Academy 40

Special Edition Interski 2023 Levi


Dear friends of snowsports 

Swiss Snowsports is very much looking forward to the upcoming Interski Congress in Levi in the far north. The theme of this year's congress is "The Guest Experience is everything". Swiss Snowsports will present its expertise in the area of Magic Moments and Guest Experiences in various forms. In workshops and technical runs, the Swiss Snow Demo Team will convey and present its technical skills. In addition to discipline-specific theoretical inputs, Swiss Snowsports will also hold a key lecture on the topic of "The experience throughout the year is everything". This will present to representatives from all over the world how Swiss Snowsports intends to strengthen the winter business in summer and create year-round jobs for Swiss ski schools. In addition to the presentation of Swiss Snowsports' current projects, we are looking forward to impressive show runs and an exciting exchange with snow sports experts from all over the world. 

We hope you enjoy immersing yourself in the international content of the Interski Congress. 


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What does the Academy 40 offer?

  • Interested readers can find out about the content that will be presented by Switzerland at the Interski Congress 2023.
  • This online Academy will be continuously updated during the Interski Congress.

Follow the Swiss delegation on ROCKLEVI TV and social media.


Key Lecture

«The experience throughout the year is everything»

Speakers

Alexander Taugwalder & Kilian Weibel

We, Swiss Snowsports, the umbrella association for Swiss snowsports instructor and the Swiss Ski Schools, take the experience of our guests, whether in training or in our tourist destinations, very seriously.​

With this vision in mind, we have taken a decisive step in developing a business model that can keep us busy throughout the year. This model is not only beneficial for the umbrella association, but also for our snow sports instructor and ski schools organization, who with this new vision are busy all year round and can provide support and guidance to our guests during the summer and winter.

This vision is concretized by the development of a specific product called "kids bike league", this specific product Bike, is for the moment declined to the children from 4 years old up, but will be also developed for our adult guests who visit our different tourist destinations. The development of this product was inspired by another product dedicated to our winter guests, the ‘’Swiss Snow League, ‘’both products are based on an identical teaching model which has the main advantage of linking winter activities to the summer season for or guest.​

In parallel to this product, we have joined forces with the Swiss Cycling Federation to develop and promote an accelerated specifical training program for our snow sports instructor. This approach is motivated by the desire to keep our schools and teachers busy throughout the year. This vision has the ultimate goal of satisfying our guests and inviting them all year round to our ski schools to enjoy great experience.

 

Presentation Keynote


  • Ski

    Lecture - From snow plough to carving – same movements but different form and speed

     

    This presentation is about the Swiss explanation of the keypoints in the different turn forms. The goal is to show that from the snowplow (beginner) to the Carving (expert) in the respective turn phases, we are always speaking of the same keypoints. This simplifies the language between the guest and the instructor and provides the guest with the right technical input from the beginning. This creates a win-win situation for both teacher and client and can also lead to worldcup level.

    Presentation Lecture - From snow plough to carving

     

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    Speakers

    Laszlo Nef & Thomas Wyssmüller


    Workshop - Swiss Technical Progression

    Key message

    The chosen topic shows a similar movement sequence from beginner to expert. By keeping the most important key points, the movement sequence is simplified for the guest and the understanding for the teacher is increased.

    Key points

    Movement flow - and intensity
    An important factor is the flow of movement, whether in a snowplow turn (beginner), as well as in the carved turns (expert). The intensity of the movements changes with the progression of the turns with space, time and force.

    Key points
    When skiing direction changes, certain key points are addressed.

    • Independent bending and stretching movement of the legs
    • Body centre of gravity - displacement
    • Upper body - orientation

    Three turn phases

    • Initiation phase
    • Steering phase 1
    • Steering phase 2

    A detailed focus is placed on the initiation phase of the turn. It is considered the "birth" of the new turn and is decisive for the further course and development of the turn.

    Conclusion

    • Learning the movement once
    • Sneaking in of automated error patterns are avoided
    • Uniform language in training
    • Simple and understandable language in lessons with guests

    Join our workshop and get inspired!

     

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    Speakers

    Swiss Snow Demo Team Ski

  • Snowboard

    Lecture - The Swiss approach to technical understanding

     

    Our aim is a personalised and positive guest experience brought to them in a progressive and secure teaching environment to ensure maximum learning effectiveness. Our key to achieving this is improving our instructors’ technical knowledge which is based on understanding the physical forces acting upon snow, our snowboards and us. 

    In this lecture you will experience and example of how we teach this technical understanding in a classroom in Switzerland.

    Presentation Lecture - Technical Knowledge

     

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    Speaker

    Isabel Jud


    Workshop - The swiss approach to technical understanding

    Key message

    Our goal is providing guests with a positive and personalized experience in a safe and progressive teaching environment to ensure maximum learning efficiency. Our key to achieve this goal is improving the technical understanding of our instructors. This understanding is based on the physical forces which affect snow, snowboards and riders.  

    In this workshop you will get an insight on how we convey our knowledge of physical forces in an accessible and easily understandable way during our snowboard instructor courses in Switzerland. 

    Key points

    Workshop Slope: 

    The focus in this workshop is usage and overcoming of snow resistance. Understanding the interaction between snowboard and snow is at the base of an efficient snowsport’s lesson and therefore central in our teacher training. 

    We are giving you an example of how this is taught during our courses during a lesson on turns. 

    Workshop Park: 

    This workshop focuses on understanding how to generate, increase and control torque.  

    At the example of rotations in the park, we look at different body parts and their impact on torque or moment of force. We will also find out how these parts can be used as efficiently.  

    Because many freestyle tricks involve some sort of rotation, knowledge of torque is especially important in these forms. 

    Conclusion

    With increased technical understanding, instructors are able to give more concise feedbacks, guide their guests more confidently and teach more efficiently. 

    At Swiss Snowsports we are constantly optimizing our ways of conveying this technical understanding and knowledge of physical forces to the instructors. 

    Join our workshop and get inspired!

     

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    Speakers

    Swiss Snow Demo Team Snowboard

  • Cross-country

    Workshop - From BASICS to RACING - a common thread through cross-country skiing technique

    Key message

    What is the perfect technique in cross-country skiing? There is not one general answer to this question. Is someone experiencing their first day on skis, does someone want to win a race or simply glide effortlessly on the snow? Depending on the goal, but also depending on the terrain and physical conditions of the skier, it is Important to take a differentiated look at different solutions in technique. Exciting: while the basic step remains the same, certain core movements and their execution change from the BASICS to the RACING style.

    Key points

    As a XC-teacher, we have about 10 seconds to observe a guest and then provide technical feedback. In order to master this demanding task, we need to know which points we have to or should observe. A strong understanding of the cross-country step is necessary for this. But how does the BASIC step work?

    The movement sequence of the cross-country step is defined by a sequence of core movements in the corresponding joints:

    • Upright basic position, slightly bent knees.
    • A bending in the foot joint initiates the step while still gliding on a ski
    • The upper body begins to turn in the direction of the new gliding ski
    • By tilting completely onto the new gliding ski, we generate propulsion
    • At the same time, the kicking leg stretches and also generates propulsion

    Building on the cross-country step without poles, I can learn step types with poles (ex: 1:1 skating)

    As a teacher, I thus observe the core movements in the corresponding joints. I can apply this by using a checklist!

    The more effective my cross-country skiing steps become, the more pronounced and powerful the core movements are.

    In RACING, certain core movements change. Some are more pronounced. On the other hand there is little time for other core mouvements to perform them.

    Come and join the Swiss XC-Workshop on snow for more learning!

     

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    Speaker

    Monica Altherr

  • Telemark

    Lecture - Great Telemark Experiences: Telemark Education in Switzerland

     

    How do we define a great telemark experience? In Switzerland, we firmly believe that one size does not fit all. Working to meet guests' expectations is essential. In order to help instructors, we have sketched four telemarker-types that represent perhaps the main telemarking tribes. Each type seeks a different kind of experience, favors different terrain, different turns (or tricks), and even embraces a specific style. Discover how we apply our technical understanding to make every experience memorable. 

    Presentation Lecture - Great Telemark Experience

     

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    Speakers

    Frederick Thomas & Samuel Hodel


    Workshop - Great Telemark Experiences: The Piste Performer, living on the edge.

    Key message

    How do you define piste performance?  

    Telemark piste performers carve up the groomers with the precision of a Japanese kitchen knive and the agility of a hare. The smoother the track, the firmer the snow, the sharper the edge, the better. Telemark piste-performers live on the edge. Like bikers on a race track, they love to feel their knees drag along the track. In our on snow workshop, we will explore how far we can tip into the turn on telemark skis and still maintain dynamic balance. To help us wiith this goal, we will use teaching aids to master the „ Telemark bodycarve“.  

    Key points

    Practice
    Learning with an external focus.  

    Progression
    Using our technical model to guide our progress from basic turns, on the path to aquiring expert skills.  

    Process
    Analyzing movements with the help of our „turn diagnostic tool“.  

    Goals

    • Timing key movements effectively to improve performance . 
    • Experiencing how fine movements affect the skis. 
    • Exploring what is possible with telemark skis on groomed terrain in terms of carved turns. 
    • Utilizing a functional telemark position to discover how to master the « Telemark bodycarve ». 

    Conclusion

    Telemark Skis are very versatile and can offer surprising perfomance on groomed terrain.  

    Leading questions:
    Were teaching aids helpful in Improving your technique and confidence?  

    Can the diagnostic tool improve your ability to analyze turns?  

    Was having an external focus helpful? 

    Join our workshop and get inspired!

     

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    Speakers

    Swiss Snow Demo Team Telemark

  • Lecture GER & SUI

    Lecture - What is an effective and targeted lesson?

     

    Two Nations with one goal, to teach the guests a splendid lesson to have them return to the schools again.

    We all want returning guests in our ski schools. This is only possible if we educate future ski teachers to be customer focused. By doing this, customers will improve faster, will have more fun and will feel they are in a safe learning environment. We compared and analysed the Swiss and German systems of Method exams. Our lecture will present the two systems in a "TALK SHOW" format. Together we want to promote and develop snowsports for everyone.

    Presentation

     

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    Speakers

    Teammember German Demo Team and Swiss Snow Demo Team


Additional content​

About Interski in Levi

About Swiss Snowsports

About the Swiss Snow Demo Team

Theme and schedule