He’s heading into his sixteenth consecutive winter and while that may make some of us shiver, for Richmond’s Huw Phillips there’s no place he’d rather be than skiing down a mountainside.
“I’ve always loved skiing. Always been dead eager and wanted to do it,” says Huw.
Fresh from the slopes of Wanaka, Huw is destined for the northern hemisphere winter and returned to his beloved Courchevel in France on November 1.
Courchevel is a French Alps ski resort and a part of Les Trois Vallées, the largest linked ski areas in the world and for Huw the prestigious resort frequented by celebrities has become his second home.
When Huw was just 17 years and fresh out of Nelson College he became the youngest-ever to receive the level 4 ski instructor’s qualification in Europe and at 18 years was the youngest instructor to work in France.
“I just love being outdoors and in the mountains. It’s such a beautiful environment.”
For the last three New Zealand ski seasons, Huw has been involved in the junior race programme in Wanaka and this year he was at the helm of it.
“It’s really cool seeing the kids coming through. You do get a bit attached to them and have a great rapport. Skiing’s good but coaching the kid’s year in, year out, and seeing them progress is pretty rewarding.”
Now though, it’ll be another six months before Huw’s back on the kiwi slopes with the next generation of skiers, meanwhile he’ll continue to hone his skills in Europe.
“I’d like to take myself as far as I can in skiing and learn as much as I can about skiing and the mountains.”