Allure Alpine Academy (AAA Racing) was established in 2008, and is the result of a need for an ideal northern winter training program for southern hemisphere athletes. This allows for continual 12-month participation in alpine ski racing, and a long-term approach to success on the world stage. The AAA program is available to Under 10, Kinder (Junior), FIS and Masters alpine athletes.

Program Director – Shayne Coomber

AAA Objectives

Training

Gate training is conducted at Iimori in the Hakuba Valley. Iimori is one of the three base areas which form the resorts of Hakuba47, Goryu and Iimori. Iimori has a great training pitch, single lift (high speed quad) access loop, is directly under snowmaking and provides a virtually unused hill by the general public. The day lodge and facilities are immediately in the finish area which provides another fantastic benefit for both time efficiency (toilet stops, warm ups, meals etc) and convenience.

Iimori also offers a New Zealander run ski and snowboard school (Hakuba Snowsports School), offering same location English speaking lessons for parents and siblings. Iimori has beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain parks, permanent mogul courses, and virtually limitless tree skiing right from the same base area.

Training revolves around a four days on / one day off program that commences on 2 December 2011 and continues throughout the season wrapping up in May 2012. It is possible to participate in any section of the program by starting on the first day of any given training block.

An important point in our program is that we have a “15cm rule”. If there is more than 15cm of fresh snow on the training run, we feel there's more benefit in free skiing, creating challenges through terrain choice rather than skiing in gates. If due to inclement weather or any other reason beyond our control (injury/fatigue etc), an athlete misses a day of training, we will endeavour to make it up somewhere else, but the quote is based on per block costs, not per day. Refunds and substitutions are not possible.

Feedback & Focus

Our programs are designed to provide a smooth integration with existing southern hemisphere programs and are supportive of the athletes ‘home’ clubs. We use extensive video and still photography sequence analysis in training. It is posted to our YouTube channel and Flickr, enabling it to be accessed by family or coaches at home. We have a strong focus on attention to detail, making sure we get the ‘little things’ right.

AAA Racing has worked with Australian K1 & K2 national team athletes, whose results include top 10 results at Whistler Cup, considered by many as the Children’s World Championships. AAA Racing’s alumni consistently achieve podium results in Australian alpine racing events.

Accommodation

Allure is a 20 room western lodge with a 40 seat restaurant, bar and lounge which offers everything to keep athletes comfortable, well looked after and safe.

Allure is ideally located in the exclusive Wadano area of Hakuba which boasts arguably Japan’s finest ski resort hotels (the Tokyu Hotel, La Neige and The Ridge). Wadano was the home of the Japanese royal family and Japan’s business elite during the 1998 Nagano Olympics, being at the base and finish areas of Happo-one ski resort which hosted the Olympic alpine speed events (amongst others) and most notably Herman Meir’s infamous crash.

For athletes travelling without family, segregated (male and female) rooms have been allotted to AAA Racing. These rooms are either twin share or quad share depending on the number of athletes. All rooms have private ensuites. Pastoral care is provided 24 hours/day by Maryanne Govers (Manager) and her young children, with athletes treated like a member of the family.

For athletes travelling with family, there is the option of staying in one of the athlete allotted rooms or with their family member/s. Bedrooms are twin share, triple share and family suites (2 bedrooms sleeping up to 5 guests), all with private ensuites.

Allure has also provided a private common room for athletes to spend time together between the hours of 3pm and 8pm. Plenty of board games, books, movies and a Wii system are available.

For family and friends attending, Allure offers a 10% discount off accommodation, food and beverage. All tariffs include a hot western breakfast and all of Allure’s standard guest benefits. Children aged between 2 and 11 years of age at the time of staying (who are not training) receive a 30% discount off accommodation. The athlete’s accommodation packages are offered at a heavily discounted rate.

AAA Racing also offers a limited rental fleet of pre-paid mobile phones, several pairs of SL, GS and SG race stock skis in most sizes from 130cm upward, a selection of FAT powder skis and an inhouse retail outlet of race, powder and park skis from Atomic, Liberty and many other brands at substantially discounted prices.

AAA Racing works closely with Central Snowsports in Hakuba (Australian rental equipment company from both Falls Creek and Mt Hotham) who have an excellent range of rental equipment. They operate a valet service and provide discounts for our guests.

Communications

Allure offers free gigabit fibre-optic internet, with wifi access throughout the building, 3 guest computers all with Skype and big screens.

If you bring a mobile phone, make sure that it will work in Japan. Japan has a unique frequency and many Australian ‘global’ phones don’t work in Japan. A number of Japanese mobile phones are available for rent with pre-purchased phone cards.