What is the Eurotest ?
The Euro Test is a Giant Slalom timed test that is required for the British, and other European nations, Ski Instructor Qualifications. It comes in at various stages in different systems, but in the British system it comes in at Level 4 ISTD (International Ski Teaching Diploma). It can be taken all over Europe and Brits can sit the test as many times as they can afford to in a season. Here we will take a look at the information about the Eurotest and how the times are calculated.
How to pass the Eurotest
In essence men have to get within 18% of the fastest GS skier in the world and women have to get within 24%. The rumours of having to ski to a World Cup or Olympic standard are simply untrue and misleading - later on we will have a look at how good you actually have to be. Britain sends representative time setters to many of the tests. The Brits who currently set the times are Alain Baxter, Aaron Tipping, Craig Robinson, Ed Drake, Jas Bruce and James Bennet.
How the Eurotest works in practise?
In practise it is not feasible to have Marcel Hirscher (2014/15 season’s fastest GS skier) to come and set a time, so the organisers of the Euro Test use specially nominated skiers (referred to as 'openers') to set a time. The prerequisites for these openers is that they scored sub 50 FIS points when they raced. The goal of the openers is to try and ski consistently, not necessarily at their fastest.
Each opener is calibrated at the beginning of the season and they are given a coefficient, which is used to compare them to the best skier in the world.
So a team of between three and five openers head down to set a time. The openers will ski at the beginning and again at the end of each run. The best two opening times, adjusted by multiplying with the coefficient, will be averaged. The same will be done with the best two adjusted closing times. These two times will then be averaged to establish the base time for the run.
The pass time for male candidates is the base time plus 18% and for female candidates the base time plus 24%. Candidates qualifying in one will not participate in run two. In run two the start order will be reversed.
The easiest way to see this is through an example:
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Eurotest Calculations
The first thing we need to know is each opener's coefficient:
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Coefficient ratings:
Opener 1's coefficient = 0.9210
Opener 2's coefficient = 0.9010
Opener 3's coefficient = 0.8992
The openers go down and set the following times at the beginning of the Euro Test:
Opening times: Closing times:
Opener 1 - 49.23 Opener 1 - 50.23
Opener 2 - 49.13 Opener 2 - 48.80
Opener 3 - 48.62 Opener 3 - 48.62
To calculate the pass time we need to work out the average of the fastest two opening times and closing times AFTER we have taken into consideration each opener's coefficient. times:
Coefficient adjusted opening times:
Opener 1 = 49.23 x 0.9210 = 45.34
Opener 2 = 48.80 x 0.9010 = 43.97
Opener 3 = 48.62 x 0.8992 = 43.72
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Coefficient adjusted closing times:
Opener 1 = 50.23 x 0.9210 = 46.26
Opener 2 - 49.13 x 0.9010 = 44.27
Opener 3 - 48.62 x 0.8992 = 43.72
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Now we can calculate the base time. We take the two fastest opening times and the two fastest closing times. We can simply add all these times together and get the average: (43.97 + 43.72 + 44.27 + 43.72) = 43.92
Men's pass time =
Base Time (43.92) + 18% = 51.83 seconds
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Women's pass time =
Base Time (43.92) + 24% = 54.46 seconds
So there we have it! Lots of calculations but we've worked out the pass times for this example scenario.
We hope this makes things a little clearer!
SkivoAcademy offer training towards the EuroTest on the Courchevel World Cup Stade in the 3 valleys, France.