Women-only skiing courses launched

A holiday firm has launched a package of women-only skiing courses in the belief that men and women learn to ski in very different ways.

Women are more cautious and averse to taking risks when learning to ski, according to Nina Hasinski, co-director of Redpoint Holidays.

"Women are perceived to be more nervous when learning to ski, but after 15 years of tutoring skiers of both sexes, I believe that this is actually because they learn in a different way from men," she said.

Redpoint is offering courses for all abilities, from beginners, to improvers through to advanced skiers, but they will all have one thing in common: instructors and pupils will all be women.

"Women tend to be more cautious; they are reluctant to take unknown risks and feel the need to be sure that the techniques they learn will work before they try them out," Ms Hasinski continued.

"As a generalisation, men just want to get out on the slopes and compete with one another. Our course addresses this by offering tailor made instruction within a supportive and non-competitive atmosphere."

Discussion groups, video training and seminars all form part of the week-long courses, which take place in the Austrian village of Fugen in the Ziller Valley.

"A large part of the learning process is teaching our female skiers how to relax and allow the skis to work, rather than overpowering them," Ms Hasinski continued.

"Once they feel that the technique works and have had enough practice to confirm that they can do it consistently, their apparent nervousness disappears.

"I have found that women often have a higher technical ability than they ski at – about 80 per cent of their potential in fact. We aim to give them the confidence and support to enable them to ski at 100 per cent."

For more information on women only ski weeks see www.redpoint.co.uk