From 800 humble hours with wooden skis in 1970, the school has grown to 145,000 annual hours and 3.3 million

Soldeu held a ceremony on Tuesday at Pla dels Espiolets in the Grandvalira sector to unveil a stone monolith commemorating the four founders of its ski school on its 54th anniversary: Josep Areny, Ventura Bonell, Miquel Casal, and Josep Casal.

The event, arranged by Grandvalira-ENSISA and Canillo commune, celebrated these Canillo natives who established the school in 1970. They transformed informal late-1960s lessons by a few monitors into a structured operation, starting with four instructors and around 800 annual hours despite wooden skis, untracked slopes, and basic gear. Their efforts professionalized snow sports teaching, integrated the school into ENSISA—which manages Canillo's ski areas—and supported Andorra's winter tourism growth.

Canillo's senior consul Jordi Alcobé noted the school's expansion to nearly 145,000 teaching hours this season, calculating a total of 3.3 million hours over 54 years—equivalent to 375 nonstop years of instruction since 1650. He called skiing "Andorra's national sport" and praised the founders for "domesticating the snow," positioning the school as a pillar of the resort's image, prestige, and revenue.

Speakers included David Hidalgo, Josep Mandicó, Xavier Soro, and current director Toni Rodríguez, who described Miquel Casal—school leader for 42 years until 2019—as his "snow father" for instilling enduring work models and values. The program featured audiovisual highlights, staff memories, and tributes to Ventura Bonell, the first director from 1970 to 1973 who died in 2012, and Josep Areny, who succeeded him until 1977. A special plaque went to Miquel Casal, who said the early years were tough with harsh conditions but affirmed they built a European benchmark. Josep "Pepi" Casal, the only founder never to direct, taught for 28 seasons after working from age 13 on one of the Pyrenees' earliest chairlifts; he recalled spotting paid instructors at the end of the 1960s as a business opportunity amid rudimentary equipment.

The honorees, expecting a broader Soldeu resort discussion, were surprised by the personal focus on their role in ENSISA's key earner. Surviving founders Areny, Miquel Casal, and Josep Casal unveiled the monolith—now permanently displaying their names—alongside Mònica Bonell, Ventura's daughter and current Culture, Youth, and Sports Minister. Staff formed a guard of honor with ski poles as they approached amid triumphant music.

Today under Toni Rodríguez, the ski and snowboard school employs 286 to 300 professionals worldwide—including instructors, snowboard guides, snow garden staff, and sales agents—with an 81% seasonal retention rate marking it as a European leader.