PROFESSIONALS' SKI SCHOOL MAY BE FORMED NEXT YEAR

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28434, 14 November 1957, Page 17

PROFESSIONALS' SKI SCHOOL MAY BE FORMED NEXT YEAR

TF the proposed scheme of x the Canterbury Ski Association for a unified school of professional instructors is brought into operation next season, it should have a great effect upon the standard of the sport in the province and allow many more members of the public to have the benefit of continental instruction in learning to ski. Present indications are that six overseas instructors will be required next season to cater for the phenomenal increase in the sport s popularity in the province.

At each of the Canterbury ski grounds, increased interest has meant development of facilities, and access to the grounds is becoming easier each season. This season saw the opening of the South Island's first T-bar tow at Craigieburn Valley and the formation of the new Amur! Ski Club. Canterbury can now boast eight ski clubs.

In the season just concluding, three overseas instructors. Georges Jacomelli. Willy Huber, and Ernst Fersterer. gave instruction to more than 200 newcomers to the sport, and many more could not be accommodated in the classes. The Object The aim of the association's new school is to bring the overseas instructors together under Mr Jacomelli as chief instructor. A similar system was in operation at Mount Ruapehu this year, where under Harvey Clifford, five other professionals—four Canadians and one New Zealander —gave instruction to North Island enthusiasts. There the school has proved most satisfactory, especially as the instructors themselves fire able to give the same type of

coaching. Every professional skier teaches in a different tasnion, but by bringing them together in one school they are able to iron out their differences and_ coach in one standard style, whether it is the new wedeln technique or any of the dozens of other ski-ing styles. Techniques Perhaps the worst feature of ski-ing instruction in Canterbury over recent years has been that different clubs have taught different styles. Every time a club employs a new instructor, pupils from the previous year’s school are confused by an entirely new style. It is almost hopeless for a newcomer to the sport to advance in such conditions. With the experience of coaching the successful Swiss Olympic

women’s ski team. Mr Jacomelli is well qualified to be the first chief instructor of the new school. Each summer he returns to Switzerland to keep up to date with the latest style used on the Continent, and is able to impart this knowledge to Canterbury skiers when he returns. Contrary to popular belief, instructors are not highly paid for their work in New Zealand, and when they have paid their fares to and from New Zealand their profit is meagre. Clubs' Views Whether the school if formed or not will depend upon the attitude of the various Canterburj’ clubs, but it seems unlikely that they will be opposed to such a scheme. A Canterbury Ski School would offer excellent opportunities for the province's best skiers to receive instruction to a standard capable of gaining them selection for the New Zealand ski team to compete in the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley.