The Ski Podcast

In this special episode, Iain speaks with Lucy Aspden-Kean, Ski & Snowboard Editor at The Telegraph. We discuss Lucy’s journey from the Blackpool Gazette to an MA in Journalism and how she beat 300 other applicants to win a ski internship at the Telegraph. Lucy shares her advice for aspiring travel journalists, what it was like working on the travel desk during Covid, plus we also discuss how a trip to Nepal was prompted by an interview with Sir Ranulph Fiennes. Intersport Ski Hire You can save money when you book your ski hire at intersportrent.com and use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’. To make it even simpler you don’t even need to use the code, just take the link in the Show Notes and your basket will automatically be reduced. SHOW NOTES The London Snow Show will take place on 18/19 October 2025 at Olympia (1:00) Lucy previously shared her experiences of Gausta in Norway and heliskiskiing in Chile (3:00) Lucy was also on the show in the dark days of lockdown (3:00) A trip to Nepal started from an interview with Ranulph Fiennes (4:00) Lucy walked to Everest Base Camp and then the 6119m peak of Lobuche East (6:30) Her training was mainly in the Lake District (9:00) Read about Lucy’s trip in this Telegraph article (13:15) Is Everest suffering from overtourism (15:00) There are significant dangers of climbing Everest (16:30) Are too many climbers under-trained? (16:30) We discuss ‘overtourism’ more generally (17:00) Lucy has skied in the Lakes (18:30) Her first ski holidays were to Rauris in Austria (20:00) Listen to Iain’s interviews with ski journalists Peter Hardy, Arnie Wilson & Frank Baldwin (21:00) Lucy did an English literature degree, followed by an MA in Magazine Journalism at University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) (22:30) Lucy beat 300 applicants to win a ski internship at the Telegraph (24:00) She won ‘Best Social Media Campaign of the Year’ in the PPA awards in 2017 (30:00) Covid was a ‘career defining moment’ as a travel journalist (31:45) Telegraph model has shifted to subscription (34:45) Longer form content is becoming more popular (35:15) The role of a commissioning editor (36:45) Do journalists need to have video editing skills as well as writing? (39:00) Advice for freelance journalists (40:30) Is AI a threat to journalism? (42:00) The impact of the climate crisis on skiing (43:15) Lucy’s favourite trip was to Chile (46:30) Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Andre As: “Thank you for making another enjoyable podcast! It really shines through that you enjoy skiing and nature.” If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe 3) Book your ski hire with Intersport Rent using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ or take this link There are now 237 episodes of The Ski Podcast. There is so much to listen to in our back catalog: just go to theskipodcast.com and search the tags and categories. All our Equipment Special episodes are available on the Skipedia YouTube channel You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

Today we find out what it’s like skiing down Mont Blanc, learn about skiing in Hokkaido in Japan, plus we cover a drugs bust in Verbier, a cable car crash in Val Thorens and get an update on the Alpine World Cup. Host Iain Martin was joined by Floss Cockle, from FreeFlo Ski Coaching in Tignes and ski journalist and photographer, Mike Richards. Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code All podcast listeners can save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout. SHOW NOTES Mike last appeared reporting from the Northern Ski Show in Episode 224 Mike skied in Wales this month (3:30) Listen to Mike talking about skiing in the Brecon Beacons in Episode 65 (4:30) Alex Irwin from ‘150 Days of Winter’ reported from Tignes and Val Thorens (6:00) We discussed drug dealers in ski resorts back in Episode 33 (8:00) Police have arrested 15 dealers in Verbier (8:30) The Cime de Caron cable car in VT was damaged in an accident (8:45) Lyndsey Vonn has announced that she plans to return to the racing circuit (9:30) Matt Garcka is host of the ‘Skiing is Believing’ podcast (10:00) Mikaela Shiffrin is chasing down her 100th World Cup win (11:45) Listen out for Iain’s interview with British half-pipe skier Zoe Atkin later this winter (13:00) All of our equipment episodes are available on the Skipedia YouTube (13:45) The winners of our listener survey competition are Oliver Rutman & Faye Morton (14:00) Follow ‘The Ski Podcast’ on our WhatsApp channel (14:30) Floss has 5000 followers on her YouTube channel (15:00) In 2021, Floss climbed and skied down the North face of Mont Blanc (21:00) Watch Floss’ playlist about the climb (31:45) Mike told us about Rusutsu in Japan in Episode 170 (32:15) Find out more about the JR Train Pass in Japan (35:00) Mike suggests Hakodate as possible first base in Hokkaido (36:00) Mike’s favourite base in Japan is Otaru (41:00) Asahikawa in the centre of Hokkaido is another option (44:15) Excellent article from Fall Line magazine about train travel in Japan More info about Omo Hotels Asahikawa (45:00) Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Rob Smith: “Episode 225 was a great listen, really enjoyed it. I’m aiming for Austria with the kids, so that advice on skiing for families was great.” Judy Matthews: “Thank you for continuing your fantastic podcast. Not a day goes by that I don't think about the mountains or skiing. Think I live in the wrong country.” Ella Purvis: "I’ve been loving the podcast - it’s getting me hyped for the season ahead! I was just listening to the interview with Chemmy Alcott — it was such an inspiring, uplifting episode for women in snowsports, she is just incredible!” RichB: “There's been some great content recently. The interview with Chemmy Alcott was really interesting, I didn't know her backstory. Wow what a woman!” There are 236 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest. If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Follow us. Just take a look for that button and press it now 2) Give us a review or just leave a comment on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 3) Book your ski hire with Intersport Rent using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ or take this link

In our fifth of this winter’s equipment specials, Iain is joined by equipment expert Al Morgan to look at two vital areas of your winter wardrobe – ski gloves and socks. Previous episodes in this series have included the Best Skis, Ski Boots, Jackets and Helmets and Goggles for winter 2025. This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. Ellis Brigham are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter. Alternatively, simply go to their website at ellis-brigham.com where you can buy online now. SHOW NOTES Try before you buy (3:00) If you’re a skier, go grab a ski pole (4:30) Glove v. mitt v. lobster claw (6:00) How does sizing work for gloves? (8:30) Will my glove work with a touch screen? (9:30) Will wearing a liner keep your hands warm? (10:45) What is a ‘Shell mitt’? (12:00) What is the little strip of fabric across the back of one finger on each glove for? Wool is sustainable, natural and works (15:00) Smartwool are collecting old socks and reclaiming yarn (15:30) For snowboarding gloves, head to The Snowboard Asylum (16:30) Tube socks! (32:30) Do thicker socks keep your feet warmer? (34:00) Is natural better than synthetic fibres? (35:15) THE BEST SKI GLOVES FOR 2025 (17:00) Therm-ic Heat Boot Boost Glovewomen Black Diamond Guide Gore-Tex glove Hestra Fall Line Women’s Glove Reusch Storm R-Tex XT Men’s Glove Salomon Propeller Gore-Tex gloves The North Face Montana Kids Ski Gloves Ellis Brigham’s Choice (28:30) Harry Cavill is Ellis Brigham’s Glove buyer. She chose the Men’s Hestra Army Leather GTX Glove and the Women’s Reusch Cozy Down Mitt. THE BEST SKI SOCKS FOR 2025 (36:30) Therm-ic Powersocks Set - Heat Fusion+ S-pack 1400 BT Smartwool Targeted Cushion Women's Ski Socks Sidas SUREfit Ski Sock Ellis Brigham Wintersport Ski Socks - Twin Pack This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has very kindly been made possible by Ellis Brigham. Ellis Brigham are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter at ellis-brigham.com where you can buy online now. FEEDBACK I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Adam Matthews: "Love the podcast. Many thanks for all the content! I’ve especially enjoyed episodes with Al about kit." Colin: “Goggles and Helmets was another great podcast. I use Zeiss anti-fog spray for my glasses to stop them fogging up while skiing." If you like the podcast, there are two things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify – helps listeners find us 2) Subscribe, so you never miss an episode 3) Or you can Buy Me A Coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast Andrew Brannan: "Through your podcast I blagged a Snow Show ticket for my daughter who is studying down in London. She met Dave Ryding, our household hero. Unbelievable, really can't thank you enough.” Paul Bond: “Thanks for the Helmet & Googles episode with Al’s expert reviews. I went to Ellis Brigham, good service. Got home to a comment of ‘What? More ski kit?’ We now have 235 episodes to catch up with. There is so much to listen to in our back catalog, just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest to you. You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

In the fourth of this winter’s equipment specials, Iain is joined by Al Morgan to look at two really important areas of your winter wardrobe – helmets and goggles. Previous episodes in this series have included the Best Skis, Best Ski Boots and Best Ski Jackets for winter 2025. This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. They are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter. Alternatively, simply go to their website at ellis-brigham.com where you can buy online now.’ SHOW NOTES ‘Fit is King’ Safety Standards (6:00) ‘Multi norm’ helmets (6:30) EPS foam (8:45) MIPS (9:30) Fidlock buckle (11:45) Venting (12:00) Visor Helmets (14:15) Sustainability features (16:00) UV Protection (28:45) Fogging (29:45) How to use a lens cloth (30:45) When to change your lens (32:30) Photochromic lenses (33:45) Colour handling (34:30) The Best Ski and Snowboard Helmets for 2025 · Giro Tor Spherical Helmet, £250 (17:45) · Atomic Savor Visor Helmet, £180 (19:15) · Bern Watts 2.0 MIPS, £160 (21:15) · Salomon Brigade Index Helmet, £110 (23:15) · Oakley Mod1 Helmet, £85 (24:30) ELLIS BRIGHAM’S CHOICE (26:30) Chrissy from Ellis Brigham in Braehead Garden chose the Smith Method Pro MIPS helmet The Best Ski and Snowboard Goggles for 2025 · Julbo Launcher Reactiv, £280 (36:30) · Oakley Line Miner Pro, £259 (39:30) · 100% Snowcraft, £179 (41:30) · Smith Squad S, £125 (42:45) · Bloc Boa Recycle, £48 (44:30) ELLIS BRIGHAM’S CHOICE (45:30) Chrissy from Ellis Brigham in Braehead chose the Dragon DX3 Plus Feedback (48:15) Please contact us on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com James Rice: "Just listened to the Ski Boot episode: excellent, as always. Keep up the great work" Colin: "I got all excited after the ski boot episode and bought my first pair of ski boots: a pair Nordica Speedmachine 3s" David Faller: "Enjoyed Episode 219 about the history of Ellis Brigham" Andrew Greenwood: "Great show guys, very informative about Ski jackets" Try the Picture Organic Naikoon for as a men’s version of the Haakon Stephen Street: “I can’t believe that the subject of ‘pit zips’ were not brought up in the description of these jackets! They are one of the most important ways of controlling heat!” If you like the podcast, there are two things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify – helps listeners find us 2) Subscribe, so you never miss an episode 3) Listen to our back catalog, just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest to you You can also view these equipment specials on the Skipedia YouTube channel You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

In this special episode Iain and Al look at the best ski jackets for 2025. It’s the third in our series of looking at the best snowsports equipment available for winter 2025. In our first two episodes, we looked at the best skis and the ski boots. In later episodes, we’ll look at the best helmets, goggles, gloves and socks, plus there will be a special episode focusing on ski touring equipment. This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. Ellis Brigham are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter. Alternatively, simply go to their website at ellis-brigham.com and you can buy online now. SHOW NOTES Waterproofing (3:00) Taping (7:30) Breathability (8:30) MVTR (9:30) Gore-Tex (10:15) 3-layer (shell) v. 2-layer jackets (11:00) Membranes and Insulation eg PrimaLoft, Thinsulate (13:00) What is a ‘powder skirt’? (15:15) What is ‘Recco’? (16:45) What is DWR? (19:40) Gore-tex EPe (20:00) Mono-material garments (20:30) Find out more about the danger of PFCs (21:00) Iain visited the Arc’teryx repair shop in Covent Garden (22:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Arc’teryx in Episode 218 Al recommends NikWax for cleaning your technical clothing Find out more about Patagonia’s donations to fight climate change (35:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Picture Organic Clothing (37:45) THE BEST SKI JACKETS OF 2025 (25:00) Descente Women’s Welded Down Jacket The North Face Men’s Summit Verbier GORE-TEX Jacket Henri Duvillard Women’s Alicia Ski Jacket Patagonia Storm Shift Jacket Picture Women’s Haakon Jacket ELLIS BRIGHAM’S CHOICE (38:00) Harry Cavill is Ellis Brigham’s skiwear buyer. Her choice for the Best Ski Jacket of the year is the Goldberg Women’s Porter Jacket, £530 Ellis Brigham are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter at ellis-brigham.com where you can buy online now. FEEDBACK (42:30) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Chalets Direct:“Very good overview of the design and material technology of the latest skis and how they perform on the mountain. Fun to listen too.” n-da-bunka2650: “Custom bootfitters sometimes focus on what they have in stock rather than a boot the client may have been interested in.” chrisbristol: “Thanks Iain, enjoying the podcast” If you like the podcast, there are two things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe, so you never miss an episode 3) Share with your friends You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

Joanna Yellowlees-Bound joins Iain for this special episode as we cover her 40-year career in the ski industry, graduating from resort rep to managing director of Erna Low - one of the oldest ski companies in the UK. Joanna is one of the most experienced professionals in the UK ski industry, with a career that spans the first halcyon days of the ski business in the 80s to our post-Brexit world today, including a key role in the development of Arc 1950. We also discuss her new role working with her husband, Mensun Bound, the marine archaeologist who discovered the wreck of Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ under the Antarctic ice. Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code Save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout. SHOW NOTES Currency restrictions applied on foreign holidays (2:30) Club Med beads are back! (3:00) Joanna started working for Erna Low in 1982 (7:00) It was the days of the Telex (12:45) Erna Low’s original advert appeared in The Times in 1932 (15:00) Erna Low represented La Plagne in the UK market in the 1980s (21:00) Joanna became MD of the company in 1996 (23:30) The ERM collapse led to large currency losses (24:30) Joanna took over ownership of Erna Low in 2002 (27:00) In 2003, Joanna founded Erna Low Property (27:30) The Arc 1950 project was developed by Intrawest (29:45) In 2023, Joanna sold Erna Low Property to Francois Marchand in a MBO (31:00) 2012 was the 80th anniversary of Erna Low (31:30) Listen to our special podcast episode on Erna Low with Mark Frary (31:45) Take a look at some of Erna Low's vintage film footage (34:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5B02thqhkQ In 2019, Joanna sold Erna Low Travel to NUCO Travel (35:30) Mensun is a marine archaeologist who found the ‘Endurance’ in March 2022 (37:30) Look out for ‘Endurance’ coming out on Disney+ later this year (39:15) Mensun’s book is called ‘The Ship Beneath The Ice’ (39:45) Feedback (41:30) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com robsmith0179 (IG): “Listened to Episode 217 this morning...I’m now adding St Martin to my visit list!” mattmglx: “I finally got round to clicking 5 stars on Spotify! Thanks for keeping me sane on my commute to work” Pat from Ireland (BMAC): “I really enjoy the podcasts. I mix current episodes with those from your back catalogue. As someone who found skiing in middle age I am completely hooked. Keep up the brilliant work and here's to winter.” If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe 3) Book your ski hire with Intersport Rent using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ or take this link There are now 230 episodes of The Ski Podcast. There is so much to listen to in our back catalog: just go to theskipodcast.com and search the tags and categories. Our equipment specials are being published on the Skipedia YouTube channel. You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

Iain and Al reveal the ‘Best Ski Boots for 2025’, plus we also cover all the jargon you need to know about ski boots, including what Mondopoint and BOA mean, plus the differences between the shell, liner and last. We’ve already covered the best skis, and in later episodes, we’ll be covering the best ski jackets, helmets, goggles, gloves and socks, as well as a special episode focussing on ski touring equipment. This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. Ellis Brigham are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter. Alternatively, simply go to their website at ellis-brigham.com to buy online now. SHOW NOTES Don't buy to match your outfit (2:30) The benefits of footbeds (5:00) What is the ‘shell’? (7:00) What is the ‘liner’? (8:00) How to store your ski boots (10:30) What is the ‘Last’? (11:30) What is ‘Mondopoint’? (12:30) Chat about buckles and BOA (14:00) What is a ‘Powerstrap’? (18:00) What is ‘Flex’? (19:00) What is ‘GripWalk’? (21:00) Find out about the new Phaenom boot range from Faction (26:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Bode Miller (49:00) THE BEST SKI BOOTS OF 2025 Nordica Speed Machine 3 Boa 120 (28:00) ‘An excellent boot for advanced piste and all-mountain skiers’, £530 Head Edge 95 W HV GW (32:00) ‘Brilliant boot if you value comfort and ease of use’, £370 K2 BFC 120 BOA GW (35:45) ‘Built For Comfort’ with enough power for advanced skiers’, £525 Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 105 GW (39:30) Freeride Hybrid Women’s boot with ‘amazing downhill performance’, £590 Scarpa 4Quattro XT (45:15) One of the best freeride boots on the market’, £700 ELLIS BRIGHAM’S CHOICE Toby from Ellis Brigham in Covent Garden chose the Salomon Shift Alpha BOA 130 (49:00) at £700 Feedback (53:30) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com @rosbifsa660 (YouTube) asked about the thin edge on the Nordica Enforcer, included in our ‘Best Skis’ episode, which Al answers (54:00) BigMountainBob (Instagram) asked about the Atomic Bents and DPS freeride skis and adds “The DPS Lotus 124 carbon is my all-time favourite pow ski.” (57:00) James Rice: “Just finished the "Best Skis for 2025" episode. Like all your episodes, this one was outstanding. Al has an excellent command of the subject, and he explains the basic foundational factors that go in to ski selection in an enjoyable and understandable way.” If you like the podcast, there are two things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify – helps listeners find us 2) Subscribe, so you never miss an episode 3) Share with your friends Ellis Brigham are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter. Alternatively, simply go to their website at ellis-brigham.com to buy online now. You can follow Iaiun @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

Iain and Al reveal the ‘Best Skis for 2025’, including Piste skis, All Mountain skis and Freeride skis, plus we help you understand what length skis to buy, as well as what 'rocker' and 'side cut' mean. In later episodes, we’ll be covering the best ski boots, jackets, helmets, goggles, gloves and socks, as well as a special episode focussing on ski touring equipment. This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. Ellis Brigham are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the UK where you can find all the kit you need for this winter. Alternatively, simply go to their website at ellis-brigham.com to buy online now. SHOW NOTES What are the different categories of skis? (2:40) What’s the relevance of width? (4:30) What do we mean by ‘side cut’? (6:00) What is a ‘rocker? (7:30) How long should your skis be? (9:25) Sustainability trends in skis (12:30) Find out more about ADN Skis (14:30) The SIGB Ski Test took place in La Clusaz in January 2024 (16:20) Al regularly does testing at the Glenmore Lodge in Aviemore Listen to Iain’s experience in Scotland in Episode 203 (18:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Bode Miller (20:15) The difference between men’s and women’s skis (20:45) THE BEST SKIS OF WINTER 2024 (18:30) Atomic Cloud C9 (19:00) “For an intermediate skier this is a beautiful piste ski” £500 including bindings. Width 72mm. Length 143cm-164cm Salomon Addikt Pro 76 (22:00) “The Addikt Pro 76 is a sensational piste ski for holiday skiers” £780 including bindings. Width 76mm. Length 156cm-177cm Blizzard Anomaly 88 (24:30) “All Mountain skis that grip like piste skis and when you turn up the throttle, they are amazing” £660 excluding bindings. Width 88mm. Length 164cm-188cm Nordica Enforcer 94 (26:30) “So useable off-piste. Brilliant in the bumps, brilliant in variable terrain” £610 excluding bindings. Width 94mm. Length 167cm-185cm Volkl Secret 96 and Volkl M7 Mantra (29:30) “Sensational freeride skis for off-piste or in powder” £750 excluding bindings. Width 96mm. 149-177cm (Secret), 163-191cm (M7) ELLIS BRIGHAM’S CHOICE Alex from Ellis Brigham in Milton Keynes has his say Rossignol Arcade 84 (33:30) “Probably one of the best skis on the market for that all mountain carving ski” £700 including bindings. Width 84mm. Length 152cm-184cm FEEDBACK (37:00) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, ideas for features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Wayne Hall: "I’ve been a long-time listener of The Ski Podcast—I’ve been tuning in since before the pandemic—and I religiously listen to the pod, especially as I gear up for a ski trip. I really appreciate how you cover the latest in ski gear, travel, and sustainability." David Faller: “Enjoyed the Ellis Brigham episode. Thank you.” There are now 227 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest. If you like the podcast, there are two things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify – it genuinely helps other listeners find us 2) Subscribe – so you never miss an episode You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

Today we find out what’s new at Banff Sunshine Village in Canada and we look into the history of one of the UK’s oldest snowsport retailers, Ellis Brigham. Plus, we have the latest gossip on which European destination Vail Resorts are planning to buy next. Host Iain Martin was joined by Kendra Scurfield, VP Brand and Communications at Banff Sunshine Village ski resort and Mark Brigham, Marketing Director at Ellis Brigham. SHOW NOTES Vail Resorts have been linked strongly with Laax (3:45) Vail Resorts are ‘not buying Verbier’ (4:45) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GZD8jeQKjr8 POWDR are selling several resorts (4:45) There have been serious floods in St Anton in Austria (6:30) The new European Sleeper service from Brussels to Innsbruck & Bolzano (7:00) Ellis Brigham is 90 years old and still family owned (8:30) The business was founded in 1933 by Frederick Ellis Brigham (9:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Awe-sKyNhm8 In Episode 218 Arcteryx told us about their ReBird programme (10:45) Sons Bob & Ellis took over in the 1950s The first store in Manchester and first catalog 'The Mountaineers Gadgeteer' (13:15) The Ellis Brigham ‘White Book' first appeared in the 1980s (15:15) The Snowboard Asylum was created in 1989 (16:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Stu Brass (19:30) Ellis Brigham won ‘Outdoor retailer Of The Year‘ 2024 (21:00) Our Equipment special episodes with Al Morgan start on 27 September Banff Sunshine Village had snow in August (21:30) There are just two snow cannons! (22:30) Their new heated 6-person Poma chairlift will be the first in North America (23:30) The Mountain Collective pass is a great option for a road trip in Canada (25:30) Find out more about the Ikon Pass (26:30) Ski Big 3 will be at the Ikon stand at London Show (27:30) Feedback (28:30) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Shazza: “Love these conversations to get us excited for the ski season! We went to the Dolomites with Inspired Italy last season. It was an amazing adventure; great terrain, food, and people." Jay Roh: "Excellent interview with Bode Miller" You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

We find out about the ski resort of St Martin de Belleville in Les 3 Vallées, what it’s like driving an electric car up the 21 hairpin bends that take you to Alpe d’Huez, plus we look at a brilliant new initiative to raise funds for British skiers. Iain was joined by Vanessa Fisher and Simon McIntyre, MD at Igluski.com and down the line by Scott Dobson from Alpine 100. SHOW NOTES Vanessa shared what it’s like taking part in the Inferno Downhill race in Murren in Episode 70 (1:00) We featured the London and Northern ski shows in Episodes 215 and 216 (3:45) To get free tickets to the London show, use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ (4:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Dave Ryding (4:20) Scott Dobson is one of the founders of the Alpine 100 project (4:30) Find out more about the Alpine 100 project (9:30) Visit the official website of St Martin de Belleville (10:00) Jerusalem is one of many people’s favourite run in Les 3 Vallées (13:00) ‘La Belle Ville’ is a new sports centre with an outdoor pool (14:00) Le Brelin is an award-winning piece of architecture (18:00) Les Menuires holds a Yoga Festival every year (20:30) Listen to Iain’s report from the Yoga Festival from 2019 (21:30) Simon was previously in Episode 176, talking about driving an EV to Val d'Isère (22:00) Ionity is one of the main suppliers of electric chargers in Europe (25:00) Iain drove out to the Alps in a Tesla Y in 2022 (28:00) Regenerative charging adds miles to your range when going downhill (31:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xthOeIsk3Mc Iglu’s survey shows being ‘snowsure’ is the most important factor in choosing a resort (32:45) It also shows that 57% of people rent skis, but that 83% own their own boots (35:00) Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code Save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout. Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Jonny Richards: "Keep up the good work" Zero_cool: "As always an amazing interview [with Paddy Graham]. I learnt so much from this episode that I completely missed from the early 2000’s, despite being there in it all." David Lindsay: "Another great episode with Paddy Graham: what a star he is!" Pablo: "It was great to hear about Scotland [in Episode 203]” If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribing is a great idea. If you’re listening online now, just click that button now 3) Buy me a coffee at BuyMeACoffee.com/theskipodcast You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

In this episode we focus on Courchevel, including an update on the Saulire cable car and how the resort is surviving without Russians, plus we discuss summer in Les 2 Alpes and find out about the new Northern Snow Show. Iain was joined live by Alex Armand, from Tip Top Ski Coaching in Les 2 Alpes and YouTuber Alex Irwin from 150 Days of Winter as well as down the line by Ian Brown from Chill Factore, Manchester. SHOW NOTES Find out more about the new Jandri 3S lift in Les 2 Alpes in Episode 209 (3:45) The Les 2 Alpes glacier has an excellent snow park (4:30) Saharan sand has been regularly seen in France in recent years (8:00) The snow is looking much better in Australia and New Zealand (9:00) Ian Brown is MD at Chill Factore in Manchester (10:00) Find out about the Northern Snow Snow here (12:45) The village of La Berarde was severely damaged by floods (13:30) The Mountain of Hell is a mountain biking event unlike any other! (20:00) https://youtu.be/b8D8wrF8d0Q Sam Haddad spoke about the new lift in La Grave in Episode 214 (21:30) Alex Irwin runs the YouTube channel, 150 Days of Winter (22:00) The Saulire cable car in Courchevel will reopen in December 2024 (24:00) The cabins were damaged in testing in 2021 (25:00) https://twitter.com/skipedia/status/1446031205976186886 Watch Candide Thovex ski the Courchevel couloirs (27:30) The 2023 Winter Olympics are coming to France (28:30) Opposition to the Games is coming from the 'NoJo' campaign Watch Alex’s video of the Val Thorens ice cave (30:30) Is Courchevel collapsing now the Russians have left? (32:00) Discover the gondola graveyard (33:45) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a884-2JgdsY Listen to Iain’s interview with Peter Landsman from LiftBlog (34:45) Alex volunteered to be a test subject for avalanche dogs (35:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyqgShN1z1I You can buy Alex’s tshirts on his website Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com I’d like to thank Sasha Ryazantsev for buying me a coffee: "Thanks for the podcasts. I always listen to them as they remind me of all the places we've skied and boarded over the years." If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe so you never miss an episode 3) Buy Me A Coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

We discuss the latest ski news from Australia, get an update on summer skiing in Tignes and Val d’Isere and find out about this autumn’s London Snow Show. We also look into how SBIT are lobbying for more trains to the Alps and the possible Youth Mobility Scheme, which would be great news for young people wanting to do a ski season. Iain was joined by Australia specialist and founder of the Snowbest.com website, Rachael Oakes-Ash and Diane Palumbo, Sales and Marketing Director at Skiworld and down the line by Alex Irwin, John Yates-Smith and Lindsey Coleman. SHOW NOTES Rachael’s vote goes to Whitewater in Canada (2:20) Diane is voting for Jackson Hole (2:45) Check out Corbet’s Couloir (3:15) Alex from the YouTube channel 150 Days of Winter was in Tignes (5:20) John Yates Smith from YSE Ski is based in Val d'Isère (7:00) There has been major flooding in Zermatt, which was cut off for 24 hours (8:00) The village of Berarde, in the Ecrins National Park, was devastated by floods (8:15) Lindsey Coleman is Event Director of the National Snow Show (9:15) The show will take place at Excel in London from 19-20 October (10:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Bode Miller (10:45) You can still secure free tickets using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ Snow Travel Expo takes place in Sydney and Melbourne in May each year (14:00) SBiT stands for Seasonal Businesses in Travel (15:45) Find out more about train travel at Ski Flight Free (18:45) Skiworld offer 68 catered chalets and employ 120 staff (20:45) Why we have seen price inflation in UK ski holidays (22:00) Listen to Episode 180 to find out more about how to get a ski job in a ski resort (23:00) A Youth Mobility Scheme has been suggested within the EU (24:00) Rachael was last on the show in Episode 97 (27:45) For info about skiing in Australia check out Rachael’s website Snowsbest Australia and New Zealand have seen fresh snowfall this week (30:30) Listen to Iain’s episode about Perisher and Thredbo (32:00) Thredbo have opened their new luge (32:30) There’s also a new Olympic half-pipe (33:15) Scotty James is an Olympic medal winning Australian snowboarder (34:00) Perisher is owned by Vail Resorts (37:00) Lift queue memes in Perisher (38:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Mike Goar from Vail Resorts (39:45) Climate change is affecting Australian ski resorts (40:00) The slow Aldi ski sale reflects the cost of living pressure on Australian skiing Feedback (44:00) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Lozza (Apple Podcasts): "Every episode is a little ski holiday" Richard Sideways (Snowheads): "Good interview with Stu Brass. I remember the old SCUK forum days.” Alex Hayman: "Really enjoyed the chat with Paddy Graham last month." If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe 3) Buy Me A Coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast. There are 220 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest to you.

We find out about the off-piste resort of La Grave and the state of the snowsports market in the USA, including ways to tackle climate change and bring newcomers to the sport. Iain was joined by freelance journalist, Sam Haddad and Nick Sargent, President of the SIA (Snowsports Industries America). SHOW NOTES Utah offers ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth’ (3:30) Marcel Hirscher is coming out of retirement to compete for Netherlands (4:30) LISTEX Luxury took place last week in London (5:15) Research by The Ski Club of Great Britain showed that luxury ski trips represent 4% of the market by pax, 21% by trips and 50% by value (7:30) The new Northern Snow Show will take place at Chill Factore in October (8:00) Nick previously worked as a boot fitter on the World Cup race circuit, working with skiers such as Alberto Tomba (11:00) Find out more about the SIA (Snowsports Industries America) (12:30) The number of skier visits in the States went down 7.6% last winter (14:30) https://x.com/skipedia/status/1803779843412160532 There are roughly 60m skier days in the States v. 2m active skiers in the UK (16:00) The Share Winter campaign is bringing newcomers to skiing and snowboarding (19:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Stu Brass about the AIM series schools education (21:00) “Climate change is the no.1 threat to the sport in the States” (21:00) Find out about the SIA’s ‘Climate United’ initiative (22:00) Iain spoke with Mike Goar from Vail Resorts Europe in Episode 204 (25:00 The importance of Epic/Ikon passes (28:00) Epic revenue was up last winter Sam was on the show discussing the impact of climate change in Episode 179 (29:00) Sam’s blog is called ‘Climate and Board Sports’(29:30) Find out about ‘NoJO’ (30:30) The 2030 Winter Olympics are due to be held in the French Alps (31:00) Link to the official La Grave website (33:00) Read Sam’s article about La Grave on The Guardian (33:30) Liste to Iain’s interviews with Peter Hardy and Arnie Wilson (37:30) The top lift in La Grave is due to be replaced with a new cable car (39:30) Find out about the new Jandri lift in Les 2 Alpes in Episode 209 (40:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz0hrmQgVGg Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com James Rice: "Episode 204 was another great episode. Love the podcast, thanks! " Adam Fisher: "Episode 213 (with Stu Brass) was great" Steve Holding: "Really love the podcast, especially the equipment episodes and the features on different resorts" Bobnmillsy (Apple Podcasts): “Excellent podcast covering an incredible range of topics. The special episodes are particularly good giving fascinating insights into the worlds of the ski industry A list from a very well researched and skilled interviewer” If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe 3) Buy Me A Coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com There are 219 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up. There is so much to listen to in our back catalog, just go to www.theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest to you. You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

This is a special interview with Stu Brass - co-founder of ‘The Brits’, snowboard advisor to film & TV (including ‘Chalet Girl’ and ‘The Jump’) and ex-pro snowboarder. If you have followed skiing or snowboarding in the UK in the last two decades you will have seen Stu’s work. He co-founded ‘The Brits’ – the British freestyle championships – and his expertise in running events has meant that he worked on the movie ‘Chalet Girl’, the Channel 4 series ‘The Jump’ and has built pretty much every kicker you’ve seen at a UK ski show. SHOW NOTES Watch Alex’s video on the ice tunnel in Val Thorens (2:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Chris Moran (2:30) The 2024 Brits took place at Tamworth Snowdome (3:00) View images from the event on the Brits Facebook page (4:15) Listen to Iain’s interview with Tim Warwood (5:00) The Brits will take place in Mayrhofen, Austria in 2025 (7:40) Stu learned to snowboard at Rossendale Dry Slope (11:15) Stu’s first season was in Les Arcs with his brother Russ, @chrismoran_hbt, Steve Bailey and @markkent35 Stu’s cliff drop pic was featured in Transworld, Onboard, Snow Surf (16:00) In 1998 Stu won the British Halfpipe Championships in Saas Fee (17:30) Snowboarding first featured in the Winter Olympics at Nagano in 1998 (18:00) Stu met Jenny Jones in Tignes and encouraged her to come to the British Champs (20:00) On a career direction change to becoming an agent (22:00) ‘Show me the money’ (22:40) Damian Norman encouraged more snowboarding and features at the Ski Show (26:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Jim Adlington (27:30) Stu created the AIM Series (29:00) Creating slopes with real snow at the ski shows (33:00) Shipping snow from Holland to Austria for ‘The Greatest Snowman’ (35:00) Working on the movie ‘Chalet Girl’ (36:00) The TV programme ‘The Jump’ ran on Channel 4 for four seasons (39:00) Competitors included Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Bradley Wiggins, Rebecca Adlington and Louis Smith Find out about The Brits on their website (50:00) Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Subscribe, so you never miss an episode 2) You can review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or leave us a comment on Facebook, Insta, Twitter or YouTube. 3) You are very welcome to buy me a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast There are now 218 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. There is so much to listen to in our back catalog, just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you’re bound to find something of interest to you. You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

In Episode 212 we find out about Valle Nevado and Portillo in Chile, what it’s like being a resort rep for the Ski Club of Great Britain and check in on a possible direct London-Geneva train. Iain Martin was joined by travel journalist, Lou Cameron-Hall and artist and snowsports blogger, Martina Diez-Routh. SHOW NOTES Katie Bamber wrote this article on summer ski options (2:00) Iain skied in Saas Fee in the summer of 2020, covered in Episode 57 (3:20) Australia and NZ have had their first snow (3:30) Chalet company Alpine Action has ceased trading (4:00) Listen to Episode 180 to find out more about the impact of Brexit on recruitment (4:30) In Episode 95, Iain spoke with Diane Palumbo from Skiworld, who is on the SBiT committee (4:45) Find out more about the Ski Club Consumer Survey in this blog post on Skipedia (5:00) The Youth Mobility Scheme has not been welcomed by UK politicians(5:15) The flight represents 60-70% of the carbon footprint of your ski holiday (5:45) You can find out more about Inghams’ sustainability plans in Episode 185 and Episode 160 (6:00) Nadine McCormick set up the petition calling for London-Geneva direct train service (6:00) You can sign the petition here (13:45) Eurostar also confirmed last week that they going to increase their fleet size by 30% (14:00) The Brits took place last weekend at SnowDome Tamworth (14:00) Iain interviewed Paddy Graham in Episode 211 to find out how ski movies like this were made (24:45) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbqHK8i-HdA Martina joined us for Episode 87 and Episode 50 covering the Aosta Valley (15:30) Valle Nevado and Portillo are the two main ski resorts in Chile There’s only one accommodation option in Portillo (18:30) The sling-shot lift in Portillo takes some practice… (21:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRN9gKUDNak Valle Nevado links to El Colorado and La Parva (23:30) Mountain Capital Partners have bought La Parva (24:00) Valle Nevado is on the Ikon Pass (25:00) Listen to our feature on Perisher and Thredbo in Episode (27:00) Lou went on the Ski Club of Great Britain reps course (27:45) The Ski Club of Great Britain celebrated their 120th birthday in 2023 (35:00) Find out more about the Les 2 Alpes-Alpe d'Huez gondola link in Episode 93 (39:43) Feedback (38:00) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Robert Stone: "I recently discovered your podcast and found it very enjoyable. I skimmed previous episodes and was surprised to see you've never covered the Brit favourite of Sauze d'Oulx. It suffered an unfair reputation as a Benidorm-on-snow resort in the 90s, particularly after a very sneering Wish You Were Here episode. It's actually a charming old town and has a fabulous ski area linking to the huge Vialattea" Paul Bond: "Episode 210 was as ever great listening. I've skied all over Europe and finally skied in Baqueira in March. Plenty of challenge with a unique vibe but also easy for a mixed ability family to ski the same mountains and meet up. My top tip: Hire a car from Toulouse and stay in Vielha in valley: a great old town with lots of accommodation and good value eateries." Hayder Fekaiki from www.myskibuddy.app: "I hope it’s been a successful season and thank you for a very enjoyable podcast." If you like the podcast, I’d really appreciate it if you could give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. ‘Every Nickname is taken’ recently gave us a review on Apple Podcasts: “I like listening to the Ski Podcast when I’m driving up and down the country: there’s a great variety of guests and tons of useful information. It also reminds me of all the places we’ve skied and boarded over the years, while also giving me new ideas where to target next. Keep going and maybe one day we’ll meet on the slopes!” There is so much to listen to in our back catalog, just go...

This special episode is an interview with pro-skier and filmmaker Paddy Graham. Paddy was one of the first wave of British freeskiers who burst out of the UK dry slope and indoor scene into the international arena in the early-2000s. Paddy is an extremely accomplished freeride and freestyle skier, but is best known for the incredibly creative ski films that he's starred in and produced, as co-founder of the legendary production company Legs of Steel. SHOW NOTES Legs of Steel started in 2009 (2:45) Paddy learned to ski at Sheffield Ski Village (6:00) Sheffield Ski Village had its own ‘fun park’ (8:00) Natives organised ‘The New Breed’ quarter-pipe comp at the Birmingham Ski Show Listen to Iain’s interview with Pat Sharples (10:00) Stu Brass organised the AIM series (11:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Jim Adlington, founder of Planks Clothing (12:15) Paddy went to Serre Chevalier with Ben Hawker and Noddy Gowans (13:30) He followed that with a trip to the States to film ‘Rad’ (16:00) Murray Buchan, James Kilner, James Carr and Laura Berry, Adam Gendle, Ed Leigh, Tim Warwood, Matt Barr and Jonny Verity were also on the trip (17:45) Red Bull asked Paddy to go for the Sochi Olympics (19:30) The ski movie ‘Same Difference’ in 2017 featured THE kicker (22:00) The kicker was created in Livigno (23:30) They needed to hit the kicker between 110-117 km/h (26:30) “It was like being shot out of a cannon!” (28:30) The second attempt at jumping did not go so well (31:00) ‘Action Men’ came out in 2020 (33:30) Legs of Steel crew produced ‘The Ultimate Run’ with Markus Eder in 2021 (33:45) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbqHK8i-HdA Paddy shot in Sheffield in 2023 after Storm Larissa (38:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb9lZlLMLUk Watch Paddy’s ‘How To’ features for Red Bull (45:00) 'Skiers Jump over chairlift' was filmed for Red Bull at Mammoth Mountain (45:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1P0SeYt2TA Listen to Iain’s interview with Kirsty Muir (48:00) Paddy has been on some very long bike rides! (49:45) Find out more about Stance Ski Socks (52:00) Advice for aspiring filmmakers and skiers (57:00) Paddy wears a range of Stance socks which all feature Freshtek and Infiknit™ technology; Sargent Snow, Flynn Snow and Baron Snow. Freshtek Performance Mesh keeps you cool with maximised airflow and breathability, whilst Stance’s Infiknit™ technology never rips, never tears. FEEDBACK I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or theskipodcast@gmail.com Tim Boyse: "I think I was “that guy“ you recently mentioned who listened to your very first episode. I retired to the Swiss Alps in 2017 and have listening since then. I loved the early episodes with Jim, but I have to say the podcast has gone from strength to strength since you took it on alone. Keep up the good work - you keep giving me so many ideas I can’t keep up." rms1765 (Apple Podcasts): “I love the mix of guests on this podcast and everything you are doing to raise awareness about issues facing skiing.” If you like the podcast, there are a couple of things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe and every episode will automatically be downloaded for you There are now 216 episodes to catch up with, and 91 were listened to in the last week. 50% of our listeners were in the UK, 18% in the States and the remaining 32% across the world, including Portugal, Taiwan and Brazil. You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast.

We discuss Baqueira Beret in Spain and finding out about skiing in China – the fastest growing ski market in the world. Iain was joined by freelance journalist, Gabriella Le Breton and Justin Downes, President of Axis Leisure, who specialise in resort development in China. SHOW NOTES Gaby last skied in Andermatt (1:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Mike Goar, CEO of Vail Resorts in Andermatt (2:00) [Video] Things Americans find shocking about skiing in Europe! (3:30) Justin was last on snow at the indoor slope in Wuhan, China (4:15) Andy Butterworth from Kaluma Ski skied in St Anton and Ischgl (5:00) The Black Eyed Peas are playing at Ischgl’s closing party (6:45) Susie Burt reported from Chamonix (8:00) Alex Armand from Tip Top Ski Coaching is in Les 2 Alpes (9:45) Listen to Iain’s interview in Episode 209 about the new Jandri 3S lift (11:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz0hrmQgVGg Les 2 Alpes will remain open until 07 July Huge thank you to Messy Weekend for replacing the ski goggles I lost in Verbier (14:30) Take a look at the Vallon vizors here (15:15) Gaby visited Baqueira Beret in the Spanish Pyrénées (16:14) Heliskiing is possible in Baqueira (25:00) Gaby stayed with Emerald Stay on her trip Justin previously worked at Whistler and Kicking Horse in Canada (28:00) He then managed Hotham in Australia (30:00) Justin is now President of Axis Leisure (31:45) China has more indoor snowdomes than the rest of the world combined (32:15) There were around 30m skier days in China in 23/24, compared with around 50m in the USA (33:30) Justin expects China will become the biggest snowsports market in the world in 2025 (34:15) Eileen Gu and Su Yuming are huge influences on the growth of Chinese skiing (43:15) Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Oliver Rutman: "Really great episode with Xavier De La Rue" Quin Rescigno: "I found your podcast recently and have enjoyed listening." Darren Jer: "Congrats on getting the new Vail Resorts executive of Andermatt on your show." If you like the podcast, there are two things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe (find all the links here at PodFollow) There are 215 episodes to catch up with and 134 were listened to in the last week. In the last week, 56% of our listeners were in the UK, 13% in the States and the remaining 31% across the world, including Turkey, Vietnam and Japan. You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

We discuss Les 2 Alpes in France, Trysil in Norway and find out more about a great new way of travelling to the snow on your ski holiday. Iain was joined by freelance journalist, Rebecca Miles and Tarrant Anderson, founder of Vans For Bands. Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code Save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout. SHOW NOTES David George joined me to discuss the impact of climate change on ski resorts in Episode 206 (3:30) Simon Burgess was in Flaine (3:45) Steve Angus reported from Val d'Isère (4:45) Alex Irwin from 150 Days of Winter reported from Courchevel (6:20) Iain took part in the X3 Triathlon in Courchevel in 2022 (7:00) It was the warmest start to April ever in France, hitting 29C in Grenoble & 27C in Albertville (8:15) This winter was already the third warmest winter in France (8:30) Lobbying is underway for a direct Train from London to GVA (8:45) Take a look at this year’s ski April Fools in this Skipedia blog post (9:15) Vail Resorts themed April Fools including Disney buying Vail Resorts & Vail buys Alterra(12:30) Les 2 Alpes is a great trip for older teens looking for apres-ski! (13:30) Highly recommended is the Umbrella Bar (14:00) Anthony Guzman is Sales & Marketing Director at Les 2 Alpes lift company AEON (14:15) SATA has rebranded as AEON (15:15) You can find out more about the new Jandri 3S lift here (17:00) Iain drove to Les 2 Alpes in a 9-seater luxury splitter minivans from Vans For Bands (23:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tYRSizJYAE Vans For Bands was founded in 2006 (23:15) The VFB coaches are like ‘hotels on wheels’ (26:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Bode Miller (27:00) There is SO MUCH storage space (31:00) Vans cost from £145pd to rent, including insurance, breakdown cover & snow chains You can drive a splitter van on a regular driving licence (33:15) Read Bec’s article about Trysil in The Telegraph (34:30) Becs flew into Scandinavian Mountain Airport (35:30) Find out more about Trysil ski resort (39:00) Have a look at the piste map for Trysil (40:30) Is Salen the closest ski resort to an airport? (42:15) Find out more about train travel to ski resorts at Ski Flight Free (46:00) Becs booked group train travel with Eurostar and SNCF at a good discount (46:45) Feedback (43:30) I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Adam Fisher: "Really enjoy listening to the podcast, you're doing a great job. It helps me out with a bit of research. I'll just let you know that I am your English but Mexican listener as I spend a bit of time over there" Michael Hart: "Enjoyed listening to The Ski Podcast as usual. I appreciate the work you do both on sustainability, but mindful of the difficulties that skiers in the north/Scotland have with train travel. I have taken the decision to offset my carbon to mitigate air travel, but the lack of economically viable train option from Manchester and similar areas remains a problem." Andy Aitkenhead: "I found the recent episode on Andermatt and Vail Resorts of interest - I was in Andermatt just before the deal was announced. I'm heading to Engelberg in just over a week. I'm currently wrestling over travel - given my concerns around climate change. Currently my calculations are that it will be cheaper to fly. I wondered whether you have any tips for reducing the cost over the Eurostar and SNCF published prices. Keep up the good work with the podcast." If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe 3) Book your ski hire with Intersport Rent using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout You can...

This episode is a special interview with professional snowboarder Xavier De La Rue. We speak about his competitive past, the cliff named after him in Verbier, his move into film making and adventures in places such as Alaska, Svalbard and Antarctica. We also discuss his almost fatal avalanche and how it changed his views about risk-taking. Finally, we talk about sustainability and his Audi Experience Camps taking place in Verbier this winter. Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code Save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout. SHOW NOTES Xavier broke his ribs while taking time off from filming in Lobufen (1:00) FIS bought the Freeride World Tour in 2022 (3:00) Watch the Freeride World Tour on YouTube To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Verbier Extrme this amazing night shot was captured (4:30) Xavier went to Antarctica in November 2023 (6:00) The trip involved crossing Drake’s Passage (8:30) The Svalbard adventure took place in 2016 (11:00) Xavier took brother Victor with him to Alaska (14:00) Victor won the Freeride World Tour for the third time in 2024 (15:00) Xavier’s daughter Mila is also on the Challenger Tour (15:45) Xavier is from St Lary in the French Pyrénées (17:00) Iain skied in the Bruson sector of Verbier in March 2024 (19:00) Watch Xavier’s ‘How to’ videos on YouTube (20:15) Learn how to ski on ice! (20:45) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjfh9F9eT34 We discuss Xavier’s avalanche experience (22:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6EXW_e2ETU “Paranoia can be a good thing” (24:00) Xavier has clear views on air bags (26:30) Listen to Xavier’s sustainability podcasts (31:30) Find out about the Audi Experience camps (32:00) Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe 3) Book your ski hire with Intersport Rent using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

We find out more about Val Cenis and the Haute Maurienne area of France as well as discoving what the skiing in Slovenia is like. Iain was joined by freelance journalists Katja Gaskell and Rob Rees. Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code Save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout. SHOW NOTES Katja was last on the show in Episode 197, sharing her tips on skiing with children (0:30) Rob was last on the show in Episode 186, discussing glacier skiing in Austria (1:00) Find out more about the Dolomites in Episode 192 (1:30) Tim from Inspired Italy reported from the Italian Dolomites (3:45) Alex Armand from Tip Top Ski Coaching is in Les 2 Alpes (5:20) Andy Butterworth from Kaluma Ski is in St Anton (5:30) Team GB telemarker Jasmin Taylor was last on the show in Episode 200 (8:30) Jasmin won two Crystal Globes at the World Cup Finals - with 11 podiums and 5 wins this season British Slalom Champion Reece Bell is Martin Bell’s daughter and Graham Bell’s niece (9:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Martin Bell here Freddie Carrick-Smith (just) beat twin brother Zac Carrick-Smith the Junior Slalom and Senior GS (9:45) Iain interviewed Zac in Episode 200 about his double gold at the Youth Olympic Games (10:15) Katja was in Val Cenis in the Haute Maurienne area of France (10:30) Bonneval-sur-Arc has lots of ski touring options for both novice and advanced (12:30) Bessans is a centre for biathlon and cross-country skiing (15:00) Iain travelled to Orelle by train from Paris to Modane and covered this in Episode 165 (20:15) Rob flew to Lublijana in Slovenia (22:15) Rob skied at Krvavec, Vogel and Rogla ski resorts (24:30) Listen to Iain’s experience of skiing in Abruzzo in Episode (29:00) Rob visited the Elan Skis museum (31:15) Elan introduced the first ‘parabolic’ ski in 1993/94 (33:00) Find out more about the Julian Alps International Ski Pass (34:15) Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, I like to know what you think, especially about our features so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Andrew Brannan: "I enjoyed today's interview with Frank Baldwin. I am sure you could get him back on, sounds like he has a hundred more stories in him." James: "Love the podcast. I was keenly interested in your interview with Mike Goar from Vail Resorts. I also found the two recent episodes discussing the resorts in Norway fascinating. Keep up the good work." If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help: 1) Review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 2) Subscribe 3) Book your ski hire with Intersport Rent using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast