L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Rachel Adcock and Gerard Flahive win both races at Scottish Dry Slope Championships ...

'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams' (Eleanor Roosevelt).

Racer Ready caught up with the high octane kids that are at the British Ski Academy just after the World Cup had called into Chamonix.  The excitement and thrills of the goings on from the World Cup were not lost on the students (or the staff for that matter!) as despite a late wake up call by coach of the top group Andrea Marchand, many of the racers were keen to find out who had made the British Children's Team post BARSC selections.  The joy of the internet means that whilst those celebrating can know quickly, the sadness of knowing that you have not made it is there as well. 

The British Ski Academy, founded by Malcolm Erskine and residing in the Hotel Etoile des Neiges in Les Houches, just down the road from Chamonix, was going through a change over period caused by every one wanting to experience the World Cup when Racer Ready called in.  With one group having just arrived back from BARSC and some leaving to go home, others were sorting themselves out for how long they were staying and yet more arriving from Norway and the UK, this was a place with lots of hustle and bustle.  With 38 trainees being catered for by over twenty staff, this is a very professional set up.

Whilst not every student is World Class potential the set up allows the trainees to combine study with skiing and live the dream!  With the morning spent skiing and then the afternoon split into three one hour long slots with five minutes between them the trainees study hard with tutors helping, guiding and assisting in the work the schools back in the UK have set the students.  The logistics of getting different ages, standards and potential all to the slopes and back, training and everything else that goes with this are immense but whilst this was a Monday it looked seamless.  Many of the children have been before and know the form.  Some do live out but for those living in the need to get themselves sorted out is drilled in to them from day one.  "If the guys need something they have to realise that it is up to them to make sure they have it on the hill.  We will help but it is up to the trainees to prepare themselves," commented Malcolm Erskine to a parent at evening dinner.  "They will need to look after themselves." This may sound harsh but it is a competitive world the ski racing world.

Up on the slopes after a brief bus trip, all 38 trainees attending at this time were soon up the cable car and warming up on the empty slopes.  24 hours before the car park had been filled with team vans from the World Cup.  This morning it was the BSA and "those kids with the red hats and the same backpacks - they are so funny when they fall over!"  For new arrivals it was time to sort out the lift passes and then as everyone was up on the lift time for the serious business: Can the man from Racer Ready actually ski?

Due to the different levels and different times vans got to the lift, the trainees are able to use the first lift they get to as a warm up area.  "It is great this lift as we can go round in our own time doing our warm up drills and other things that the coaches want us to do," explained Sega Fairweather, one of the Thomson Bursary winners from the Grand Prix Series in the summer.  Sega, here for two weeks, was one of the happy trainees who had found out that she was off to three races this winter with the children's team.  Along with her was young Tom Kirton who sported a huge grin.  He had been phoned up by the father of Harry Brown early that morning to be told the news.  The change in selecting first year children one racers to the team has given him his ticket to race.

The professionalism that is now required to make it to the top saw the trainees very focused as Andrea Marchand and Shona Crawford, trainers to the top group, explained things to the trainees.  By ten o'clock the guys and one girl (the local bug had hit a number of the girls and a temporary sick bay was in order) picked up their packs and Super G skis and it was off to the Kandahar slope, home of the downhill.  The speed freaks in the pack could not wait to get over there and after a short cruise it was up the lift and into the sun before Andrea briefed the team that safety was still important.  Though TJ Baldwin and Aaron Tipping had spent the day running the section of the course that was open the previous day, the majority of the rest of the group were skiing the course for the first time.  Ages varied but the enthusiasm and desire to want to "do the jumps!" was overwhelming. 

It was not long before more of the groups headed up by Malcolm and Matt Shepherd arrived and with coaches set all the way down the section we could use, the trainees were getting used to speed.  Whilst Aaron Tipping and TJ Baldwin revelled in the conditions all those taking part were getting used to the speed.  How I wished I had some longer skis than my 165 Slalom skis on!  By midday the sun was giving the slope a good seeing to and the snow was getting softer, this did not stop one of the young trainees from checking that the safety netting worked!

By the time the team came off the hill, having been given the freedom to ski as they wished to the bottom, the grins and fire in all was there to see.  Following the top guys down, when they came to the road jump, to a person the top group popped off the jump!  Tom Kirton had even taken the jump at the top and given himself a slight scare, though by the time he got to the bottom he was laughing about it!  Nothing could diminish the joy and proud feeling he had of being selected for the Children's Team!

After three hours of school for all, fitness for the day was off to the Bowling alley.  "This is not perfect fitness training," mused Shona Crawford, in charge of the fitness, "but it does instil the competitiveness in them," she grinned!  Earlier in the day Shona had talked long and hard about the difficulties of setting out a fitness program for such a varied group.  Shona has worked with Aberdeen Ski Club in the past and hopes to instil some of the values that have proved to work with her previous charges: Hard work, strict dietary rules and fitness are a must if the racer wants to reach the top.

With 38 trainees of varying ages and abilities plus staff to feed, meal times are an organised occasion. The trainees eat first and then whilst the trainees dive off to do their skis, play table football, watch tele or play of the computers, the staff can then eat.  "A normal as possible regime is what we try and give them," explained head teacher and house father, Julian Archer. 

The trainees are split into three groups, named after Baxter, Miller and Rahlves.  With both Baxters and Rahlves having visited the Academy over the weekend, these are quite appropriate names for the groups.  Each group takes it in turn to do the various duties from cleaning the ski room, the dining room tables and generally keeping the house tidy. 

At about nine o'clock, I noticed that it was eerily quiet, none of the vocal and older trainees could be seen.  I wanted to know where they had gone and soon found them in the gym watching a DVD on basic positioning.  It was not just the older guys and girls in there but standing room only!  As with any teenager, the desire to stay up later was evident and when house mother Louisa Wood found the group, it was the words every child hates: "BED!"

By 10.30 the building was shrouded in darkness as all the staff had disappeared off to bed.  The table football was empty and the two computers were devoid of users - even the staff had gone to bed.  Dreams had been realised in the morning for some and for others the process of fighting for selection was already being planned. 

Many thanks to all the staff and trainees at the British Ski Academy for allowing Racer Ready to enter into the world of the young ski racer, again!  For further information about the Academy look at their excellent website www.britskiacademy.org.uk