Nick Jenkins, the founder of the Moonpig online greeting cards retailer and a former BBC Dragon’s Den investor, has unveiled the first ski slope simulator in Wiltshire.
The South Wilts Ski Club will officially open at Bapton Manor Farm near Stockton on Thursday, October 17, offering sessions starting from 30 minutes.
Wiltshire Council gave planning permission for the new facility in February this year, subject to conditions.
It brings the thrill of the mountains to the South West of England, offering ski enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels the chance to master their skiing technique.
Mr Jenkins, 57, who lives at Stockton House in Wiltshire, said: “I’m a very keen skier and I wanted to find somewhere for my daughter to practice between skiing holidays.
“I tried the Skieasy infinity slope in London myself and loved it, but it was always too busy to book and it was a 90-minute drive.
“I wondered if I could bring the concept to Wiltshire so in June last year, I started looking for a suitable building to base it in and now we are opening.”
Situated in a barn at Bapton Manor Farm in the hamlet of Bapton, close to the A36 and the A303 junction between Warminster and Salisbury, the facility offers ski enthusiasts an opportunity to learn how to ski, refine their technique, or build slope fitness before the ski season.
The Infinity Slope’s continuous, rolling surface provides personalised one-on-one coaching with recorded video feedback for precision improvement.
Mr Jenkins says the facility has the advantage of no time being wasted getting back up the slope to ski again.
“In contrast, a run on a dry ski slope is 10-20 seconds and takes five times longer to get back up again. Even in a ski resort the ratio of skiing to lift time is 1:5.
“One hour non-stop at full speed on our slope is the equivalent of skiing from the top of Everest to sea level.”
Mr Jenkins added: “In a one-hour session we can teach you as much as a whole morning on the nursery slopes.
“The surface is always the same, the weather is the same and there is no one to crash into you. You can focus on your technique.
“It’s great for introducing children to skiing before their first ski holiday so you can quickly skip the nursery slopes.”
Maxxtracks invented the concept of an Infinity Slope in the Netherlands, where there are 50 ski centres with 150 slopes. To date there are just four slopes open to the general public in the UK, including South Wilts Ski Club.
The slope can be adjusted from 13 degrees to 22 degrees with speeds ranging from 0 to 30 kph (18.6 mph), making it usable for absolute beginners as well as advanced skiers.
Visitors will receive coaching from resident ski instructor Craig Philpott, who can also provide video playback of each session.
To book a session, visit southwiltsski.com.
Ski boots, helmets, and skis are provided free of charge.
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