European Snowsport

Outstanding, independent ski schools in Verbier, Zermatt, Nendaz, St Moritz and Chamonix

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    Allis Österman Wallén – On the beach in Norway

    by

    Allis is a member of our sales and bookings team with ES in Verbier in the winters, and here she tells us about her summers, exploring Scandinavia. This summer Allis was cycling, walking and on the beach in Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

    Contact us to speak to our sales and bookings team in Verbier.

    Cycling

    After finishing my spring in Verbier, I travelled home to Sweden. My summer started off with a small bike trip. We started in Lund, and then biked through Malmö and took the train over the bridge to Copenhagen, Denmark. It was amazing how much of Copenhagen you got to see just by biking through, WOW. We continued biking towards Helsingør and stopped at Louisiana Museum of Modern art on the way, for quick cultural break.

    Once we arrived in Helsingør, we took the ferry over to Helsingborg, Sweden. From there, we cycled around a bit in the sun by the beautiful coast of Sweden, and then we eventually turned around to go home. We biked about 60 to 80km a day, for 3 days. What an amazing tour, and it was such a good way to see the south of Sweden and the east of Denmark! I would strongly recommend it!

    Here are some pictures from my biking trip:

    A couple of days after the bike trip I had a shoulder surgery, which meant that I had to spend a month on the couch. However, that did not stop me from celebrating the Swedish holiday called midsummer! It’s one of my favourite holidays, where you dance around a maypole decorated with leaves, play games and sing “snapsvisor”, or drinking songs.

    Hiking and surfing

    I spent the later part of my summer in Lofoten, Norway. Lofoten is truly beautiful, with its stunning mountains rising from the ocean. Most of the days were hiking days, even some of the rainy ones. You just can’t stay inside with those beautiful surroundings! In the winter, you can put on your touring gear and head up to catch some turns in the soft powder snow. I am looking forward to doing that one day.

    Here are some pictures from my hikes in Lofoten, where you can see the beautiful nature:

    When not hiking, I was the designated surf photographer (since I could not surf myself this summer). Lofoten has several great surf spots, and many argue that it has the best spots in Norway. I lived in Unstad, where the most popular surf spot is. The water may be cold, but with a nice and warm wetsuit it is great fun!

    Below are some pictures I took of my friends surfing:

    I hope that my summer will inspire you to explore the Nordic countries, and have a great time just like I had this summer.

    In the winter time Allis spends most of her time snowboarding. Having skied since she was 3 years old, she fell on love with snowboarding when she was 10 years old. Ever since then, snowboarding has been her passion. She treasures all different kinds of snowboarding, from park to piste to freeride. When she is not on the snow, Allis has worked in the ES office for the past two seasons.

    Contact us to speak to our sales and bookings team in Verbier.

    So You Can Already Ski? Why You Should Still Take Ski Lessons.

    by

    Why You Should Still Take Ski Lessons

    So, you’ve skied for as long as you can remember. You go skiing at least once, if not twice, three times a year. You can ski all the pistes in resort no problem, and a lot of the off-piste. You’ve even helped your friends and family with their ski technique. You don’t need ski lessons anymore, right? Here is why you should still take ski lessons.

    Not necessarily.

    Even if you can already ski confidently on- and off-piste, you’re probably aware you have a weak point or find a particular aspect of skiing difficult. If you avoid black runs like the plague, always take the easy way out of the moguls or find your legs burning beyond belief in the powder, don’t just muscle through! Take a lesson. Ski lessons aren’t just for those who want to learn the basics; a ski lesson can focus on anything, from psychological aspects of skiing, like improving your confidence on steeper slopes, to the technical, like nailing your speed and control in the bumps.

    Why You Should Still Take Ski Lessons

    In fact, skiing is such a technical sport that every day is a school day. The phrase, ‘Skiing? Completed it, mate,’ doesn’t exist when it comes to two planks. Even us ski instructors put weeks of our winter into training and making sure our technique is up to scratch. And that’s all part of the fun. But having someone around to let you know your skills are heading in the right direction makes the process that much more rewarding, enjoyable and adds just the right amount of challenge.

    Why You Should Still Take Ski Lessons : Technique

    Efficiency is also a big part of skiing, so if you find yourself tiring quicker than the rest of your group, your technique may well be in need of a few tweaks. A good ski technique is all about getting the maximum output while using the least amount of energy. Maybe your body position is all wrong, or you tense up all your muscles when you ski? Book a lesson. Those few hours with an instructor could see you skiing for longer every day.

    Why You Should Still Take Ski Lessons

    And then there’s the bad habits. Maybe you never pole plant, or you snowplough when it starts getting steep, or you always forget to flex your ankles. Book a lesson. While there may be no quick fix for these little niggles, your instructor will help make you aware of them and help you find ways to improve them that you can practice in your own time.

    Why You Should Still Take Ski Lessons : Goals

    And finally, have you ever wanted to really push yourself? If there’s a certain off-piste run you’ve always wanted to do, or you want something more challenging than cruising the pistes but you’re not sure where to start, book a lesson. A morning or afternoon with an instructor will give you a clear view of what you can work towards and how to achieve it. Even if you’re in a new resort and you’re looking for someone to show you the best places to ski, an instructor will show you the best slopes to suit your ability level.

    Why You Should Still Take Ski Lessons

    So, there you have it. Ski lessons aren’t just for those just starting out, everyone can benefit from a little tuition or helpful advice every now and again. And it can work wonders.

    If you’d like to give your ski technique a bit of a refresh or you’re looking for a new challenge, get in touch with ES. We’re always available to pair you with the perfect instructor and organise your ski lessons to suit your needs. We also offer snowboard and telemark lessons so if you want to learn the art of the powder slash or perfect your lunge turns, give us a call!