"39 cadets … 5 adult instructors …
destination Salzburger Sportwelt …"
After 30 hours by road and sea, we reached our
destination of Küchl, a typically pretty Austrian village surrounded by the
stunning Tennengebirge Mountains. Some anxious glances were exchanged at the
absence of snow, but our hosts at the Hotel Mühlthaler, soon put our minds at
ease with reassurances of great snow higher up on the pistes.
Day 1: We gathered nervously at the
Alpendorf Gondola base station for a whistle-stop briefing on the mysteries of
boot-clips, bindings, poles, skis and chairlifts, and then we were off. The
instructors divided us into two groups of first-time skiers, one group of
intermediates, and one 'advanced' group. Those with previous skiing experience
slid away with gusto to enjoy finding their ski-legs again. The main priority
however was to give the beginners intensive tuition and to prove that with
courage and determination, anyone can master the mountain and feel like James
Bond escaping from the Russian agents in The Spy Who Loved me … but
back to reality, and the mandatory drills in snowplough techniques, how to get
up after a fall and how to sidestep back up the slope - over and over and over
again. With the sun blazing in the sky, the cadets soldiered on - occasionally
stopping to wonder how the snow could be so cold while they got so hot!?
It was a weary party who nodded off on the coach to the hotel
that first evening. But only a couple of short hours later the youngsters came
back to life to take full advantage of the fantastic facilities at the nearby
aqua baths.
Day 2: Back to the nursery slope
again for the beginners. More snowploughing, more sidestepping! Bend the knees!
Keep your hands forward! More slips, crashes and falls. But after lunch the
instructors were sufficiently impressed by the cadets' progress that they
decided it was time to get out and tackle some proper runs. Despite some initial
hesitation, everyone conquered their fears and obeyed the instructors calling
"follow me!" By the end of day 2 every cadet could start, stop,
traverse and turn, and were capable of tackling the multitude of blue runs. And
what better way to celebrate than to take over the local disco and dance the
night away?
Day 3: A real turning point. With
everyone having broken away from the confines of the nursery slopes, the
opportunities for adventure were limitless. Suddenly the novices were no longer
worrying about falling, but were actively looking for humps and bumps to see who
could pull off the most spectacular jump. Great rivalry was brewing between the
2 groups of beginners - the first whose technique was "slow but
skilled", and the second who were "fast but frantic"! Many were
starting to look like proficient skiers, and some were even having fun!
The après-ski programme that evening allowed everyone to
relax and enjoy the hotel facilities, play some games, watch some European
Football and also have a laugh at the events of the day.
Days 4–6: Each day brought further
improvements in confidence and competence. The intermediate and advanced cadets
skied faster and further, making the most of the lift network to explore Wagrain
and Flachau. The novices didn’t look so novice, the falls became fewer, the
smiles got broader, and the answer to "What do you think of skiing,
then?"… a unanimous "BRILLIANT!"
What a week it was, with the early rises, the hard physical
activity on the slopes, the superb Austrian hospitality and the busy social
programme. The transformation in both the cadets’ and adults’ skiing
abilities was amazing. Well-deserved awards were allocated to the best skiers in
each group. Of particular note being "A perfectly landed ‘360’ from
Cadet Staff Sergeant Sloan." An adult instructor in the making perhaps?
Everyone agreed that this Adventurous Training Expedition was
a huge success. We couldn’t have achieved it without the support of parents,
family and friends who contributed to our fundraising activities, the management
of Morrisons for allowing us to fundraise in their store at Anniesland, and the
backing of CEO Major R Robertson. We would also like to express our gratitude to
the Ulysses Trust, The Worshipful Company of Feltmakers, and the Reserve Forces
and Cadets Association for their most generous donations.
Sincere thanks to all.
