after school I was taking myself up to Hillend (Edinburgh) almost daily as well as every weekend on Saturday and Sunday. There I was meeting other kids with the same love of the sport. By the time I was 15, I was racing regularly, attending anything I could on skis, and was one of the first group of kids doing the Thursday evening race training sessions that many a Scottish ski racer now views as part of their right of racing passage.

At 15 I had been noticed by a very kind and lovely man who many Scottish Members may remember; Mike Kenneth. Mike had a huge interest and talent for photography and young up and coming skiers. I received a letter from the British Ski Federation asking me to become a member of the British Ski Team shortly after I had competed in the British Championships, achieving some pretty good results; 2nd in Slalom and 3rd in Giant Slalom. Mike made an effort to meet my parents and with their agreement, Mike sponsored me throughout my team days. This was an amazing and generous gesture as my Dad, at that time, had been retired as a chief test pilot due to an unexpected medical condition following his yearly check. It was thanks to Mike stepping in, that my skiing days continued at all. I remain grateful to him for his generosity.

I raced for four years with the British Team, which took me all over Europe and America. However one unfortunate season I broke my arm, then my leg, which was when I decided to stop international racing.

The route of teaching then beckoned. I had already taken my first BASI course when I was still racing at the age of 17, the old Grade 3. I passed Grade 2 at 18 and finally Grade I at 21. I worked at Hillend for two years and, for ten years, was part of the BASI Demo Team, a key feature in the early ski show days at London’s Earls Court, performing shows like The Fantasia. By this time I was doing a lot of freestyle competitions and took myself off to Steinbach in Austria after meeting Hein Meissner , a World Cup skier at Earls court, who gave me a job. I worked there and followed the freestyle circuit for one season in Europe.

The following season I was invited to become a BASI Trainer. This was a great time. I thoroughly enjoyed 18 years of training and assessing many BASI candidates

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in Scotland, Austria, France and Andorra. During those years I was part of the Great Britain Interski Team 3 times, taking part in Interski Japan, Sesto in Italy and then St Anton in Austria.

I am still teaching full time with my own little set up called Ski Class. Having worked with sister Sue and bro’- in - law Kenny Dickson for several years in Courchevel, I decided to launch out on my own and began teaching independently. Based in Courchevel for the past 11 winters, my summers/autumns have been spent taking classes on a small but really lovely dry slope in Perth at Craigclowan School which keeps be busy until winter arrives.

I am delighted to have received my life membership award from BASI. I feel it is a huge compliment and I’d like to thank the Association for the many great years of opportunity and experience its qualifications have provided - and hopefully many more to come. Thank you.

Martin Rower I first skied in January 1968, aged 13, with my family in Seefeld Austria. From that moment I decided I wanted to be a ski instructor. Purely by chance my family moved to Scotland and my father met Derek Brightman from the Aviemore Ski School. When my Dad told Derek of my aspirations he immediately suggested I went up to Aviemore and started work for the Ski School. So aged 16, I arrived in Aviemore to start teaching, with no experience and no qualification!

One season in Aviemore was followed by a move to Glenshee for a further two seasons. After that, an opportunity to work in Soldeu, Andorra presented itself and most of the Glenshee Ski School arrived there the following season. By this time I was 19 and a hardened pro! I worked in Soldeu for sixteen winters, the last few working on the management side of the English speaking part of the Ski School.

I entered the BASI system in 1977 and worked my way through the qualifications, becoming a BASI Trainer in the early 80’s. I worked as a trainer for thirteen years, during which time, I left Andorra to take up residence in a small village in the French Alps called Villaroger. Villaroger is part of Les Arcs & Paradiski and our village chairlift links in to it all. Together with my wife, Deirdre, I ran a ski chalet here and initially offered ski courses. John Thomas worked for us as a ski instructor in the early days and when we closed the chalet five years ago he started badgering me to come and do some work for New Generation in Vallandry, Les Arcs. Three years ago I gave in and I am looking forward to starting my fourth season with them.

I now spend my summers road cycling.

Rosemary Burns At the time of gaining my first BASI qualification I believe I was one of the youngest to qualify as a BASI instructor (along with Iain Finlayson who has since sadly passed away). Shortly after that BASI raised the minimum age from 16 to 18!

My father was one of the founder members of the Cairngorm Winter Sports Board, as it was then, so I learnt to ski with my sisters from an early age - probably about 5 years. We skied through all conditions - hail, freezing fog and minimal visibility - on the nursery slopes around the Shieling at CairnGorm Mountain. I remember the smell of creosote when the finishing touches were being put to it. I also recall the excitement when the second-hand chairlift was installed up the White Lady.

Our BASI course was a classic spring course which involved a lot of crust, porridge, heather-hopping and laughter. Trainers included legends like Doug Godlington, Frith Finlayson, Ali Ross, Ian Baxter, Bobby Burnie and many more. Thinking back on it I cannot remember a happier skiing ‘holiday’, although we were made to work extremely hard. I had a rock hard pair of Kneissl Red Stars, far too long for me, but I wore them with pride. I found the hardest part was orienteering through Glenmore Forest!

I worked in skiing for several years after having my children, from the 80’s through to the mid 90’s. I worked as a freelance journalist and PR Manager for Ski the American Dream and the Ski Club of Great Britain and was also a Director of the Ski Industries of Great Britain. I had a ball, especially on press trips with the hard core élite of the skiing journalists. But sadly, it didn’t pay the mortgage, which is why I ended up back at the criminal Bar - not much better financially speaking!

Unfortunately my profession doesn’t accommodate several weeks of skiing a year now, so I head off to the slopes less than I would like, but I am honoured to have received my Life Membership status with BASI.

Anne Broad Born in Motherwell, Anne started skiing cross country in leather boots. She lived in Norway for a period of time and got into Telemark, skiing hut to hut through the Hardangervidda, Haukliseter to Hovden.

Anne’s qualification pathway began with Alpine instruction in Canada, where she gained CSI Level 2, and taught across five ski areas before moving to BASI.

Further seasons followed in Scotland where she worked for Aviemore Ski School, Carrbridge Ski School, Cairngorm Ski School and The Ski School. Anne has also worked part time for Interski, the school specialist, where she attained her Italian AVMS IN 2005.

Anne is delighted to have achieved her Life Member landmark with BASI.


BASI

FEA

TURE

This unique day is about sharing ideas by bringing relevant theories to the adventure sports context.

Adventure sports coaches (paddling, mountaineering, climbing, skiing, mountain biking etc.) develop learners’ personal

performance in a dynamic and high risk environment.

Our team of coaching experts aim to bring cutting edge theories into the adventure sports domain to explore ways to develop

coaching practice.

The delivery team hold some of the highest level of both academic and adventure sport qualifications providing a perfect opportunity to support delegates in developing their knowledge.

The day is recognised as CPD points/Coach Update by some NGB’s, further details, full programme and booking available at

www.glenmorelodge.org.uk

Adventure Sports Coaching ConferenceSunday 6th December 2015

Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore, Inverness-shire, PH22 1QU

01479 861256 | [email protected]

www.glenmorelodge.org.uk

Tickets £45


BASI MEM

BERS DEALAdventure Sports Coaching Conference

“Who we are, what we do and how we do it – a sharing of ideas and theories”

‘Developing Decision Makers’ - 6th December 2015.

Doug Cooper

• PG Dip Performance Coaching – Paddlesport.

• UKCC Level 4 Paddlesport• MSc Performance Coaching (completion

2016)• BCU Level 5 White Water & Sea Coach• Mountain Instructors Certificate• BASI Level 2 Alpine & Snowsport

Scotland Mountain Ski Leader• Coaching, Educating and Guiding in the

outdoors for 27 years• Delivering NGB courses (paddlesport &

mountain sport) at Glenmore Lodge for 20 years

• Coach Education curriculum development (paddlesport) for 15 years

• Paddled, climbed and skied extensively worldwide, including first ascents, descents and coastlines

Lara Cooper

• MSc Science of Sports Coaching• PGCE Physical Education• BCU Level 5 White Water Coach• Coaching, Educating and Guiding in the

outdoors for 26 years• Delivering NGB Courses (paddlesport)

23 years• Coach Education curriculum

development (paddlesport) for 12 years• Currently employed as Qualification

Consultant for British Canoeing• British Junior Canoe Slalom Team Coach

– 1989-1994• Welsh National Canoe Slalom Team

Coach – 1992-1998• Medalled at Junior World Canoe Slalom

Championships - 1988 • Competed in World Canoe Freestyle

Championships – 1995 & 2001• Paddled extensively worldwide including

first white water kayak descents in India and New Zealand

Scott Simon

• PG Dip Elite Coaching Practice• Professional Doctorate Elite Performance

(Completion 2018)• BTEC Level 4 Instructional Techniques• BCU Level 5 White Water & Canoe

Coach• Mountain Instructors Certificate• BASI Level 2 Alpine, Level 4 European

Mountain Safety• Professional Avalanche Course• Mountain Bike Leaders Association

Grade 1 Tutor• Joint Service Mountain Guide• Coaching, Educating and Guiding in the

outdoors for 18 years• Delivering NGB courses (paddlesport &

mountain sport) for 10 years• Scottish Institute of Sport Strength &

Conditioning Coach• GB & Ire International Rugby player -

2000• Paddled, climbed and skied extensively

worldwide

Steve Macdonald

• PG Dip Performance Coaching – Paddlesport

• UKCC Level 4 Paddlesport• MSc Performance Coaching• BCU Level 5 Canoe Coach• BASI Level 2 Telemark & Snowsport

Scotland Mountain Ski Leader• Coaching, Educating and Guiding in the

outdoors for 28 years• Delivering NGB courses (paddlesport) for

25 years• Coach Education curriculum

development (paddlesport) for 10 years• Scottish Canoe Association Slalom

Development coach (2007-2013)• Paddled and skied extensively worldwide• Founding Director of Beyond Adventure

(1998-present)• Canoe Slalom Talent Pathway Manager,

Breadalbane Canoe Club (2014-present)

Lesley McKenna

• Snowsports and boardsports enthusiast, outdoor sports enthusiast, passionate about other people’s passion for progression• MSc Performance Coaching• BASI ISTD level Snowboard and Alpine plus L2 coach for both.• BASI/SSS/SSE Snowboard Coach trainer, delivering and designing courses for 5 years• 3 times Olympian as an athlete, first ever GB Snowboarder to compete at Olympics• GB Park & Pipe Team Programme Manager• Roxy Snow Team Manager 2009-2013• Roxy Team Professional Snowboarder from 1998-2009 including halfpipe, slopestyle and back-country riding• GB Alpine Ski Team member 92-96• Produced and directed all female snowboard films for chunkyknit productions 2003-2006

Introducing the staff team….

The qualifications and experience of the team speaks for itself, but the most important thing about the delivery team is not this but the shared values and beliefs that underpin their adventure sports coaching. It is these values and beliefs that have guided the team in their coach and performance careers and from this their research and approach to coaching. Qualifications perhaps allow you to coach in certain settings, but it is values and beliefs that make the coach. It is hoped that by sharing these through their delivery at the conference it will help support what the delivery team believe is the common ethos of adventure sports coaches.

The team believe that coaching is about every learner developing as an individual, with their aim to develop independence within the learner. The team promote a mastery based motivational climate, the focus being on personal achievement and success as opposed to winning. A supportive learning environment is key to this in which social and psychological needs are met in a way that inspires and empowers.

It is with this considered that the team will approach the topics at the conference. Whether it be an Olympic coach, a mountain instructor or informal learning on the rails or in the off-piste, we believe this ethos can help you, the coach.


BASI

NEW

S

www.snoworksgap.co.uk

• 1 to 6 week options available• 6 week price £1,995

(course fee and transfers) • Accommodation packages

available, see website

Training delivered by BASI trainers that currently deliver level 3 & 4 courses

» Tignes, France 31 Oct - 12 Dec 2015

[email protected]

UK 0844 543 0503

International+44 870 122 5549

©PollyABaldwin www.dynamicpictures.co.uk

• Top coaching from Emma Carrick Anderson 4 X OLYMPIC SKIER and Mike Barker EX NATIONAL TEAM COACH

• Skill development, free skiing and gate training

• Physical preparation• Video analysis• Mental preparation• Electronic timing and mock races• Assistance at the Eurotest in Alpe

du Heuz and Solda in December

£199/WEEK

EUROTEST & TEST TECHNIQUE TRAINING, TIGNES

SUMMER/ AUTUMN 2015

0844 543 [email protected]

S U P P O R T E D B Y

FOR BASI MEMBERS

BASI Pro Deals for 2015/16 now live

As the new season approaches our Pro Deal suppliers have been busy pulling together some great offers for our Members this coming season. Nearly all the Pro Deals have already been updated for this season with the rest to follow in the next couple of weeks.

One of the most exciting offers we have for this year is a new Member discount with Kicking Horse Powder Tours. KHPT are offering an exclusive ‘Members only’ trip across Canada’s powder highway, at a great price as well! Make sure you check out the Members’ discount page in your Members area for all the details.

As well as the old favourites such as Salomon, Atomic & Rossignol we have a few new additions to the line-up as well as some expanded offers. Noble Custom have expanded their Pro Deal range for this year offering some amazing deals. Brands such as Endeavour Snowboards, Ortovox, ABS & SP bindings are just a few of the products available from Noble Custom.

Nick McKelvey

Anatom have also massively increased their Pro Deal range this year with huge discounts on all Dynafit & BCA products – perfect for anyone planning to do a mountain safety course this year.

Ride Snowboards are also returning to the line-up this year after missing out last year due to moving factory. They are currently putting their stock list together for this season and should be up and running very soon. They will be joined by some exciting newcomers in the form of; Armada Skis, Douchebags, Mons Royale, Vons Zipper & Majesty Skis.

The new SnoKart deal is already up and running for this year – a British company that make extremely high quality ski/board and kit bags. Make sure you have a look if you are stocking up on new kit bags for the season. Another newcomer is Mountain Hardwear; the Pro Deal is already up and running on the website and there are some great MH competitions coming your way this season. Make sure you keep an eye on your emails and our Facebook page for details – there are some fantastic prizes up for grabs.

As always, we are happy to take suggestions for Pro Deal or Member discounts. If you have any suggestions as to what brands you would like to see an offer on, then feel free to email them to us at [email protected]

FEATURE



Specially-negotiated travel insurance for BASI Members.To get a quote or buy online www.basi-insurance.com

Final 3921 bn issue 119 web

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