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Skiing in Llandudno and Capel Curig
TWO North Wales ski slopes could be the best option to getting youngsters fit and healthy all year round - and now is the time to get them hooked.
Many families or schools will heading off abroad soon for their annual skiing trip, but you don't need expensive trips to Europe to keep your skills up to speed, or even take your first lesson.
Robin Kellen, director of SnowSport Wales - the governing body for skiing and snowboarding - believes it's the perfect hobby for all the family, no matter how old you are when you start.
He said: "It's a great outdoor sport. It's the kind of sport which is attractive to people of all ages. Kids love the sliding sensation.
"Ski equipment can be hired at North Wales' dry ski slope centres Plas y Brenin in Capel Curig and on Llandudno's Great Orme, which also has a toboggan run."
Bosses at SnowSport quote scientific studies showing the best time to develop ski skills comes for those aged eight to 10.
So it's important to gain a balance of technical skills for fun skiing and even races on all terrains, gradients and conditions.
Robin says: "It's a new, physical and quite challenging skill. But you get a feeling of accomplishment when you can ski down a mountain.
"People ask me ‘When can you learn to ski?' You can learn at virtually any age. But you do need to be gutsy and have a bit of pluck."
All that effort of course will take a toll on your body.
And Robin, who's been skiing for 32 years since he was 14 and learned the ropes in Pontypool, admits: "You'll use a completely different set of muscles, especially thigh muscles, and it'll help if you're good at keeping your balance."
And, as for stopping, people can be trained to put their skis in the pointed, "snow plough" shape to bring yourself to a gradual stop. Then they learn to make turns, keeping the skis parallel.
Skiing can be a family sport too.
Robin says: "One of the other great things about skiing is that the family can do it together."
Robin admits, though, that skiing comes at a price.
He said: "There's a lot of sports that can be expensive these days - you can't get away from it. And the strong euro has made it more expensive to go abroad."
SnowSport Wales, made up of clubs, schools and individuals, is supported by the Sports Council of Wales.
It has five ski slopes across Wales in a scheme aimed at introducing new skiers to the sport.
The centres specialise in teaching beginners and novices so the winning sessions are suitable for children looking to perfect their skiing techniques or wanting hit the ski slopes for the very first time.
Snowsport Cymru Wales and the Sports Council of Wales are supported by the makers of legendary Welsh Cheddar, Cadog in the Say Cheese for Skis campaign.
Cadog takes pride in its Welsh heritage. Its premium range of milk, cheese and butter is produced by Dairy Farmers of Britain at its specialist creameries in Llandyrnog, Denbighshire, and Bridgend using traditional, award-winning methods.
More details at www.cadog.co.uk and www.snowsportwales.net
Plas y Brenin, Capel Curig 01690 720214 www.pyb.co.uk ; Llandudno Ski Centre, John Nike Leisuresport Complex, Great Orme, Llandudno 01492 874707 www.llandudnoskislope.co.uk
