With a film about his life being released into cinemas next year, Eddie the Eagle is offering winners the chance to ski jump with him in Courchevel in October this year on the resort’s year round ski jump, and then again on snow in January 2016, in a competition designed to raise awareness and funding for cancer charity ski4cancer.org .
The winners of a competition, who will need to be very good skiers and be prepared to fundraise in order to enter the competition, will receive two weeks of professional training in Courchevel and jumping alongside Eddie. But they’ll need to act fast as entries to the competition must be made wihin a week – no later than 28th September 2015.
Organised by Alp Leisure Ltd in support of Ski 4 Cancer, the four winners of the competition will train for one week in October (12th – 19th), followed by a final week at the end of January. The training will take place at the Olympic Ski Jump Centre in Le Praz Courchevel, by French World Cup ex-Ski Jumpers (Club des Sports de Courchevel).
The extensive training will be a balanced mix of practical and theory, with the participants practicing on the 10m, 25m and 60m hills as their level of competence improves, with the 90m large hill the ultimate goal.
The climax of the challenge will be when the participants join Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards on the Ski Jump. As well as jumping, Eddie will also participate with training and advice.
The winners will also be invited as guests to the French National Summer Challenge, with a chance to meet some of the local ski jumpers training for the competition and the 2016 Youth Olympics. They will also get the chance to meet Olympic Bronze Medalist Coline Mattel who will be competing at the contest.
Entrees to the competition must not only fit the criteria of being competent skiers (comfortable on black runs), but must also prove to the organisers that they have a fearless daredevil streak and that their knees won’t buckle at the sight of the ski jump. Judging of winners will be by Eddie Edwards, Chris Learoyd of Alp Leisure Ltd, and Andrew Hayward of Ski 4 Cancer.
The winners will need to be available for the week of the 12th-19th October 2015, as well as the 25th-31st January 2016. Travel from the UK to the Alps, catered accommodation, all ski jumping equipment and training will be provided.
Chris Learoyd, owner of Alp Leisure Ltd, wanted to support Ski 4 Cancer through this event and commented,
“Like many families cancer has touched our lives profoundly as we lost our sister-in-law, Helen last year to lung cancer. Helen always enjoyed coming to the mountains in Courchevel and after she passed away Kevin and their three youngsters came out to spend some time with us in one of our chalets. We believe the wonder of the mountains and the joy of learning to ski helped, which is why we are very happy to support Ski 4 Cancer.”
Ski 4 Cancer was set up by a group of keen skiers and snowboarders who have all lost a close relative or friend to cancer. By providing a range of alpine respite holidays for families living with cancer, Ski 4 Cancer gives families something to look forward to at the end of treatment schedules or after a loved one has died. Ski 4 Cancer also makes grants to palliative care centres and supports research into the positive effects of exercise and how it can both prevent cancer and assist in people’s recovery post diagnosis.
