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Senior Ski Trip, December 2015

At the end of the autumn term a group sixth formers headed to Switzerland for the Senior Ski Trip. Here is a report from Mr Deketelaere, who organised and led the trip.

This was the mystery tour of 2015, involving a mildly stressful week at the end of term negotiating a switch from our planned destination, Sauze d’Oulx, to somewhere with some snow. Anyway, it was worth it and, after an eight-hour transfer from Geneva, we finally arrived in Bruck am Ziller just before midnight on the Saturday – the coach driver’s Ziller music bringing a smile to tired faces. We were greeted by Sonja, our convivial hostess, and Rado, our excellent rep, on our arrival at the Hotel Eberleiten and received a fine meal, a sign of the great hospitality we would enjoy all week.

For the first three days we skied in the Kaltenbach area, where the pupils were able to enjoy the large ski area, its great range of pistes and panoramic views over the Ziller Valley. The instructors of the advanced groups, Bonne and Frank, were able to really push the pupils with lengthy tours across two cols and valleys to Hochfügen, as well as going to the jump park. Fritz, who looked after the beginners, was a skilful, cheerful and patient teacher, and we saw them come on in leaps and bounds. 

We spent the last two days in the Zillertal Arena above Zell am Ziller. This was a good change of atmosphere, with more of a high-mountain feel and narrower, steeper runs. The day before we left we were also treated to a foot of fresh snow, which made for some excellent skiing on the pistes at the top of the Rifflerkogel mountain.

The pupils were great company all week and enjoyed the hotel’s stube and disco facilities, as well as an evening visit to Fugen’s pool and wellness centre. While I enjoyed the chance to relax in the sauna, the pupils (and Mr Baker) held a competition to make the fastest time down the Black Hole slide!

In fact, we all enjoyed it so much, we are planning to visit this area again next year.

My deepest thanks, as always, go to Mr Baker, Mrs Strange and Miss Mateo Sanz for their support in making it all run so smoothly.