Jeremy AYLING

J.A.

ERSA Chairman/Suffolk S C

Hilary WHIPP

H.W.

ERSA Treasurer/ Bassingbourn S C

Steven LAMBERT

S.L.

ERSA Racing Committee/Hemel S C

Piet VAN KEMPEN

P.V.K.

ERSA Chairman of Racing Panel/Bassingbourn S C

Alan HUMPHREY

A.H.

ERSA Vice Chairman/Hemel S C/Snow Club

John SPAFFORD

J.S.

Hemel S C

John

J.

Becton S C

Phil BROWN

P.B.

ERSA Race Trainer/Welwyn S C/Snow Club

Kevin DRISCOLL

K.D.

Hemel S C

Stuart GREGORY

S.G.

Suffolk S C

Ros HUMPHREY

Ros

ERSA Secretary/Coaching Committee/Snow Club/Hemel SC

Barend TER HAAR

B.H.

Bassingbourn S C

John WILLIAMS

J.W.

Norfolk S C

1.0

CHAIRMAN’S OPENING COMMENTS

J.A. welcomed all present to the first meeting under his leadership. It was noted that Anne and Brian CARPENTER where not present. J.A. thanked both Anne and Brian for their extensive help over many years in the past and hoped they will come to future meetings maybe representing Welwyn S C or Becton S C.

2.0

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

The minutes of the last meeting, the AGM at Brentwood Park, were sent out to ERSA Clubs and will be signed at the next AGM.

3.0

ACCOUNTS

Report by Hilary Whipp

The accounts are in a very healthy state. It was decided to look at ways of spending some of the money wisely. Written accounts are attached.

3.1.

Insurance: H.W. to investigate an insurance cover for all ERSA equipment (radios, timing equipment, etc.)

HW

4.

E.S.C.

4.1

Ruling on wearing Helmets:

So far, the Alpine Racing Committee (ARC) of the English Ski Council has not enforced the wearing of helmets at races.

However, the ERSA committee is endorsing the proposal of parents and race managers during the AGM that all racers from J 2 age group downwards wear helmets at all ERSA organised race events. Older racers are advised also to wear helmets. S.L. will put this rule onto the ERSA web site. This rule will be reviewed annually.

SL

4.2

FIS rule on length of skis for children I + II:

Recommendation: Children 1 should use skis with a minimum length of 130 cm and a radius of not less than 14 m. Children 2 should use skis with a minimum length of 130 cm and a radius of not less than 17 m.

These recommendations will become rules for the season 2002-2003.

4.3.

FIS binding height for children I + II:

Rule: Maximum height for Ski binding = 50 mm/45 mm to ski boot sole.

Definition: ski bindings = measurement from the sole of the ski to the sole of the boot.

Ski boot sole = measurement from the base of the boot sole to the skin of the foot.

4.4.

NEW

RULES

Coaches/Parents/Race Managers in our Region are asked to familiarise themselves with the precessions and rule updates which have been circulated to all Coaches/Club by STP (Seeding and Technical Panel of Snowsport England). The new FIS rulebook is now available from BSSF for £ 9.00. The Snowsport England Race Manual is being updated at the moment and will be available from the Snowsport England in the New Year.

4.5

Snowsport England Masters Category:

It was decided to keep for the ERSA races the Master 1 (31 - 40 yoa), Master 2 (41 - 50 yob) and Master 3 (51 yoa and over) categories in the female and male races.

At the moment. ARC is in discussion to deal with a request of the ‘young’ Master 1 racers to be allowed to ski in the Senior category rather than in Master 1 category. The thought is to start Master 1 from the age of 35 rather than 30. No decision has yet been made.

4.6.

Snowsport England

Lack of support and lack of leadership by the Snowsport England Board in all aspect of English Skiing was discussed. There seem to be no changes in the structure in place to move forward in skiing/racing/coaching within Snowsport England. It looks like that the Snowsport England Board only wants to criticise what is there at the moment without offering solutions. Coaches/Instructors/Race Trainers are all disillusioned with the current Snowsport England Board.

It was decided that ERSA should look into using the votes of the Clubs in our Region at the Snowsport England AGM in May 2001 to make sure that the right people get voted onto the Board but at the same time, ERSA needs to find one or better two good individuals within our Clubs who would be willing to serve on the Snowsport England Board.

ERSA’s suggestion would be that the Snowsport England Board should use the existing structure and look into ways to make the structure work. It feels at the moment that the Board wants to throw everything away and start fresh. Since the dismissal of John Shedden, the Director of Coaching at the time, it looks like that the Snowsport England is in disarray. Any vision is missing.

ERSA should learn from that and make sure the ERSA does not go down the same route.

ALL

4.7

British Artificial Ski Slope Championships

S.L. pointed out that the Race Entry Fee for that Race Weekend was high and many racers did not turn up for the Sunday event. (There was a social gathering/party on Saturday night, which was attended by several racers.)

S.L. wants to write to BSSF and ask them to consider not to run an unseeded Giant Slalom but two seeded Slaloms when the Championships is organised on a slope which cannot provide a real Giant Slalom (Hillend and Sheffield do not fall into this category and next year’s venue for the British Artificial Ski Slope Championships is Sheffield).

SL

5.

SNOW TRAINING

5.1

A.H. asked if ERSA would be willing to organise a ‘Regional Summer Race Training Camp’ on snow for young racers who have not yet taken part in organised race training on snow. A similar training took place several years ago and many known racers have been introduced to racing on snow during these weeks.

The main aim should be an introduction to snow racing for the children with FUN as it’s main objective.

ERSA would decide on the date (Mid August for one week) and venue (maybe Hintertux) and provide one or two senior coaches to help organise the groups while on snow, arrange the training pistes, hold daily workshops and debriefs for the Coaches and if wanted for the Racers. Every Club could come as a unit (a Trainer and his/her Club racers) to the village/area. They could either book into one hotel (better buying power if ERSA takes on a whole hotel) or book their own accommodation. Most Clubs are likely to want to travel separately The training on the mountain could be organised together with the Club Coaches looking after their children however the course setting and maintenance of the courses can easily be shared. Fitness Training after Skiing as well as activities in the afternoon could be held together using the expertise of some of the Club Coaches/parents. In the evening, after all the Club Coaches have done their debriefing of the young racers, there could be a debrief of the Coaches with discussions and workshops. If wanted, a low-key race could be arranged for the last day.

This would provide basic training on snow for the up and coming young competitors as well as provide valuable experience for Club Coaches in our Region.

It was agreed that ERSA would be willing to provide £ 1000 for the first camp and annually ERSA’s support could be discussed. However, the money should not go to a named individual but be used for the good of all the Clubs.

It was suggested and agreed that children 10 years and younger should be accompanied by a parent.

Also, if a Club cannot organise a group on it’s own, those members could be fitted into other groups.

ALL CLUBS IN THE REGION ARE ASKED TO LET J.A. KNOW WHAT THEY THINK OF THIS SUGGESTION. ALSO, IF THEY HAVE OTHER IDEAS ON HOW SUCH A CAMP COULD WORK FOR THE WHOLE REGION. E-mail: JA@TMCMarine.co.uk

ALL CLUBS IN THE REGION

6.

ERSA SQUAD TRAINING

6.1

It was reported that P.B. had a squad-training day with very few squad members attending. P.B. has arranged another training for the 19 November and hopes for a better response. However, he was very disappointed that many who had accepted a regional squad position were unable to reply to his letters concerning training days.

(In the meantime, P.B. had to cancel the Squad Training Day on 19 Nov. 2000 as only 2 squad members indicated that they wanted to attend.)

6.2

Sweat Shirts

P.B. asked for permission to buy more regional sweatshirts for the squad and also for the teams competing at the regional dual slalom competition. This was agreed. It was decided that sweatshirts would be available to sell to the general public at ERSA race meetings.

6.3

Assistant to Regional Trainer

It was suggested that it would be good for the future of the regional squad and the teams we send to the different races around the country that ERSA’s Race Trainer has an Assistant. It was agreed that we should advertise for a suitable person to work alongside P.B. and to learn from him. A.H. to discuss this matter with P.B. Hopefully the Clubs will see the benefit of having someone with this kind of experience and put names forward at the next ERSA committee meeting.

A.H.

ALL CLUBS

6.4

Squad Selection

P.B. informed the committee that he thought it possible he may have to adjust the seed point cut-off for squad selection, as there were now so many racers with 100 points or less. There was some discussion concerning whether we required a larger squad or a smaller one or if it should remain the same. It was decided that P.B. should submit his list of names for approval by the committee at the next meeting.

7.0

ERSA TIMING EQUIPMENT

P.V.K. and S.L. are still checking on what would be the most suitable timing equipment for ERSA. The committee confirmed the money for this.

PVK/

S.L.

8.0

SLOPE CLOSURES

As a number of the slopes will be closed during the summer (Harlow now closed and Becton to close for a short period, in order to convert to a snow slope) it was discussed if another club should run a 2nd race within the Summer League Series. It was felt that this might set a dangerous precedent allowing any regional club to run a 2nd race. It was felt better that only one Summer League Race should be assigned per slope in the Region thus giving 6 races for next year’s ERSA Summer League Series.

9.0

COACHES PANEL REPORT

8.1

Course Setters Course

This course was attended by 6 people and run by P.B. at Welwyn Garden City Ski Center; feedback on the course has been very favourable.

8.2

Race Officials Courses

Two courses were run at Hemel and at Norfolk with a total of 14 people attending and again feedback has been very good.

11.0

A.O.B

It was asked if we could run a race officials course level II in our Region. R. H. to contact ROTP (ARC’s Race Organisation & Technical Panel).

RH

12.0

NEXT ERSA MEETING

It was decided to have the next meeting before the Snowsport England AGM in May 2001.