Ellesmere pupils travel to Norway to participate in Nordic Challenge

Nordic Challange

A group of pupils spent their recent half-term break in Norway, participating in the Nordic Challenge which included tuition from a former pupil.

A party of five pupils from Ellesmere, accompanied by Dr. Kim Ripley, one of the School's Biology teachers, experienced temperatures as low as -21 Degrees as they learnt how to Nordic Ski over snow covered terrain, journeying many kilometres as they persevered in severe conditions to complete orienteering, leadership and skiing challenges.

As part of the Nordic Challenge, leadership training was given and the group of experienced instructors included Old Ellesmerian, Pat Parsons, who is now leading the British School Exploration Society expeditions to The Falklands, South Georgia and Antartica, for the next five years.

The trip included a trip to Lillehammer and The Olympic Stadium where the Ellesmere team participated in a biathlon challenge which included skiing and rifle shooting. In the evening the group had the opportunity to toboggan down floodlit tracks.

Following much practice, the team all achieved their Bronze Nordic Skiing Certificate and one pupil, Harriet Devonald won the prize for the fastest female novice skier around a 5 kilometre course.

Kim Ripley commented; 'The extremely cold weather conditions, at times, made the skiing very demanding. However all the members of the Ellesmere team rose to the challenge and did very well. All in all, this was a true Nordic Challenge and an experience of a lifetime.'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd March 2007  Back to News