Giles Lewis' September Coaching Clinics

By John Weatherell

The Clinics were once again a great success with participants travelling from London, Lincoln, Nottingham, Harrogate, Birmingham, Huddersfield, and the Lake District and also around the Manchester area.

With all the distances to be travelled it was great to have everyone there and on time, it certainly makes life easier all round when you don't have to chase people and I thank you all for that.

The Clinics got off to a bit of a disappointing start on the 17th and a little cause for concern when we found the slope had fenced off areas and various "jumps" on it, this was due to a Charity Freestyle/Snowboard Event being rearranged very late for Saturday night, along with the busiest day for Children"s Birthday Parties (43 in total) in the C/F's history, despite all this Giles worked around the "problems" and everyone enjoyed their sessions.

From an observers point of view it was very noticeable the difference in the techniques of the Skiers from the beginning of the sessions to the end, as the Video debriefs proved.

A First for the Clinics were the Members of Manchester Cross Country Ski Club who skied on TELEMARK SKIS. The couple Peter & Anne Billings thoroughly enjoyed themselves and improved their Alpine skills tremendously.

The Skiing Standards was greater this year ranging from BASI Instructors and those "OK on Blacks" to those who had just started to Ski this summer. The popularity of Giles's Courses has certainly increased as the two extra Clinics proved.

Since the Clinics several SCGB Members have joined the SCoM and along with many SCoM Members have tried to book for next year! but the "Booking Office" does not open till next May!

All the "Thank You"s" and comments for Giles have been forwarded to him and he has replied "Thanks to you all".

Giles and The Development Centre (Val d’sere, Tignes and Meribel) can be found here.