Good ski instructor in Whistler recommendations???

[PinkFatBunny]

Going beginning of March and I'm st so need some help improving.
Went to Morzine last year to break my ski virginity. Can get down blue's as long as I leave my finesse at the top of the slope.

Ideally after 1-2-1 tuition if anyone has used anyone there before?

[anonymous-user]

PinkFatBunny said:

Going beginning of March and I'm st so need some help improving.
Went to Morzine last year to break my ski virginity. Can get down blue's as long as I leave my finesse at the top of the slope.

Ideally after 1-2-1 tuition if anyone has used anyone there before?

Be aware: 1-2-1 is pricey. Go to ski school and ask for a level 3 or above instructor, preferably Canadian national. But not Princess Stephanie.

There are 4 levels of instructor. Level 1 is qualified to teach beginners and kids (basically). Level 3 is internationally recognised. Level 4 instructors stand out from a pack of instructors skiing together.

As a relative novice (which you are) you should be fine with a level 3.

You might want to consider a day skiing, then a lesson, then a day or two skiing, then another lesson.

[PinkFatBunny]

Yes the 1-2-1 was a lot more than what I paid in France last year. I have seen some group lessons that take 4 people max - there will be 2 of us having lessons anyway so worse case another 2 people which doesn't seem that bad.

So the instructor standard potentially isn't as high as in Europe?

[anonymous-user]

PinkFatBunny said:

So the instructor standard potentially isn't as high as in Europe?

Depends what you mean by that. There are level 1 and 2 instructors in Whistler who (at least early season) I look askance at. Conversely, in say France or Austria, the basic level of skiing is higher before they let you wear the instructor's jacket.

However, it is a common misconception to assume that a good skier is automatically a good teacher. The skills are very different. Some good skiers are good instructors; some aren't. The Canadian ski school is based on a very structured approach to skiing (based around a GS style of skiing) which I think means Canadian instructors generally have a good understanding of how to teach you, and not just how to ski well.

Ideally, you want your instructor to look at you, compare you to the perfect skier template in his/her head, identify precisely what you need to change, prioritise what needs to be changed first, second and so on, and then give you drills to get you doing what you need to do. A lazy instructor will have a lesson scheme that they apply without really thinking too hard about your specific weaknesses. I think the higher you go up the Canadian levels, the better level of teaching you get.