BASI LIFE MEMBERS
LIFE MEMBERS Ian McMillan Born, raised and educated in Glasgow, Ian McMillan (68) graduated from the world renowned Glasgow School of Art in 1968 and it was during his post-graduate, fifth year of studies, at Jordanhill College, that he first experienced skiing on Cairngorm. Persuaded to go on a college ski trip by a classmate, Ian found the perfect antidote to the cancellation of rugby weekends, due to the hard winter of 1969, and discovered a new replacement sport. With the growth of outdoor education in the 1970s, Ian became involved in schools skiing, taking the Ski Party Leader qualification followed by, the then, BASI Grade 3. During five years as an art teacher and part time ski instructor, Ian also developed a reputation as an artist, exhibiting in several important group exhibitions and mounting one-man shows in leading art galleries. Winters skiing and summers painting seemed the perfect career path, and Ian started as a full time ski instructor with Ecole du Ski Francais in Isola 2000 in 1976, moving to The Ski Ecole International in Flaine the following year, after passing his BASI Grade 2. He remained in Flaine for the next four winters, passing his Grade 1 during this time. He became a BASI Trainer in 1981. Accepting offers to illustrate ski articles and books, Ian found an alternative in the ski industry, progressing to writing widely about skiing in the national press and launching his own magazine “Skiing UK” in 1985. Just as French restrictions on foreign qualified ski instructors led him into ski journalism, the revolution in “desk-top” publishing opened up opportunities in graphic design and he launched Front Page Design Ltd. Now only a few months from its 25th anniversary, Ian remains as Chairman, having sold his controlling shares in the business to the current management. Life has come full circle for Ian. Having established a Glasgow city centre studio for painting and digital artwork, and, based on recent good snow seasons in Scotland, he has bought a season ticket for Cairngorm and is planning as much slope time as he can. “It’s great to have achieved this ‘Life Membership’ award and to have a continuing connection with BASI,” says Ian. “I have maintained an interest over the years, and, because of the combination of skiing and my art training I have had, and still have, a fantastic level of freedom to make choices in my life.”
Evelyn MacLean Evelyn’s first ever ski holiday was to Zermatt in 1958, and she can still remember vividly how magical it was arriving there as a child, getting whisked off on a horse-drawn sleigh through the village to the chalet. “I have to thank my late Mum and Dad, Helen and Alex Carmichael for 14
BASI NEWS ISSUE 118
their adventurous and determined spirit, introducing their family to the amazing world of skiing; all of whom have had a career in skiing, from British Team, Scottish Team to ISTD BASI Members;- aka Helen Carmichael, Stevie Carmichael et moi!”, comments Evelyn. Evelyn grew up on the outskirts of Glasgow, and every weekend during the winter season she headed to Glencoe with the family, plodded across the plateau of Meall a Bhuiridh, where they spent their days free skiing; and in holiday periods, it was race training organised by Frith (Finlayson) with the Glencoe Ski Club. Race training became more intense, she went to Wengen and trained with the DHO (Downhill Only Club). Skiing was now a very big part of her family’s life, so they headed north in 1967 and made their home in Aviemore. Evelyn began working with Cairdsport on Cairngorm in 1969 and became a BASI Member, passing the then Grade 3 in 1971 with Ali Ross, and the following season she passed Grade 2, again with Ali Ross as Trainer. It was 20 years later in Les Deux Alpes in 1992, when she passed her Grade 1. In the meantime, she was still working with Cairdsport and her husband- to- be, Arthur (MacLean), tried to poach her for Badenoch Ski School, but Derek (Brightman) would have none of it! Later, she did work part time for Badenoch, then in 1982, Evelyn began her long service of 14 years with Joint Services Mountain Training Centre, Kingussie. In the early days, working with them on Cairngorm, under the watchful eyes of BASI Trainers Ian Baxter and Jimmy Smith and then on JSMTC training courses in France, Austria & Bavaria, were all amazing experiences for Evelyn. For the last 18 years, she has been working in the 3 Valleys, firstly in Meribel and now at Supreme Ski School in Courchevel. Evelyn comments: “My career has been blessed as I find myself happily still involved, working with dear friends in the skiing industry and my ‘Ski Family’ is now in its 4th generation. I am extremely proud to have received my BASI Life Membership.”
Alan Hamer Alan was born in Manchester just after the Second World War and his family moved to Bournemouth in 1952. Living in a big house on the sea front was a lot different from Salford, and he enjoyed the freedom and easy access to the beach enormously. Later, after progressing through higher education, he began a career in the Water Industry as a water and environmental scientist. In the mid 1970’s, newly married, Alan and his wife moved to Chandlers Ford in Hampshire. Persuaded by a friend who was going skiing the following winter, they went to Southampton Ski Centre to learn to ski. He comments: “It would be fair to say that enthusiasm exceeded ability by a big margin but after a week in Sauze D’Oulx for £99, the two had balanced up a bit. Returning to Southampton dry slope, skiing became a major sport and hobby for us and we joined the ski school as Trainee Instructors, qualifying as ASSI’s in 1982.”