Paolo Romana

I first learned to ski at the age of three, taught by my dad, and grew up in Limone Piemonte, where skiing was part of everyday life from the moment I started racing. After skiing regularly with instructors until the age of seven or eight, I joined a ski club and raced for almost ten years. I competed in all disciplines, but slalom was always my strongest, reaching my peak at 14 when I placed fifth in the regional championships and qualified for the national finals. In my free time, I love pushing myself with short turns on steep black runs until my legs give up, or enjoying relaxed off-piste skiing with beautiful views. One of my funniest ski memories is my very first race, when I “won” by skiing straight from top to bottom without passing a single gate—something my mum later explained wasn’t quite how racing works. I became a ski instructor because I wanted to be the opposite of a racing coach who once made me hate skiing, and instead show that skiing can be positive, motivating, and fun.

What I love most about being an instructor is meeting incredible people and hearing their stories. A surprising fact about me is that I’m actually terrified of heights, so I never look down from chairlifts. Outside of skiing, I’m extremely competitive and active—I love chess and dream of playing it professionally, enjoy everything related to nature and outdoor activities, and spend a lot of time editing and making videos. I train almost every day through running, swimming, hiking, and pretty much any sport I can try. Alongside skiing, I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology, a first-level Master’s in Safety and Risk Assessment of Biotechnological Products, a second-level Master’s in Food Science and Innovative Technologies, and I’m a fully qualified Italian ski instructor.