A Ski Day with the Kids from the SOS Children's Village

For over ten years now, the St. Johann in Salzburg Tourist Association, Snow Space Salzburg and the municipality of St. Johann have been working together with the SOS Children's Village in Seekirchen to organise two fun-filled ski days during the Christmas holidays. This charity event is also supported by the Alpendorf Ski School and retired provincial president Simon Illmer and his wife Evi. At the beginning of the ski day there is always the "dreaded" group allocation. Each participant has to demonstrate how good they are at skiing. Basically, however, the children all ski very well, as they are often on skis. After the groups have been allocated, a meet-up at one of the many huts is arranged. It is important to remember that the restaurants can be reached by all participants (whether they’re good or not so good skiers). Of course, depending on the size of the group, staff from the Children's Village are also on hand.
Since the children have already been to the area several times, they know their way around. The Snowpark Alpendorf is always an absolute must. This area was also redesigned this year and supplemented with the Ski Movie course. Until now, this track lead "shadowy existence" and now it really comes into its own at the new location. Using their ski passes, two "opponents" register and then ski the parallel slalom with approx. 10 directional gates. A video is automatically recorded of the protagonists. The video can then be viewed online on the Snow Space Salzburg website. But the funcross course with its wave tracks, steep curves, easy jumps and transitions is also a challenge and has to be tackled several times to the delight of the children.
You can leave the funcross course shortly before the end to switch to the freestyler area. Depending on your skills, there are bigger and smaller kickers, rails, ramps etc. waiting for you. Everything that freestylers need. As you can imagine the Snow Park is a big hit with the kids. The icing on the cake is a visit to the speed measurement track below the Buchauhütte.  At this fixed point, too, you register with your ski pass and can then call up the data online. This facility is also used to show how fast you can actually ski on a slope that does not actually appear to be steep.
After the snow park with ski movie, fun cross, freestyle area and the timed course have been completed, it's off to the well-earned lunch break. Selections are from all over the menu and the most popular drink is the famous "ski water". If you think that a little peace and quiet will return after the break, you are very much mistaken. Refreshed and with fully loaded memories, everyone is full of energy again for the afternoon matinee.  On these days we ski until the last lifts close. The conditions don't matter - whether it's fresh snow or spring conditions like this year - all the children are eager to get started and challenge all their companions equally.
After a long, sporty and above all fun excursion, the journey home to Seekirchen begins in the late afternoon. I have never been on the journey home, but I think I know that it is very relaxed and chilled out. To finish, I would like to add that these ski days are always a very nice event for all participants, and we have already agreed on the dates for next year!
What's your favourite way to let off steam? Show us your favourite runs and tag us with @josalzburg :). We can’t wait!
photo credits: Hannes Rieser