Meet the Team
All our team are native English speakers.
The Ultimate team have taught skiing and snowboarding all over the world between them; Switzerland, Italy, France, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and in North and South America. Ultimate Snowsports was born in 2007 and has been operating in Tignes & Val d’Isere ever since. We pride ourselves as a close knit team of fun and friendly instructors that are passionate about skiing and snowboarding and delivering high quality lessons.
All our instructors are qualified to the highest possible standard (BASI Level 4 International Ski Teacher Diploma) and have all the appropriate paperwork to be working legally in France. A few of our instructors have made it to the dizzy heights of being selected as trainers and examiners for the British Association of Snowsports Instructors. They ensure that Ultimate Snowsports instructors are at the forefront of the industry using the most up-to-date tools and techniques to improve your skiing, whatever your level.
The concept of offering a 100% British ski school, means that there will never be a language barrier between you and your instructor.
We all look forward to sharing our knowledge and enthusiasm with you on the mountain.
TOM
Home town: Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire
Likes: keeping active, tea and biscuits.
Tom started skiing at the age of 12 on school trips, enjoyed his first winter season at the age of 20, and completed his first teaching qualification 2 years later in the Aosta valley.
It was here that Tom managed the Interski Snowsports School for 3 years, but has also experienced winters in Italy, NZ, and of course most recently Tignes.
Winters are now a complete part of his life!
Continuing the trend of our instructors who enjoy teaching all abilities and all ages, he is another great asset to the team!
Alongside his full ISTD teaching qualification, Tom also holds the trainer qualification. He is an examiner for the British Association of Snowsports Instructors
In addition to his ISTD Teaching Diploma, Tom studied Business Tourism Management at the University of Hertfordshire.
During the summer months, Tom has worked at many music and sporting events around the UK and overseas.
Some of the many activities Tom enjoys include cycling, mountain biking and playing golf.
MIKE
Home town: York
Likes: Movies, ice cream & bourbon biscuits
Mikey started skiing at the age of 4, and has been hooked ever since. After obtaining a Politics degree at Manchester, Mike returned to the slopes, and has completed many seasons in The Three Valleys, Verbier, Thredbo and now Tignes.
In his free time, he enjoys skiing off-piste and bumps, and is forever keen on furthering his technical ability.
In the summer he hopes to spend more time travelling, and to be back in Whistler, Canada.
CALUM
Home town: Ballater
Likes: learning new things
Calum started skiing in Scotland at the age of 2 in his garden with his Dad and would regularly go on family holidays and trips to the Lecht, their local ski hill. At the age of 9 Calum started to race on dry mat and as that progressively became one of his main sports, he would go abroad to France to train and compete. At 19 Calum did his first full season training and teaching in the Aosta Valley in Italy. Since then, he has worked in France as a “Stagier” during the Northern Hemisphere winters and in New Zealand for the Southern Hemisphere winters.
Outside of work Calum thoroughly enjoy’s having a blast on and off piste with his mates, exploring the mountain and trying to progress his skills. He have also taken up trampolining and gymnastics recently in the hope of developing his areal skills for skiing. For the short periods that Calum is back in Scotland, he love’s to head up north and go mountain biking, road cycling and catching up with friends and family.
MATT
Home town: Stoke
Likes: keeping busy
Matt learnt to ski in Scotland aged 5, he then became a member at Stoke Ski Centre dry slope at the age of 12. Since then, Matt has skied and taught all over the world. He is an off-piste master, always in search of high peaks and fresh tracks. At the age of 16, Matt climbed Mont Blanc, unguided; at great achievement at such a young age. 10 years later, he returned with Fred Dibblee to ski down the North Face of Mont Blanc.
After achieving a BA Hons in Environmental Studies at Sheffield University and flying through the instructor qualifications system, Matt could not resist the pull of the mountains, where he taught in Verbier, Morzine and New Zealand.
He has a huge passion for DIY and gardening. During the summer he can be found renovating his house in Stoke. Even on winter nights in Tignes, after a day on the slopes and an evening in the office, Matt will find time to renovate his flat!
FRED
Home town: Cambridge
Likes: awful daytime films
Fred, a true mountain man quit his ‘proper’ job to spend most of his life in the mountains. He learnt to ski at the age of 5 and since then has done season in Verbier, Courchevel, and New Zealand, after completing a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
We often see Fred heading off into the hills to develop mountain skills – ski touring to access powder filled areas in search of the perfect turn. A great example of this would be the Italian Couloir with Matt, on the Grande Casse; allegedly 51 degrees! His relaxed approach to life ensures that you will always feel at ease and safe in his lessons.
Fred spends each summer travelling and guiding groups, mostly based in North Wales. He has twice led groups up the 3 Peak Challenge (the highest mountains in Scotland, England & Wales, within 24 hours!) and also led many groups up the Welsh 3000s (24 miles in 24 hours – 15 peaks above 3000 feet).
Fred is always striving for more personal development; he is currently taking his Outdoor Qualifications, Summer Leader Qualification and Mountain Instructor Award Training.In his spare time,
Fred enjoys cycling and when he’s not out socialising he can be found watching and strangely enjoying extremely bad T.V. programmes!
James
Hometown: Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Likes: Farming, tea & meeting new people
Dislikes: Salad
James first started skiing on family holidays at around the age of seven and has loved skiing and spending time in the mountains ever since.
Growing up, James split his time between farming, training to be a mechanic, and training to be a ski instructor – and if he ever won the lottery, he’d train to be a helicopter pilot too!
James completed his BASI Level 4 in 2013 and since then has spent seasons and taught in Tignes. Prior to this he took a GAP course to become an instructor in Courchevel (France) and has taught and spent winter seasons in Pila (Italy) and Verbier (Switzerland). He’s also been lucky enough to experience ski holidays in Canada and Japan, and heli-skiing in Alaska.
His top three ways to spend a day on the mountain? Off-piste, telemarking, or Val Claret’s fun track with his four-year-old son!
When he’s not in the snow, James can be found on his family farm in Leicestershire, which he loves just as much as skiing.
But when winter comes around, he’s always ready to swap the tractor for skis and head back to the mountains.
Just don’t get him started on farming… unless you want to catch the last lift.
CAROLINE
Home town: North Lincolnshire
Likes: organising and planning
Caroline is the only female instructor for Ultimate Snowsports. She is more than capable of showing the boys up with her technical precision. Caroline first put skis on her feet on a school holiday and has never looked back.
Skiing has taken Caroline all over the world, she has taught in; Italy, France, Switzerland, New Zealand, and America. She has also been known to share her knowledge at UK snow domes! Caroline’s enthusiasm and energy means that you will have a great time!
Caroline has spent many summers as a maternity nurse. In fact, she has over 13 years experience in child care and maternity care. She also holds an NVQ Qualification in Childcare Education and is a registered Maternity Practitioner (OCN Award).
Her claim to fame is singing during the opening ceremony at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2007 Millennium Dome opening.
In her spare time Caroline enjoys cycling, walking and will always finds time for cooking and baking.
BEN
Hometown: Rosset
Likes: Tea & Sport
Ben started skiing at the age of 7, at The Oval dry ski slope.
After many ski holidays and after completing his first instructor courses, Ben started working for Interski Snowsports School at the age of 18. Since then, Ben has completed a multitude of winter seasons, 12 of which were continuous between New Zealand, Europe and America.
Ben is also a BASI Trainer and has been for many years.
When he is not skiing, he will be catching up on any sport that is on TV.
SIMON
Home town: Stoke
Likes: ice cream
Simon started skiing at the age of 3 and has loved it ever since. From racing at Stoke Ski Centre dry slope, he progressed to national team level before ‘retiring’ to pursue an honours degree in Business and Music at Liverpool University. Simon completed his full ISTD qualification at the young age of 20, since then has enjoyed many seasons teaching skiing, mostly in Espace Killy. After spending 2 winters working in Val d’Isere for BASS, he moved to Ultimate Snowsports in 2007. He feels that there is no better place to live and work in the world. He is also a Snowboard ISIA instructor.
Si is also a mono-board instructor for Ultimate! He is currently a 3 time Mono-Ski world champion, an event hosted in Val d’Isere every April. He has exceptional technical knowledge and ability, which coupled with a fun loving personality means that you will have a great experience whatever your level!
In his spare time he enjoys any active sports such as; windsurfing, surfing, cycling and paragliding.
ROB
Home town: Aviemore
Likes: Eurocarves!
Growing up in the Highlands of Scotland, Rob quickly found his love for snow sports at the age of 4 riding on his local mountain. From there, his passion has continued to grow and take him throughout the world, snowboarding in New Zealand, Canada, Patagonia and across Europe.
However, Tignes still ranks firmly as his favourite resort. It’s limitless pistes, vast backcountry terrain and variety of freestyle parks means there is always somewhere to have an amazing day.
Rob holds the highest international snowboard instructing qualification (ISTD), and can help tailor every lesson to your needs and ability.
Alongside his full ISTD teaching qualification, Rob also holds the trainer qualification. He is an examiner for the British Association of Snowsports Instructors
Whether you want to master your first turns, progress your freestyle, explore backcountry terrain on a splitboard or learn how to eurocarve, Rob has the passion, knowledge and commitment to get you there!
