When did you start skiing

12 on a school trip to Morgins in Switzerland (1981)
Wasted a lot of winters since playing rugby but finally came to my senses a few years ago!

12 - school trip to BKK, getting on for 21 odd years ago now :oops:

It was winter 1976 and I was in love! I was off school with mumps (no lasting problems thankfully!) and I got to watch the whole Innsbruck Winter Olympics from the sofa. Who was I in love with? Well Rosie Mittermaier of course (she’s fab!) and she won the Gold … (Ah, young love eh?).

Well at that moment I knew I “HAD” to ski so I found some old wood effect floor tiles that had a felt backing. I didn’t fully understand the intricacies of bindings at that point so I tied the tiles to my feet with string and tried to “ski” around the house. Problem was that as I slid forward the string rolled backwards underneath the “ski” and my foot ended up falling off the tile … Not quite the Franz Klammeresque style I had in mind … But some perseverance in the tool box provided enough bits of wood and glue to make a “foot restraining device for use with floor-tile-ski” (patent pending).

By the time I stood on skis for real (later that spring) I was convinced, no, that’s not quite sure enough, I was absolutely certain that I was going to be able to ski. The instructor had us walk around the bottom of the slope to get the feel of these long planks strapped to our feet (I was in my element because I had modified the floor tile at home to connect several together making a ski of about 4ft). The boots were ankle height leather and had BOTH clips – None of those old fashioned laces for me!

So there we were slip-sliding around at the bottom of the slope and I just couldn’t help myself, I had to take a side step or two up the hill so that I could feel the sensation of “skiing” … WOW, it was everything and more I could’ve imagined! Unfortunately the instructor was less excited about my antics and in a rather patronizing voice asked me who I thought I was – “The next national champion?”

Just under four year later I saw that same ski instructor in the crowd as I stood on the rostrum accepting my first national championship medal! How sweet the moment!

Sadly, he passed away not so long ago but not before we had enjoyed may beers chatting about skiing and he did say that he remembered my first lesson and thought maybe I had some previous skiing experience, I didn’t have the heart to tell him the exact nature of my “previous experience!”

So whatever you really want in life if you put your mind to it and persevere who knows where life will lead you?

Happy memories,

Jan

Jan, Great Story!

Last year for my 40th, love it should have done it years ago!

2 trips last season and 2 booked this, guess I am trying to make up for lost time.

Er :oops: 1983.....

Been every year since though, totally hooked 1st time out on skis :D

1964 - when I was three years old. In those days it was all wooden skis and leather lace up ski boots and bamboo poles.

I was born in the mountains in January three years prior - and my mother was skiing two days before I was born (I was born 2 weeks early - for some *unfathomable* reason!!!!).

I've been back to the resort nearly every single year since 1961.

Last year and Ditto @ Bandit :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D