Deirdre Mullins takes a trip to the Ski Centre in Sandyford and the Ski Club of Ireland in Kilternan to get some practice before she hits the real slopes.
Ski holidays are expensive, so why not get the most out of yours by getting lessons before you leave home? Ireland has two artificial learning options both in the Dublin area: the Ski Centre in Sandyford and Ski Club of Ireland in Kilternan. Both offer lessons for all level skiers and snow boarders but in two very different learning environments.
The Ski Centre, Sandyford
The easiest way of explaining the indoor slope in The Ski Centre is that it's a treadmill for skiing. The centre has two dry slopes that are carpeted, inclined and remote controlled. At the bottom of the slope is a rail that you can hold on to before the slope starts to move. Facing you is a mirror so you can see you're positioning and make corrections.
The sensation of skiing on a rotating carpet is strange at first but just takes one lesson to get used to. Inexperienced skiers adapted to the motion quicker that experienced, many of whom find it a humbling experience, possibly because it can show bad technique.
There is a maximum of three skiers on a slope with one instructor at any one time. A one hour lesson equals a half hour of ski time and although it doesn't sound like a lot it can be quite exhausting. It works in ten minute rotations, ten on and ten off. Rest time can be spent in the centre's bar which has a lively atmosphere with music playing and looped footage of ski pros, giving inspiration for beginners like myself.
Phil Dagg, one of the directors from the centre said that learning to ski here is an intensive learning experience and is "four times quicker that on a dry slope or on real snow". He also claims that people who learn to ski here will be technically better skiers than if they had learned on snow.
A major benefit of lessons in the ski centre is that the instructor is in front of you all the time. Often when on real slopes the instructor will go ahead and you follow behind copying his movements. Whereas in the Ski Centre the instructor is watching every move you make and suggesting corrections that can easily be made as you are skiing in front of a mirror.
For beginners there are safety features which reduce the chance of injury, if you loose your balance the instructor can slow down or switch off the slope with the remote control in his hand. Dagg told me that: "since we opened in 2008 we have had no breaks or serious injuries".
Expert skiers use the centre for training and as it is essentially a never-ending slope you can ski for ages without a break which is great for ski stamina and fitness. The slope can be sped up to increase skiing speed. The centre also has a ski specific gym which is designed to build strength in lower body limbs and to provide flexible body movements to maximise your ski experience.
Ski Club of Ireland, Kilternan
The last few weeks of snow and sub zero temperatures has meant that most people's ski gear is getting a proper airing before they hit the European slopes. Trudging around in the white snow, it's easy to fantasise about Ireland being a ski destination.
When I visited the Ski Club of Ireland centre in Kilternan during the last cold snap, the fantasy seemed possible. The slopes and surrounding Dublin/Wicklow hills were covered with inches of white powder and music was pumping, giving it a party holiday atmosphere. One could have easily mistaken the Ski Club for a European ski resort.
The Ski Club has four different slopes: the main one is a decent size at 180m; the intermediate slope is 150m long and there are two 50m long nursery slopes for beginners. Under 'normal' Irish weather conditions the slopes won't be covered with snow but a material called Dendix, which is a bristle surface lubricated with a misting spray.
The club has been in operation since 1963 and was set up by a committee of people who were interested in skiing and wanted to introduce the sport to Ireland. I found it surprising to learn that all the people who work in the centre are volunteers and the clubs income is used for the upkeep of the centre. Perhaps that explains the friendly, family-like atmosphere.
Critics of artificial slopes complain that the skiing is slower than on real snow. Rosemary Mayrhuber, one of the trustees of the club agrees that it is slower but says that that allows one to concentrate on improving technique. When I asked her if she thought that skiing on Dendix is more dangerous than on snow, she replied: "Dangerous is too strong a word. Like all sport there is an element of risk. Falling should be prevented, that is why tuition is so important". She went on to say that she has been skiing in Kilternan for over 25 years and has had some falls but no damage has been done.
During the season, ski classes run at 8pm from Monday to Friday for adults and at various times on Saturday and Sunday for adults and children. Each lesson is an hour and 15 minutes duration. There are also one-day intensive courses on Saturdays for all levels. Snowboard classes are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 8.30pm and on Sunday evenings at 6.30pm and are an hour and a half in duration. Classes have a maximum of 12 participants.
Practice sessions are also available for competent skiers who must have taken a minimum of four classes at the Ski Club or done a minimum of a week's skiing on snow.
Next stop for me is the Austrian Alps where I can check if my Irish ski lessons pay off on the real snow.
THE FACTS
The Ski Centre: A course of four lessons costs €195 (adult), €156 (child/student/over 55's) or €350 (private one-on-one lesson). A single lesson costs €49 (adult) or €39 (child/student/over 55's). A single private lesson is €100.
The Ski Centre is located just off the M50 or a few minutes walk from the Stillorgan stop on the Red Luas line. For more information visit www.skicentre.ie, email ski@skicentre.ie or phone (01) 293 0588.
Ski Club of Ireland: One lesson costs €40 (student €30/ Child €25). A course of four lessons €130 (student €95/ Child €80). Practice session is three hours and costs €25 (student €20/ Child €18). If you become a member you get a 15% discount. Season ticket holders get a €50% discount on classes and free practice sessions. At the moment there is a special offer of five classes for the price of four if you book before 24 December.
The Ski Club of Ireland is in the grounds of the Kilternan Golf and Country Club. Leave the M50 at Exit 15 and follow the signs for Kilternan. The 44/C Bus stops just outside the entrance to the Ski Club.
For more information visit www.skiclub.ie, email info@skiclub.ie or phone (01) 295 5658.
Deirdre Mullins
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