The Ski Podcast

We preview Dave Ryding’s last Olympics in the Men’s Slalom, including an interview with Laurie Taylor, plus look ahead to the Mixed Snowboard Cross with Huw Nightingale and Charlotte Bankes.Host Iain Martin was joined by ex-Olympian and Team GB Skier X athlete Emily Sarsfield for our latest Winter Olympics Special Episode. SHOW NOTESWomen’s Snowboard Cross (2:45)The Mixed Snowboard Cross is on Sunday 15 Feb (4:45)Huw Nightingale and Charlotte Bankes spoke with Iain (5:00)Kirsty Muir takes part in the Women's Ski Big Air: qualifiers on Sat, final on Mon (8:30)Mia Brookes is back for the Women's Snowboard Slopestyle: qualifers on Mon, final on Tue (8:45)According to the BBC, a lot of people are finding the drone sound annoying (9:15) Laurie Taylor interview (11:30) Dave Ryding’s chances (15:30) The Ski Podcast sponsors the Carrick Smith brothers Zak & Luca’s Slalom predictions (17:00)FeedbackYou can contact us via Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com you’ll get an extra discount. Take this link for your discount to be automatically applied]

Today’s episode is a special interview with Tim Wall, owner of Pub Le Ski Lodge in La Tania in France’s Les 3 Vallées ski area. During our conversation Tim shares his experience of running one the most famous bars in Les 3 Vallées for over 30 years. He reveals his favourite apres-ski bands; the annual opportunity to ‘Toss The Boss’; and some of the other businesses that he has run, including La Taiga, Lodge du Village and the Pit Stop. We find out how the La Tania charity day grew from to a massive event, hosted by Radio One’s Jo Whiley and the truth behind Tim’s appearance on ‘Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares’.SHOW NOTESPub Le Ski Lodge opened in December 1993 (2:30) Tim and Debbie previously worked in Val Morel for Neilson (3:30) Skiing in Valmorel (4:30) Building the Ski Lodge (6:30) Live music at the Ski Lodge, inc ‘Shibboleth’ and ‘Wild Turkey’ (10:30) ‘Superfly’…and ‘The Feeling’ (11:30) ‘Bring Your Sisters’ (13:30) ‘Toss the Boss’ (14:30) Tim blowing the horn (14:15) Slebs, including Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex  (17:30) La Tania Charity Day (18:45) The move to Meribel Village (21:00) Toffa from latania.co.uk was on the podcast in Episode 95 (22:30) Snow reports (24:15) “Get yourselves out here!” (24:30) Going to the FIFA World Cup (26:30) The Ski Lodge England flag (26:45) ‘The Pit Stop’ (28:30) Lodge du Village (29:00) La Taiga (31:00) Hotel Montana (34:00) Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares (35:15) Living in south-west France (41:00) Debbie (41:30)FeedbackYou can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow us on WhatsApp.Rob Fogg: “It’s great to hear about the Tirol - we are in the process of planning next year’s trip to either the Arlberg or Zillertal regions by train and all your episodes have been assisting us greatly.” Jack Harvey: “I visited Sauze last March and loved it. You can get a whole margherita cooked to order at Mavie’s in Sansicario for €8 with great views towards the French border. I’d avoid the busy cafe at the top of Cessna/Claviere on your way to Montgenevre though.”There are now 299 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination, listen to an interview with an Olympian or find out about the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something there of interest.  Don’t forget, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, you can save yourself some money by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com or use this link for that discount to be automatically applied.

We discuss Mia Brookes ballsy attempt at winning a medal in the Snowboard Big Air, whether Lindsey Vonn is in denial and look at Charlotte Bankes’ chances of winning a medal in the Snowboard Cross. Host Iain Martin was joined by ex-Olympian and Team GB Skier X athlete Emily Sarsfield for our latest Winter Olympics Special Episode. SHOW NOTESIain skied today in Isola 2000 (1:00)Mia Brookes finished in 4th in the Snowboard Big Air, attempting a backside 1620 (2:15)Listen to Iain’s interview with Ed Leigh in #296 to understand the language behind freestyle tricks (2:20)Mia Brookes: “It’s not like it’s a trick that I could do. I’ve only ever done it on the airbag and the last time I tried it was five months ago. So that was the first time I’ve ever tried it on snow. I think everyone will be just as stoked about me trying a 16 than me getting a medal.” Lindsey Vonn has a complex tibia fracture requiring multiple surgeries (4:00)“My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever” (4:00)Makayla Guerke Schofield finished in 18th in the Women’s Moguls qualification (6:15)Watch the TNT documentary ‘She Who Dares’ (6:45)Charlotte Bankes competes in the Women’s Snowboard Cross on Friday (8:30)Interview with Charlotte Bankes (10:00) FeedbackIf you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode  -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today Iain and Emily review Men & Women’s Downhill, plus Kirsty Muir’s 4th place in the Ski Slopestyle. We have contributions from Chemmy Alcott and Ed Leigh. SHOW NOTESLindsey Vonn broke her leg in the Women’s Downhill (1:00)Graham Bell’s predictions in Episode 293 were spot on (4:00)BBC’s Chemmy Alcott analyses the Men’s Downhill (4:40)Iain has been enjoying the split screen feature from Discovery+ (7:15)Kirsty Muir finished 4th in the Women’s Ski Slopestyle Ed Leigh on the Women’s Snowboard Big Air (11:30)Listen to Ed Leigh in Episode 296Chemmy Alcott on the Opening Ceremony (18:30)Snoop Dogg at the curling If you enjoyed this episode and you want to help the podcast, don’t forget that if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book your ski hire at intersportrent.com you’ll save yourself some money. Simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied.

BBC’s Ed Leigh explains the terms used to describe freestyle tricks, as well as how the judges come up with their scores, in the third of our Winter Olympics special episodes.With Kirsty Muir competing in the final of the Women’s Ski Slopestyle tomorrow (Mon 09 Feb) and Mia Brookes taking part in the Women’s Snowboard Big Air qualifying today (Sun 08 Feb) and, hopefully, the final tomorrow, there’s no better time to get up to date with all the key terms.SHOW NOTESDirection of spin (1:30)Axis of Rotation (2:15)Number of rotations (3:00)Type of grab (5:00)The scoring system in slopestyle (8:45)PAVED = Progression, Amplitude, Variety, Execution, Difficulty (9:15) Listen to our previous Winter Olympic special episodes, including our downhill preview with Graham Bell and exclusive interview with Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards. If you enjoyed this episode and want to help the podcast, don’t forget that if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book your ski hire at intersportrent.com you’ll save yourself some money. Simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied.

Host Iain Martin is joined by Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards – who at the 1988 Calgary Games became famous across the world for having the courage and determination to take on the challenge of Olympic ski jumping.His story was made into a movie in 2015, starring Hugh Jackman and Taron Edgerton. Eddie tells us about flying to movie premieres in private jets, how he’s disappointed that Team GB seem to disown him and the parallels he sees in the determination to compete shown by Lindsey Vonn. SHOW NOTESListen to Iain’s previous interview with Eddie from 2019 (1:00) Eddie has watched the ‘Eddie The Eagle’ movie over 150 times (1:30) Taron Edgerton nailed Eddie’s mannerisms and voice (2:15) Hugh Jackman asking for a selfie with Eddie (3:30) Memories of the Opening Ceremony at Calgary in 1988 (5:30) Readly - the digital magazine and newspaper app – has launched a retro Winter Olympics Games series (8:00) Readly’s survey placed Eddie 3rd behind the Jamaican bobsleigh team Torville and Dean in 1984 in a list of most memorable winter Olympic moments (8:30) GB Snowsports CEO Vicky Gosling said ‘The Eddie the Eagle days are over’ (10:00) Can British athletes draw lessons from Eddie’s experience? (10:30) Eddie on Lindsey Vonn (13:00)If you enjoyed this episode and you want to help the podcast, don’t forget that if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book your ski hire at intersportrent.com you’ll save yourself some money.  Simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied. 

We find out about Sauze d’Oulx and the Via Lattea ski area in Italy, as well as the resort of Pra Loup in the southern French Alps.We also get excited about the Olympics, hearing Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards’ thoughts on Lindsey Vonn – and go ‘Down Under’ to look at Australia chances of bringing home a record medal haul. Plus we have your feedback and our regular snow reports from around the mountains.Iain was joined in the studio by James and Sinead  from SauzeOnline and by Mike ‘The Snow’ Richards.SHOW NOTES Mike was in Crans Montana for the World Cup racing (3:45) Lindsey Vonn crashed in the Downhill and ruptured her ACL (5:00)Claire Harrison reports from the Aosta Valley (6:30) Alex Armand from Tip Top Ski Coaching is in Les 2 Alpes (7:45) Jim Duncombe is in La Clusaz (8:30) Betony Garner reported from Livigno, where she is working for Team GB (10:20) The first of our Special Olympics episodes was released on Wednesday (11:00) Former Team GB Skier X athlete Emily Sarsfield will be joining Iain for those episodes (11:30) Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards on Lindsey Vonn (13:00) Rachael Oakes-Ash is THE expert on skiing in Australia and New Zealand and is Livigno reporting for snowsbest.com (14:45) Australian team chances (15:00) Watch ‘Pipe Dream’ – Scotty James’ story (17:30) Indra Brown (19:15) James and Sinead run SauzeOnline (24:00) Visit the official ‘Via Lattea’ website (25:30) The ski area has 400km of pistes (26:30) Sauze d’Oulx used to have a reputation as a party destination (29:00) A UK company now owns lift systems in the Vialattea and Bardonecchia (27:15) Who is the area suitable for? (30:30) Gastronomy in Via Lattea…and low prices! (32:00) Mike visited Pra Loup in December 2025 (34:00) The Pra Loup ski area has 180km of pistes (37:30) Ski touring tracks in Pra Loup (38:00) The Mercantour National Park (41:30) Pra Loup is a ‘dark sky reserve’ (42:00) Wolves are in the logo and in the park (43:00) Find out about the proposed new slope in Merthyr Tydfil (44:00)FeedbackYou can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast.Xomorph: “Enjoying the pod, but could you do an episode on what to do when you are bored with all the pistes in your area... I can ski all the slopes in my local resorts and now I don't know how to keep on having fun” Ian Brown: "Avid listener of the podcast. I just finished the Serfaus episode this morning, it’s an area on our list that we’d like to explore for sure"If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied.

In the first of our special Winter Olympics episodes covering Milan-Cortina 2026, we preview this weekend’s big events - the men and women’s downhill - and look ahead to the Women's Ski Slopestyle. Host Iain Martin was joined in the studio by special guest Emily Sarsfield and down the line by BBC commentator Graham Bell and Ski Sunday's Ed Leigh.SHOW NOTESEmily Sarsfield first appeared on the podcast in Episode 3 (0:45)She represented Team GB in Skier X including at Pyeongchang 2018 (2:00)The opening ceremony takes place at the San Siro in Milan on Friday (4:00)Team GB’s flag bearers are Brad Hall and Lilah Fear (5:00)Download the ski/snowboard schedule - all the dates and timings for the skiing and snowboarding events (5:20) Graham Bell shares his predictions for the Men and Women’s Downhill (6:45) Lindsey Vonn has stated that she has an ACL injury, but will still compete (12:30)The Women's Freeski Slopestyle qualifications are on Saturday, with the final on Monday Ed Leigh shared his thoughts on Kirsty Muir’s chances (14:15) Listen to Iain’s interview with Kirsty Muir in Episode 171 (14:30) If you enjoyed this episode and you want to help the podcast, don’t forget that if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book your ski hire at intersportrent.com you’ll save yourself some money. Simply take this link for your discount to be automatically appliedCover Photo (c) Milano-Cortina 2026

Today we find out about La Tzoumaz in Switzerland and Jasna in Slovakia, plus we preview the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics including interviews with Vicky Gosling, CEO of GB Snowsports and Zak, Luca and Freddy Carrick Smith. We also have our regular snow reports and share our downloadable schedule for all the skiing and snowboarding events at Milan-Cortina.Iain was joined in the studio by Irish ski journalist, Catherine Murphy and Slovakia resident, Richard Patey.---------Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there.---------SHOW NOTESDave Burrows from Snowpros Ski School reported from Morgins (3:45) James Cove from planetski.eu reports from Revelstoke and Kicking Horse in Canada (5:00) Guy Beatson has been in Furano in Japan (6:00) The Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics start on 06 February (7:30) Download the skiing and snowboarding schedule (8:00) Team GB athletes picked up a stunning five medals at the X Games in Aspen (8:45) Listen to Iain’s interview with Kirsty Muir (9:15) Listen to Iain’s interview with Zoe Atkin (9:15) Mia Brookes spoke to Iain in Episode 188 (9:15) Vicky Gosling is CEO of GB Snowsport (9:30) Watch the documentary ‘She Who Dares’ on Discovery+ (16:00) Watch the Carrick-Smith documentary ‘Beyond the Gate’ on Amazon Prime or YouTube (20:30) Catherine shared her knowledge of Innsbruck in Episode 257 (21:00) Find out more about La Tzoumaz in Switzerland (21:15) The name comes from Valaisan dialect (21:45) How to get there (22:15) Catherine stayed at the Hotel Papillon (27:45)We featured Slovakia on the podcast once before, back in Episode 243 covering ‘Going East’ (29:00) Where is Slovakia? (29:30) Read Richard’s blog post about the transformation going  on in the High Tatras (31:00) ‘Slovakia is entering its “Austria-in-the-90s” phase’ Jasna is the biggest resort (33:30) Richard (and the ‘Going East’ crew’ skied at Stary Smokovec (35:00) The GoPass  covers all resorts as well as other benefits (36:30)Tatranska Lomnica and Štrbské Pleso are also in Slovakia Follow Richard on InstagramFeedbackIf you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. David Flynn: “I’m an Irish/French listener, love the podcast. It's become a stable diet in my household and are a life-saver for the walks with the dogs on the beach” Gavin Marsden: “I love each and every episode.” Andrew Wilson: "I am a regular listener. I only took up skiing at the age of 50, 4 years ago and love it." Andrew Brannan: “Iain, your podcast is excellent. Thank you for going to the trouble and not just reading out the latest press releases from Crystal.” There are now 292 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with and 149 of those were listened to in the last week. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

In this episode, we learn more about the resorts of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis in the Tirol region of Austria, how Swedish clothing brand, Peak Performance, design their garments and check in on the new Chenus lift in Courchevel. Host Iain Martin was joined by freelance journalist, Simon Miller and Ski Designer at Peak Performance, Marie Andersson ---------Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there.---------SHOW NOTESSimon has been skiing across Les 3 Vallees (2:45)Iain reported from Val Garden in Episode 242 (3:45) Marie will be skiing in Are, Sweden (4:45) Andy Butterworth from Kaluma Travel is in St Anton (6:15) James from Sauze Online was in Bardoneccia (7:50) Chris from Freeride Republic is in Meribel (9:30) Why we are renumbering the podcasts (11:00) The Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics start on 04 February (12:00) The Winter XGames take place in Aspen this weekend (12:30) Simlon was in Serfaus, staying at the Hotel Cervosa (13:15) Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis is known as a family friendly resort (15:00) ‘We are Family’ (15:10) Find out about the Serfaus subway (17:00) Safe skiing and slow skiing was discussed in Episode 270 (18:45) Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis is actually three separate villages The ski area has 214km of pistes and 69 lifts (20:00) Simon enjoyed the spectacular night show (22:30) Simon also tried the toboggan runs (23:30) Try the Schalber Alm for Kaiserscharnn (24:30) Simon also recommends the SkiHütte Masner (25:00) How to get there (25:45) The Apres-Ski in Serfaus is also excellent (27:00) Try the Patschi Bar or George’s Bar (27:30) Iain spoke with Philippe Mottier, General Manager of 3SV – the Courchevel lift company – about the new Chenus lift (29:45) Marion Guillemot from the Courchevel Tourist Office acted as translator Read Iain’s article on the Chenus lift on welove2ski.com (34:15) Marie’s journey into design (34:45) Working for Peak Perforrmance (36:00) How does the process of design work (36:45) What is the lead time for products (37:15) The R&D Helium Loop Anorak recently won an award at ISPO (38:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUeSelbRyb0 What is ISPO? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hTZS_gae84 Peak Performance published their sustainability report last year (41:00) FLO stands for ‘fabric leftovers’ (41:15) Iain upgraded to a Vislight shell jacket this year (44:00)FeedbackIf you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. Lara Rosenbaum: “I hope you’re feeling better after your fracture. I admire your spirit and love the podcast!” Claire Harrison [Mentioned last week had asked about Zillertal]: “A great piece on the Zillertal, thank you! Particularly looking forward to the Tirolean cuisine! Thank you for a great podcast: it’s endlessly interesting.  I loved 267 the episode on gloves and socks and bought a pair of the Level Iris glove on Al's recommendation”  Ed Hopkins: “Absolutely loved episode 270 on St Anton, Lech, sustainability and slow skiing. So interesting and learnt a lot!” Ross: “I just discovered The Ski Podcast - really enjoying the insights on snowsports!”  There are now 291 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’d like to find out more about a particular destination, would like to listen to an interview with an athlete, or get advice on what kit to buy, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something that will tick that box. if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

We find all about the Zillertal region in the Austrian Tirol, as well as the new expansion in Deer Valley, Utah. We also hear how Val d’Isere are helping skiers to feel safer, and have snow reports from Japan, La Plagne and…Wales!Host Iain Martin was joined in the studio by Katie Seiringer, owner of Kate Seiringer International Language Service in Mayrhofen and Emily Summers from Deer Valley Ski Resort.--------- Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there.--------- SHOW NOTESRobin Shah reported from Japan (5:15)Robin is staying at Yukiumi House Jen Tsang runs the website That’sLaPlagne (7:00) Mike Richards is the UK’s Wales ski expert (9:15) It is now three weeks until the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics start (12:45) Listen to Iain’s interview with Kirsty Muir (13:00) Kirsty won her second event of the season at the Slopestyle in Aspen https://x.com/skipedia/status/2009716157398548971 Zoe Atkin came second in the ski halfpipe, also in Aspen (13:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Zoe in Episode 238 (13:45) Visit the official Zillertal website (14:30) The Zillertal ski area consists of Fügen-Kaltenbach, Zell-Gerlos, Mayrhofen-Hippach and Tux-Finkenberg (18:30) All 548km of pists and 180 lifts are covered on the Zillertal Superskipass (19:00) The Hintertux glacier is open from October to early summer (19:45) For non-skiers there are 460km of winter hiking trails, 113km cross-country trails and 48 km toboggan runs (21:15) Find out more about ‘Snowbombing’ (22:45) Mayrhofen hosts ‘The Brits’ - British Snowboard & Freeski Championships in March (23:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Brits’ organiser Stu Brass in Episode 245 Try the Tristenbachalm mountain hut (24:00) Kate also recommends the Bichlalm in Tux (25:00) She also suggests you try the HolzknechtkrapfenUtah has ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth’ (26:30) The average snowfall at Deer Valley is 762cm/300 inches (27:00) Find out more about the new lift expansion (29:45) Coming up with the names of new runs (34:00) The new East Village Express gondola is designed by Doppelmayr (37:00) Deer Valley East Village will have seven luxury hotels (39:00) Deer Valley is on the Ikon Pass (39:50) The 2034 Winter Olympics will be hosted in Utah (40:20) Nicole Feliciano spoke about the ‘Slow Skiers Club’ in Episode 270 (41:30) Cecile Ferrando from Val d’isere speaks about their new ‘Ski Tranquille’ zones (41:45)Feedback (47:30)You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. Colin Tierney: “Episode 270 was interesting: I always go at a speed that I feel safe with for me and people around me”Stuart Campbell: “The podcasts are brilliant, and I've enjoyed the range of topics. The ability to pull so many different people from different countries together is what makes it brilliant. I've just found your piece on St Anton by train so hoping to repeat something similar if I make it out in the spring.” Robert Fogg: “Been catching up on all the podcasts I have missed. Thanks from a wet Cairns in Australia” Jim Duncombe: “I was on the cable car in La Clusaz this morning, and ended up chatting with a Norwegian who lives in Annecy. Turns out he is a fan of the podcast.”There are now 290 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today is a special interview with Kirsty Muir – the World Cup winning British slopestyle and Big Air freestyle skier.Host Iain Martin spoke with Kirsty about her comeback from ACL and shoulder surgery to her first World Cup win last winter. We also discuss her journey from a dry ski slope in Aberdeen to becoming Britain’s youngest competitor at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022 and look forward to the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. This episode is the latest in a series of interviews with high-achieving women in the world of snowsports. Previous episodes in this series have included interviews with Vicky Gosling, CEO of GB Snowsport, BBC Ski Sunday’s Chemmy Alcott, Kit DesLauriers – first person to ski the Seven Summits - as well as fellow Team GB freestyle skier Zoe Atkin.SHOW NOTESListen to Iain’s previous interview with Kirsty in Episode 174 (2:00) Kirsty was on the show in Episode 242 after her slopestyle win in Tignes (2:30) Kirsty tore her ACL in Dec 2023 at the Big Air at Copper Mountain (3:15) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/9yJucQDxfUQ Coming back from injury (5:45) Using the Red Bull recovery centres (8:15) The psychological side of recovery (10:30) Training again after coming back from injury (12:30) Kirsty was Britain's youngest competitor at Beijing Olympics  at just 17 (14:30) Starting skiing at Aberdeen Snowsports Centre (14:45) Discovering freestyle skiing (15:30) Being mentor to Sandra Caune – winner of the Big Air at THE European Youth Olympics (16:45) Competing at the Beijing Winter Olympics (18:00) Taking part at Milano-Cortina (19:15) The coaching team (20:15) Learning new tricks (22:15) Training in the gym (23:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Reece Bell (25:00) Plans for this season (26:00) Do you keep your high-value tricks hidden? (26:30) FeedbackYou can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. There are now 289 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, then go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find plenty more to listen to. If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do: -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you save money on your ski hire with an additional discount by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com. Simply take this link in the show notes for your discount to be automatically applied.

Today we find out more about the Arlberg ski area in Tirol, Austria – focussing on St Anton and Lech – plus we look at the rise of the ‘Slow Skiing’ movement.  Austria for sponsoring The Ski Podcast and making this winter’s episodes possible.  If this is your first time listening, you’ve already missed out on some great conversations about Tirol.  Host Iain Martin was joined in the studio by Nicole Feliciano, founder of Ski Moms. ---------  Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there. ---------  SHOW NOTES Nicole skied at Catamount in New England (2:00) Tim Hudson from Inspired Italy reported from the Dolomites, Italy (5:15) Jen Tsang from That’s La Plagne reported from La Plagne (6:45) Floss Cockle, aka FreeFloFloss on YouTube, reported from Tignes (8:30) Next week’s episode will be an interview with GB freestyle skier Kirsty Muir (10:15) Iain revealed in Episode 269 that he broke his scapula while skiing in St Anton (10:45) Find out more about the museum in St Anton (11:45) Yannick Rumler works for the St Anton Tourist Office Hannes Schneider founded the first ski school in the world (14:30) Find out about St Anton’s annual race ‘The Weisse Rausche’ (16:15) Gerhard Eichhorn is Sustainability Officer at the St. Anton Tourism Board (17:30) Iain travelled to St Anton by train (18:30) Lech is actually in the Vorarlberg region of Austria, but both resorts are part of the huge Arlberg ski area (21:30) Iain stayed in the family run Hotel Stafeli (22:15) The Stafeli is part of the ChangeMaker network of hotels Julia Fenneberg is from the Lech-Zurs tourist office (23:00) The annual ‘White Ring’ race (24:30) Discover the amazing Lech Skyspace (26:30) Iain spoke with Angelika Kaufmann about avalanche blasting (28:00)~ Iain tried Kaiserschmarn at the Sennhutte in St Anton (34:00) He also has a superb Gröstl at the magnificent Verwallestube at the top of the Galzigbahn (34:30) In Episode 225 Nicole shared the results of your ‘Ski Moms Happiness Survey’(36:30) Earlier this year Nicole founded the ‘Slow Skiers Club’ (36:45) Nicole’s Instagram post launching the club went viral (38:30) Why does slow skiing matter? (39:00) Nicole conducted a survey to find out more (43:00) Listen to Episode 229  Kimberley Kay & Carol Porter discuss ‘The Fear Project’ (46:00) Nicole spoke to Chemmy Alcott on her SkiMoms podcast The First Rule of Slow Skiers Club (49:00) Feedback If you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com  You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. Judy Matthews: “Thank you for all your wonderful work, been really enjoying your pod.” Colin: “267 was another great episode: I’ve been considering a trip to Sauze and Livigno was already on my wish list” Chris Weer: “Thanks for the podcast. Wishing you a speedy recovery!” There are now 288 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to.  if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:      -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode    -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify    -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today is a special episode covering the latest snow conditions in Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland and in Canada, plus we reveal the results and the lucky winner from our 2025 Listener Survey.---------Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there. ---------SHOW NOTESView results of our 2025 Listener Survey (1:00) James Fletcher was the winner of the prize draw (1:45) Zoe Atkin won the half pipe at Copper Mountain in the States (2:00)Jasmin Taylor took her first telemark win of the season in Pinzolo Lindsey Vonn became the oldest skier – at 41 years old - to win a World Cup race, in the Downhill in St Moritz (2:!5) I have picked up my own injury (2:30) Andy Butterworth from Kaluma Travel is in St Anton (3:50) Listen to Iain’s interview with James Cove in Episode 261 (5:40) James Cove from planetski.eu is spending this winter in Canada  (5:50) James & Sinead from Sauze Online are in Via Lattea (8:!5) Tim Hudson from Inspired Italy is in the Dolomites (9:20) James Webb was in Selva Val Gardena (11:15) Dave Burrows from SnoPros Ski School was in Les Crosets (13:20) Al Judge from Alikats chalet company is in Morzine (14:40) Jim Duncombe is in La Clusaz (15:45) Betony Garner reported from St Gervais (17:20) Jen Tsang from That’s La Plagne is in La Plagne (19:10) Alex Irwin from the YouTube channel ‘150 Days of Winter’ is in Courchevel (20:40) Nicholas from Freeride Republic is in Meribel (21:20) Alex Armand from Tip Top Ski Coaching reports from Les 2 Alpes (23:00) Mike Richards was out in Pra Loup (23:30) FeedbackIf you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com Matt Hayes: "Episode 267 was great. I appreciate all the work that goes into these." You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. There is so much in our back catalogue if you would like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. if you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

This is a special interview with Kit DesLauriers – the person to ski the Seven Summits – the highest mountains on each of the planet’s seven continents. I read Kit’s book ‘Higher Love’ in the summer of 2025 and was blown away by her bravery, courage, determination and, quite frankly, by her incredible organisation. During our conversation Kit covers her background in skiing as a former Freeride World Tour champion, as well as explaining the logistical, physical and physiological challenges she faced while tackling the Seven Summits. This episode is the latest in a series of interviews with high-achieving women in the world of snowsports. Previous episodes in this series have included interviews with Vicky Gosling, CEO of GB Snowsport, BBC Ski Sunday’s Chemmy Alcott and founder of YSE Ski Fiona Easdale, as well as the Team GB freestyle skiers Zoe Atkin and Kirsty Muir. SHOW NOTES Read Kit’s book: ‘Higher Love: Climbing and Skiing the Seven Summits’ Kit learned cross country skiing first (7:00) Skiing in Verbier (9:00) Chamonix and Alagna (13:00) Kit worked on the ski patrol at Telluride (14:00) Moving to Jackson Hole (16:15) Joining the World Freeski Tour (17:30) Being sponsored by The North Face (19:00) Dick Bass gifting his book (21:00) Mt Elbrus (27:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Dan Egan (28:00) Vinson Massif, Antarctica (29:00) Using neoprene over boots (30:00) Aconcagua (31:00) Mount Kilimanjaro (35:00) Was Everest always going to be last? (38:00) ‘Complete autonomy’ contract with Dave Hahn (40:30) Buddhist blessings (44:00) A call from Megan Carney (47:30) Jimmy Chin (52:00) Skiing from the summit of Everest (53:00) Skiing the Lhotse Face (54:00) Becoming a parent (58:00) The Brooks Range of Alaska (59:00) Feedback You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast.  Take part in our 2025 Listener Survey and you could win £400 worth of prizes. There are now 286 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’ve enjoyed this episode, then go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find plenty more to listen to. If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:  -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you save money on your ski hire with an additional discount by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com. Simply take this link in the show notes for your discount to be automatically applied. 

In this episode, we find out more about Livigno, the host resort for the freestyle events for the 2026 Winter Olympics, plus we make our recommendations for the best ski gloves and ski socks for this winter.  We also have snow reports from across the Alps plus the early results from our 2025 Listener Survey. Iain was joined in the studio by Betony Garner and Al Morgan.  ---------  Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there. --------- SHOW NOTES Betony was last on the show in Episode 256 discussing ski touring in Tromso (1:00) Listen to our episodes on the Best Skis, Ski Boots, Helmets and Goggles for this winter (2:00) Dave Burrows from Snowpros Ski School reported from Pila, Italy (5:15) Alex Armand from Tip Top Snow Coaching is in Les 2 Alpes, France (6:20) James and Sinead Hanson from Sauzeonline are in the Via Lattea / Milky Way ski region in Italy (6:50) Complete our 2025 Listener Survey and you could win £400 of prizes (8:00) ‘The Secret Ski Seasonaire’ is a good stocking filler for anyone who worked in Chamonix, Tignes or Alpe d’Huez in the 2000s (9:00) Mia Brookes took first place in the Snowboard Big Air in China (9:15) Txema Mazet-Brown was 7th in the men’s Snowboard Big Air - a career best (9:30) Betony will be working for Team GB in Livigno during the Winter Olympics (10:15) Find out more about which events are taking place in which resort (11:45) Find out about Livigno (14:00) Aquagrande leisure centre in Livigno (14:45) Team GB best chance of medals (16:15) Listen to Iain’s interview with Vicky Gosling (18:00) What to look for when buying ski gloves (19:00) For more technical info, listen to our 2024 episode on gloves (22:15) Glove v. mitten v. lobster claw (22:30) THE BEST SKI GLOVES | WINTER 2026 Kombi Tactical Gore-Tex Leather Glove, £180 (23:45) Level Iris Glove, £110 (26:00) Dare2b Indicator Index Waterproof Gloves (3-Finger), £70 (but currently on sale at £35) (27:30) THE BEST SKI SOCKS | WINTER 2026 Sidas Ski Protect V2, £40 (29:30) Darn Tough Edge Over-the-Calf Midweight, £37 (31:30) Stance Jimmy Chin Ultralight Ski Socks, £27 (33:15) Find out more about heated gloves and socks in last year’s ‘Best Ski Socks’ episode (35:00) Feedback (36:45) If you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com  You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast.  Henry Smith: “Thank you for your dedication to bringing us the pod every week, it’s much appreciated. As a resident in the Canary Islands, we normally ski in Andorra or the Northern Spanish resorts.” Judy Mathews: “Thank you for this wonderful podcast! Absolutely love it and hope to get to meet you one day on or off the slopes.” Rachel Maffeis: "I loved the interview with Krishan in Episode 266. I enjoyed his approach is to creating ski experiences in Gulmarg, rooted in a sense of place. That mixture of extreme altitude...but not yet hugely developed makes it sound intriguing." Colin Tierney: “I enjoyed Episode 264. It was great to hear Al again.”  There are now 285 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to.  If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:      -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode    -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify    -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today we learn about the Ski Juwel region of the Austrian Tirol, plus we find out about skiing in Gulmarg in the Indian Himalayas.We also have snow reports from Verbier, Zermatt, Megeve and Ischgl, plus we reveal news of a new competition, exclusively for listeners to The Ski Podcast, in which you can win goodies worth over £400. Iain was joined by Joey Pearson from Alpback and Krishan Anand from Secret Ski Party in Jammu, India.---------Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there. ---------COMPLETE OUR 2025 LISTENER SURVEY You could win over £400 or prizes including a full Terrawest backcountry pack with shovel and probe, Vallon Eyewear sunnies, as well as goodies from Les Arcs, Ikon Pass and more.  It only takes a minute or two to complete, so just take this link now ---------SHOW NOTESBetony Garner reported from Megeve (5:00)Robin Shah was in Verbier: check his Instagram here (6:00) Marco Ladner reported from the opening weekend in Ischgl (8:30) Find out more about Ischgl in Episode 263 of The Ski Podcast Complete the 2025 Listener Survey (9:30) Kirsty Muir won the first Ski Big Air of the season in China (10:00) Listen out for Iain’s interview with Kirsty going live next month (10:30) The full name of Ski Juwel is ‘Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau’ (12:00) Joey Pearson is Secretary of the Alpbach Visitors Ski Club (14:00) ‘Ski Juwel’ was created in 2012 when the gondola linking Alpbach to Wildschonau opened (16:00) The ski area includes 114km of pistes (16:30) How to get to Ski Juwel (17:15) Check the Ski Juwel piste map (18:30) Alpbach: Austria’s most beautiful village (19:00) Try Night Skiing in Ski Juwel (19:30) Try the views from Hornbahn 2000 (20:15) Auffach (21:00) Try Joe’s Salettl in Inneralpbach for apres-ski (24:00) Gulmarg resort is much higher than resorts in Europe (25:30) The ski market in India (26:30) Krishan is founder of the Secret Ski Party in Gulmarg (32:00) Indians often travel to ski overseas in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and in Georgia (35:30)FeedbackIf you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. Paul Bond: “Loving the Tyrol focus. ‘Let’s give it a visit’ we said, 50 trips later. Friendly, great ski infrastructure and Kaiserschmarm!” uteelo: “Love the show — there’s genuinely nothing else like it. I just skip the environmental segments most of the time: I’m here to hear people talk about skiing!”There are now 284 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up. If you’d like to get some insight on a particular destination or the latest kit, just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to. If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today we find out about Carv - ‘the wearable ski coach’ - and learn about one of the world’s great ski resorts: Whistler Blackcomb in Canada. We also have snow reports from Tignes, Val Thorens and Cervinia. Iain was joined in the studio by Alex Jackson from Carv and Lauren Everest from Tourism Whistler, and down the line by Floss Cockle, Alex Irwin and Alex Armand. Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast. We’ve already covered Innsbruck, Ischgl, Tirol West, St Johann in Tirol and the SkiWelt area this winter, with more to come. Catch up now to learn about the different areas and the ‘‘Lebensgefühl’ – that Austrian way of life that connects them all together.   SHOW NOTES Floss Cockle from FreeFlo Ski Coaching reported from Tignes (3:45) Alex Irwin from 150 Days of Winter skied in Val Thorens (5:30) Alex Armand from Tip Top Ski Coaching was in Cervinia in the Aosta Valley, Italy Listen to interviews recorded at The London Snow Show (8:30) What is the Carv? (10:00) How does Carv work? (11:30) Listen to Iain’s interview with Carv co-founder Jamie Grant (12:30) The Carv dataset covers over a billion turns (14:00) How your Ski:IQ is calculated (14:30) The gamification aspects (19:30) New developments for this year: Ski:IQ™ Wasatch (21:30) Carv costs £199 for an annual subscription, or £99 for a single week (26:00) Where is Whistler? (28:00) Whistler is biggest ski resort in North America with 8171 skiable acres? (28:30) There are 200+ runs in Whistler Blackcomb (29:20) Whistler is celebrating its 60th anniversary (30:00) Hosting the 2010 Vancouver Olympics (32:00) Find out about the Peak to Valley Race (33:45) Can you tell us about the ‘Seven Wonder Routes’ (34:30) Whistler is owned by Vail Resorts and included in the Epic Pass (35:00) Buy your Epic Pass before the deadline (36:00) Try the Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC) for an apres ski drink (38:00) Feedback If you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – I would love to know. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com. You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast Matt Hayes: “The Bladon Lines episode is such a great story. A must listen.” Wayne Reeder: “Really enjoy your shows, guests and great information.” He also asked about the ‘Ski à la Carte’ pass Phil Shotton: “Long time listener to your podcast. I really enjoyed them in the closed season – they helped keep me in the ski mood”  Make sure you subscribe to the Skipedia YouTube channel and find out how to carry skis properly! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9ZALXFwR34 There are now 283 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with and when I looked this morning, the stats say that 175 of those were listened to in the last week. Go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting to listen to.  f you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:     -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode   -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify   -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today we find out about the Tirol West region in Austria, plus we look at the best new ski helmets and goggles this winter. We also have an update from the Sheffield Ski Festival, news from Madonna di Campiglio and we hear about a best-ever British performance in the World Cup slalom in Levi.  Host Iain Martin was joined by Simone Zangerl from Tirol West Tourism and ski equipment expert Al Morgan.  --------- Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there. --------- SHOW NOTES Dave Ryding finished 7th in the slalom at the World Cup in Levi, Finland (4:30) Laurie Taylor recorded the fastest second run to finish in 4th place, just 4/100th of a second off the podium (5:00) Iain spoke with Andrea Busignani about the plan to cap skier numbers in Madonna di Campiglio (6:20) Sam Croft is from the Revive Sheffield Ski Village campaign (9:00) The Sheffield Ski Festival took place on 14-15 November Visit the Tirol West website (10:00) You can travel by train via Zurich to Landeck (10:45) How to travel to Tirol West (11:00) Tirol West includes the towns and villages of Landeck, Zams, Fliess, Tobadill, Grins and Stanz (11:30) Venet is the Tirol West ‘house’ resort (12:15) Tirol West is great for ski touring (13:00) You can book a €10 for a return bus transfer to any of St Anton, Lech/Zurs, Ischgl, Serfaus Fiss Ladis and the Kaunertaler Glacier (14:00) There are plenty of walking trails and snow shoeing (16:30) Try ice bathing at Tramser Weiher (17:00) You can enjoy a lot of free activities with the free TirolWest card (17:45) Simone recommends a Tyrolean Groestl (21:00) You can also try the Tiroler Edle local chocolate (21:30) Ski Helmets: ‘Fit is Key’ (23:00) For more details on all of the key terms and jargon for helmets, listen to last year’s episode (23:30) What does ‘MIPS’ mean? (24:00) “If you’ve got a cheap head, buy a cheap helmet” (30:30) Listen to last year’s goggles episode for a breakdown of the key terminology (31:00) What does S1, S2 or S3 lenses mean? (31:15) The Best Skis for Winter 2026 (39:30) The Best Ski Boots for Winter 2026 (39:30) Smith Vantage 2, £235 (26:00) Available in a range of colours, especially the matte black, ultraviolet and Emerald City options. This is a hybrid construction with Koroyd inside, improving shock absorbency, strength and lightweight. These hollow tubes allow a mass of airflow, complemented by the huge number of vents. Add in Mips, the magnetic buckle, Smith’s superb AirEvac system, BOA fit adjustment, anti-microbe lining and audio ready earpads, and you’re onto a winner. Atomic Revent AMID, £160 (27:30) This series of helmets has a far more contemporary aesthetic than Atomic helmets of recent seasons. It has an in-mold dual shell, so is light with active venting. It has a removable and washable merino and 3m X-Static liner so doesn’t develop the smell some helmets can. It has audio ready earpads and the new AMID (Atomic Multi-directional Impact Deflector) tech, combined with a Holo Core EPS liner for enhanced safety.   Bollé Keystone Mips, £120 (29:30) The Keystone is a new model, available in several colours. The minimalist aesthetic looks fab, and in testing we found it very comfortable. It doesn’t have loads of vents, but at £120 it’s great value. It’s available without Mips for £90, but we recommend the added safety of Mips for £30 more. Oakley Flow Scape L Snow Goggles, £325 (32:30)   The Flow Scape has a new conical lens shape giving a dramatically increased field of view (FOV). The lens tilts in towards the face at the base, and is wider and further away from the face at the top. They’ve even changed the design of the Switchlock lens quick-release system, removing the need for magnets which would have encroached on the FOV. The Vision Rapt face foam is an ultra-memory foam, giving incredible comfort. Even the sliders on the strap have been tweaked to reduce their profile. Each Flow Scape comes with two lenses, one for brighter conditions and the second is the Prizm Iced Iridium, which is one of the best lenses you can get for flat light or stormy conditions. The only downside with this goggle, apart from the cost, is that it will be too large for some.  Head Neves Sunscreen, £330 (34:20) Wow. When we first tried this, we were blown away. The lens tech is next-level. This tint-changing tech covers categories S1-S3 and is solar powered. The solar panel generates a voltage, activating a microprocessor which controls the LCD to darken the lens. It changes tint almost instantly as you move from shade to light and back again.  Scott Ambit LS, £135 (36:00) Ambit is a new goggle design from Scott, including this medium to large fit, as well as the Ambit Compact, which suits smaller face shapes. Scott sells more photochromic lenses, as they cover a range of conditions, saving the hassle of swapping lenses. This Amplifier lens tech provides superb clarity and definition, and we’ve tested it in stinking, and stellar, conditions, and it always delivers.  Bliz G001, £79 (37:!5) The Bliz Scandinavian minimalist design, married with affordable quality, has impressed us. The G001 and G002 goggles are new for this season, available in adult and small sizes, and the lens is magnetic, for quick swaps. The G001’s full frame construction looks almost frameless, whilst the G002 is more traditional, with a chunkier frame. The Smoke S3 lens is a fab choice when the sun’s out and looks sensational in this black on white colourway. Mega comfy and excellent value. Feedback If you’ve enjoyed this episode – or even if you didn’t like it – then we'd love to hear from you. You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop Iain an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com  You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. Antonia Simpson: “I first came across the Ski Podcast at the Snow Show - really enjoyed hearing about Mount Etna! Since then I have listened to lots of episodes: Bladon Lines (252) and James Cove (261) being my favourites. I love your focus on train travel, and in fact will be getting the train in a couple of weeks to Embrun.” Colin Tierney: “I enjoyed episode 263 about Ischgl”  Richard Birlton: "I listen to every podcast and can’t wait for it to drop every week" If you’re excited about winter, why not visit theskipodcast.com – we have episodes on so many different subjects, interviews with so many people and reviews of so many resorts.  If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do:    -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode  -          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify  -          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied

Today we find out about Ischgl in Tirol, plus we learning about the new ‘Clean Miles’ campaign from Protect Our Winters.Host Iain Martin was joined by Cat Ainsworth, CEO at Protect Our Winters UK, and three-time Winter Olympian and Ischgl resident, Marco Ladner. ---------Tirol in Austria sponsors The Ski Podcast, which means this winter we’re are finding out more about some of the great destinations in Tirol, and how you can connect with the Austrian way of life: ‘Lebensgefühl’ – that you’ll find there.---------SHOW NOTESCat skied in Valle Nevado in Chile and Ushuaia in Patagonia (1:30)Marco had an early opportunity to ski in Ischgl (2:30) Val Thorens will open on 22 Nov, followed by Les 2 Alpes, Val d’Isere, Zermatt and Ischgl the following weekend (4:00)Luca Carrick-Smith will make his World Cup debut at Levi in Finland (4:15) https://x.com/skipedia/status/1987897332348957133 Marco took part in the half-pipe at Sochi 2014, Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022 (5:00) Listen to Iain’s interview with Zoe Atkin (8:00) Ischgl is located in the west of Tirol (8:30) You can travel by train from Zurich to Landeck (9:00) Ischgl is located at 1400m going up to 2800m (09:30) Ischgl opens and closes each winter with a MASSIVE concert (10:00) Take a look at acts who’ve played at the Top of the Mountain concerts previously (11:30) Rita Ora is playing the opening of Ischgl this year (12:30) The ski area (13:15) Who does Ischgl suit? (13:45) This winter there are three new lifts (14:45) What’s it like for families? (15:30) Find out about Lego winter fun (16:00) Marco recommends a classic ‘Kaiserschmarrn’ (18:00) Ischgl is very famous for after ski (18:30) The Silvretta Therme is a fantastic wellness centre (19:00) What is the role of Protect Our Winters  (20:30) Cat is a BASI qualified ski instructor (24:30) Find out about the POW ‘Clean Miles’ campaign (25:45) Sign the POW ‘Clean Miles’ petition (27:30) Iain set up Ski Flight Free in 2019 (28:45) Watch some of the POW Mobility videos Feedback (30:00)You can leave a comment on Spotify, Instagram or Facebook – our handle is @theskipodcast – or drop an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com You can also follow us on WhatsApp for exclusive material released ahead of the podcast. Look in the Show Notes for that link.Leon Butler: “I have such a soft spot for the whole of the Tirol, but Wilder Kaiser [Episode 262] is stunning.”Stan: "Love the podcast, it’s a great way to stay connected to the world of skiing between my annual holiday trips, in particular the kit reviews with Al Morgan and stories like Bladon Lines."There is so much in our back catalog: just go to theskipodcast.com, have a search around the tags and categories and you’re bound to find something you’ll find interesting about our wonderful world of skiing and snowboarding. If you’d like to help the podcast, there are three things you can do: -          you can follow us, or subscribe, so you never miss an episode-          you can give us a review on Apple Podcasts or leave a comment on Spotify-          And, if you’re booking ski hire this winter, don’t forget that you can get an additional discount if you use the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ when you book at intersportrent.com or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied