AUSTRIAN SENIOR SKI TRIP
In the second week of the holiday, Warminster Senior School travelled to Bad Gastein for their annual ski trip. We were also lucky enough to make the journey as the only passengers on board the aeroplane!
On arrival at Salzburg, we had a short transfer before arriving at our chalet hotel, the Tannenburg. We were greeted by the Ski Miquel staff who showed us our rooms before serving up a fantastic supper.
The first day was another early start, to collect our skis, lift passes and navigate the boot room challenge. After collecting all of our gear, the party was split into four ability groups. The beginner group began their learning on the nursery slopes, whilst the other three groups made their way up to the top station under beautiful blue skies.
Throughout each day, with their five hours of tuition of lessons or guiding, the pupils were able to make quick progression whilst also experiencing the terrain and views of the mountain.
After each day skiing, the pupils were able to relax back at the hotel or access the Felsentherme Spa, for which the town Bad Gastein is famous for. There were five pools, some indoor and outdoor, some cold and some very hot, one with a slide and one with a water fountain that certainly helped ease the aches and pains.
Every evening the pupils were entertained with activities organised by the staff, including bingo, The Cube board game, two movie nights, a quiz night and presentation awards night. The chalet staff also had one night off, so we booked ourselves into a local restaurant where we were able to experience some delicious Austrian cuisine.
At the end of each evening, the jester’s hat was awarded to the person that had been involved in a funny incident during the day. Winners included, Jacob Browne, for his wild experiences on the T bar, Dylan Bolter, for filming the whole day of just snow on his new Go Pro, Stanley Admiraal for wiping out a student, Joe Wildman for crashing off piste and tree hugging, and Gus Baxter for wiping out off on a track.
At the end of the week, everyone was able to participate in a ski race on a blue run. The top performers were:
Group 1 Beginners
Winner Alexander Halls and 2nd Ben James
Group 2 Lower Intermediate
Winner Mr Stockton and 2nd Mathilde Emorine
Group 3 Higher Intermediate
Winner Joshua Knight and 2nd Dylan Bolter
Group 4 Advanced
Winner Jacob Browne and 2nd Stanley Admiraal
Whilst we experienced variable weather conditions all week, there was plenty of snow. The beginners group were able to parallel ski and attempted a black run by day five! Particular mention must be made to Rose Elsden and Mathilde Emorine as they made amazing progress throughout the week. Joe Wildman and Miss Gough, who nearly gave up skiing after the first morning, Mr Baxter and Mr James for entertaining us with their graceful falls down the mountain.
We would like to thank the Ski Miquel team who made the week so enjoyable. The food at the hotel was fantastic, in particular the cheese board which went down well with both staff and parents. The guiding service from George and Carol was top rate and pitched just right, whilst the pupils must thank the chalet girls for helping them keep their rooms tidy throughout the week.
Many thanks to all the staff, parents and pupils who made the trip very memorable. Mr Evans has compiled a small film of pictures and video clips, which will be available for all to see very shortly.
Watch this space for information on next year’s ski trip.
Mr Knight