J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by dobby

Try sending an email to Charlotte of Easiski. She's based in L2A and may be able to help.

Dobby in Risoul on 10 Feb 13. Correction. Dobby in Turin on 10 Feb. Probably arriving in resort on 15/02, given the estimated transfer time....

Mekka is right re the L2A app - great fun before you go, but I didn't use it once I was in resort.

Done - good luck with the project. Hope the project takes some interesting and unexpected turns. And don't leave writing up till the last minute....

Dobby (having written a PhD thesis in short time...)

Cheers, all. I think that they would like the all-inclusive angle, so Club Med or Esprit would be good, especially because they will all be using the lessons supplied at Club Med.

Mate has asked me where he should take his family skiing in 2013....

I'll need to have a chat to him about whether he wants traditional Alpine village, places where he can do things other than ski etc., but in the meantime I thought I'd ask you lot to see what you thought.

Four complete beginners, mum (not too sporty as far as I know), dad (used to be sporty), 10 year old daughter and 6 year old lad.

No fixed dates, but are planning to take kids out of school, so I was thinking late Jan-early Feb (not February holiday season or early March, although I appreciate that holiday season varies with resort)

Probably go with a TO. Budget not too limited, so was thinking hotel, possibly all inclusive.

Resorts I have heard good things about for beginners are Soldeu (but is snow reliable?), Wengen (hear your wallet scream...), Flaine, Risoul, La Plagne, Alpe D'Huez, Cervinia. Bit of a French bias, I know.

Any other ideas?

Any resorts really geared-up for beginners?

Cheers

Thanks, all. I agree that lessons and the right sort of practice are the key. I improved a lot in the last week away, even with group lessons. I think I will still head for the carpet cos I ain't gonna be able to get onto proper snow for a while (not until the next skiing holiday or the Cardiff snowdome gets built). And, Pavel, I cannot wait until I reach the standard you describe.

I am looking for some tips to help me go faster when skiing. I seem to have a bit of a mental block,

To give you some idea as to my level, I can ski kind of properly parallel on blues (large radius turns OK and short radius turns OK on not-too-steep bits). Far more traversing on reds.

ESF instructor rated me at level 2A, technique was good (at level 2A standards), but said that I needed to work on my speed.

I am having a real problem in going faster. :oops: I am quite happy going fast downhill on the old bone shaking push bike, but I cannot seem to do it on skis.

I will probably head down the local dry slope for a bit of practice, but has anyone got any suggestions/hints/tips/drills?

Suggestions so far include a couple of small glasses of wine and some fast music on the iPod (I was thinking Ace of Spades, Kennedy, White Riot, Surfin Bird....)