The worrying state of the European Glaciers meant an excited CDC team headed 30 hours down to the southern hemisphere to capitalise on the winter snow conditions. Getting guaranteed snow has seen many groups from World Cup racers like Dave Ryding to training groups all looking to get the best conditions from the available snow. With choices between European glaciers and their variable snow conditions, Indoor slopes around Europe or going further afield, getting the best value for money has been at the forefront of every training group no matter what the level of ability.
CDC based themselves at Mount Hutt and benefitted from the best winter they have had for over 50 years. With all kinds of epic terrain, Hutt is a great base for both training gates and getting a huge volume of free skiing in the afternoons. CDC and their trainees even had a day on rented fat skis where, "having been one of the few keenos to wait until 2pm for the mountain to open, we skied till after sunset and eventually got in the van to head back at 6.15pm!" Chemmy Alcott explained, adding "A new experience for us all!"
"With just 9 athletes and two coaches, the intensity and attention to detail was fantastic and all the trainees benefitted from the small groups. Vast improvements were made, equipment tested and lifeskills challenged. Add to this fears faced through bungee jumping and skydiving. We ended the camp with races in Queenstown where Alexa Elliff, proved her slalom domination on the other side of the globe winning comfortably her first slalom race on her new Croc skis and as an U16. Max Deane, in his first ever race, claimed victory and Ella Weeks ferociously attacked the slalom, through the ruts and even grass (far less snow down in Coronet Peak than up north) to claim a well deserved podium," Alcott continued.
Next up for the team is the epic indoor races in Landgraaf before October in Hintertux and then after that the season really gets going!