Safe at the slopes

Levi Snow Sport Academy’s FreeRide study programme is aimed for second-degree students who are interested in freestyle and freeride and developing their skills in these. Up to 8 students can participate in the study programme at once.

You can participate in the FreeRide programme despite whether you use skis, a snowboard or telemark equipment. The coaching includes familiarising in other sports too.

The aim of the FreeRide study programme is for students to be able to versatilely practice skills required in freestyle and freeride alongside their 3-4 years of second-degree studies.

The students participating in the FreeRide study programme will participate in Suomen Hiihdonopettajat ry’s Ski Instructor Course (ski or snowboard) as well as complete workplace training (at least 25h) at Levi Ski School (paid) alongside their studies (3 years). Employment in ski instructor duties is possible alongside studies or thereafter is possible.

The main emphasis of the study programme is on safe operations in various conditions.

Training is carried out with safety at the forefront in all FreeRide entities, such as

Basics of Alpine skiing, snowboarding and telemarking

Freestyle (slopestyle, bigair, half-pipe)

Freeride (downhill / terrain)

Snow safety

First aid

Moving and living in nature

Climbing and rope operations

Training sessions are implemented on average on one weekday evening (1.5 h/session) and they are mainly organised at Levi’s South Park, as well as 2-4-day camps (1-2 times per month) at Levi and nearby locations where different themes are practiced. Training operations are organised throughout the entire school term.

Depending on the students’ enthusiasm, we also participate in freestyle and freeride competitions, such as Freestyle Finnish Championships, Pyhä Freekend, Iso-Syöte FreeRide Open, Riksgränsen Freeride Championships. Some of the training sessions are organised together with other Snow Sport Academy groups.

 The FreeRide operations also involve secondary operations that are organised in cooperation with Lapland Sports Academy’s Upper School Academy.

More information about secondary education operations

Training is part of school operations. During the FreeRide study programme, 15 upper secondary optional courses are completed and the parts of the vocational qualification to be completed at Levi Institute are agreed in the personal study plan that is prepared with the student.

Upper secondary students who are arriving from other municipalities are offered an apartment from the residential building located in the school area. The school and the other training facilities are located within a radius of a few hundred metres and appropriate ski maintenance facilities have been implemented in the downstairs of the building. Levi is a 20-minute drive away!

Enquiries concerning accommodation can be addressed to

the housing office of the Municipality of Kittilä.

Satu Perttamo-Kangas: 0408479601, satu.perttamo-kangas@kittila.fi

Levi Institute has a free student residence to offer its own students.

Hannu Puljujärvi: 0207984068, hannu.puljujarvi@lao.fi

The school year in the FreeRide study programme is 1,500€, including:

Coaching

Lift ticket (Levi season pass)

Transport to training (Kittilä – Levi – Kittilä)

Equipment hire at Levi’s hire points (Skis, snowboards, snow safety equipment).

Alpine skiing and snowboarding instructor course (Suomen Hiihdonopettajat ry)

Snow safety 1 (Finnish Avalanche Education)

Rope operations instructor 1 (KTO)

First Aid 1 & 2

Other costs

Students are personally responsible for taking out an insurance policy that covers off-piste skiing and freestyle. (Insurance policy certificate must be presented)

Costs and trips associated with camps (outside the borders of the Municipality of Kittilä, excl. Pallas) are paid by the students.