SSC Racing Cairngorm Program

Skiing in Scotland can be better than in the Alps on a good day. However, they are certainly not all good days! We have a tried and tested approach to dealing with this to try and give you certainty and confidence in the training program, to be adaptable, and to get as much out of the program as possible.

Final coaching allocations & adjustments are made after bookings close. The Head Coach will monitor the forecasted snow and weather conditions throughout the week. Our default is to train at Cairngorm Mountain whatever the weather, however in the case that this would be unfavourable due to insufficient snow, a plan to train elsewhere will be made. This will be communicated no later than the Thursday before the weekend. Changes to the training venue to this beyond this time will only happen if, for example, Cairngorm closes on the morning of training due to high winds, but The Lecht is still open.

• Bookings which are not cancelled before the deadline, usually the Sunday ahead of each weekend, are charged as long as training of some kind runs, regardless of whether the booking is ‘used’. We need confirmed numbers to commit to running training. Parents/guardians are encouraged to still let the Head Coach know if their trainees are not coming.
• If training is moved and you can no longer make it due to logistical issues with the new venue, you may receive a credit.
• Scottish Ski Club is not responsible for arranging lift passes for trainees – trainees must arrive on-time with a lift pass, and this should be booked in advance (usually possible 7 days before) to guarantee availability. We strongly recommend that trainees buy an early bird season pass, which is the cost of a few 1-day passes, in order to save the hassle of arranging day passes. Refunds will not be possible for booked training days where there are no passes available.

ALTERNATIVE TRAINING (OFF-SKIS)

If training cannot run on snow for whatever reason, we will run alternative off-ski training. These alternatives are not the coaching team just ‘making do’ – these are all things that will help trainees learn essential skills to make great skiers and ski racers. It is just convenient that we will inevitably have some stormbound days to do them on! We have a fantastic base for our off-ski training at Loch Insh Watersports Centre in Kincraig, less than 30 minutes from Cairngorm Mountain. Off-ski training may include:

• Indoor fitness training
• Outdoor activity (hike/trail run/etc.)
• Off-hill ski racing theory/mental preparation/sports psychology sessions
• Goal setting/long-term development sessions
• Ski tuning demonstrations and learning sessions
• Light fitness/recovery activities

If there is absolutely no snow to ski on, it may be in the interest of saving costs on accommodation and travel (i.e., the majority of parties would be better off) to hold an off-ski training weekend more centrally e.g., near Perth. This will be by majority agreement with those training on any particular weekend.

When we run off-ski training:

• If Saturday snow training cannot happen due to conditions apparent on that morning (e.g., hill closed due to wind), then an off-ski training will be arranged.
• If Sunday snow training cannot happen due to conditions apparent on that morning, the training day will be cancelled and credited back to booked trainees.
• Since training of some form has run, there will be no refunds issued, even if a trainee does not attend the training.
• If there has been no snow to train on for a prolonged period, we will only organise off-ski training weekends once in any rolling monthly period – any further training weekends would be cancelled and credited back to booked trainees until the snow returns.

REFUNDS

Any ‘refunds’ during the season will take the form of a credit back into the parent/guardian’s online account.

At the end of the season, any unused amount of the original 10/20-day block purchased rolls over to the following season, and as such will not be refunded unless there have been fewer training days go ahead throughout the season than were originally purchased. In this case, the club can issue a refund based on the original price paid. Please contact racetraining@scottishskiclub.org.uk for any queries relating to refunds.