A Day With Our Future Adaptive Instructors

Every season, eight volunteer instructors gather in Val Thorens for a day of sit-ski training. The aim: learning how to share the thrill of skiing with skiers who have a disability. We followed their day, from the first turns on an empty sit-ski to the first run with a real passenger.

Three ways to ski differently

Adaptive skiing covers several disciplines. There are three broad categories: sit-skiing, for wheelchair users or people who find it hard to coordinate their legs, standing skiing, with adapted equipment, and skiing for visually impaired skiers, guided verbally by an instructor.

OxySki has supported sit-skiing for many years. Purpose built machines make skiing accessible to everyone, whether alone or with company: an instructor or a friend can steer the machine. Some equipment, known as stabillos, gives skiers full control on the slopes.

A morning spent getting to grips with the kit

The day starts at 8.30am at the foot of the slopes in Val Thorens. The eight volunteer instructors meet the trainer for a walkthrough of the equipment, followed by a short briefing on how sit-skis actually work. Then comes the question that sets the tone for the day: why learn to teach adaptive skiing? The answers vary, but Pierre-Louis, an instructor in Val Thorens, sums up the mood of the group: "If I couldn't ski, I'd want someone to make it happen for me."

There's no time to dwell on the theory, it's simply too cold. The first run is done with empty chairs, a low pressure way to get a feel for the machine. Facing the chairlift brings a flicker of nerves: releasing the chair's safety catch under the amused gaze of other skiers is trickier than it looks. The first ride up goes smoothly all the same.

The instructors then move on to harder drills: tight turns, jumps, tricks, skiing backwards. A few falls later, they're flying down the slope on their empty machines like seasoned pros.

The afternoon, with a real passenger

Early afternoon brings the exercise everyone has been waiting for: skiing with someone actually sitting in the chair. Lucile volunteers. The trainer runs through the steps and the pitfalls to expect, especially getting the straps right for someone you barely know.

The first run as a pair turns out livelier than planned, with a few falls and plenty of laughter, but everyone sticks to the instructions. The chairlift throws up a new challenge: holding the gate open while pushing the chair forward is far from easy. The first two attempts even bring the chairlift to a stop, to the amusement of the watching tourists.

After a few learning curves, the instructors handle the manoeuvre with ease. It takes them less than two runs to ski confidently with a passenger.

What stays with you after a day like this

What stands out is the energy and determination of these eight instructors as they master sit-skiing, all so they can one day bring the same feeling to their future students.

Adaptive skiing is becoming more common across ski resorts, especially those where OxySki operates. If you know someone who would love to try skiing but worries they can't, get in touch.

With the right support and a bit of encouragement, anyone can ski. Find out more about our adaptive ski lessons or contact your resort.