About Me

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Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Ravens Ski Club is the North East of England's premiere ski racing club. We train at Silksworth Ski Slope in Sunderland every Wednesday from 7-9pm. Ravens has a comprehensive race development programme with five coaching groups and seven coaches. Our race development team train every Sunday from 10-12pm as well as monthly trips to Xscape in Castleford to train on snow. For further details visit our website www.ravensskiclub.co.uk or contact us on 07774843651.

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Top racer Claude takes on two wheels to help sick Callum

Our No1 Master Skier and father of Rory, Claude, has been training for many months to prepare himself for a gruelling 200 mile one day cycle ride from Edinburgh to Newcastle next Sunday, 8th Jult 2012.



Claude is raising money for Callum who is 7 years old and has cerebral palsy. Callum had a tough start to life, he was born 14 weeks premature and was very lucky to have survived his first night. He proved us and the doctors all wrong and pulled through and after spending 11 weeks in hospital he was allowed to come home.


His support group has already raised the minimum amount of £ 40,000 which is needed to carry out an important operation but Callum need further extensive care. Claude and the team of riders are taking the Edinburgh challenge to raise that money.

If you would like to support Claude and the team you can donate at Claude's Just Giving page at http://www.justgiving.com/Claude-Farren0

Callum's blog page is http://www.callumbranchtrust.co.uk/st_louis_diary.php

Many thanks.

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Summer Race Series Starts Tomorrow!!

Yes as Coach Lee Bennett announced at the Summer BBQ, the summer series race night will kick off tomorrow night - 27th June 2012.

Winning and running up racers at the summer BBQ
The format is the same as our club nationals with you needing to finish all three runs to gain maximum points.

So here's a quick guide to winning.
1. Get down the course without skiing out
2. Wax up your skis so they go fast and sharpen the edges so you can make carving turns.
3. Inspect the course at slow speed thinking about exactly how and when you will prepare for the next turn or change of rhythm.
4. Psyche yourself up and visualise the race in your head before setting off.
5. Push like mad out of the starting gate to gain valuable seconds
6. Push like mad at any other points on the course when you have time and you think you can do it with out losing balance.

Good luck!

Sunday 24 June 2012

Ravens celebrate winter series race winners at summer BBQ



MC Lee-i-am

Leading the festivities was No1 self acclaimed coach and front man Lee-i-am. Lee called out the successful winter series race winners and runners up but failed to prevent an escalation of inter sister rivalry in some camps. (Kofi Annan has been drafted in to being peace talks).

Wonderful food served

Well done to all the racers and commiserations to Michael Dent who injured his hand last week. After an exciting raffle MC'd by Teddy "Fonzie" Weir in which most Ravens went home with chocolates, wine or a poncho.

Fonzie at his favourite ski slope recently

The rest of the night was spent dancing and burning off excess energy (kids only) before retiring.



Friday 15 June 2012

Better Value for all

Your Ravens committee has been successful in negotiating a new monthly membership deal with Sunderland Council.


As of 1st July you will be able to buy a £30 monthly pass that will allow you to ski with Ravens on all Wednesday nights throughout the month. With July being a 4 week month that works out at £7.50 per session rather than £ 10.20! On a 5 week month the saving is even better at £ 6 per session. There are no sub-divisions of this offer i.e. It is £30 for July, then £30 for August etc.

For those of you who ski on a Sunday there is a similar system with the cost of the Wednesday and Sunday ticket being £40. This doesn't include the £5 you will still need to pay Lee Bennett, the ski coach.

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Ravens Club National - turned out great in the end

After a slow start due to some technical problems with the race list and some rain the annual Ravens Club National got of to a cracking start.

With over 70 participants coming from all corners of the country the rain held off in the afternoon to allow most people to post their best times. The course set by Lee Bennett was both technical and fast for those with the currage to throw caution to the wind. After a few minor spillls all competitor skied the course well with only a handful not being able to ski the full length.

Top of the time sheet for the ladies was our very own Franscesca Lee who posted a personal time of 14.35 closely followed in third by Millie Jackson in an excellent 14. 68 and then Lois in a wonderful 15.66. For the men Adam O'Marra came in a credible 4th in 13.39 and Rory Farren 5th in 13.64.
For the Masters, Claude won on overall consuistency with a 14.18 with Ian Jackson coming in second Master with a 14.16 but skiing out on the second run. Full race results at Britski (http://www.britski.org/12sundcnres.pdf)

Also bring up the rear were Michael Dent and Richard Weir with respectable PBs of 15.02 and 15.97, well done you guys!

AND FINALLY.....well done to all the organisers and helpers behind the scenes. Your committee have been planning the fine detail of this for months and, with a few exceptions, everything was successful.

Next Race - "British Dry Slope Championships" on 7th July 2012, get your skates on!! (Also on Britski)