A weekend in Avoriaz

As I left work at 5pm on a Friday afternoon, I was tingling with anticipation at the great snow awaiting me in Avoriaz. 

With one day off work, three days on the slopes, and multiple Burton boards to try, I was looking forward to an action packed weekend.

Our flight to Geneva was slightly delayed, however the speedy transfer of just over an hour meant that I was snugly tucked up in bed in Rude's Chalet Joseph by midnight.  By morning my first board of the weekend, a Burton Feelgood, had been set up, and after gulping down poached eggs, baguette and porridge we made it up onto the mountain bright and early.

There was certainly an early season buzz about Avoriaz, with numerous board stalls set up at the top of the Prodains lift.  The snow was great and the queues were short.  In fact, by Monday when the weekenders had left, we almost had the pistes to ourselves.

As a relatively novice (and not very brave!) rider I wasn’t quite sure what I would get out of a board test weekend, and if I would even be able to tell the difference between the different boards. 

I needn't have worried though.  Being able to try one board in the morning and another in the afternoon meant I could instantly feel the difference and quickly learn what I liked and what I didn’t. 

Whilst the flexi Blender didn’t quite do it for me, I surprised myself and fell head over heels in love with the stiff and speedy Feelgood ES.  Set up with a longer board and a new, wider stance, I felt super secure and my confidence soared as I raced down the mountain at speeds I’d never been brave enough to try before. 

Riding a more advanced board meant I really had to concentrate on my stance and balance, a lesson I learned fairly early on as I was tipped off more than once due to sloppy turning.  However, once I had the measure of the ES, I loved its speed and trusty edges and my riding improved in leaps and bounds as I sharpened up my technique, picked up speed and generally had a whale of a time.

Changing boards in the middle of the day was a bit of a palaver, and there were the odd issues with bindings breaking or not fitting, but for all the hassle it really was worth the chance to try before you buy.  Compared to my mixed experiences of renting a board, the quality was superb.

My lower riding position certainly proved a good workout, and by the end of each day I was pretty exhausted.  With thighs (and pretty much every other muscle) burning, each night we made our way back to the chalet for a good slice of cake and a cuppa, ably served up by chalet hosts Dan & Chris.  The Buddha Cafe was buzzing at the weekend, but with our pounds not stretching too far, evenings were mostly spent staying in and enjoying the unlimited free wine on offer.

As long as you get the snow (and we did), the early season is fantastic for the sheer lack of people.  And a board test is an absolute must for any intermediate who is looking to step up a level and try some more challenging boards, without having to shell out for them first.  All in all, this was the perfect warm up to the season.  Here's to riding harder and faster in 2009!