Apex2100 is a state-of-the-art international ski academy for talented athletes and offers full boarding, following the IB academic programme. It has been founded around one goal: to produce the champions of the future.

The Director of Sport at Apex2100 is someone who knows a thing or two about what it takes to win at the highest level. Rugby legend Sir Clive Woodward, long-time friend of Powder Byrne, has brought together an elite team of experts to create the ultimate facility for budding skiers with a bright future. Under his leadership they have set their target on becoming the world’s best ski academy, applying their tried and tested model: Learn, Train, Perform. Dedicated to identifying and nurturing talented young athletes between the ages of 9-18 years, we are delighted to be involved in supporting this exciting project which goes hand-in-hand with our commitment to passing on our passion for the sport we love.

Why was Tignes chosen as the base for Apex2100?

For a number of reasons - it is one of the most snow-sure resorts being at such a high altitude and having a glacier means we can ski year-round. Tignes le lac also provides us with access to excellent sporting facilities in Tignespace.

How many students are attending the academy this season?

This season we have 37 Apex2100 athletes ranging from 10-15 years old. They come from all across Europe including the UK, France, Greece and Switzerland.

How does the training programme at Apex2100 differ from other junior ski racing clubs/ski academies?

Apex2100 is unique to other academies in many ways. Firstly, we function like a boarding school as opposed to a club. The athletes live in which means their performance as an athlete can be improved via their lifestyle as opposed to just training sessions. They train on the mountain 5-6 days a week and have same-day video analysis from their coaches in the evening as well as daily gym and recovery sessions. Additionally, they live, train and study under the care and attention of world-class coaches, specialists and academic teachers, giving them well-rounded care in all aspects of their life. This holistic approach is something other ski clubs and academies are not able to offer.

Our Specialists:

Our facilities in Tignes are purpose built and state-of-theart and we believe they are the best of any ski academy in Europe. The facility is ski-in/ski-out with a custom-designed gym and rehabilitation pools, both hot and cold, for recovery sessions.

Apex2100 in numbers

13 classrooms
2 laboratories
1 e-library
54 bedrooms
1 work cafe
400m2 gym area
200m2 ski room
1 cryotherapy suite

Daily Programme for Apex2100 Athletes

07:45 Wake up and breakfast

08:30 - 12:30 Ski training on the mountain

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch in the canteen

14:15 - 17:00 Academic lessons

17:00 - 18:00 Strength and conditioning

18:00 - 19:00 Free time

19:00 Supper in the canteen

19:30 Review sessions with coaches - video analysis and run down of training

20:30 - 20:45 Bedtime

How do you help students manage training, education, racing and living in a new place?

As you can imagine, the day-to-day life of the athletes is busy! They always have something next. This can be overwhelming and if not managed, it can cause stress. We have lots of systems in place to support our athletes:

Mentor programme - Our athletes are split into ‘pods’, these are small groups which they complete challenges and exercises in. Each pod has 2 mentors who the athletes can go and speak to at any point, as well as organised individual weekly sessions to discuss training, workload, social dynamics etc.
Staff - There is strong communication between all staff members and any concerns are flagged up between us as a team. If there is an issue, their mentor would have a chat with the athlete to build confidence and positivity depending on the concern.
Specialists - They are the first port of call for our athletes. Our medical lead Dr Florence Potter is there for any private and confidential discussions our athletes may require as well as addressing concerns we might have.

What are the main challenges students will face during the programme?

Balancing the training, academic and social lifestyle is a challenge for most of our athletes but as mentioned above we have various systems in place to support them through this. The responsibility of ensuring high performance in all areas of Apex life is a challenge for all age ranges, not just new athletes, as moving through the programme comes with increasing task, personal responsibility and personal performance demand. Another challenge noticed for our athletes, is the move away from home to (for some) a different country, with a different first language. Again our mentoring programme and staff support are paramount to helping with homesickness.

How does the admissions process work?

The first stage in the process is filling out the application form on our website. If we see potential in the athlete we would invite them for a call and if they are successful then they would join us on a three-day residential visit to our state-of-the-art academy in Tignes. During these few days they are assessed on ability and we also see how we can help them educationally. We then discuss as a team and decide who is best suited for our Academy.

Have you got any advice for young athletes who are thinking of applying to Apex2100?

Be open and flexible to new experiences and make the most of the opportunities this academy provides. This includes not only the elite level ski coaching but also the nutritional advice, strength and conditioning training, amongst other things. The performance programme provides information that you might not be exposed to usually and making the most of each of the areas is key for getting the most out of the academy. Be prepared to make sacrifices. The academy is an incredible place to be, but it also pushes you as an individual to your best performance. This can only come with a sacrifice in other areas i.e. being away from family, friends and the social scenes that might entail. This is something which you need to consider before coming to Apex2100.

For further details and enquiries visit www.apex2100.org