Skipress - Index

Skipress - SkiPress Canada Vol.22 No.4 - Index

Photo: Courtesy of Tourism Whistler
deep
What can I expect?
Typically, ski camps run anywhere from a few days to three weeks. In addition
to travel days, there are mandatory off-days. Given the intensity levels
of the coaches, training regimens and skiers, this is a good thing. Many of
these camps are modeled on National Ski Team progressions. Some actually
require that you pass a fi tness test before you go.
Last summer 15-year-old Brandon Sutton attended a three-week FIS Ontario
Development Team Camp in el Colorado, Chile. “We’d wake-up at seven, do
a dynamic warm-up at 7:15, have breakfast and be on the hill by 8:50.
We’d ski to 12 or one, lunch and be back on snow till 2:30. After skiing
we’d stretch, have dinner and then watch the day’s videos. I spent the fi rst
three days freeskiing to get my ski legs back before we even saw a gate.”
Brandon’s group then settled into a routine of skiing drills and running gates
every day except Sunday.
Other camps prefer a three-day-on, one-day-off format. Regardless the hemisphere,
expect to ski mostly in the morning. Afternoons are otherwise spent
tuning and waxing skis, analyzing videos or possibly hiking, mountain biking,
white water rafting or bungee jumping.
READ THE FINE PRINT to know what costs are included in your package.
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Yes, but are they worth it?
Summer ski camps don’t come cheap. Figure on at least $1,000 per week,
plus airfare. How much you get out of it depends on how much you put into
it. Having set goals in mind helps.
For Brandon, last summer’s ski camp was a great opportunity to “fi gure out
what was wrong with my skiing, get much more prepared and have more
concentrated coaching. Because it was summer, there were no distractions
like schoolwork and stuff. You also have more freedom. You’re more relaxed.
It feels like everyone trusts you more.”
Gillian Chisolm, a 14-year-old K2 racer in Wayne Howard’s Advanced
Program at Georgian Peaks, concurs. “Summer ski camp was one of the
best experiences of my life. I went to Chile with my best friends, and I
improved my freeskiing. I improved my GS a lot. I’m a stronger skier now.
And I got to work in my new boots. I can’t wait to get back into skiing.”
One last word:
Blackcomb hike
Don’t forget the sunblock.