Lets start with how you ended up in Verbier?

I came to Verbier for the BASI Level 3 technical exam while I was still a senior school teacher. I stayed down in the La Ruinette apartments in Le Chable and had a super successful few weeks. I realised then that the area was somewhere I wanted to be in the future. I now live down there year round, just around the corner from where I used to stay, and I love it! In winter, I can ski from my apartment to the gondola up to work – why would you leave?

What are you skiing on at the moment?

Rossignol Hero Elite Long Turn TI and Faction 3.0s.

What is your top teaching tip?

Be brave and confident – as I often say to clients ‘skiing is skiing’ – it doesn’t really matter where you do it. In other words, once we think you’re ready, you are! Go for that red, black, intinerary or couloir! Confidence is key.

 

What is the best thing you’ve ever done?

Wow, what a question! Probably diving with Whale Sharks in Thailand – but there are quite a few best moments!

What is your favourite slope in the 4 Valleys?

Combatzeline red, lapping the Novelli chair! I have helped clients make huge changes on this run, and it was central in my training to full-cert. Slightly away from busier areas and with a perfect turn-around time (and long chair home to rest afterwards), this run is perfect!

Favourite restaurant?

Easy – Cabane Mont-Fort for the chicken and chips in a basket!

Where do you go for drinks?

The Loft – the coolest bar staff in town, and decent music too.

If people visiting Verbier need to see or do only one thing while they are here, what would it be according to you?

Go on a ski tour! There is so much amazing touring in the area, but if I had to pick one, it would be a two-dayer up Mont Rogneux, for the terrain, and views back to Verbier. Day 1 to Cabane Brunet for a delicious meal and bottle of wine, Day 2 to the summit and to ski fresh snow all the way back down to Lourtier – incredible!

Thank you Ben for all the great answers, have a great season!

 

 

Yes, after a couple of season’s of being mocked, humiliated and generally suffering some heavy gloating, Performance cruised into an unassailable two nil lead last night in the annual Performance v Powder Extreme Bowling Challenge.

We were, though I do say so myself, sublime.

Many commented that the Swedish Bowling Machine, Jimmy, wasn’t actually a member of the team. Well, he is in spirit he just doesn’t work for us. So we discounted his (massive) scores and still won by a country mile.

Well done Performance. You were epic.

Yes, we have bullied actor, legend and all round top bloke Jason Flemyng to do the weather report for us. He was up at Carrefour, we were up at Carrefour, one thing led to another and he put’s in a rather fine performance I think you’ll agree.

The weather report is a well known springboard to greatness so we’re going to have our people talk to his people…

even bigger news than us getting all star struck that we had 20cm of fresh snow last night and it’s cold again. So when Guy said “it’ll stay sunny for weeks” he was being a fool.

So tomorrow sun’s back out and if you’re lucky we’ll have a raft of photos for you… We can’t promise any celebrities though.

Olly has always hard a few issues. Monoboarding being one. And we’re very proud he’s ready to tell the world…

As we continue our tour of the Performance Team, this week Martin tells it like it is from the rather charming terrace at the Pub Mont Fort.

 

Yes, the double whammy of a snow storm hitting and the new Performance outfits arriving back from the printers can only be an omen. Winter is here and it means business.

So here are the first glimpses of the new outfits, leaving behind the old green and yellow Kermit style and bringing in a whole new era of brightness that means when we sit on lifts together it looks like a packet of refreshers going up a mountain. Rather disconcerting.

But we hope you like it. We’re rather pleased with the combination…

And the even better news is that the sun popped it’s head out once or twice today but the cloud has kept all that nice fresh snow exactly where it is (on the trees and on the pistes) and it’s snowed on and off all day.

And – even better than that (if you feel you can cope) is that all the forecasts have upped their predicted snow fall for the coming days. Could be epic.