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Annie Donovan

Annie is an independent instructor with many years professional ski teaching experience in France, Italy, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Qualifications

BASI ISTD International Ski Teacher
BASI Telemark Instructor
ISIA member
Full French Equivalence
American Avalanche AIARE level 2 Trainer

Additional Information

British Association of Snow sport Instructors is recognized as one of the leading worldwide ski teaching qualifications. Annie has 25 years teaching experience in France, Italy, Switzerland and New Zealand. Annie in her own words: “I am passionate about skiing and love teaching the sport at all levels.

 

Although I still get a kick out of introducing some one to the sport, my real love is developing a piste skier into on off piste powder hound! Whatever your age, ability or goals, I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm and knowledge with you this winter.”

 

Annie lives in the Lake District and teaches road cycling to young children during the summer.

Private and group lessons available all winter in the Portes du Soleil area, children and adults all levels, on and off piste.

Instruction

For the past 15 years she has worked in the Portes Du Soleil ski area, teaching beginners to expert skiers. She is very passionate about her teaching and adores the mountains, she also specializes in off-piste ski instruction and avalanche awareness.

Beginner to Advanced 

Private lessons are the ultimate way to achieve your skiing goals, they are tailored around you as an individual and your specific needs. You will benefit from my technical knowledge and experienced eye. We can move at your pace and fit in with your style of learning. Many options are available, for example, we can spend lots of time skiing and you receive feedback on chairlifts or via a video camera. The lesson will be informative, fun and encouraging. The session could be for a total beginner, novice skier or you may want to focus on something more specific, carving, introduction to bumps, or how to control your speed or gain confidence. You may want to challenge yourself on different ski runs and start to Ski The Whole Mountain. Private lessons are available for 2 hours, 3 hours, 5 hours or a full day.

 

Advanced to Off Piste

Many skiers use an instructor to start with, then its easy to stop having lessons. It is worth bearing in mind that in most sports, people will benefit from continual coaching. Once you have reached the level where you can just get down most runs, it is tempting not to bother learning any more. This is the stage that you can really start to Ski The Whole Mountain. Its fun to ski a bumpy run or challenge yourself to ski off piste. The ultimate goal is experiencing that powder day whilst on holiday and having the skills and knowledge to be able to enjoy it. I will be able to give to techniques and tactics to be able to ski, windslab to spring snow and cut up heavy powder to the light fluffy stuff. Many skiers only want to ski the really light powder, for me that’s the icing on the cake, its great but you have to be lucky to get some. The rest of the cake is made up of lots of layers, these can also be enjoyable to ski once you know how. Skiing the Whole Mountain is fun and rewarding, with good off piste skis now available it is well within most skiers capabilities. Then a whole new word of Off piste, Heli- skiing and Ski touring awaits you.

Ski Level Finder

1
This is my first time skiing. I have never put skis on before.

 

2
I have tried skiing before, I can slide and snowplough, but don’t feel properly in control on a green run.

 

3
I can control my speed and turn on green slopes and some easy blues. My skis are in a plough most of the time.

 

4
I ski hard blue runs. My skis are in parallel when I feel confident but the plough comes back when it gets a bit steep, narrow or icy.

 

5
I can ski red runs and easy blacks in good conditions. My skis are parallel in good conditions, but I struggle when it gets bumpy, steeper, icy or the snow gets deep.

 

6
I can ski all reds and get down some blacks, providing they’re not too steep or bumpy but I struggle off piste. I would like to be able to ski off piste in control.

 

7
Blacks are no problem and I enjoy off piste but struggle on narrow steep sections and in tricky snow conditions. I would like to be able to ski off piste and in all weather conditions.

 

8
I am confident to ski at high speed on blacks whatever the conditions, bumps and off piste in all snow conditions. I can ski almost anywhere and want real challenges; steeper slopes, deeper snow, bigger bumps and higher speeds.

Tours

Day tours are available throughout the winter. If you have never tried ski touring before this area is fantastic, it has some easy ascents which will give you a taste of skiing in the back-country. There are a variety of off piste descents which can be accessed within 5 minutes of a lift. Private lessons available up to a maximum of 6 people. When off piste skiing, I always provide within the price of the lesson, an avalanche transceiver, snow shovel and probe.

Fall-Line Skiing Magazine: Tete de Bostan, France

The Tete de Bostan is a superb one-day tour that starts at Erigné at 1186m in the Vallée de la Manche, and is easily reached from Morzine by bus or car. I made a circular ski tour of the Bostan a couple of seasons ago with my friend and Morzine-based ski instructor Annie Donovan. From the car park we skinned up well-marked cross-country trails to the Col de la Golèse, where there’s a hut that is sometimes occupied by snowshoeing or skiing parties…

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Edinburgh Ski Touring Club: Sainte Foy, Tarentaise

The club trip to Sainte Foy near Val d’Isère 2nd – 9th April was a week of great diversity. The weather ranged from a morning of rain and drizzle to days of dazzling hot sunshine. Ski activity ranged from lessons on the piste to a steep, high altitude, off piste north face descent. Spring snow was in abundance, some pockets of fresh stuff were found and breakable crust inevitably crept in. Literally thousands of vertical metres were skinned…

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Courses

Host Savoie provide beautiful chalet holidays with instruction from Annie Donovan aimed at Intermediate skiers too good for ski school but wanting to move their skiing on to the next level. The next dates are:

 

Season 2018

A ski courses for level 4 to 5 skiers. Tuition over 5 days, either full or half days will be available. Two evening video sessions held at the chalet. Accommodation will be with Host Savoie at one of their beautiful chalets. Courses on request and please look at Facebook for current information.

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Please email if you are interested in additional 3 or 5 day ski courses, ski level 4 to 7.

Telephone

+44 (0) 783 391 4243

Email

annie@anniedonovan.co.uk

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