Warren Smith Ski Academy anyone?

Hi
I wonder if anyone has tried this ski academy and would be prepared to share experience?
I am relatively novice skier (3 weeks plus several weeks dry slope, over 2 seasons) and can mostly parallel until the slope is too steep!
Thinking about trying the academy for summer Saas Fee so any comments much appreciated
Thanks :)

I did a one day indoor slope course with WS. It was very intensive (I could hardly walk the next day). I did learn quite a bit about where I was going wrong though and I think their techniques and philosophy are good. They concentrate a lot on the mechanics of the body and certainly taught me to be more centred over my skis just with the one session.

I know I would not survive one of their week long courses (after my one day experience) but I am sure it is a good way to learn technique and correct bad habits.

thanks Felthorpe
Pretty much what I was thinking, so maybe I will try the one day first!

I am planning to do a week-long course with them the following season. I heard tons of good stuff about them and looking forward to it. The course is supposedly very intensive but there is usually a day break in the middle of the course to help with recuperation.

No experience of or real knowledge of Warren Smith.
I did have the unfortunate experience of sharing a table with someone who had been on one of his courses - all I can say is thank god I wasn't part of his group !!
:roll:

But ...
I have been on two intensive weeks.
Both in Verbier and called Course de Godille.

These involve quite an extensive test at the start of the week (several runs of varying diffculty, before choosing groups and then a meet at lunch to shift a few people around.
You meet your instructor at 08.30 and leave him about 5.00pm after a well earned drink.

On the first one I would say I was a solid intermediate with about 5 weeks under my skis. I remember this week mostly as it was the first time I hit some difficult runs (Tortin for example) and, although the falls were frequent, I gained a lot of confidence.

Went back the next year, with a couple of weeks extra skiing in between, and this week really lifted my skiing. Skied everything pretty much including Mont Gelee and Mont Fort and quite a bit of tree skiing in powder.

Both truly worthwhile weeks - as everyone has said, very tiring and no energy for anything remotely like partying in the evening but my skiing ability shot up.

The next season was my first full season in 3V and I had the ability and confidence to really make the most of this area including many of the itinery routes, loads of off-piste and the Courchevel Couloirs.

Intensive weeks worked for me but I can see them being a very personal experience. It was a week of hard work and focussed skiing and not really a "holiday".

So glad I did them.
:thumbup:

OldAndy.......

Warren Miller =

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Miller_%28director%29

Warren Smith =

http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/

Definitely not interchangeable :D

bandit wrote:OldAndy.......

Warren Miller = etc

:oops:
Don't know what you are talking about ....
:roll:

Interesting about course de godille. Apparently it's run by Swiss Ski School, but unfortunately even that skiing is in Verbier, all meetings are in Tzoumaz as the course is run by the school in Tzoumaz, so may not be suitable for those staying on Verbier side.

In any case, you may try a regular ski school first on your next ski vacation, they usually run for half a day and you can ski by yourself after lunch. You should typically be able to ski parallel in the end of the course on pretty much any groomed terrain. But if you want to spend a summer holiday skiing - why not? Warren Smith's courses are designed for all levels, though some basics can be probably learned cheaper.