FOUNDER

Simon is the founder of Elevation Ski School. He arrived in Val d’Isère for his first ski season in 1994 and has been working as a ski instructor here every winter since 2004.

With a deep passion for skiing ignited when he first came to the Alps as a wide-eyed six-year-old, Simon’s knowledge of skiing was built through racing in his teenage years and leading the ski club while completing a geography degree at Oxford University.

Despite all efforts to steer his life towards a career in law, having been ‘called to the Bar’ in 2001, skiing has won the day. Now, he loves teaching skiing at all levels – from beginner slopes to backcountry. A passionate and patient teacher, Simon's approach is to provide fun and encouraging instruction in the simplest way possible to help you make the most of your time on skis and achieve your goals, whether it's building confidence, reducing physical strain, or simply developing skills to explore more of the mountain and reach the next level.

Simon holds the highest ski instructor qualification in the British system (BASI Level 4, ISTD), with full French equivalence. He worked for 17 years as a trainer and examiner of British ski instructors, placing him at the forefront of global ski instruction.

Away from skiing, he spends his summers in Cornwall working in law, having previously qualified as a Barrister before becoming a ski instructor. His other passions include road cycling, kitesurfing, and walking his tireless English Springer Spaniel. 

DIRECTOR

James is a Co-Director of Elevation Ski School. He arrived in Val d’Isère for his first ski season in 1991 and has been working here as a full-time ski instructor every winter since 2012.

James first discovered skiing as a youngster on a school ski trip to Italy, when his talent and love for the sport became immediately apparent. He quickly progressed into training and competing on the UK junior dry slope scene from his home-base in Hertfordshire, the highlights of which were regular selections to the England team and being crowned the England Junior Champion. His competitive journey continued into adulthood, spending winters competing to a high level on the international FIS circuit, including mogul competitions.

Aside from racing, James is a highly experienced and skilled off-piste skier. Over many seasons, he has developed a deep knowledge and understanding of the incredible terrain to be found in the Espace Killy and loves sharing that passion with his clients.

With such a talent for skiing and being a great communicator, James’ move into teaching skiing was the natural choice. James loves teaching skiing at all levels, whatever the goal – and his approach is highly-rated for keeping things simple and for being supportive, friendly and fun. James holds the highest ski instructor qualification in the British system (BASI Level 4, ISTD), with full French equivalence.

DIRECTOR

Nicko is a Co-Director of Elevation Ski School. He has lived and breathed the mountains of Val d’Isère for over 30 years. Having first arrived for a winter season in the early 1990s, his passion for skiing and the outdoor life soon eclipsed a career in finance, leading him back permanently to the Alps in the early 2000s.

Since qualifying in 2007, Nicko has earned a reputation as an outstanding coach with a dynamic and inspiring approach to teaching. Whether working with beginners, developing technical skills on the piste, or leading adventurous backcountry tours, he brings energy, expertise, and a deep understanding of the mountains to every session. A specialist in both Alpine and Telemark skiing, Nicko is also the founder of Telemark Tracks, www.telemarktracks.com, Val d’Isère’s dedicated Telemark ski school, and a Telemark Ambassador for Scott Sports.

An experienced backcountry skier and passionate ski mountaineer, Nicko has competed three times in the legendary Patrouille des Glaciers, the world’s largest ski mountaineering race — winning the gold medal in his age group in 2018. He loves nothing more than helping clients unlock new experiences, guiding them into the hidden terrain of the Espace Killy and beyond.

Nicko holds the highest qualification in British ski instruction (BASI Level 4, ISTD) with full French equivalence. Outside of winter, he lives in Cornwall with his family, swapping skis for surfboards, sea kayaks and bikes - and keeping pace with a busy outdoor lifestyle.