173: British Backcountry, Pays de Gex & Freeride World Tour Finals
We discuss backcountry skiing in Scotland, Pays de Gex in France and the Freeride World Tour final in Verbier. Iain was joined by ski journalist Catherine Murphy, instructor and film-maker George Treble and founder of British Backcountry, Blair Aitken. 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 You can vote for ‘The Ski Podcast’ as ‘Best Wilderness Podcast’ in the Sports Podcast Awards (0:30) Catherine was last on the show in Episode 99 telling us about the ski scene in Ireland George is based in Morzine and is an instructor at the Avoriaz Alpine Ski School Dave Burrows (SnowPros Ski School) reported from Glacier 3000 in Switzerland (3:45) Andy Butterworth (Kaluma Ski) is based in St Anton, Austria (5:15) Rob Rees was out in the Aosta Valley in Italy (07:45) Simon Burgess was reporting from Andermatt in Switzerland (08:30) The Ski Podcast is sponsored by Les 3 Vallees - the largest ski area in the world (9:30) Iain spoke to Tom & Olivier in Episode 172 about Les 3 Vallees Enduro Listen to Iain’s report on the Dynastar X3 Triathlon in Episode 93 (10:00) You can watch ’10 in a Weekend’ here (10:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWqb4CHQEEI Find out more about action cameras and iPhones in Episode 171 (17:30) This is the cover shot of the film, showing Blair abseiling down Angel’s Face (19:30) Blair runs British Backcountry, with his business partner, Gav Carruthers (23:00) The Brits took place in Cairngorm last weekend (27:30) Olympians who turned out included Murray Buchan, Lesley McKenna and Kirsty Muir (28:00) Our next episode will be a special interview with Kirsty Muir Find out more about Pays de Gex in France and the ski areas (29:00) Iain reported from Abruzzo in Episode 170 (31:30) Try the zip wire in Pays de Gex (33:30) Jane Shah reported from the Freeride World Tour final in Verbier (36:00) Jane spoke with multiple winner at Verbier, Reine Barkered (39:00) Nicolas Hale Woods is the co-founder of the Freeride World Tour (40:00) Secure a free ticket to this October's Snow Shows with the code 'SKIPODCAST' Feedback (44:30) 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 Faustian: "Brilliant podcast. As ever wish it was more frequent. Loved the interview with Ed Leigh" Sassman1: "Wholesome, inspiring, addictive. This podcast evokes so many good memories and gets me very excited for many more to be made in the mountains" Ann Bennett: "Great podcast" InsideMorzine: "Quite simply the best out there!" The Comfortable Spot Podcast: "Loved your chat with Ed and the episode about Afghanistan" There are over 170 episodes to catch up with so don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you enjoy the pod, you can always Buy Me A Coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast on social
6 Apr 202347min
172: The Haute Route, Off-Piste in Verbier & Les 3 Vallées Enduro
We discuss the famous Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, plus we look in detail at Verbier in Switzerland. Iain was joined by ski journalists Katie Bamber and Tristan Kennedy. 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 Katie was last on the show in Episode 168 talking about #VanLife (0:30) Read Katie’s piece about Jackson Hole, Wyoming here (1:00) Tristan was calling in from the Hotel Suisse in Champery, Switzerland (2:15) Please vote for The Ski Podcast in the ‘Best Wilderness’ category in the Sports Podcast Awards (4:30) The Ski Podcast is sponsored by Les 3 Vallées - the largest ski area in the world Winter Legacy event in Courchevel is organised by Alexis Pinterault (5:15) In Episode 98 Emily Sarsfield spoke about the AJ Bell Challenge (5:30) Olivier Desaulty and Tom Herbst from Les 3 Vallées joined us to discuss the ‘Enduro’ (6:00) The Les 3 Vallées Enduro takes place on Sunday 02 April Alex Irwin from 150 Days of Winter reported from Courchevel (14:45) Betony Garner was in Courmayeur in Italy (15:45) Simon Burgess was skiing in Yad Moss in England on 11 March (16:45) Find out more about Yad Moss in Episode 88 of The Ski Podcast Sian Grigg from Pyrenean Odysseys reported on the current situation there Iain travelled to Verbier by train (18:30) Intersport Ski Hire gave Iain some Rossignol BlackOps Sender skis (19:30) Read Al Morgan’s review of the BlackOps (19:45) There were several major avalanches the day Iain arrived in Verbier (20:00) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tcENVVgHJrY Robin Shah has reported for the podcast from Verbier on several occasions (21:30) Iain and Robin skied the Three Fingers Couloir from Attelas (28:30) Listen to our in-depth interview with Warren Smith in this special episode (29:00) Can all ski resorts be categorised as either ‘fur’ resorts or ‘Goretex’ resorts? (33:30) The final of the Freeride World Tour takes place in Verbier on 25 March (34:30) Iain ate at two excellent restaurants: Le Rouge and La Nonna (35:00) Dr. Michel Payot made the first ski crossing from Chamonix to Zermatt in 1903 (38:00) The Patrouille des Glaciers race goes from Verbier to Zermatt (39:00) Katie's trip on the Haute Route was organised by Adventure Base Tristan travelled a new variant of the Haute Route (46:00) Tristan recommends earplugs if staying in a refuge! (50:00) There was double gold in the World Cup Snowboard Cross for Charlotte Bankes (56:00) Mikaela Shiffrin has set a new World Cup skiing record with her 87th win (56:30) Feedback (56:45) 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 Liam Major has been working his way through every podcast: "I've finally caught up with the podcast after starting from the first episode. The pods seem to get better and better as I've progressed through them, once again thanks for this brilliant podcast I've truly learnt a lot and will continue to listen." Christian: "Keep up the excellent podding!" Plus the best place if you want to review us is Apple Podcasts. Thanks for these two recent reviews: Paul from Inside Morzine: "Love this podcast: it's the shining light that gets me through the week. Informative, educational & extremely interesting. Keep up the brilliant work." DuncanSW: "Iain is a great host. Fantastic range of skiing topics & really useful information on all sorts of things. Highly recommended" 57% of our listeners in the UK with the next biggest countries are the USA, Australia, France and Canada. Please do let us know if you're listening from further afield. Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. And if you enjoy the pod, you can always BMAC at Buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast You can follow iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast. Thanks to Les 3 Vallées for sponsoring the show
27 Mars 202359min
171: Action Cameras, Carv review & the most sustainable ski trip ever?
We find out about action cameras (GoPros and their equivalents), including how best to film, how to edit and how to go viral. Plus we discover whether the Carv helped Iain ski better, and about the world's most sustainable ski trip. Iain was joined by Anna Hughes (founder of Flight Free UK), Chris Moran (Intersport Ski Hire) and podcast regular Al Morgan (SkiKitInfo.com) 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 Listen to our special podcast with snowboarding pioneer Chris Moran Al was last on the podcast in Episode 168, telling us about the ski test Alex Armand (Tip Top Ski Coaching) reported from Les 2 Alpes, France (03:45) Robin Shah sent us his report from Verbier in Switzerland (4:30) Steve Angus works a ski instructor in Val d'Isere (5:50) Keith Webb reported from Kaprun in Austria (7:20) Thanks to Joe Childs for suggesting our chat about action cameras (8:20) Check out the Skipedia YouTube channel (09:15) Iain and Al both use a GoPro Hero7 Black Al also uses an Insta360 One X2 (09:45) Chris uses an iPhone 13 Pro for most of his filming (12:00) Take a look at Al’s SkiKitInfo channel here (17:45) Overheard in French Ski Resorts’ went viral in 2017 (21:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q37Gp0xge74 Chris starred in snowboard movies back in the day like Odd Man Out and Daytripper (23:15) Chris uses Adobe Premiere for editing (25:30) You can follow Intersport Rent on TikTok (26:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdGwK-rK4I4 Anna Hughes is the founder of Flight Free UK (29:30) Anna travelled to Anzere in Switzerland (34:00) POW recently produced this excellent graphic showing how the carbon cost of your ski trip can be divided up (34:45) Anna rented clothes from Ecoski (35:15) Read Anna's article in the Evening Standard (41:00) Iain used the Carv while on holiday in Roccaraso (41:15) Iain had his ski boots fitted at Profeet: you can listen to his experience in Episode 163 There is a 'Train With An Olympian' setting with Ted Ligety (46:00) Mia Brookes became Snowboard World Champion in Slopestyle (50:45) Iain interviewed Mia in Episode 158 Charlotte Brookes/Huw Nightingale Team won the Team Snowboard Cross Zoe Atkin took silver in the Ski Halfpipe (51:45) Find out about the Loch Insh Crowdfunder Read Iain’s article about Bladon Lines in Ski+Board magazine (52:30) FEEDBACK (52:30) 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 Richard Sideways: "Really good interview with Ed Leigh. His passion for the mountains and the sport really comes across" Ryunis: "Excellent pod with Ed Leigh. Possibly my favourite yet" Dale Hardman: "170 was a great episode" Tom Thorp: "Thank you for all your work creating interesting episodes & insights" There are over 170 episodes to catch up with and 118 were listened to in the last week. Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. And if you enjoy the pod, you can Buy Me a Coffee as Heather Burns kindly did: "So love your podcasts, listen to them with my kids and now have requests to go ski touring and open water swimming. Really love your championing of more sustainable travel, whilst we drive to our ski holidays (definitely a much moved part of the trips) we are now taking the train not the plain for a trip to Berlin in the summer checking out the new Eurosleeper" You can follow iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast
10 Mars 202355min
170: Roccaraso in Italy, Rusutsu in Japan & La Plagne
We discuss skiing in Roccaraso in the Italian Appenines, take a look at skiing in Hokkaido, Japan and look at the impact of climate change on La Plagne. Iain was joined by Jen Tsang in La Plagne and podcast regular, Mike Richards in Niseko, Japan. 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 Jen was on the show talking about La Plagne in Episode 99 You can read Jen’s guide to La Plagne here Mike most recently joined us in Episode 165, discussing Madesimo Andy Butterworth (Kaluma Ski) reported from St Anton in Austria (3:30) Dave Burrows (SnowPros Ski School) has news from Villars in Switzerland (7:00) Jen updates us on the snow conditions in La Plagne (9:30) Listen to Jen talking about the changes on the glacier in La Plagne in Episode 99 (13:45) Will summer skiing in Europe be affected by low snowfall this winter? (16:00) Ski racers have signed an open letter to FIS asking for more action on climate change (18:00) Mike spoke from Niseko in Hokkaido, Japan (20:00) Rusutsu is one of Mike’s favourite resorts (23:00) Lucy Aspen-Kean from Telegraph Ski & Snowboard recently visited Japan as well (26:00) Mike also recommends basing yourself in Furano (28:00) Roccaraso is in the Appenine mountain range in Italy (29:00) Naples and Pompeii are easy side trips to combine with the ski area Iain interviewed Bonaventura Margadonna, head of the Alto Sangro ski area (31:00) Fiona from Ski Abruzzo was Iain’s translator (33:00) Iain will report on the Carv in discussion with Al Morgan in Episode 171 (36:00) The GB Bobsleigh team picked up silver at the World Champs (37:00) Jasmine Taylor took her first podium of the season in telemark Charlotte Bankes won the Cortina World Cup in Snowboard Cross Kirsty Muir and Zoe Atkin took World Cup podiums in Ski Slopestyle & Big Air The Freestyle World Champs are on right now in Bakuirani, Georgia (38:00) FEEDBACK (38:30) 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. Laura Hargrave: "Loved the feature on van life in Episode 167" Ian West: "Loved the refuge stay in Les 3 Vallees: you could tell you enjoyed it" Judy Matthews: "Keep the episodes coming, it's a wonderful listen and I have got a few of my friends hooked on it too" If you want to do something to help the show why not give us a review on Apple Podcasts. There are over 170 episodes to catch up with and 123 were listened to in the last week Are you one of our listeners in Iceland or El Salvador? (40:00) If you enjoy the pod, you can BuyMeACoffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast: @dwib: “Thanks for doing what you do. It's the highlight of the day when the pod goes up!” You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast. Thanks to Les 3 Vallées for sponsoring the podcast.
24 Feb 202342min
169: Ed Leigh, BBC Ski Sunday presenter
Ed Leigh has been the co-presenter of BBC’s Ski Sunday since 2007. We caught up with him in Les 3 Vallées prior to the 2023 World Championships, which are taking place in Courchevel and Méribel from 06-19 February. 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 · Ski Sunday has already featured races in Adelboden, Wengen, Kitzbuhel and Schladming · The season had a bad start in December 2022 with many resorts limited to strips of snow (4:30) · Lauren MacCallum from Protect Our Winters appeared in Episode 168 of The Ski Podcast (5:00) · You can raise money for Disability Snowsport UK by donating 10-100% of the sale price to them on ebay (6:45) · You can find out when Ed lists his snowboard by following him on Instagram (9:15) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QigEVZcJni4 · Ski Sunday returned to Chamonix for the Kandahar Slalom (15:00) · Ed bought the Courchevel ski touring lift pass (15:45) · Ed is a big fan of FatMap (17:45) · The Breche de la Portetta is spectacular (19:00) · Iain reported on his stay in an unmanned refuge in Méribel in Episode 167 (19:15) · The Alpine Ski World Championships take place in Courchevel & Méribel from 06-19 February (22:00) · Matt Barr presents the ‘Looking Sideways’ podcast (25:15) · Find out more about the ‘Natural Selection’ tour (26:30) · Ed and Graham presented High Altitude as part of Ski Sunday (30:00) · Ed took Simon Le Bon sailing in Sweden (33:00) · Listen to Iain’s interview with Mia Brookes in Episode 158 (37:00) · Iain interviewed Chemmy Alcott when the Ski Sunday team were based in Laax in Episode 67 · During the 2021 season in Laax, Ed dislocated his knee cap and broke his tibia (42:00) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLp2Pqxsy9Q/ · Ed is based in Wanaka, New Zealand outside of the northern winter
10 Feb 202351min
168: Ski Test 2023/24, Protect Our Winters & Solar Power in Méribel
We discuss next year's kit, travelling to the mountains by train & EV and solar panels in Méribel. Plus we have new snow reports, a Team GB update and a snippet from our forthcoming interview with Ed Leigh. Iain was joined by Lauren MacCallum and Lindsey Dixon from Protect Our Winters and equipment expert, Al Morgan from SkiKitInfo.com 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 Al was in La Clusaz (2:00) Here’s a look at Candide Thovex doing what he does best in his home resort https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKP7jQknGjs Lindsey reports on her skiing in Val d’Isere Lauren was splitboarding in Cairngorm, Scotland and prior to that in Les 7 Laux, France (see our main photo for a shot of the inversion!) (3:00) Betony Garner reported from Flaine, France (5:15) Dave Burrows from Snowpros Ski School reported from Morgins, Switzerland (plus Avoriaz & Villars) (6:30) Ed Leigh has been splitboarding in Courchevel (9:15) The SIGB Ski Test took place in La Clusaz (11:15) The industry trade show, Slide, takes place in early January (17:00) https://twitter.com/skipedia/status/1621049951538003969 Al writes up his equipment tests for his own website SkiKitInfo.com, as well as for The Telegraph and Fall Line Skiing magazine Trends to look out for include ‘cinch’ bindings on ski boots (20:00) Look out for the Salomon Addict Pro piste ski (21:00) Lauren uses a Nidecker Thruster unisex snowboard (23:00) Al tested the Carv device (24:00) Protect Our Winters was founded by snowboarder Jeremy Jones (28:00) Lindsey travelled on a Ouigo service from Paris to Bourg-St-Maurice (30:30) The final bus transfer was booked with Altibus (37:00) Lauren drove to Val Thorens in a Tesla Y electric car (38:00) Iain drove to Zermatt in a Tesla in August (39:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8fgtVU3bhI Regenerative braking adds to the battery range when going downhill (42:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xthOeIsk3Mc Clement Martinod works for the Meribel Alpine lift company Solar panels have been added to the Saulire Express lift mid-station (44:00) All Compagnie des Alpes snow groomers have been converted from diesel to HVO (48:00) Dave Ryding came second in Kitzbuhel (50:00) Mia Brookes took second in the Laax Open Freestyle Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup Iain interviewed Mia in Episode 158 Zoe Atkin won gold in the Ski Superpipe at the XGames in Aspen Kirsty Muir won two bronzes at the XGames Makayla Gerken Schofield took bronze in her first Moguls World Cup podium The Alpine Ski World Championships take place in Courchevel and Meribel in Les 3 Vallees from 06-13 Feb (51:00) The full interview with Ski Sunday’s Ed Leigh will be released as Episode 169 on 10 February Feedback 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 Rachel Flynn: "Absolutely loving the podcast" BobinCH: "James was a great listen in Episode 166" Kat Ryb: "How have I not come across this before? Just listened to the two recent episodes and they are great!" Joe Childs: "I am completely addicted to your podcast. I really like the mix of content, alongside the frequent sustainability features, equipment reviews & snow reports. Having watched the first episode of Ski Sunday of the season (probably my favourite TV programme) on 8th January, I searched Spotify for something similar and found The Ski Podcast. Since then, I have listened to 41 of the episodes and I have no plan to slow down.” You can follow iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast
3 Feb 202356min
167: Van Life, Off the Grid in Méribel & Innsbruck Ski Jumping
We discuss touring the Alps in a camper van, going off-grid in Les 3 Vallées, ski jumping in Innsbruck and follow up on the Ice Swimming World Championships in Samoens. Iain was joined by Katie Bamber - online editor at Fall Line Magazine - and freelance journalist Katja Gaskell. 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 Katie last skied in Cervinia, Italy (2:30) Al Morgan will be reporting on the SIGB Ski Test in Episode 168 (3:00) Iain reports on snow conditions in Meribel last week (3:30) Iain rented Rossignol Sky 7 skis from Intersport, fitted with touring bindings (4:00) https://twitter.com/skipedia/status/1614563311441395718 Steve Angus reports from Val d'Isère (5:00) Stephen Spiers was skiing at Glencoe Mountain in Scotland (6:20) Jim Duncombe reports from La Clusaz (8:00) The Ice Swimming World Championships took place in Samoens (10:00) https://twitter.com/theskipodcast/status/1616383120063725570 Iain spoke with Team GB competitor Cathy Munro in Episode 166 Katie Bamber toured the Alps in an adapted camper van last winter (18:30) Read Katie’s article in Fall Line Magazine (20:00) Katie previously lived in Sun Valley, Idaho (26:00, 27:20) Iain ski toured to the Refuge du Saut in Meribel (28:45) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiwA0XOPDvY Rob Rees reported from the Bergisel Ski Jumping event in Innsbruck (37:30) Feedback I enjoy all feedback about the show, so please contact on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com Laura Hargrave: "I've come across your podcast recently and I have to say that I LOVE it." Dave Mills: "Recent convert, brilliant format and unbelieveable variety of ski, boarding, equipment, sustainability and resort-related subjects; now hooked for life!" There are over 160 episodes to catch up with and 141 were listened to in the last week. Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast. Thank you to Les 3 Vallées - the world's largest ski area - for sponsoring the show.
20 Jan 202345min
166: Skiing in Iraq & Afghanistan, plus Ice Swimming in Samoens
We discuss skiing in Iraq and Afghanistan with Ashley Hartz and James Willcox from Untamed Borders, as well as ice swimming in Samoens with Cathy Munro. The Ski Podcast is sponsored by Les 3 Vallées - the largest ski area in the world 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 James was last on the podcast in March 2021 when we discussed skiing in Afghanistan Ashley is based in Snoqualmie in Washington State, USA Patrick Thorne is the author of ’Around the World in 50 Pistes’ and was on the podcast in Episode 162 (3:45) Alex Irwin from 150 Days of Winter reported from Courchevel, France (5:30) Dave Burrows from SnowPros Ski School reported from Courmayeur and Pila in the Aosta Valley, Italy (6:30) Keith Webb reported from Badhofgastein in Austria (10:00) Gethin James reported from Cairngorm Mountain in Scotland (11:44) Gethin joined us for Episode 162 to tell us about skiing in Solden Find out about the new Rannoch chairlift at Glencoe Mountain Ashley tells us about skiing in Iraq (13:15) The Hamilton Road links Iraq and Iran (15:15) Korek ski resort in Iraq has 200m of groomed pistes (16:30) Find out about Free to Run (23:00) The 6th Choman Winter Festival took place in 2022 (24:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiD8ckLY054 The Iraq Ski Rally was set up by Untamed Winters (26:30) Check the latest FCO advice on Iraq (29:45) Untamed Borders helped with the logistics for Michael Palin’s programme ‘Into Iraq’ recorded for Channel 5 (30:00) Try Battleface travel insurance for cover in destinations like Iraq (30:30) Listen to our special episode about skiing in Afghanistan (33:00) Read about the Afghan Sports Trust (35:00) The World Ice Swimming Championships are taking place in Samoens in January 2022 (40:00) You can follow Iain @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast on social media
6 Jan 202349min
