Following snow a yearly decision: Speiss

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 5, 19 August 1988, Page 4

Following snow a yearly decision: Speiss

One of the Ruapehu region's regular winter migrators is Whakapapa Ski School Director Craig Spiess. He has been flying back to New Zealand from Canada each Autumn to teach skiing for eleven years, eight

of them as ski school director. Craig says he faces a "catch 22" decision each year whether to return or not. On the one hand he says continuing his ski industry work year round means he doesn't

"loose punch" or enthusiasm for the job. On the other side of the coin he says each year the decision to pack up and shift home is not easy. Craig's double life sees him with two six monthly contracts each

year, one with the Chateau Ski School and, at the end of this year, one with the Canadian National Ski Team. He starts on November 15 with the national women' s team as coach.

The past eight years he has been head coach for the Lake Superior Ski Division, based at Thunder Bay Ontario. His new Northern winter contract means he will be travelling further but not more often.

The women's team will travel around North America and Europe through the season. He sees the appointment as a step upwards. Craig Spiess started instructing at Whakapapa under John Ball and worked for four years under him. The first year was as an instructor, the second as a supervisor and then two years as assistant administrator before taking on the job of director. Craig says he admires his ex boss John Bal very much: "He's put a lot of energy into skiing and done a lot for North Island skiing." Craig's early training was at Tremlant i n Quebec, where he spent seven seasons. This year Craig's wife Rosemary has stayed in Canada where she teaches French. She has been coming to Whakapapa each season but this year a change in plans meant staying put. Craig and Rosemary, who is Swiss, met at Whakapapa. Rosemary

was John Ball's secretary at the time. He doesn't seem to mind the winter follower's plight of missing out on summer, though he said h e would like to look at some summer activities. "Sometimes I think it would be nice to finish a winter and jump on a motorbike and ride off," he said. Unlike many instructors who plan stopovers on Pacific islands between winters, Craig says he finds it hard to enjoy a few weeks in the sun when the responsibilities of his next contract are waiting. "In all honesty there's no place like home as the saying goes. There I can unwind and get ready for the coming season." However, he said he plans to visit Australia at the end of this New Zealand ski season. He said he has to be on the job at least a month before his ski instructors arrive to allow time for planning. He is responsible for a staff of 35 to 39 at Whakapapa.