November 2009
November Training - Conquering the eurotest
November is always a fun time in the mountains. The temperature drops, snow starts to fall and everyone starts thinking about the winter season ahead.
For instructors and keen skiers alike, November is the time to get back on this hill and settle into the pre-season training. This month SPD (Summit Professional Development – the instructor training arm of Summit) will be helping instructors to train for their next level of ski instructor exams, with several courses running for new instructors to a 4 week course for Eurotest training beginning this week.
Most British instructors in the Alps are qualified through the British system, BASI. There are 4 levels of instructor in the BASI system (for more information read the full article on our website). Almost all of the Summit instructors are Level 3 and are training hard for the final exams they need to pass before achieving their Level 4.
One of the biggest hurdles on the path to becoming a Level 4 instructor is the European Speed Test (Eurotest) and this is what many of the SPD groups are training for this November.
The Eurotest is a giant slalom race, which you have to ski to a certain time to pass. The time is calculated as a percentage from zero FIS points (whoever is fastest in the world). The easiest way to think about it is: Didier Cuche is the currently the fastest in the world in giant slalom, if he skied the Eurotest, the instructor boys have to be within 18% and the girls within 24% of his time to pass. For many British ski instructors, who have not come from a ski racing background, this is the toughest part of their instructor exams. Our SPD course aims to give them as much time in the gates as possible, to help turn them into professional racers.
We wish them all the best of luck and hope they all pass at the first race in Alp D’Huez this December.
This year the conditions for pre-season training are perfect. The snow is hard (yes, racers love ice, it means they can go even faster!) and the slopes are looking great, even for those of us who are just looking to warm up our legs and get back into skiing after a long and lovely summer.
Interested in the qualifications of your instructors? This is a summary of the BASI system.
Level 1This qualifies instructors to teach in a non-mountain environment (eg on a dry slope). To achieve this qualification you must:
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Pass the week long technical and teaching course
- Have a valid first aid certificate
- Have 35 logged hours of ski school experience
This qualifies instructors to teach in the mountains. To achieve this qualification you must:
- Pass the 2 week long technical and teaching course
- Have a valid first aid certificate
- Have 35 logged hours of shadowing (additional to the hours achieved for the Level 1)
At this qualification instructors achieve their ISIA. The ISIA is huge achievement as it is an international standard, which is normally given out at the country’s top level. To achieve this qualification you must:
- Pass the week long teaching course
- Pass the 2 week long technical course
- Pass the week common theory course
- Pass the week long coaching course (either freestyle or racing)
- Pass the week long mountain safety course
- Speak a second language
- Pass the Level 1 in a second discipline (eg snowboard)
- Have a valid first aid certificate
- Have 200 logged teaching hours
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Pass the week long technical and teaching course
- Have a valid first aid certificate
- Have 35 logged hours of ski school experience
At this qualification instructors achieve their ISTD (the International Ski Teachers Diploma). This is the top qualification in the British system and instructors with this qualification can work all over the world. To achieve this qualification you must:
- Pass the week long teaching course
- Pass the week long technical course
- Pass the European Mountain Security course
- Pass the European speed test
- Complete a research project
- Have an interview 
