The AOAC Ski and Snowboard trip is BACK!

One of the most popular events on the AOAC calendar, we are delighted to announce that the Ski and Snowboard trip is back for 2024!  Catering to all standards from beginner to advanced, the AOAC Snowsports trip will be heading to Sestriere in Italy in 2024.

We are staying in the Hotel Du Col (rates 4.5 out of 5 on Trip advisor), half board with breakfast and 4-course buffet evening meal with wine, water and soft drinks included.

• Staying in twin share rooms with shower/private bath, WC
• Located in the village centre, right by the lifts
• Ski in-out

Sestriere is in the vast 400km Milky Way ski area, and is the highest of the Milky Way resorts, suitable for all levels of skier and boarder. With an impressive range of slopes, from the steep and challenging former Olympic racetracks to lovely long reds and blues, as well as an excellent beginner zone, there is also good off piste if conditions allow.

The rest of the Milky Way provides an almost limitless choice of terrain, with wide open and tree-lined pistes, and if you fancy a day trip to France, you can ski over to Montgenèvre, which is also included in the lift pass. Plus, with Sestriere’s height, and snowmaking covering most pistes, this is a very snow sure resort.

• Blue: 24%, Red: 55%, Black: 21%, Lifts: 63
• Altitude: 1372m (Sestriere sits at 2035m) – 2749m

What the Ski club of GB say about it – “Sestriere, right in the heart of the Milky Way.... The amount of terrain is really impressive, and Sestriere holds its snow the best of all resorts in the area...  The food options are, as you would expect for Italy, impressive with a good range of family run restaurants.”

The AOAC ski trip is a great opportunity to ski/board with people of similar levels. We welcome new members to the club, and it is a great way to meet people and make new friends. Whilst most people on the trip are likely to be advanced or intermediate, this is a trip for all abilities – we do though advise that beginners get lessons. Please let the organisers know your level so that we can provide an idea of who can ski together; we are also happy to answer questions if you are unsure if this is the right trip for you.

The cost

The cost will be £1,460 which includes the following:

• Flights from Bristol Airport to Turin including hold baggage (please see below if you want to fly from a different UK airport)
• Transfers to the resort. Flying into Turin, it’s a 2-hour coach transfer
• Half board accommodation at the Hotel du Col; breakfast and evening meal plus drinks with the meal. Rooms are twin share with en-suite (shower and WC)
• Full Area Lift Pass for the Milky Way
• Carriage for skis or board OR a discount on ski hire

An initial deposit of £200 will be payable now to secure your place, with the balance payable directly by you to the agent by 26^th November:

Extras not included in the above to budget:

• Ski/board/boot hire (see discount options below)
• Lunches, other drinks, and option for one evening meal at a local restaurant
• Insurance (please see Italian legal requirements for insurance below)

There is a tourist tax payable locally. The figure is expected to be c. €2 per day. This is payable in cash to the hotel.

Airports

We are flying from Bristol but you can fly from a different airport (there is an additional fee depending on how many fly from the same airport). Let the organisers know so we can coordinate and confirm the price for this.

Booking

We have reserved 28 places, and based on experience of previous years, this trip is likely to sell out fast, so please book early to avoid disappointment!

To secure your place you need to be a member of AOAC (new members welcome!), please contact the organisers ( [email protected] ), letting them know the following info, and we will respond with details of how to pay your deposit to secure your place.

• Where you want to fly from (if a different UK airport than Bristol)
• Any dietary requirements so we can check that the hotel can cater for you
• If you know now who you want to share a room with, please give their name (make sure they agree first!); and/or are booking as a couple.

Also, it would be helpful if you could let us know:

• If you are a Skier or Boarder and your ski/board level (please see the levels guide below)
  This way, we will be able to let other people on the trip know who else is at a similar level
• Whether you need Ski/Board carriage or Ski/board hire
• Any questions you have

More details

Hotel

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g194919-d314316-Reviews-Hotel_Du_Col-Sestriere_Province_of_Turin_Piedmont.html

Lift pass and equipment

The lift pass cost £196 (included in the trip cost), there are discounts if you pay for this in advance (with the balance of the holiday).

If you are bringing your own skis, by buying the lift pass up front (full price) you get ski / board carriage at no further cost on the Tui flights

If you book equipment rental, you get a 20% saving on the total lift pass and equipment rental fee (different equipment levels available)

• Lift Pass £196.00 + Standard Skis 69.00 (less group equipment discount 53.00) = 212.00
• Lift Pass £196.00 + Intermediate Skis 86.00 (less group equipment discount 56.40) = 225.60
• Lift Pass £196.00 + Advanced Skis 112.00 (less group equipment discount 61.60) = 246.40

You will need to confirm what you want by end of September and it’s payable with the balance.

Cancellation policy:

We need to pass on the same obligations that the Travel Agent has with us.

Should the trip need to be cancelled due to Government advice not to travel (e.g. for Covid) then we would get a full refund.

If you want to cancel you will only get a refund if the space is resold (less fees for a change including paypal costs), i.e. if all spaces filled. After the balance is paid, unless the place is resold, you will get the same refund as received from the travel agent.

Insurance

Under Italy law you must have travel insurance with both Winter Sports and 3^rd Party liability cover.

You are not covered under the club insurance for this trip as there are no activity leaders and you must ensure you have appropriate travel insurance with winter sports cover.

Passports

Your passport must be less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’) and valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’). Passports issued more than 10 years prior to date of travel are not accepted.

For further information please contact the organisers.

A Quick guide to ski levels: you may have two levels – an on piste and off-piste level	Description
1. Beginner/Near Beginner	You have either never skied before, or have about 1 weeks’ experience and can do controlled snow plough turns on nursery slopes.
2. Improver	You have around 1-2 weeks experience, are learning to ski parallel and can do linked turns on easy slopes. You are able to ski nursery slopes comfortably and are beginning to tackle easy blue runs.
3. Early intermediate (on piste)	You may have about 3-4 weeks’ experience, are able to ski confidently on most blue runs, and can ski some red runs in good conditions, but are more comfortable on blue runs.
4. Intermediate (on piste)	With around 6-8 weeks’ experience, you are able to ski groomed red runs, and may tackle the occasional easy black run.
5. Advanced Intermediate (on piste)	You are confident to ski almost all red pistes and easier black runs. You may take your time in challenging conditions, but are able to get to the bottom in one piece.
6. Advanced (on piste)	You have experience of many ski resorts, and are able to ski confidently in most conditions. You can ski the whole mountain including steep blacks, and are able to handle icy pistes and larger bumps.
7. Expert (on piste)	You have many years’ experience and are adept at skiing any piste in any condition, and enjoy the steepest and most challenging terrain.
OP4. Aspirer off piste	You are willing to venture off piste on easy slopes, usually just off to the side of the piste. You are able to get in a few turns in fresh snow just off piste.
OP5. Advanced Intermediate off piste	You are confident skiing moderate slopes off piste; and have a few weeks’ experience off piste
OP6. Advanced off piste	You have several years’ experience, and confidently enjoy off piste in a range of conditions.
OP7. Expert off piste	You have considerable off-piste experience on all types of snow and ability to negotiate any condition. You have all the necessary safety equipment and are fully aware of the risks and challenges of off-piste skiing.