By Karen D. Lorentz
updated
Wed, Dec 28, 2011 08:50 AM
Killington has a well-deserved reputation for teaching people to
ski that harkens back to the 1960s when, working in tandem with SKI
Magazine, they put GLM (graduated length method) on the map. That
method brought thousands to ski school to learn to ski parallel
utilizing three different length skis in a week. This sparked
Killington to become the most popular area in the East.
From there Killington developed the Accelerated Method and the ski
school has never stopped working on avant garde instructional
methods since. Recently, the resort focused on the individual
through the Max 5 program, which guarantees no more than five
people in a group - for group lessons that run the spectrum from
"never-evers" to experienced skiers and snowboarders.
Now the Snowsports School is kicking things up several notches
with specialty clinics that will meet the needs of skiers/riders
from aspiring women who want to elevate their skills and confidence
to adults who want to tackle trees or un-groomed terrain to
freestylers who are ready to boost their skills and repertoires in
the park. This season, Killington has lined up Dan Egan, Ian
Compton, Yale Cousino, and Donna Weinbrecht to rock the world of
skiers and riders in each of their specialty.
At a press event December 21, writers got a taste of the new
clinics. Former Olympian and Gold medalist Picabo Street spoke
about the great diversity of experiences now available to snowsport
enthusiasts, calling the huge "variety of on-snow choices a
beautiful development."
Recently, she has experiences this variety. Street now spends
"time in the terrain park with my boys," she said. Then she added
that she thought she was in good shape until she followed a
wiggling Donna Weinbrecht through the moguls.
"Donna was rocking my world today," she exclaimed, noting, "I've
been an Alpiner all my life."
Snowsport School Director Dave Beckwith noted that the move to
enter action sports actually stemmed from parent Powdr Corp.
Experiencing the success of Woodward at Copper Mt. (the action
sports camp/facility Powdr acquired with its purchase of Copper).
Powdr embraced the action sports industry and then bought the
Woodward program (action sports camps) in Pennsylvania.
Hoping to change direction of Killington's Snowsport School and
modernize it but still offer something for everyone, Beckwith noted
that "the action sports piece fit in nicely. Offering some clinics
with top personalities in the ski world is also in keeping with The
Beast of the East manner," he noted.
"The action personalities conducting the clinics appeal to various
generations," Beckwith added. Athletes like Ian and Yale appeal to
a younger generation, he said.
Similarly extreme skier Dan Egan and moguls specialist Donna
Weinbrecht are experienced teachers who are known by adults and can
adjust their teaching for adult learners, he noted, saying, the
hope is to cover the spectrum of ages with a diversity of
experiences that can keep more people actively engaged in snow
sports.
New experiences to rock your world
Dan Egan is one of the top adventure skiers who made his
reputation as extreme skiing was making its daredevil debut. Powder
Magazine dubbed him one of the "Top Skiers of All Time," and Warren
Miller captured his feats in 12 of his films. Egan has become an
award-winning producer in his own right, and has been nominated for
three Emmy Awards.
He has also authored two books and produced a dozen videos on
skiing. He leads and participates in adventure travel trips,
ranging from the Alps to the Arctic and coaches advanced ski
clinics all over the world. This is his first season at Killington,
and he is leading a series of diverse experiences.
On December 30-31, 2011 and February 4-5, 2012, Egan is offering
an all-terrain skiing experience that focuses on one's equipment
and Killington's diverse terrain with a goal to develop skills that
will enable participants to enjoy all of Killington's trails.
Egan's all-mountain experience on January 7-8, 2012 takes skiers
"where no groomer has gone before" in a weekend adventure in the
moguls, steeps and trees.
On February 18-19 and March 3-4, 2012, he will impart advanced
skills by teaching about reading the terrain and picking the best
line down the mountain.
Monster Freeride Sessions
The Monster Freeride Sessions feature local, top-action-sport
athletes Ian Compton and Yale Cousino coaching participants in
modern park and pipe activities.
Compton is known for his technical prowess on rails, his
infectious attitude and his love for skiing. He continues to push
the boundaries of what is possible on skis with a creative style
that has landed him spots in Line Skis Traveling Circus
webisodes.
Cousino's technical skills have landed him top results in
slopestyle competitions and rail jams while his smooth style and
creativity have garnered him numerous magazine shots and film
segments, including Next Level from Brothers Factory.
The line up of sessions and age groups are as follows:
December 27-28, 2011
2-day session featuring Ian Compton and Yale
Cousino for ages 7-18
December 29, 2011
1-day drop-in session featuring Ian Compton and
Yale Cousino for ages 13-18
January 14-15, 2012
2-day session featuring Ian Compton for ages
7-18
February 19-20, 2012
2-day session featuring Ian Compton for ages
7-18
February 21-23, 2012
3-day Presidents Week session featuring Ian
Compton for ages 7-18
March 17-18, 2012
2-day session featuring Ian Compton and Yale
Cousino for ages 7-18
For Women Only Weekends
On the weekends of January 14-15, 2012 and February 10-12, 2012,
Olympic gold medalist and world champion mogul skier, Donna
Weinbrecht and Killington Resort's top female coaches will offer a
program of fun, food and skiing. This program is for intermediate,
advanced or expert skiers looking for an all-female learning
environment that will encourage you to explore your limits in a
comfortable, non-pressured way.
Skiing instruction and video analysis are part of the program to
bring skills to the next level, but it is the camaraderie that
develops that enables women to truly shine. That is where
Weinbrecht's love of teaching and friendly personality come to
play.
Okay, she is a celebrity. Her gold medal in 1992 was the first
freestyle gold medal awarded at the Winter Olympics. As a moguls'
specialist, she has won seven national titles, has forty-six World
Cup wins, and is a member of both the National Ski and Snowboard
Hall of Fame and the Hall of Fame at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard
Museum. She's listed as one of the Ski Channel's Top 50 Olympians
of All Time and continues to bang out bump runs at the big K where
she's skied since the mid-1970s honing her bump skills on Outer
Limits.
On December 21, I had the opportunity to sample her specialty
clinic. Mind you, it was my first ski day of the season and Picabo
Street (yes, the retired Olympian who won downhill and GS Olympic
medals and World Championships) was also in my group. The session
was videotaped as we attempt to ski like Weinbrecht. After just two
warm up runs, there I was standing at the top of Bittersweet with a
group about to sample moguls instruction - pretty courageous of me,
I thought.
Donna started with pointers about pole plants. The instruction on
arm and pole position was familiar to me, but what was new was how
important and essential good, proper pole plants are for mogul
skiing.
Then off Donna went doing short swing (a gorgeous dance) with
perfect pole flicks. Members of the group followed, practicing the
technique.
Slower than the group, I deferred to be last. Picabo asked me if I
was nervous or scared and I admitted to having butterflies. So I
followed her down the hill (she couldn't watch me that way, I
figured) skiing in her tracks.
What a hoot!
Following in Picabo's tracks was such a mental boost. After that
run, she also told me to focus on something like the pole plants to
overcome jitters.
The next boost came when I watched Picabo follow Donna down the
next section. I saw Street do the fast short swing turns (like a
slalom run but no gates - just turn, turn, turn) and then stop and
exclaim, "Wow that is tiring. I am exhausted."
That made me so happy. Here she is a former racer/gold medalist
who is 25 years younger than me, but like some of us, she is not
used to the work of fast tight turning and she felt some fatigue -
hers was fleeting but real in the moment, which made me feel okay
about taking extra rest stops!
Ladies, and Gents, do you see my point? World-class skiers can
give you a leg up in the comfort and confidence department while
coaching you to be more aggressive or to work on advanced skiing
skills. They do that in part because they are aware of the
importance of your comfort zone - and the importance of coaxing you
out of it at the right moments.
Don't be afraid of skiing with a top athlete. They love to teach
and are excellent communicators! What's more they are fun to
be with. No attitude, just great cheerleaders who know their stuff.
You won't do better than to spend a weekend in on of these
specialty clinics.
For more details on any of the specialty experiences and rates, go
to Killington.com/lessons/specialty experiences (look under
lessons). You can also check out the Specialty Programs that
feature similar options but are coached by Killington
instructors.
Photos by Jason Mikula
Karen Lorentz is a journalist/author who learned to ski on a
West Hartford (CT) golf course on 1930s wooden skis with bear trap
bindings over 50 years ago. She is still trying to "perfect the
carve on challenging terrain" but knows "when to skid'em" and has a
heck of a good time on snow.
Tagged:
killington, Picabo Street, specialty clinics, Dan Egan, Monster Freeride Sessions, Ian Compton, Yale Cousino
