As a relatively new member of the Company, my wife Anna and I weren't entirely sure what to expect from a skiing holiday with the Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs. What we found in Mayrhofen was a remarkable gathering, hundreds of people representing the breadth of London’s livery movement. It wasn't just us; it was a deep immersion into the world of Drapers, Grocers, Fletchers, Paviers, Butchers & Bakers ;-)

Trains & Planes...

The week was expertly put together by the Clerk, Duncan Sims. Even when the Austrian weather tried to derail things, sending Duncan on an unplanned detour to Munich airport and forcing us onto a series of train-replacement buses.  We all eventually made it to the chalet to find a week of great skiing ahead.
The skiing itself was varied,  wooded and open, almost all good visibility and decent snow, with an excellent variety of mountain food.  The real standout skiing was the day we spent up to 3500m on the Hintertux Glacier. The thin air and quality of the snow up there were excellent, and it was surprisingly quiet compared to the main runs.

The social side of the trip was as active as the skiing:

We visited the Zillertal Brewery, which offered a "British-like" variety of beers and a fair amount of yodeling records in the museum, having been expertly organised by the Clerk.  It was also our first chance to chat with other company members over a beer afterwards.

The food on the mountain and in the town was universally excellent, with the Austrians having some distinctive and delicious recipes.  There is much more than Apfelstrudel and Schnitzel, though both were of course excellent.  There are also a good number of delicious local wines.

We shared several banquets and meals with other companies, notably the Drapers and the Grocers, which provided a great chance to meet people from across the livery movement.

The final night’s banquet was a highlight, not just for the food, but for the auction that raised a significant amount of money for a charity focused on getting disadvantaged young people onto the slopes.

The main event.

The week culminated in the slalom races. While there were some seriously impressive performances.  The Campbell family from the Fletchers (Duncan?) shared the honors as is expected, I'm told.   It didn't go to their heads, they were a very lovely and modest family.  Our own team’s showing was almost as glorious. On an increasingly icy course during the final giant slalom, Duncan "very kindly" tripped himself over. His mishap gave me a place, an extremely generous gesture from the Clerk.

Looking Ahead

The move from Norzine to Mayrhofen seems to have been a success, with the town and facilities looking after us very well. This was even considering the significant number of livery-families who had bought Morzine apartments over the many years of the event there. If you’re considering it for next year, I’d thoroughly recommend it. It’s a very relaxed environment; extremely amiable and hospitable. It’s a great way to get to know the wider livery community in a beautiful setting.

A huge thanks to Duncan for making it all happen. I hope to see more of you on the slopes next year.