The Kandahar Kids
Friday October 16, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

Chemmy Alcott, Konrad Bartelski, Graham Bell, Martin Bell and Britain’s current number 1 male skier, Ed Drake, all started out racing with the Kandahar Club.

The Club trains and races for 12 weeks each season out in the Alps and now has a programme at Britain’s newest indoor snow slope, the Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre.

“It’s really exciting to be doing a bit of practice here in the UK and it’s on real snow too,” says Georgina Morris who helps run the racing club.  “We have top coaches along including Ed Drake and also Kelly Sage who used to be on the British Downhill team.”

Ed Drake, UK's best male racerAnd last Sunday Ed and Kelly were there bright and early at 8 O’clock to help the youngsters along.

There were 17 children for the Sunday morning session, ranging in age from 7 to 17.  Some were fairly new to racing while others have competed in the British Championships and other major events.

“I must admit when the alarm clock goes off at 06.15 on a Sunday morning I do wonder why an earth I am ferrying my son around at this unearthly time to go skiing but it is definitely worth it,” one bleary eyed Dad told us as he enjoyed his breakfast overlooking the slope.

The children start with a few warm up runs and get some tips from Ed and Kelly.  Then a section of the Snow Centre is sealed off so a course can be put in and the kids go round and round with the coaches giving them feedback.

After 2 hours it’s off the slope and into the video room for some well-earned juice and biscuits as well as video feedback.

Sunday morning TV“It’s such fun skiing in the UK.”

“This is the highlight of my week and much better than having to do homework.”

“I never thought I would enjoy skiing on artificial snow away from the mountains, but I do. I give it 10 out of 10.”

“The Jaffa cakes are nice.” 

These were just some of the comments we heard from the kids.

If you have never been to a snow centre in the UK then you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the snow.  It’s rather good and, though the slopes is short at 160m,  you don’t actually need a long run for race training.

Sunday schoolIt's all about technique and the Kandahar kids had a ball. Seems the Kandahar's first training sessions in the UK are proving a hit.

If you want to find out more about the Snow Centre see this report onPlanetSKI from it's opening day and hear about what is like to ski on and have a lesson from PlanetSKI reporter, Krystyna Chauncey.

We will be putting up some video of the race session shortly so keep an eye open for that. PlanetSKI had also done an extended interview with Ed Drake now he is Britian’s No 1 racer about his hopes and plans for the future and how he wants to get a medal in Sochi in 2014.  That will be up later too.

The Kandahar runs a 2 hour session every alternate Wednesday, (£150 for 5 sessions) and a 3 hour session every alternate Sunday (£175 for 5 sessions) so check out the web site for further details.

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