199: Dave 'The Rocket' Ryding, Ski Racer

An exclusive interview with Britain’s most successful Alpine skier, Dave ‘The Rocket’ Ryding. Dave is the only Briton to win a World Cup Alpine Ski race, as well as being the oldest skier ever to achieve that feat. With seven World Cup podiums to his name, he is leading the way for the next generation of British skiers.

In this chat we discuss the new talent that is breaking through, his training, his team mates (including Laurie Taylor’s controversial moustache!) and what it’s really like on race day.

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SHOW NOTES

Dave was last on the podcast in Episode 54 during the Covid lockdown (1:30)
Dave next race will be in Chamonix (2:00)
It was raining heavily at the Schladming Night Race (3:00)
Dave is the oldest ever winner of a World Cup slalom race (4:45)
He made his debut at Alta Badia in Dec 2011 (5:15)
Dave had a gondola named after him in Kitzbuhel (7:00)
Why does Dave do so well on the second run? (8:00)
What do you do in the gap between the first and second run (9:15)
Dave can average 119 bpm heart rate for an entire race day (11:30)
Dave has run sub-17 minutes in his local parkrun (14:00)
At Madonna di Campiglio Dave became the 2nd oldest to podium after Giuliano Razzoli (18:30)
At Kitzbuhel, there were 3 British skiers in the top 10 for the first time (19:00)
Check out Laurie's YouTube channel 'Behind the Brits' (22:45)
The team have to move around over 100 slalom gates and 50 pairs of skis (24:00)
The rest of the team are Tristan Glasse-Davies, Jai Geyer, Alain Baxter & Brad Morgan (25:45)
Listen to Lesley McKenna talking about Alain Baxter’s medal win in 2002
Should Laurie ever grow a moustache? (31:00)
Zak Carrick-Smith looks an amazing talent (32:00)
You can buy ‘Rocket’ merchandise at Ski Racing Supplies (36:00)

Cover photo courtesy of @chemmyski

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