GDBO
Whether you're an old hand or have never raced before we'd love you to get you on board. Our main event is the Varsity Races against Oxford on the Varsity Trip in December, and we have others throughout the year.
As a Discretionary Full Blue sport, the top 4 of the 6 athletes in the Men's and Women's Blues race teams at the Varsity Match are eligible for a Half Blue, with a Full Blue being awarded for exceptional performance.
There is no Full Blue or Half-Blue available for Freestyle.
Land Training
Fitness
We run professionally-coached fitness sessions at the University Sports Centre. Our sessions include circuits and weights, are specifically tailored to skiing and free for all CUSSC members. Head along to the Team Training Room (TTR) during term (details below). Varsity this year will be happening at the end of Michaelmas term, and so fitness training will continue throughout the academic year for those interested.
Snow Training
Milton Keynes Snowdome
If you can’t wait to hit the slopes after the long summer holidays we run a few race sessions throughout each term. These are a great chance to brush up on your racing skills in time for Varsity or simply to try your hand at slalom skiing if you’ve never raced before. Our coaches are full of tips to improve your slalom technique whatever your standard. £25 a pop, including transport and ski hire. Everything (bar helmets are provided), but please wear long-sleeves, long trousers (preferably waterproof), gloves and thicker socks.
Training sessions for drivers with their own cars are free and we are always looking for more cars to ferry people to and from MK. If you have (or could have) a car in Cambridge please do get in touch. Equally, we have a zipcar account and if you have a legal drivers license in the UK, then you can take people to MK using Zipcar and the club will partly subsidise your training session
CUSSC also runs a preseason race camp and a dedicated Racer's package before Varsity Trip. Check out our Trips for more info.
Minimum Standards
CUSSC strives to make skiing and snowboarding accessible for everyone, however we must respect the minimum requirements enforced by UK snow centres and ask that if participating in CUSSC training you can:
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Control Speed & Direction
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Perform Linked Turns
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Stop When Required
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Use a Button Lift Unassisted
Calendar of Events:
Varsity - Self-proclaimed Best Week of Your Life and our biggest race of the year, in front of thousands we battle it out against 'The Other Place' to be crowned Varsity Champions. We have three Mens’ and three Womens’ teams consisting of six racers each. There are four races, two slalom and two GS. The top four of the cumulative times of each racer in each event are added up to give an overall team time. Time trials take place on the trip and consist of two runs down a slalom course. Teams are announced at après the day before the races.
Cuppers - The official inter-college 'Cuppers' race takes place on the Varsity Trip. College teams of four battle it out in a head-to-head slalom relay. It is a seeded knockout event with the top Cambridge College facing the top Oxford College in the grand final.
BUiSC - The indoor slalom and dual slalom comps take place during Michaelmas and Lent term. We send teams of five racers for the duals, with everyone competing individually as well. If successful at regionals we are invited to nationals late in Lent.
BUCS MAIN EVENT - Much like the Varsity Trip but with all the other UK universities too. Sound hectic? Can confirm. It's held somewhere in the Alps during the Easter vac and we compete in all events: slalom, GS and Super G as well as a dual slalom, Skier-X, Big Air.