Sign up worries for Varsity Ski Trip
A competitor at last year's Varsity Ski Trip
Varsity Ski Trip called an emergency meeting of college representatives on Monday to warn that this year’s trip could be in jeopardy unless more effort was made to attract sign-ups. The trip’s Vice President, Will Hardyment, told those who attending the meeting at Holywell’s: “We’ve only got 300 people this time from both Oxford and Cambridge. This time last year we had 600.
If we don’t get 750 then the trip can’t go ahead because that’s what all of our accommodation deals are based on.” He added: “There’s been no effort, the college reps aren’t helping. Only one rep has hit their target.” However, those organising the trip have since claimed the comments made in the meeting were exaggerated.
The booking deadline for this year’s trip to Tignes is set as 16th November, although The Oxford Student understands that bookings can still be made up until 19th November. It was suggested that reps, who receive a £75 discount if they meet their targets, should “tell people that places are running out” in a last-ditch attempt to generate interest. Hardyment suggested they run more bar nights and “keep e-mailing” interested students in a final push to satisfy the required quotas.
Two college reps, David Jackson from Worcester and Nathan Hulme from Merton, were fired from their posts for having failed to gain a single sign-up from their colleges, although they have both since been reinstated. Hardyment also said the Oxford Ski and Snowboard Club (OUSSC) Committee were not doing enough to help, claiming that their counterparts in Cambridge were angry at their lack of involvement.
Last year over 1,000 students took part in the trip, which was originally established to raise money to fund ski club activities for the rest of the academic year. Following the meeting, members of the Oxbridge committees were keen to play down the idea that the triap was in trouble. CUSSC President Gerald Rushton suggested the figures quoted at the Oxford meeting were scaremongering.
“The trip needs 500 to make it financially viable and at the moment we’ve got 400 booked with 40 a day signing up • the trip’s in no danger of being cancelled and prices are not number-dependent • so that isn’t going to change.” His views were echoed by the trip President, Tim Wilkes of Clare College, Cambridge, who said: “We’re on 394, taking 40 plus a day, so it looks like we’re going to hit our target of 850, which is the number that usually go.
It’s always slow at the beginning.” He also claimed the levels of sponsorship raised for the clubs would not be affected if the targets were met. Both OUSSC and CUSSC are expecting to gain £5,000 from the trip. However, it is unlikely given the current figures that there will be any additional money left over for promotional materials and other expenditure. “There are a couple of reps who are being really non-responsive,” said Wilkes.
“They just weren’t doing the work• it’s not hard to do, it’s meant to be fun, but they had a bit of an attitude issue, at the moment they’re looking at being dropped...I’m convinced it’s going to be fine.” But he added: “An article saying there’s bad numbers now would kill us.” Booking agency Wasteland Ski also claimed things were looking up: “There was a problem with booking about a week ago, but it’s picked up now.
There have been about 40 signups a day over the last couple of days.” However, with only six days to go until the close of booking, the number of sign-ups needs to remain at this level in order for the trip to attain its target.
10th Nov 2005