Beginner, Inter or Advanced

nialo

can someone please define these for me! just noticed it in the winter resort report thread and was wondering what ppls take is on which is? like personally i would think im intermediate but then what is that!? i can ski most slopes and handle most things you put in front off me but definitely not a pro! as for snow parks! well the odd jump but nothing outside that!

so whats what when it comes to level!?

am i bovvered

Its a tough one because "intermediate" covers such a huge variation of ability and about 90% of everyone on the mountain.

If you are not a beginner, or an expert..... what does that leave ?.

This is a better way of judging where your at....

Level One: "Never-Ever"
Level One skiers are first time skiers who have never skied before.

Level Two
Level Two skiers are cautious novices who are able to do a " snow plow" (wedge) turn both ways and are able to stop, but linking turns smoothly may be difficult. Level Two skiers may have skied once or twice before.

Level Three
Level Three skiers are confident novices who are able to stop and make round snow plow turns on easy beginner trails.

Level Four
Level Four skiers are cautious intermediate skiers who can link turns but still moderate speed. Level Four skiers ski in a small wedge and their skis may even be parallel at the end of the turn on green or easy blue trails. Level Four is a transition level in which skiers will begin to ski more blue intermediate runs.

Level Five
Level Five skiers are intermediates who are confident on easy blue runs and ski mostly parallel but may at times use the wedge to begin a turn or to stop. Level Five skiers may be cautious on intermediate trails that are slightly steep or icy.

Level Six
Level Six skiers confidently make parallel turns on blue runs but do not ski many advanced trails. Level Six skiers use their poles to time turns. A Level Six skier is interested in learning to ski better on more challenging terrain.

Level Seven
Level Seven skiers ski controlled parallel turns and can ski very well on blue trails. Level Seven skiers can control their speed and rhythm on black diamond trails, but they are looking to ski on challenging trails with better style. Level Seven skiers can adjust the size and length of their turns and are learning to ski on a variety of different types of snow and terrain.

Level Eight
Level Eight skiers ski with good technique on all terrain and snow conditions. Level Eight skiers can ski moguls and are able to ski black diamond trails with confidence using carved turns.

Level Nine
Level Nine skiers enjoy the challenge of difficult ski trails and ski moguls, steeps, and other black diamond terrain.

Its from www.epicski.com

There is no industry standard, other posters might have a better list, or, we could start our own :-)

nialo

Thanks for that. very informative. Think i fall in between level 7 and level 8 then... need to improve on moguls and craving more smoothly but outside that can handle myself.

will be useful to have a guide for this years trip away, planning on getting a few hours lessons with an instructor to see if i can brush up on a few things and then learn how to free style a bit more too..

Fattes

nialo: I love this and have seen some weird definitions of peoples standards as an instructor from lesson to lesson.

I dont think the traditiona Beginner, Intermidiary, expert classification works to be honest but below is an attempt to break it down. Think Wazzer has it down with his breakdown here

http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/about-the-course_group-and-skier-levels.htm

Some people think that 2 weeks on snow make them an intermidiary :eek:
I am a level 2 instructor and class myself as just about advanced in comparison to some of the poeple I have seen ski.

Have had the pleasure of skiing with some awsome guys in Canada and Europe and have seen some of the europa cup teams training:eek: Hence why I class my level of skiing so low

a147pro

I can go down roughly anything without falling but will always look sh*t doing so

= intermediate imo

foolproof

nialo

Well ive only skied 7 or 8 weeks at this stage. had the pleasure of getting a few hours from one lady that did some skiing for ireland when she was younger. helped bring me along alot. (someone like this again would be what would be ideal but unlikely as an instructor)

suppose i just wanted to have an idea where i am in been capable of handling anything thrown at me on a day. at the moment only thing i struggle with it moguls! doing them consistantly is not happening! timing is off! dont mind really steep inclines can turn and weave my way down them without a bother. technically could probably be better but that will come with a few more lessons i think! and practice!! just dont want to waste my time joinin a ski group where i tied into it for a week and learn very little!

also there is the irish snow champs trip thats on. thinking off going on that but competing or not is another story!? who grads what level you are!?

Fattes

nialo
After 7/8 weeks you will need allot of work on technique. I would focus on getting short radius turns perfected on piste before going near moguls.

Also be carefull of you definition of carving unless it looks like this it aint carving

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTboYL8CjaU&feature=related

Carving is moving from edge to edge with the base of the ski hardly touching if touching the snow at all.

Guys always underestimate your ability when booking classes if you are good enought the instructor will up the game for you and push you to your limits. Providing you have a good instructor.

You might want to try a one or one lesson in the ski club before you go

nialo

ya i manage to get it looking like that on red and blues 90% of the time. on black its alot less consistant! depends on the gradient really! i should say ive water skiied for years before this as well, and done slalom skiing on the water alot. . although the balance is opposite!

and id normally avoid moguls at the moment but last year got stuck where it was go down them or walk down and im not walking anywhere when the other option is 'ski'! use that word lightly where moguls are concerned! only time ive fallen is on those things!

suppose the plan should be a few hours with an instructor the second day, and forth day. then enjoy the rest!

robinph

That definition above is using the US colour scheme so be careful when thinking you can do what it says on "blues" as it does not fit the reds into their scale. Huge differences between the same colour pistes from one resort to another anyway, just to confuse matters more.

Fattes

Guys you need to step away form the beginner, intermidiate, advanced classification and look at your skill set and how developed it is.

There is a couple of diffrent stages of plough turns, Parallel turns and carving.

Its amazing to hear people say they are carving and still using a rotary movment for turning phases.

If you are booking a ski school you can tell them that I can do (X) type of turns wll and comfortably on (x) type of slope.

EileenG

My nine year old is a level NINE. I'm disgusted. When did she get better than me?

3greenrizla's

a147pro wrote: »

I can go down roughly anything without falling but will always look sh*t doing so

it's not skiing, it's falling with style

I'm a 'not very cautious' beginner.