Some of my regular readers will have heard of my friend, Slippers Jackson. He is also a ski instructor, based over in Morzine and Les Gets during the main part of the winter. We met many years ago when we were both mountain bike guides in Morzine, and have shared many experiences together on skis. One of the new features I’m going to introduce on this blog over the winter, are interviews with people I know within the ski industry. So I thought I’d start with Slippers who has been staying with me for a couple of nights before we head over to Tignes and work together.
Martin: Thanks for being my first guest on the blog, Slippers. Straight in with the first question. How old were you when you first skied, and where did you go?
Slippers: I was thirteen years old and my first trip was a school holiday, we went to Bardonnecchia in Italy. It was an awesome trip, but I hurt my knee mid way through the week and had to take a day off.
Martin: How did you hurt your knee?
Slippers: I was skiing too fast and had a big fall (big grin). However I remember a couple of other things as well. We went to a disco, and I remember pushing big chairs around the dance floor to the music of Gary Numan’s record ‘Cars’. But the most poignant thing which happened that week was coming across a newspaper headline. Someone in the group had bought a paper that said ‘Britain At War’, it was when Britain went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.
Martin: Did you have any other school skiing holidays?
Slippers: Yes, I went to Auffach in Austria, Courchevel here in France and Badgasthein in Austria again. They were brilliant trips.
Martin: Do you remember any of your ski instructors?
Slippers: No I don’t, not really! I remember how much fun you could have skiing, I also remember sneaking into a casino once as well. Another story I will never forget is this; Although our school taught both boys and girls, the classes were same sex, and we were pretty much kept apart. On the holiday to Badgasthein, the girls’ rooms were on the floor above the boys. One night I went into one of the girl’s room for a chat, but all of a sudden there was a knock on the door, it was a teacher checking on the girls. I was quickly rushed outside onto the balcony to hide, it was seriously cold. The teacher stayed in the room for ages and ages, it was probably the coldest I’ve ever felt in my life including whilst skiing!
Editors note here, I’ve skipped quite a few questions and answers and fast forwarded through the interview. These other Q and As will be published on another blog at a later date. Back to the interview.
Martin: Your wife Lisa is also a ski instructor, can you remember how you first met her, was it in a ski resort?
Slippers: Yes I do remember and will never forget how we met. I had to go over to Sestriere in Italy to attend a European Speed Test (that’s one of the hardest top ski instructors exams, a giant slalom race). Fortunately I overheard her talk to someone, so I knew she was British, and I had to ask to borrow some money from her.
Martin: More wine?
Slippers: Don’t mind if I do, chin chin (wink).
Martin: That’s an unusual chat up line, Slippers.
Slippers: That wasn’t my intention. I didn’t have any money to buy the lift pass. No lift pass, no attempt at the speed test. This was the time when you and I were working over in Courchevel together for another ski school. After that Italian trip I occasionally bumped into her in Courchevel, where she was also teaching. It wasn’t until the end of the following season that we properly spoke to each other.
Martin: Was it on snow?
Slippers: No, it was the last day of the winter season, and we were at the closing night of the ‘Signal’ bar in Courchevel 1650.
Martin: Oh ok, I won’t ask anymore about that. Oh hang on, was this the winter just before Harriet and I got married? I remember hearing about you and Lisa becoming an item, and then you came together as guests at our wedding.
Slippers: Bang on (Massive cheeky grin).
Martin: Final question, what has been your most embarrassing thing that has happened to you on skis?
Slippers: I’m sure there are loads, let me think. Many years ago, before becoming a ski instructor, I worked as a ski guide for a large tour operator. There was one day when I was absolutely knackered because of various things, and I was ski guiding two girls. At the top of a lift, late in the afternoon, I explained where our next lift to aim for. I skied off and jumped on a lift, and somehow promptly fell asleep. I woke up with a jolt and had a massive panic attack because I couldn’t see the girls behind me, and the chair was empty in front of me. Fortunately I just spotted them miles away on another lift, but mine was one of those really long, slow chairs. Cut a long story short, I had bumbled onto the wrong lift and lost my guests; and so after a frantic chase we just about all got back to the hotel safely, albeit much later than planned.
Martin: That’s great, thanks for the interview Slippers. More wine?
Slippers: Thanks, don’t mind if do, but take it easy Martin I don’t want to hear you snoring again tonight.
Martin
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