Alpine 100: How a £5 Lottery Supports Britain’s Ski Stars

CarveCast Episode 24 welcomes Scott Dobson, trustee of the Alpine 100 Trust — a charity supporting British winter sports athletes through financial grants for equipment, training and travel. We break down how the grant system works, how athletes can apply, why funding is such a serious barrier in ski racing, and how the UK ski pathway runs from plastic dry slopes through to elite performance levels.

The Alpine 100 Trust runs through a monthly lottery. Five pounds per ticket. Members can buy as many as they like. At the end of each month the prize pot is split across four winners while the remaining fifty percent goes directly into athlete support grants. Once an athlete has been a member for six months they can apply for help with ski gear, training camps or travel costs. For many this is one of the only reliable ways to secure funding while progressing through the expensive world of ski racing.

We also explore how race athletes come through the system, how national governing bodies select talent, why academies in Europe cost so much, and how heavily parents often have to self fund. Scott shares decades inside the industry — from racing, coaching, military skiing and repping equipment — giving a rare overview of how skiing has changed and where support is most needed.

We also talk ski equipment evolution, carving skis, the shift from long straight skis, BOA boot systems, retail trends and post covid recovery. If you care about British skiing, athlete development or the future of the sport, this episode is worth your time.

Join or learn more about Alpine 100

https://www.alpine100.org

Watch and listen to CarveCast

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheCarveCast

Podcast https://carvecast.podbean.com

Website https://thecarvecast.com

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Business email adam@thehouse.tv

Podcast email mrthaibox123@gmail.com

Chapters

00.00 Alpine 100 overview

02.54 How the lottery funds athletes

05.26 Grant application process

08.26 Why the trust was created

11.20 Race pathway from dry slope to national level

14.12 Funding challenges in British ski racing

16.50 Scott’s journey in the ski world

19.58 Skiing within the British Army

22.53 Military skiing still active today

26.17 Scott’s favourite resorts

28.05 Carving ski evolution

32.10 BOA boot system discussion

34.35 Covid effect on skiing and recovery

38.06 How to join and support Alpine 100

43.01 Lottery prize breakdown and grant eligibility

Keywords

Alpine 100 Trust, ski racing, charity, athlete support, winter sports, fundraising, UK skiing, ski equipment, military skiing, covid recovery, carving skis, racing development, CarveCast