Former BBC Dragon launches Wiltshire’s first Infinity Ski Slope

Friday, 18 October 2024 06:00

Nick Jenkins, Moonpig founder, former BBC Dragon and Wiltshire local, has unveiled the first infinity ski slope in Wiltshire.

This groundbreaking innovation 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—any time of year, right in their backyard.

When asked why he created South Wilts Ski Club, Jenkins 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 farmyard in the hamlet of Bapton, very near the junction of the A36 and the A303, between Warminster and Salisbury, the facility offers ski enthusiasts an unparalleled opportunity to learn, refine their technique, or build slope fitness before the ski season.

The concept of an Infinity Slope isn’t new. Maxxtracks invented it in the Netherlands, where there are 50 ski centres with 150 slopes. To date, just four slopes in the UK, including South Wilts Ski Club, are open to the general public.

The slope can be adjusted from 13° to 22°, and speeds range from 0 to 30 kph (18.6 mph), making it usable for absolute beginners as well as advanced skiers. Visitors will receive personalised one-on-one coaching from resident ski instructor Craig Philpott. Philpott can also provide video playback of each session, allowing the student to observe and correct any unique habits in their technique.

South Wilts Ski Club will officially open on October 17, 2024, offering sessions starting from 30 minutes. Sessions run from Wednesday to Sunday (Wed 12:00 - 20:00; Thu & Fri 11:00 - 18:00; Sat & Sun 10:00 until 17:00) and cost from £30 per person for 30 minutes in peak time and £18 per 30 minutes off-peak (when booking a block of six sessions).

Book your session here: https://southwiltsski.com/. Ski boots, helmets, and skis are provided free of charge.

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