J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AB

Yes the olympians are taken care of but all the rest of the team who weren't selected to go to Vancouver have been left high and dry. No coaches, transport, programme and they all had a contract with SSGB that was until the end of April.
They owe me for 1/2 the season which I've paid for, probably about £1500.
They left TJ totally abandoned just 2 days before he went to the World junior champs as the only GB skier. It was only when myself and one of his sponsors found the money to pay for his coach and expenses again that he was able to go.
All the team that are left behind are now frantically trying to get the programme set up and funded until the end of the season. This includes 2 World cup racers & 1 Europa Cup racer.

The board of SSGB are all trying to blame other people for the mess they are in. None of them are taking any responsibility at all. Yet it has been going wrong for 4-5 years all with the same board members just letting it happen.
They have really let all the athletes down badly and treated them with total contempt.
Lets hope that none of them are going to have anything to do with the new governing body that will emerge from the ashes.

Wanderer Yes we booked the flight when they were doing free ski carriage which saved £80. It was only 1 way too, but still cheap considering how much he actually took.
I have just looked on the Ryanair site and if you want to go to Ameria, Spain in July there are return flights available for less than £90 including all bags, taxes credit card fees toilet paper etc.
Still a Bloody good deal in my book!
TJ uses them at least 4-8 times per year. - Never been stranded, never had any bags lost or damaged, never had any problems with rude staff etc. Only been charged excess baggage when more than 3 kilos over the limit. If you want to go to Salzburg then they were the only carrier that has flown there regularly throughout the year.
BA & Easyjet now fly there from Gatwick but are still only dring the winter months. BA want £696 single for a flight there on Sat Feb 14th - start of 1/2 term. I think its a no brainer to fly with Ryanair for just £135!!
As I have always said use it as a Bus service! We do. In fact I have paid more for a one way coach from Norwich to Stansted than a return flight from Stansted to Salzburg.

I still can't see what all the hatred of Ryanair is all about. Absolutely everything you pay for is there in front of you when you book on-line.
TJ (my son) has just flown out to Salzburg to start training again with the GB team. He took 8 pairs of skis (4 x ski rolls @ 20kg each) + 1 large sports equipment bag @ 20kg + 1 checked in bag @ 15kg plus 10kg hand luggage. All checked in on-line. Total weight of baggage 125 kg. The flight with all that was just £140.
No hassle, no questions as they were all on the booking form. All arrived safely with no damage.
And we do not get any special deals or treatment as part of the GB team!!

He flew to Calagary with Air Canada in December and they left 1 of his bags at Heathrow with all his boots, helmet racing equipment in. He had to do a Downhill training run on the Lake Louise World Cup Downhill course in borrowed boots etc.

Ryanair are what they say they are. All this nonsense about small print is utter rubbish. All their terms etc are on every booking page as you book your flight.
We have always used them and will still keep using them as they have provided the best service and cheapest flights by a country mile.

They have control gates to go round too- not picking their own route. And they are doing it on 215's with 45m rad - planks really!

Agree with Far Queue If you want her to get the basics quickly and not pick up bad habits put her into ski school. Unless you are an instructor yourself.
My 5-year-old spent 1 week at ski school and was coming down red runs almost parallel at the end of 2 weeks. Never looked back and had many weeks of training/instruction since. You can never have too much instruction regardless of how good you are or think you are.

Far Queue No unfortunately. Have to work to help pay for it all!
Will be at the World Junior champs at Chamonix/Megeve/Les Houches in early Feb to watch him. He's going for a medal in the Super G. Currently No12 in the World Junior rankings for that so in with a good shot.

TJ (my Son) is racing the LauberHorn Downhill in the Europa Cup race (The 'B' tour as Nick Fellows calls it) on 6-9 Jan.
He can give you a report of how it is to ski it at full race speed. He can't wait to do it!!

JamesC You will have a great time, the atmosphere at Kitzbuhel is amazing all weekend. Saturday night is just rammed in town. loads of street bars, food, bands etc and around 40,000 people attend the Downhill and stay!
I went 2 years ago for the weekend spent the night in the casino and then slept in the car.
Also been to the Les Houches World Cup Downhills twice. Again great atmosphere, lots going on.
Would always recommend going to watch a World Cup race

I was planning to go to the Kitzbuhel Downhill then ski 2 days then onto the Schladming night slalom all for my 50th BD, but have decided to go and watch TJ race in his final World junior champs in the Mont Blanc region (Chamonix/Megeve/Les Houches) instead. Hopefully he will get a top 10 or higher to make my birthday a happy one!