So I started my NZSIA Level 1 Alpine Ski exam tonight with an indoor session. Everyone seems pretty cool and Gavin, our examiner, is a really nice guy. I’m feeling quite relaxed about this exam although I know my skiing is a little borderline. I’ve been working on it as much as I can, but work has been getting in the way a bit!
It feels a little odd to be doing another exam and very different from my previous ones. Partly because I’ve done it before and partly because it’s not had such an intense build up of training and analysis. I feel a little under-prepared compared to how I felt before my CSI exam, but confident in my teaching and technical knowledge (I should hope so given that I taught skiing for a season!).
The exam is over 4 days:
Day 1 – Progression from first timer to advanced wedge turns
Day 2 – Applying the progression to kids
Day 3 – Wedge demo assessment and freeriding assessment
Day 4 – Teaching assessment

You can’t really fail in the first 2 days, which is a relief. They basically are a course, which gives us time to work on our freeskiing and technical knowledge.