What’s the Value of Interski?

Interski comes around every four years, and from an association perspective it represents a large cost (or investment, depending how you view it) which begs the question – what is the value that CASI receives from this event?

Not only a demo event, I really view Interski as a chance for us to check in with our counterparts from around the world, and put our methodology to the test. Are we really maintaining relevance in the snowboard teaching space? Are our riding techniques evolving as we learn more and more about our sport? These are questions that we are trying to ask (and answer) here this week.

A key element to Interski has always been the sharing of information and findings with our members. Now more than ever, this is easier than it’s ever been. This blog is a great example of this – daily updates from the event have made the info more and more accessible to CASI members back home in Canada, and abroad.

This gathering of info also assists us in making sure that our programs and system continue to improve. We have never shied away from updating our programs, if we feel that there’s a better way, and this event allows us to really check in.

As well, CASI enjoys a really positive reputation on the international stage, and our presence at this event in Finland this week, as well as previous Interski events, has helped to support this.

This morning, the Interski team had a short gondola discussion about the value the Interski represents for CASI…tune in below to the video to listen in!

Jeff Chandler

Team Prep Camp Complete!

Team CASI is ready! The last few days saw the Interski team come together at Mont Orford, Quebec to focus on the coming Interski congress.

L-R: Mellen Jay, Dom Oshanek, Adam Gardner, Genevieve Pilotto, James Hyland, Jeff Chandler

A huge note of thanks goes out to Mont Orford Resort for hosting us, along with our partner associations at the CSIA and CANSI. It really was a great venue for us to focus on preparing to present Canadian snowboard teaching to the world.

Day 1: Jan 22
On Sunday, we invited all CASI members in the area to attend a free on-snow session with members of the Interski team. With a huge turn-out, we have the opportunity to start to work out some thoughts and details regarding our on-snow message in Finland, and to share some of Canada’s best snowboard instruction with some of our CASI members. The stoke and enthusiasm was amazing to see, with members travelling from far and wide (some driving through the night!) to attend.

(Most of) Sunday’s Member Session crew!

Day 2 & 3: Monday / Tuesday Jan 23, 24

With the Member Sessions complete, it was time to get to work.

A big part of Interski is showcasing the Canadian snowboard technique in a way that conveys performance, demonstration and fun! The team spent the early runs on Monday getting accustomed to riding together, following someone that they might not ride with regularly, and testing out different speeds and turn sizes.

Following that, much of the rest of the day focused on early discussions and preparation of our on-snow workshops. We are planning to present two workshops in Levi, with the goal of giving the other nations a glimpse into what we consider important aspects of great snowboard lessons.

Working in pairs, the team had a chance to hash out some presentation notes and ideas.

Testing out workshop tactics.

Day 2 of the camp started off with more group riding, with a focus on matching line and speed. Our goal for the demo runs is to showcase fast, smooth riding. The group found a good balance of speed and turn shape, and had some great early-morning warm-up runs together.

The rest of the morning was spent in presentation mode with some practice presentations of our on-snow workshops. It was a good chance to get feedback from each other, and make some notes about the best ways to convey our messages.

After lunch, the CASI, CSIA, and CANSI teams convened on the “demo slope” to work on the task of incorporating a demonstration run that includes all three disciplines (alpine ski, snowboard and telemark). The group found a flow together very quickly, and we’re looking forward to putting on a Canadian snow sliding show!

Overall, the time spent together building a cohesive team, fine-tuning our riding skills, and polishing our presentations was really valuable. We’re looking forward to the event in Levi in March!