Dean,
With reference to your penultimate paragraph, on the last day for SSWAS (30th September 2002), a number of secondary school girls were seen skiing down the (artificial) slope in their usual school uniforms (e.g. mini-skirt and 'loose socks').
As to the expert skiers mentioned, these are employed by the Ministry of Finance and/or Prince Hotel Group to boost the declining snow industry. The MOF hope that the display of fascinating skills would inspire and encourage more people to take part in winter sport and spend more at winter resort.
Bestest,
