Telemark tuition with specialist BASI telemark instructors: 29th Dec 2008 and 9th February 2008

December / January and February courses based in the fantastic Bareges La Mongie ski area - Haute Pyrenees

Daliy video feedback and analysis

Our telemark skiing courses are run by specialist BASI Telemark Instructors with years of teaching and coaching experience all over the world - on piste, off piste and in both Nordic and Alpine touring environments.

We offer three levels of course: T1 is for those new to telemark, T2 means an improvers’ group for skiers who have telemarked a bit and are comfortable on a blue piste, T3 is for those who are comfortable skiing linked telemark turns on a red piste and T4 (see our Off Piste itinerary) is designed to coach more advanced skiers at high speed, on steep pistes, off piste and on Alpine touring terrain (but not necessarily all at the same time!).

Skiers are asked to select a suitable group at the beginning of the week and will progress from one group to another as skiing improves. As well as teaching on the slopes we run evening reviews using video footage of your skiing and at the end of the week you have a one to one review with an instructor.

“Our skiing dramatically improved thanks to Steve's teaching.”
- the Lukes

OUTLINE ITINERARY

DAY 1 - Fly to Pau Pyrenees
We collect you from the airport and transfer you to our valley base at the Hotel Central in Bareges La Mongie - see the full resort details here>

We spend the evening chatting through the weeks programme, picking up hire gear and finding out what people want to achieve during the week.

DAYs 2 - 7 - Telemark Ski Tuition
Our telemark tuition weeks are aimed at three distinct groups of skiers. Each group has a maximum of 8 skiers to one instructor and people will probably move from group to group as the week progresses. There are daily feedback sessions to make sure that you get the most out of it.

T1 Beginners
This group is aimed at those new to telemarking. It will introduce you to the basics of free heel ski techniques and the principles of the telemark turn. During the week you will progress through the basic stages of learning to telemark: the correct telemark position and posture, the wedge (snowplough) turn, the half wedge to telemark and the classic telemark turn.

The course covers the following elements of telemarking:

- introduction to free heel skiing
(a morning introducing the equipment and how it works
and the first steps towards skiing with it.)
- basic telemark position
(learning the basic telemark position with good balance and body posture)
- development of the telemark turn
(the wedge turn, half wedge to telemark and the telemark turn)
- stem turns and alpine techniques
(a day spent learning basic alpine skiing techniques like a stem turn)
angulation
- an introduction to this important concept in telemark skiing.

T2 Improvers
This group is designed for skiers who have been telemarking for one or two seasons. The aim is to increase the fluidity of your skiing so that by the end of the week you’ll be able to perform sweeping linked turns in complete control down blue and red runs. During the week we work on the following aspects of your telemark skiing:

- a dynamic telemark position
(we make sure that you start out each day in the correct telemark position and help you develop a good, balanced position)
- the pole plant
(a morning is spent correcting the the use of ski poles to ensure that they help rather than hinder skiing.)
stem turns and alpine techniques
(a day spent improving basic alpine skiing techniques)
putting it all together
(bringing all your new skiing skills together in smooth linked turns down red pistes.)

T3 Advanced Skiing
This course is aimed at skiers with at least three seasons experience of telemarking who are happy skiing linked telemark turns on red pistes. The object of the week is to learn and practise a wide range of additional telemarking techniques which will help you cope with the more challenging off-piste conditions (heavy snow, crust, deep powder etc).You learn more about using your rear leg, and dropping the ball of your foot to gain turning control.

- revision of the telemark position
(a morning spent revising old skiing skills and improving your basic stance.)
- angulation
(improving your angulation to achieve better ski control.)
- short radius turns
(developing your rhythm so that you control your speed with short turns down the fall line.)
- more turns for adaptable skiing
(learning to cope with terrain changes and different types of snow)

T4 Off PIste and Mountain Touring
You need to come on our Off Piste week in Gressoney - Alagna - read the details here >

Digital Video Feedback
Each group has two or three video feedback sessions during the evenigs.

DAY 8 - Fly back to London
You are transfered back to Pau to connect with transport back home.

Telemark Ski Equipment Hire
Pyrenean Mountain Tours offer a full equipment hire pack. You can hire everything you need for this tour or individual items at the costs shown in the table below. Costs shown are per week. We are unable to provide equipment "last minute" so you need to book what you need well in advance.