Respecting the Mountain - Japanese Style

The Academy made history in being the first ever ski tuition organisation to be granted exclusive permission to take groups off piste in the ‘Sacred trees’ of Furano.

The 11 day ski trip was split between the resorts Niseko and Furano, with a day trip to Kamui. There are three main resorts in Niseko; Annapuri, Niseko Village and Hirafu.

Here the tree skiing is magnificent, with extensive floodlit night skiing, even off-piste, running up until 9pm every evening. The Academy Powder ski coaching and development began in these areas before transferring to the resort of Furano. In Furano a guide and 2 patrol escorted the Academy on a historical journey to the finest off-piste terrain with the most beautiful pine and Silver Birch forest densely filled with powder. The area was untouched by anyone else, and the Academy clients knew this was to be the best skiing they had ever done.

Warren ran a transceiver check with everybody in the group before accessing the off piste terrain. He talked about the area, what to look out for, potential dangers, general ski etiquette and also about respecting the mountain. He spoke highly of the patrol, and the job they were doing for the mountain. This instilled confidence in the Patrol for what the Academy were doing, which seemed to make the whole operation work really smoothly.

Of the 20 people on the Camp, not one had to ski in another’s tracks. The area was vast and safe due to the gradient and the trees. It was also a fantastic learning environment due to the light texture of the snow and it’s depth, meaning nothing underfoot could catch out a skier, giving greater confidence to ski the powder. The group were guided to the same areas Warren and Melody had tried, tested and photographed the year before, and they also had their photographs taken in the same areas. The experience was magical and will never be forgotten.

To read more about the Camps, have a look at the blog that was kept over the 11 days and see what the skiers have to say. Read here:

Provided by Melody Sky, Warren Smith Ski Academy

WARREN SMITH AND LAWRENCE DALLAGLIO TO CYCLE 933KMS FOR CHARITY

After Lawrence received 3 days of coaching from Warren this season, he wanted to return the favour!

Warren took Lawrence Dallaglio skiing this season to see what the big man was made of on the slopes. It was an amazing 3 days of development and Warren confirmed that Lawrence was one of the fastest learners in skiing he had ever coached. On day 1 Lawrence was making basic parallel turns and on day 3 short radius turns and the steep slope of Mont Fort were conquered. Quite an achievement!

On a chairlift in Verbier on the 3rd day Lawrence asked Warren if he fancied joining a cycle challenge in France. Warren agreed to doing it without realising too much of the details. He was a bit shocked when he found out it was 933km’s over the French Pyrenees but as it was the big man asking and for the Bliss Charity he felt honoured to be a part of it.

This event will test more than just personal endurance. The team have also taken on the challenge of raising an amazing £175,000 for Bliss. From March through to September 2008 a range of fundraising events will take place to help boost the £50k that has already been raised by one individual alone.

Warren starts training in July for the challenge and has just set up his charity fundraising page with Justgiving (www.justgiving.com/warrensmith1). Please take the time to look through the cycle challenge in detail by clicking on this link and please give generously on Warren’s Just Giving page. Warren will keep you updated with his training regime over the summer in person in Saas-Fee and on our Academy news pages.

The Warren Smith Ski Academy’s GAP 2008 ski instructor + performance coaching course gained a 100% pass rate this season with not just one group of 10 students but incredibly with all 30 students from all 3 of their BASI Level 2 exam groups. This is one of the highest volume 100% pass rates in GAP year ski instructor course history.

The students themselves have written and talked about the whole course in detail. You can read the reviews and watch the video interviews with the students themselves right now on the Warren Smith Ski Academy website. Click here to see what the student’s themselves had to say about their amazing achievement! For more information, see the Warren Smith Ski Academy’s GAP Year Ski Instructor courses for 2009.

Warren got more than he bargained for in Japan this February and he’s now setting up powder camps there.
In February 2008, Warren Smith and Melody Sky travelled to Japan with Lynsey Devon from Inghams and Arnie Wilson, Editor of Ski + Board magazine. Warren was there skiing for his sponsors Volkl and Oakley but also to check the place out as a potential Warren Smith Ski Academy location for 2009. The trip was a huge success with the best action shots that Warren + Melody have ever shot together and also a unique powder skiing agreement with the Japan locals. Warren Smith in Japan for the full story.

¨What an amazing season it was!¨, a quote from a participant of the Warren Smith Ski Academy 2007 GAP Ski Instructor course. 28 skiers aged between 16 and 55 took part in the Warren Smith Ski Academy 2007 GAP Ski Instructor course. The course, famous for its high pass rates, high level of coaching and ski biomechanics, brought together a group of people from very different walks of life including students, people on career breaks, retired workers and people seeking a career in the ski industry. At the end of the course many close bonds and friendships were made that will for sure last a lifetime and students were left feeling amazed at how their skiing moved on.

After research carried out by the Warren Smith Ski Academy during the course, it was clear that many people looking at which GAP Year Ski Instructor course to book actually wanted to hear from people that had completed one. All that’s available on the internet at the moment is advertising but no actual reviews from students who have completed a course. To help GAP Ski Instructor course seekers for 2008, Melody Sky, the camera woman who films the Warren Smith Ski Academy DVD’s and Podcasts, has put together several internet videos of students who have completed the 2007 course.

Melody Sky said, ¨It was after chatting to the students throughout the season and hearing how they found us, that we realised there was a major need on the internet for a past course experience or review. Because we have our own in house production company I thought it would be a good idea to actually video the students to get their opinions on the course. I hope it helps other people looking for the right GAP Year course for them and also gives other GAP year course providers an idea on how to give the seekers the help they need¨.

Hear what the following course attendees have to say about the course (click their name to see their full review - with video).

Helen Burridge Sophie Donges Ian Panton	Helen Burridge “I am 32, live in London and took a career break to complete the 2007 Warren Smith Gap course. The main reason I wanted to do the course was to improve my level of skiing and gain a qualification that I could potentially use in the future. I had been on one of Warrens courses in the past, from this I could see that the coaches were outstanding and the style of teaching was far and above anything that I had ever received before.”
	Stefan Nilsen “I chose the Warren Smith Ski Academy GAP Ski Instructor Course because I wanted a course where the instructors were both young and experienced skiers. I was also looking for a course that would focus on training above and beyond training for BASI3…” “…I would recomend this course to anyone who has a passion for skiing, wants to improve and has a desire to become a ski instructor.”
	Sophie Donges “I chose the Warren Smith gap course because I had already been on a couple of his other courses in Verbier and another in the summer out in Saas-Fee. I found that the improvement that I had made over these two 1 week courses had been so much that doing the 9 week gap course would be exactly what my skiing needed - an intensive hit!”
	Jordan Revah “I had decided to take a gap instructor course and had a search around the internet and chatted with various people. Reading about the Academy, it really appealed to me; I love skiing in Switzerland and it was one of the few that offered this and it sounded much more focused on seriously improving the skiers’ technical ability which was what I really wanted. I met up with Warren and Rob at Milton Keynes and they were both sound guys and the amount I learnt in a 3 hour lesson in the indoor snowdome with them finalised my decision to book a place on the course.”
	Kay Leggott “I had previously skied with Warren and his Coaches on the Academy courses, and that made it a ‘no brainer’ as to who I wanted to continue training with.”
	Sara Whalley “I had been on a couple of the Warren Smith Ski Academy one week Ski Performance Coaching courses in the summer in Saas-Fee and had spoken to people who had done the Gap course in previous years. It sounded really comprehensive and like it would be an amazing life experience. Having skied with Warren and the team, I knew the course would be well structured, professionally run and based on sound modern ski technique. “
	Ian Panton

For information on how to book, see the Warren Smith Ski Academy 2008 GAP Ski Instructor course. Once you have looked through the course content you will then need to contact Warren Smith directly on either his UK number 07775 500599 or his Swiss number +41 79 359 6566. You can also send a request to him through the contact page of the Warren Smith Ski Academy website.

Warren Smith and his Ski Academy team (www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com) will be hosting a tour of several performance coaching ski courses this Spring and Summer. The courses are designed to build and develop skill and confidence and to enable people to ski Moguls, Steeps, Powder and Carve effectively. Skiers ability levels range from intermediate skiers (early parallel or basic swing) wishing to get off of the typical intermediate plateau, advanced skiers (strong parallel), expert skiers (dynamic parallel in all terrain), Ski Instructors taking their instructor exams and Competitors in need of performance training for competition (alpine racing, freestyle or freeride).

Skills are developed during the coaching by practicing specific exercises that benefit the main topics. Progressively, the new levels of skill are tested in suitable terrains or with the specific exercises to build confidence. During the group courses each skier is also looked at from an individual point of view due to the fact that we are all individuals and have different strengths and weaknesses that need identifying and developing. The coaching tour dates are as follows and are available to book today:

REASONS TO SKI ALL YEAR

One of the key messages of the tour is to explain to British skiers the reasons to keep skiing all year round rather than just one or twice in the winter.

• The indoors slopes in the UK are generally quieter during the spring and summer months and give an even more enhanced skiing experience during these times. Summer skiing in Saas-Fee is guaranteed snow unlike the winter months in a lot of European ski resorts.
• You can work on the areas of your ski technique in preparation for next season, Moguls, Steeps, Freeride, with specific Academy exercises developed to work at the Real Snow Indoors centres.
• Like with Golf and Tennis the longer you leave your skiing the more your technique can digress. Skiing all year builds confidence, reduces risk of injury and takes your technique beyond a level that could be achieved with just winter holidays.
• It keeps the ’ski specific’ muscles working that don’t normally get used during other sports.
• It will give you the chance to fine tune your ski equipment, getting the skis serviced just right and making sure your boots fit perfectly for your winter holidays.

XSCAPE, MILTON KEYNES, UK - 4 May, 11 May, 18 May, 25 May
XSCAPE, CASTLEFORD, UK - 9 May, 16 May, 23 May, 30 May
These courses are run as afternoon sessions as this is an ideal time in terms of slope use. From 2 - 5pm the slope is quieter than normal and the quality of the skiing and coaching session will be high. Whilst this session is a group course the coaching will be tailored to the individual’s needs and goals. Many skills can be developed on the real snow slope. On a typical afternoon you will walk away with your weaker turn identified and strengthened. You will also have you skills developed to improve you skiing in Moguls, Steeps and Freeride terrain.

The day costs £69 and includes tuition fee, lift pass and equipment hire. The reception of the Xscape centres will have your lift pass waiting for you when you arrive. It’s a good idea to get to the centres 30 mins before the coaching starts so you can get changed and have a few warm up runs. For further details on the UK leading indoor real snow slope’s please goto www.xscape.co.uk. Here you will find details on the slope and directions of how to get there.

SAAS-FEE, SWITZERLAND - 5-12 August, 12-19 August, 9-16 September, 16-23 September

The summer courses in Saas Fee are a must for skiers who are looking to develop their skills on a regular basis and do not want to wait for the winter season. The Academy is committed to developing skiers into competent all mountain skiers and sees the summer courses as an integral part of this development. The advantages of summer skiing in Saas Fee are that the snow conditions are excellent due to the north facing glacier and the slopes are never crowded providing ideal conditions for quality coaching and enjoyable skiing.

The course content is exactly the same as the Winter courses except skiing is from 8.30am to 1pm. Package prices (Includes Tuition Fees, 1/2 Board Accommodation + LIFT PASS) are £579 on all weeks. Accommodation for the Saas Fee Summer courses is at the Park
Hotel. For full details on the hotel goto www.saas-fee.ch/parkhotel. For full details on the resort of Saas-Fee goto www.saas-fee.ch. For full details of the course package go to http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/program-summer.htm. To book any of the above courses email sales@snowsportsynergy.com or call +44 (0)1525 374757.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
For a full profile on the Academy and its professional coaches please check www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com. The Warren Smith Ski Academy has been recommended in the following publications and media; The Independent on Sunday, The Observer, The Times, The Sunday Times, Tatler, Daily Mail Ski + Snowboard Magazine, Ski + Board Magazine (Ski Club of Great Britain), Fall Line Magazine, The Good Ski Guide, Men’s Health Magazine, Channel 4, Capital Radio. Warren is also the technical advisor for Snow & Rock, ifyouski.com and the producer of the highly acclaimed Warren Smith Ski Academy - Lesson 1 DVD/VHS. Check out movie clips of the DVD on our Ski Technique pages.

ABOUT WARREN

Warren is one of Britain’s leading professional freeskiers and an Internationally Certified Performance Coach. He has spent many years teaching recreational skiers, developing ski instructors and coaching racers all over Europe. He is one of the most innovative instructors working in the Alps today and has earned a name for himself for getting results with his students. For more on Warren see www.soulsports.co.uk/warrensmith.

• Member of ‘International Ski Coaching Federation’
• Member of ‘International Ski Instructors Association’
• UK Snowsports Tutor + Coach
• Diploma in ‘Sports Psychology’
• Member of the ‘British Freeski Team’
• Presenter + Writer of the highly acclaimed ‘Ski Academy’ DVD’s and Books

The Warren Smith Ski Academy have released their second handbook to accompany the Ski Academy series of ski instruction DVDs. The Handbook for Ski Academy Lesson 2 covers the four familiar disciplines of Carving, Steeps, Moguls and Freeride with more exercises, tips and guidance to take your skiing forward.

The contents of Ski Academy Lesson 2 Handbook are as follows:

• Carving
  • Speed Training
  • Controlling Body Rotation
  • Left and Right Turn Differences
  • One Legged Skiing
• Steeps
  • Ankle Flex Development
  • Thigh High
  • Tail Release
  • Holding The Edge
• Moguls
  • Speed Control
  • Finding a Line
  • Rhythm
  • Avoiding Mid-Body Break
• Freeride
  • Shock Absorbing System
  • Pole Walking
  • Taking Air
  • Wind Affected Snow

j2ski are delighted to stock the full range of Warren Smith Ski Academy DVDs and Handbooks, including the new Ski Academy Lesson 2 Handbook.

SPRING 2006
Xscape, Milton Keynes, UK
Afternoons :- Thursdays in May - 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th - 2 to 5pm.

Xscape, Castleford, UK
Afternoons :- Tuesdays in May - 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th - 2 to 5pm.

SUMMER 2006
Saas-Fee, Switzerland
Please note new dates
Weeks commencing :- 5th August, 12th August, 9th September, 16th September.

The group courses are designed to build and develop skill and confidence, to enable people to ski all terrains including Moguls, Steeps, Powder and how to Carve effectively. Skiers ability levels range from intermediate skiers wishing to get off of the typical intermediate plateau to skiers taking their instructors exams and performance training for competition (alpine racing or freeride). Skills are developed during the coaching by practicing specific exercises that benefit the main topics. Progressively, the new levels of skill are tested in suitable terrains to build confidence. During the group courses each skier is also looked at from an individual point of view due to the fact that we are all individuals and have different strengths and weaknesses that need identifying and developing.

Video analysis takes places 1 to 2 times during the course depending on weather conditions. Ski equipment is also looked at on the course so as to educate skiers how to get more out of their kit and understand it in greater depth.

The course duration is 5 days, Sunday/Monday/Tuesday, Wednesday off and then Thursday/Friday. Coaching starts at 10am and finishes at 3pm. A lunch break is taken mid day.

The prices for the Winter group courses are £269, accommodation packages are available from Peak Ski (www.peakski.co.uk) on +44 (0)1442 832629.

WINTER 2005/06 - VERBIER, SWITZERLAND
The winter group courses are designed to build and develop skill and confidence, to enable people to ski all terrains including Moguls, Steeps, Powder and how to Carve effectively. Skiers ability levels range from intermediate skiers wishing to get off of the typical intermediate plateau to skiers taking their instructors exams and performance training for competition (alpine racing or freeride). Skills are developed during the coaching by practicing specific exercises that benefit the main topics. Progressively, the new levels of skill are tested in suitable terrains to build confidence. During the group courses each skier is also looked at from an individual point of view due to the fact that we are all individuals and have different strengths and weaknesses that need identifying and developing.

Video analysis takes places 1 to 2 times during the course depending on weather conditions. Ski equipment is also looked at on the course so as to educate skiers how to get more out of their kit and understand it in greater depth. The course duration is 5 days, Sunday/Monday/Tuesday, Wednesday off and then Thursday/Friday. Coaching starts at 10am and finishes at 3pm. A lunch break is taken mid day.

The prices for the Winter group courses are £269, accommodation packages are available from Peak Ski (www.peakski.co.uk) on +44 (0)1442 832629. . The dates are as follows: 26 November, 3 December, 10 December, 14 January, 4 February, 8 April, 15 April, 22 April, 29 April

SPRING 2006 - XSCAPE, MILTON KEYNES, UK
Thursday 4, 11, 18, 25 May 2 - 5pm £69 (includes tuition fee, lift pass and equipment hire)
This course is run on a Thursday afternoon as this is an ideal time in terms of slope use. From 2 - 5pm the slope is quieter than normal and the quality of the skiing and coaching session will be high. Whilst this session is a group course the coaching will be tailored to the individual’s needs and goals.

For further details on the UK leading indoor real snow slope at Xscape, Milton Keynes please goto www.xscape.co.uk/miltonkeynes/snow . Here you will find details on the slope and directions of how to get there.

SUMMER 2006 - SAAS-FEE, SWITZERLAND
The summer courses in Saas Fee are a must for skiers who are looking to develop their skills on a regular basis and do not want to wait for the winter season. The Academy is committed to developing skiers into competent all mountain skiers and sees the summer courses as an integral part of this development. The advantages of summer skiing in Saas Fee are that the snow conditions are excellent due to the north facing glacier and the slopes are never crowded providing ideal conditions for quality coaching and enjoyable skiing.

The course content is exactly the same as the Winter courses except skiing is from 8.30am to 1pm.

PACKAGE PRICES (Includes Tuition Fees, 1/2 Board Accommodation + LIFT PASS) - £579

Accommodation for the Saas Fee Summer courses is at the Park Hotel. For full details on the hotel goto www.saas-fee.ch/parkhotel . For full details on the resort of Saas-Fee goto www.saas-fee.ch.

PRIVATE COACHING

Any member of the Ski Academy team can be hired out on a daily basis. This service is better suited for people requiring one to one coaching or wish to bring a group out to the Alps. Private coaching is available upon request throughout the year. A typical day is 5 hours and half day 2.5 hours.
Private Tuition/Coaching, Full day - £169 per person, £39 per extra person
Private Tuition/Coaching, Half day - £99 per person, £19 per extra person