Posts Tagged ‘ Mint Snowboard School ’

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Mint Snowboard School are stoked to announce that, new for 2012, we are offering kids snowboard lessons for mini shredders, children aged between 4 and 8. Mint is collaborating with the Burton Kids on Snow / Riglet program to offer unique coaching for ankle-biters, who may be believed to be too young to meet other neccessary age requirements. Lessons are available in the French resorts of Morzine, Avoriaz & Les Gets.

We have a specialised fleet of European Burton Riglet snowboard equipment, designed specifically for young children – so youngsters from 4 to 8 years will be able to take their first steps into the world of snowboarding. Our selection of Burton boards go as short as 80 cm and boots down to a UK size 11 (euro 29).

Our dedicated snowboard instructors will provide a focus on fun through learning, so children will be able to adopt the basics of snowboarding in an exciting and stimulating environment. The initial steps will involve fun learning focused on balance and equipment awareness. As the days progress, children will be taken through a route of progression to include, basic turns and edge control… leading to the final end goal of riding the main slope.

For more information on childrens snowboard lessons follow this link, or send us an email... info@mintsnowboarding.com.

Check out some of the fun our mini-snowboarders have been having with the Mint team: Mint kids snowboarding.

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Mint Snowboard school is keen to get the local snowboard community learning & progressing, so we are organising snowboard programs specific for you… whether you are year round residents, seasonaires or kids living locally around Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz or Chatel. So to help you take your riding to the next level we are offering group courses at significantly reduced rates to all locals this winter.

We are will be running the following courses:

Freestyle progression course: Aimed for those who already have a reasonable freestyle level and wish to progress their freestyle skills to the next level. Will include rail riding, jumps, spinning, halfpipe & piste jibbing.

Freestyle introduction course: Aimed at relative newbees to freestyle snowboarding this course will include an introduction to rail riding, jumps, spinning, halfpipe & piste jibbing.

Girls Only Freestyle course: This course is for girls only, allowing you to develop your freestyle skills in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere! Will include rail riding, jumps, spinning, halfpipe & piste jibbing.

Technique progression courses of Learner, Cruiser & Advanced rider levels: Content will depend on level, but focused on improving basic to advanced technical skills to allow progression in areas such as riding steeper terrain, carving,riding variable terrain, off piste, freestyle as well as general confidence building.

When:

Thursday & Friday afternoons, starting Friday 13th January 2012

Cost:
4 x 3 hour lessons = 180€
6 x 3 hour lessons = 270€

Group sizes:
Maximum of 7
Minimum of 5 required to run a group

If you are interested in more information or would like to book on a course then please email us at info@mintsnowboarding.com.

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Here at Mint we make every effort to help make your snowboard holiday in Morzine, Avoriaz or Les Gets a success… from the booking process, organising groups of level that work and, of course, providing you with the highest level of tuition and coaching on offer in the Portes du Soleil. Check out some of the testimonials we have received so far this winter:

 ‘Me and Nikki just wanted to say a big thanks to you and Dave for the snowboard lessons. Nikki was in group lessons last week taken by Dave Cooper. She said he was by far the best instructor she’d had, always calm and gave good encouragement. A big plus as well was that everyone in the group was almost at exactly the same level.’ Dave Streatfield

‘Thank you all very much for my lessons last week. I had an excellent time and have been commented on how much I improved over the week (girlfriend much happier to ski with me now).  Dave was an excellent instructor and generally pushed me well out of my comfort zone without scaring me too much. I was also surprised at how well Dave coped with a group feeling that I had a very personal service even in a group.  If I return to Morzine you guys will be my first stop.’ Graeme Higginbotham

‘Great teaching and a good giggle!’ Mike Taylor-West

‘Hi Tammy, just writing to say thanks to Mint and David for the lessons. The private lesson last year with you and the group lessons with Dave this year have moved my boarding on a lot. Your approach to teaching is awesome so thank you.’ Dave Clack

‘We have just got back from a week in Morzine where our son Angus had snowboarding lessons from Grant at Mint. The quality of tuition was fantastic, the progress he made was amazing and he is now a convert to snowboarding. Thanks to Grant for making Angus’s holiday such as success.’ Ian, Beth and Angus Binnian

‘My 2 hour lesson with Tammy started my holiday off to a really positive start. Her ability to teach and explain technique was excellent, and I came away with a smile on my face and a lot more confidence in my own ability. I would definitely recommend MINT.’ Rowena Edwards

‘Just wanted to say thanks again for a brilliant lesson on Sunday.  I was out for 4 hours yesterday, practicing on the same runs and capped it off with a run from Le Vaffieu to the base of the Pleney Ski Lift at the end of the afternoon - I was knackered after that, but grinning like the Cheshire Cat !’ Donald Stark

 ‘Just wanted to say how pleased we were with the course. Lessons were great fun and we really felt we had achieved a lot at the end of the three days, so big thanks to Dave and yourself.’ Lisa Basch

‘Just a quick note to say how much I appreciated the coaching I received from the Mint team during my recent visit to Morzine. The coaching I received from David Gladwin was fantastic. In three days I went from not being able to snowboard at all to linking turns! David’s tuition and attention to form were spot-on.’ Jon Shelby

‘David was an excellent instructor and made the week really enjoyable.’ Andrew & Vicky Curtis

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On 11th December, 25 snowboarders rocked up on the doorstep of our two chalets in Morzine for the Just Performance Lab and the Just 4 Girls snowboard camp.

Having been blessed by great snow and then cursed by rain the week before the camps we were slightly unsure of what to expect when the lifts opened again in Avoriaz on the Saturday. We were pleasantly surprised at how good conditions were, although the off piste was a no, the pistes were perfect for the first couple of lessons with instructors Dave & Tammy from Mint Snowboard School. The week started with getting straight down to technical progression for both the Just4Girls and Just Performance camps… breaking down the riding techniques and then building it up again, properly.

With both camps full we had a good mix of riding levels (with 4 coaching groups) and some great personalities. The Slopestyle party on Monday night in Morzine gave some of the boys the chance to brush up on their chat up lines as well others to win raffle prizes!

Mid week, right on cue, it snowed, allowing us to get more adventurous and test the new skills learnt over the previous days. There were a good number of campers who had never really ridden powder before… they thought they had, but when you’re getting first tracks off Cubore in Avoriaz it soon opened their eyes to what the good stuff is compare to those few turns at the side of the piste! New skills and techniques were adjusted accordingly to the off piste conditions and it was definitely the girls that got the best of the powder riding (hehehe)!

We took advantage of the fine snow and sunshine to bring Damien, our resident photographer, along and take some shots. This led to hunting out good terrain on which to bag a banger, and take it home to show mom! The photos can be seen on Facebook.

For the end of the week Mother Nature blessed us with an almighty dose of snow. So in preparation everyone waxed their boards (with Bluebird wax from their goodie bags!), or at least got shown how to, discussed the options and advantages of shifting your bindings back, borrowed longer boards from the Lib-Tech demo fleet and went to bed excited to see what the morning would bring.

And it brought snow, loads of it, easily 50cm… booyeah! There were strong winds and poor visibility, so to the trees was the cry and off we went. Even if you have ridden a fair bit of pow, over half a meter of light and fresh is still hard work to keep yourself going in. However there was no question, the grey conditions were irrelevant, it was an epic day all-round and tree riding a great experience for everyone.

The Perfomance Lab gang had Quiksilver pro rider James Stentiford along to show them what could be done if as talented as he is (which is incredibly). That didn’t perturb them from teaming up against James and the Mint Team for a pro vs am competition through the Stash. Although there is some debate as to who won, the performance level was definitely raised a notch or two and the fun factor was off the hook!

The girls and Olly stepped it up laying lines all across Lindaret to make a finale of a route down under the Abricotine chair. A super fun off piste section that normally gets tracked pretty quick, however end of the day and they were the first down it. This may have something to do with the flat track to get to it, which when waist deep and untracked took some effort. But with a thirst for adventure the girls followed, a track was put in and waist deep first lines were scored. They made it to the lift 5 minutes before it closed it after a full day (9am start) in super deep snow. Laughing muscles were aching as much as the legs… true sign of a great day!

After such an epic poweder day, there was zero desire to go dancing for an end of week party! Instead everyone enjoyed viewing of Damiens awesome photos, the various videos taken during the week, an award ceremony, a few ding repairs, drinks at the chalet and a well earnt good night sleep.

Now normally the story ends there, but due to snow in the UK and cancelled flights many had a night in Geneva, whilst others came back to Morzine and even got to shred another day!

Thank you to Quiksilver for their continued support of the Just Snowboard Camps. Thank you to the Keep a Breast Foundation and Herd Headwear for supporting the Just 4 Girls camps.

Check out a selection of the photos from the camp below (click on them to enlarge)…

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First things first… we have just had a RAD facelift to the website for our snowboard camps, check it out www.just-snowboard.com. We just love the graphics (thank you to the guys at www.origincreativedesign.com)!

As I am sure everyone knows… its SNOWING! We have tons of snow in Morzine (let alone higher up in Avoriaz) and we hear that it is snowing in England too. Best start to the season in years and so excited to kick off with two of the Just Snowboard camps running in the first week of the season.

On that note we have a couple of spaces left on the Just 4 Girls camp, 11th – 17th December. Get in touch if you are itching to get out to the snow… info@just-snowboard.com. There are also still spaces on the January Performance Lab and the January Freestyle camp. Coaching is from our pro instructors at Mint Snowboard School and accommodation in the fab Mountain Mavericks chalets.

We would love some feedback from you guys… Which is your favourite graphics on the new site (think ours is the cable car)? Who is your favourite of the Just characters? Who do you want to see more of?