10 Week Gap Course - Snowboard

This is the classic Gap Course. A fantastic opportunity to spend the best part of a season in the world's finest riding resort, broaden your horizons and of course receive the best tuition on your way to a internationally-recognized qualification.

The course kicks off with an intensive personal performance course given by BASI Trainers from Alliance Snowboarding covering all areas of snowboarding - carving, off-piste, bumps, steep slopes, snowpark and freeride, mountain safety and off-piste awareness.

This is followed by a Level 1 Instructor Course, six weeks of full-time on-going training and shadowing of snowboard instructors in the workplace, and culminates in the two week Level 2 Instructor course.

At the end of this period, if students have reached the required standard, they achieve the Level 2 Snowboard Instructor Qualification.

Key dates

There are two versions of this classic 10 week course - full-time and part-time. What's the difference?

Also Included in the cost of the course:

During the course.

• Personal Performance Training in Carving, Bumps, Steeps, Variable Snow, Freeride,Video analysis of Personal Performance.
• Training exclusively from BASI Trainers/Examiners.
• Biomechanical assesments and advice on physical training with our Physiotherapists.
• Hands on boot fitting advice in Killy Sport, our test centre for boots and boards
• Free board testing for the first week, whilst you decide which board to buy.
• Preparation for the BASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor Course.
• Training within the Performance threads of Technical, Tactical, Physical and Psychological.
• BASI Level 1 Instructor Course - 5 Days.
• BASP 2 Day First Aid Course.
• A full avalanche awareness course with evening presentations and snow skills courses in the mountains with Henry Schniewind, one of Europe's top off piste mountain safety experts.
• Freestyle clinics with Alliance Snowboarding.
• Fitness sessions with Chris Haworth 'Ski and Board' magazine's fitness editor.
• Freeride clinics with Alliance Snowboarding.
• Psychological training to improve focus and push your limits.
• Ski School experience/shadowing of snowboard instructors in the workplace.
• BASI Level 2 Snowboard Instructor Course - 10 Days.
• Associate membership of BASI.
• All BASI course resources and manuals.
• All training course fees including external modules.
• Accommodation for 10 weeks, including evening meal 5 days a week.
• Airport Transfers.
• Lift pass.
• French lessons (optional extra).
• Male and Female mentors on call 24/7.

Before the course.

• Pre-course information pack.
• Telephone support and an open-ended opportunity to speak to the training staff direct.
• Travel advice

• CV advice
• Professional references
• Access to the ICE network of industry contacts
• Career advice and pathways to success.
• Discounts on equipment and clothing through BASI
• BASI Magazine
• Further courses with BASI

Riding standard:
We can cater for a large range of abilities since there are many groups on the course. Because of this, if you are already a good rider your level will be pushed with other good riders around you. Our trainers train and assess to the highest levels in BASI so there is no ceiling to your improvement. Similarly if you are an inexperienced rider you will be in a group with similar abilities so your needs will be met in this respect too. An average experience across the courses of this type is roughly 8-10 weeks.

Insurance:
It is vital that you are properly insured against injury, loss of personal effects and curtailment. Students will need to purchase an insurance policy, details of various suppliers will be posted when you receive your booking form.

Accommodation, food and liftpass.
Accommodation will be in the ski in/ski out 3* self-catering Maeva Sud apartments which face south over the slopes of the Espace Killy. In addition an evening meal five nights a week is included as part of the package.

Our apartments are in a fantastic location, right at the bottom of the Bellvarde pistes. Our meeting point is directly opposite them, and is virtually 'ski in, ski out'

They are not huge, let's face it the real estate they occupy must be some of the most expensive in the world! But, they are tastefully decorated in a bang up to date style, they have reasonable cupboard space, a great kitchen/dining area, a seperate toilet/bathroom and a balcony with a view to die for. Keen snowboarders will love the location, view and general efficency of these apartments. There is a reception and longe area downstairs, with a helpful team who will help out immediately with any requests you have. Internet is available, and every apartment has it's own snowboardi locker. They are normally put out on holiday let for for four people. We know this would be a tight squeeze and that ten weeks is in for the long haul, so we only allow a maximum of three in each apartment.

Accommodation upgrades are available on request depending on availability and course numbers, so please contact us if you wish to have a chat.

A lift pass for the whole Val d'Isère/Tignes ski area will be included for the duration of the course. Airport transfers are also included in the course package.

In the background.
Whilst this is an opportunity for you to expand your horizons and get the most from the time you spend abroad there will always be the guidance of the ICE team should things go wrong. Whether it is for medical reason or just a shoulder to lean on, the ICE team will be there to help, should you require it.