Abingdonian 2018

21 www.abingdon.org.uk Lent Term Ski Tour On Friday 9 February a group of 43 students and 5 staff left Abingdon on a coach for the annual school ski trip to Saint Gervais in the French Alps. After a long journey we arrived in the resort on Saturday just in time to check in and collect our equipment from the ski hire shop. Students shared self-catering apartments that were located approximately 1.2km outside of the centre of town giving the options of eating out as a large group reserving tables in restaurants as small groups, or even the challenge of the boys cooking for themselves with provided ingredients on two of the nights. A large snowfall during the preceding week led to strong snow conditions as well as sunny weather for the majority of our time there. The main skiing area extended from the top of the Bettex cable car at 1400m up to the top of Mont Joly at 2525m giving us a good variety of skiing options. On the first day all students spent 6 hours in ski or snowboard school provided by ESF, refining techniques previously learned and giving us an opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the resort. The morning of the second day gave the students’ their first opportunity to explore the slopes freely with their friends and the majority of the group returned to the various routes shown to them by the instructors previously. Lessons then resumed from 2.00pm to 5.30pm each day with the instructors enjoying guiding the more able groups off piste and down black runs that they were not allowed to ski outside of lessons. The trip was very enjoyable and the boys were a credit to the school. Thanks go to the other staff that accompanied the trip: Mrs Griffiths, Mr McGill, Mrs O’Doherty and Mr White. Ben Simmons