At the very end of the Michaelmas term 46 students and five staff headed to Val Thorens, France, to participate in the inaugural First Snow Championships.
This new event branched off from the ISSSC Championships in Les Deux Alpes that we had attended the previous two years. Attending a new event is always a risk but on this occasion it definitely paid off. The biggest improvements included being able to ski directly in and out of the hotel to the slopes, having a hot meal in the middle of the day, and having top quality ski instructors. The race venue is a World Cup piste complete with start and finish huts and professional timekeepers that keep races running smoothly and efficiently.
Our team spanning from Years 7 to 13 were fantastic ambassadors of Sevenoaks School throughout the event and performed brilliantly in the GS and SL races, bringing back lots of medals as a bonus. The team spirit was excellent, particularly in the team parallel slalom which was lots of fun and saw our junior team take eventual victory.
When not training or racing everyone also had a good time, whether that was bowling, group Just Dance, a team quiz, or just enjoying a warming hot chocolate and crepe.
Overall it was a hugely successful trip and we look forward to returning next year.
Simon Hall
