Go Ski Go Board Campaign Boosted By Sochi Effect With Over 10,000 People Taking Ski And Snowboard Sessions Since Launch

Snowsport England’s national participation campaign, GO SKI GO BOARD, has exceeded its targets just six months since its official launch, with over 10,000 people taking a one off ‘TRY’ ski or snowboard session or a six hour GO SKI GO BOARD course.

Ahead of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games interest in the campaign was healthy, but with skiing and snowboarding launched into the spotlight during February, GO SKI GO BOARD received a giant boost with visitors to the website increasing by 650% compared to the same period in January 2014*. This coincided with a big rise in numbers of people heading down to their local snow slope or indoor centre. On the day Jenny Jones’ won her Snowboard Slopestyle Olympic bronze medal, Mendip Snowsports Centre sold out of snowboard lessons and Swadlincote Ski and Snowboard Centre had all their ski and snowboard kit rented out. The following week, Chill Factore sold out of all ski and snowboard lessons and saw a 45% rise in website traffic.

GO SKI GO BOARD, launched in September 2013, is aimed at giving people the chance to give skiing or snowboarding a go either for the first time or if they have not skied for several years. The campaign is delivered at 38 snowsports clubs and slopes across England and since its launch 5,930 people have taken a TRY ski or snowboard taster session, with many of these being taken at one of the 24 Slide2Sochi roadshows which took place from September through to February across the country. As well as giving people the chance to give skiing or snowboarding a go with a ‘TRY’ session, GO SKI GO BOARD has also hosted 4,160 people on a full six hour/ six week GO SKI GO BOARD session.

GO SKI GO BOARD will continue to run throughout the spring and summer and into next winter season. The campaign is complemented by information on how to ‘Get Into Snowsports’ on the Snowsport England website (www.snowsportengland.org.uk), which saw a 240% rise in unique visitors** during Sochi 2014. The Slope and Club finder plus the list of Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Clubs received particular interest after the success of the British Slopestyle skiers and snowboarders.

For more information on GO SKI GO BOARD and finding slopes and clubs which run GO SKI GO BOARD courses visit www.goskigoboard.org.uk