Starting from scratch to become a skiing champion: 40 years of children’s skiing course

• Tognum offers employees more than just a job
• Professional downhill race conjured up that “World Cup feel“

Friedrichshafen/Schetteregg, 6 February 2009. This year’s skiing season sees the 40th Anniversary of this children’s skiing course, which, over the years, has been organized by Tognum’s subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen’s corporate sports organization (BSG). Due to the high demand for this course among staff members, the BSG now has a contingent of 30 trained skiing and snowboarding instructors, who look after the up-and-coming skiers during the 3-day course. This year, more than 150 winter sports-crazy kids between the ages of 4 and 16, wanted to enhance their skiing and snowboarding skills. The course took place in the family ski holiday resort Schetteregg in Vorarlberg – a tradition of 40 years now. A final downhill race marked the end of the course.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the youngsters’ competition, participants had the opportunity to feel like professional “mogul bashers” – start numbers, professional tracking and electronic timing conveyed the typical “Word Cup” atmosphere. Expected guest to attend the race was 1987 slalom world champion and Eurosport commenter Frank Wörndl. Unfortunately, the former pro-skier had to cancel due to his son’s ski accident.

Apart from the cups to be won in the competition, a number of great prizes were out for grabs during a large tombola. However, the ski course was not only a great experience for the children, but also for their parents accompanying them. Not only did they enjoy their mulled wine, but also had the opportunity to obtain skiing passes at reduced prices.

“The children’s skiing course is a good example how Tognum provides much more than just employment for their staff - in this case providing value-added services via the corporate sports association“, explains Roland Dietz, Deputy Head of Corporate Health Insurance BKK MTU Friedrichshafen and Organizer of the Skiing & Snowboarding Course. “We are putting a premium on family-friendly arrangements: the third child of a family joining the course can participate for free”.