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 The
third annual British Freeskiing Camp was held in Saas Fee, Switzerland
from the 12-26 July. The camps, normally held in Tignes in the French
Alps, moved to the stunning glacial resort of Saas Fee because of
local support and good conditions, whilst other glaciers across
the Alps were forced to close early after the hottest June on record,
providing an awesome terrain park, half-pipe and skier cross course
as well as excellently groomed pistes.
Training programme
The camps, run in association with Freeski Britain and the Warren
Smith Ski Academy,
provide the opportunity for British skiers of all abilities to receive
training in the core elements of freeskiing. Top British freeskiers
Warren Smith, Pat Sharples (Natives.co.uk sponsored rider) and Jason
Shutt provided the expert coaching in Big Mountain Freeride, Slopestyle,
Half-Pipe and Skier Cross.
The ability levels of the skiers on the camp ranged from sponsored
pro riders like Nick Southwell (Natives.co.uk sponsored rider) to
those who had never entered a snowpark before or ridden a skier
cross course, and without exception the skill development of all
the skiers was phenomenal. Training was progressive and aimed at
an individual's standard and aspirations, riders were encouraged
to push their personal boundaries.
  
The Aim
The aim of the camps was to develop all round skiing skills for
all mountain conditions. The camps look at skiing in the following
three ways;
Big Mountain/All Mountain Training
The all mountain training included coaching in skiing steeps, moguls,
variable snow conditions and performance carving. Through looking
at these aspects of skiing the riders learnt how to become competent
all mountain skiers who are not fazed by changeable conditions and
terrain. In modern skiing there is not one technique or style of
skiing that suits all conditions, instead a rider must be flexible
and have a range of skills and the knowledge of how and when to
use them
Slopestyle/Half-Pipe/Big Air
Those who were hitting the park for the first time learnt how to
take a kicker, maintain balance in the air and land in balance.
For the riders who were able to confidently take air the next stage
was to introduce tricks into their airtime. They learnt how to grab
their skis and counter-balance these movements with their body position,
the importance of vision in successfully performing a trick and
how to spin in the air. Ali Watson had never been in a park before
and by the end of the week was throwing super smooth 540's.
Skier Cross
Skier Cross is the latest evolution of freeskiing, an adrenaline
fuelled full contact race where four skiers compete against each
other in a specially designed course. Riders racing the course for
the first time learnt how to clear a tabletop, ride a banked turn
and take compressions and rollers.
  
Additional Training
Video footage was shot and analysed every night, giving riders the
chance to see their form and understand exactly what the coaches
explaining. A trampoline was used everyday to develop aerial skills
and build confidence that the riders would take into the park the
next day as they strived to land ever bigger tricks. The
camps also addressed the biomechanical and equipment issues involved
with high level skiing.
Saas Fee Ride
The Saas Fee Ride was held on the middle Saturday of the camps,
this inaugural summer skiing event gave many of the riders on the
camp the opportunity to get their first taste of competition. For
full coverage and results of the Saas Fee Ride, including video
clips of the action, check out the official
site.
  
Next year
Three weeks of training are being scheduled for next year at the
same venue, 10-17, 17-24 and 24-31 July 2004. Book
now.
Thanks must go out to...
The British Freeskiing Camps would like to show its appreciation
of it's supporters without whom it would not have been possible
to run the camps. A massive thank you goes to Hotel
Dom and the Popcorn Bar, Dainese,
Natives.co.uk, Fall
Line Skiing Magazine, Ski
Club of Great Britain. The Camps must also thank Saas Fee Tourism,
especially Susanne and Adrian, Damian at the Saas Fee Lift
Company and the coaches. Last but not least a massive thank
you must go to the riders who came along, because without them there
would have been no camps.
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