Skiing - Day 1 (updated with photos)

Everyone was up really early and were ready half an hour before we were due down for breakfast... I think they were all eager to get out on the mountain! We woke to a glorious sunny day and saw our first view of the mountains we would be skiing on from out of our windows, as we arrived in the dark last night. Full of sun cream we headed over the road with our ski instructors and got going on the drag lift, with the two more advanced groups heading straight for the chair lift. A great morning was had by all and two hours went really quickly... one comment before lunch was "miss, when is it bed time?!" After a lunch of pizza, chips and salad (that's what all elite skiers eat for lunch right?!) we headed back over for the afternoon session, minus a few layers! After another two hours it was great to see so many smiling, confident faces coming off the mountain, they had all made real progress this afternoon including doing some jumps and having to ski underneath the instructors poles!
After each two hour session we give out awards in the form of helmet covers. One has stars on for the person we felt has made the most effort or progress and the other has flames on for the person who we felt has done something really outstanding or was the best skier. This afternoon the awards went to Sam Haynes and Callum Matthews. Sam earned the stars for his resilience and determination and Callum was awarded the flames for being able to pull off some manoeuvres he hadn't been taught yet! Everyone made great progress today and are really looking forward to going out again tomorrow.
After our 3 course meal including a Sunday roast complete with apple crumble, we set out into Montgenevre to do the town trail. Each room was given a list of questions and to find the answers they had to go around by the hotel to find them. This gave them all a good chance to see what was around our hotel and check out the small number of shops down the road. Everyone was in it to win it and some (particularly the staff!!) were in competition with each other! A nice way to finish a great day before playing a few rounds of pool in the student bar and heading to bed! As everyone was so efficient at getting themselves ready and kitted up they've been rewarded with an extra half an hour in bed in the morning!