While the on snow workshops and indoor lectures bring real value back to our organisation there are also a number of meetings that we attend throughout the week that help us stay connected and in touch with the organisations that make up Interski International.
Each of the above three pillars represent different aspects of snow sport instruction.
ISIA – is the world body for professional Snowsports instructors with 37 member countries. Has currently conducted in depth survey of all member countries and looking at ways to be more relevant and active. Austria, France and Italy not members and it is an on-going debate as to when/whether or not these alpine powerhouses will return as full members of ISIA. We are an active member.
During the general assembly of the ISIA, there was a vote to change the voting rights on resolutions for each nation. Previously we had one vote. We supported the new regime that provides us with one vote for membership plus an extra vote as recognition of having the ISIA Card qualification. Great outcome for our organisation and nice to have our Card status recognised in this way.
IVSI – represents national amateur snow sports organisations with a focus on education.
IVSS – is the association of snow sports instructors within schools and universities that teach snow sports as part of the curriculum.
The NZSIA is not a member of either of the latter two organisations. With the structure of our resorts, (i.e. all snow sport teaching is through the resort snow sports school) there is little benefit for us to be members.
Interski International
The umbrella organisation that sits above the three above mentioned pillars. Its main purpose is the promotion of snow sports in all its forms through the Interski Congress that we have attended every four years since 1979.
The main interest in this meeting was the vote for the hosting of Interski 2023. There were two exceptional bids, Levi – Finland and Kitzbuhel – Austria. In its third attempt at hosting Interski Levi was the winner. Proposed date is March 26 – 31, 2023. At 200 kms above the Arctic Circle, it will be a stunning location for this four yearly congress. Both candidates put a huge amount of work into their bids.
Pacific Asia forum
To help generate better communication channels with our ISIA neighbours; Australia, Korea, Japan and China while here in Pamporovo we convened a meeting with representatives of all Pacific Asia ISIA members. A chance to be face to face, get to know each other other and discuss some broad ideas on how we can collaborate more efficiently in this growing market. Some of the topics discussed included:- Meeting possibly once or twice between Interski cycles. This first meeting is tentatively planned to be in Japan early April 2020 to coincide with SIA’s Spring festival/congress.
- Ways to help SIA with the issue of foreign instructors teaching “Black” in Japan.
- Recognition of respective qualifications and whether or not we can accept Japanese nationals onto our courses if they have started on our pathway while in NZ. For now status quo remains; no Japanese Nationals accepted onto our courses in Japan.
Final thought from Interski 2019
Interski is a chance to meet and develop friendships with people from everywhere, Snowsports being the common focus and passion. Whether it is a conversation with the people from San Marino, a country without any snow or mountains, to cheering the demos of the European alpine countries, here we are altogether sharing ideas on how to make the sliding experience more fun. In an increasing isolationist and divided world, Interski is an example of how international cooperation breaks down barriers and gives different cultures the opportunity to learn from each other.