Off The Podium - An Olympics Podcast

Another week, another Newscast, as we welcome Alex back to the show to run through all the latest Olympic news and bring you our newest sport preview ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics. We dive into the announcement of a major name performer for the opening ceremony and debate how their music could actually work across certain winter sports. We also chat medal designs, team uniforms and British short-track speed skating, which is always a fun discussion! Add to that a deep dive into curling with Dean and Tahli after their wild week in Canada, plus our latest sport preview as we explore the thrilling world of skeleton and why we may have just found our new favourite Olympic athletes. It’s another fun ride you won’t want to miss!

A special episode drops today as we explore the world of Olympic hospitality ahead of the Milano Cortina Winter Games. Joining us is Paul Caine, President of On Location, to reveal what goes into creating these premium experiences, from what’s on offer, to how they elevate the way fans watch the Olympics. We dive into the cost, the growing demand, and why this side of the industry is booming. It’s a fascinating chat that gives you a rare insight into a unique way of experiencing sport. Tune in to get informed, entertained, and maybe even inspired to see the Games like never before.

As the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics draw closer, we’re back in the world of ski mountaineering — this time with our first-ever Canadian SkiMo athlete, Aaron Robson! Battling the USA for Olympic qualification, Aaron is pushing hard to secure Canada a spot on the world stage. From adventures in the Rockies to representing Team Canada in track, mountain running, and now SkiMo, his journey is anything but typical. In this episode, he shares how he discovered the sport, why he’s committed to growing SkiMo at home while chasing an Olympic dream, and the most unique fundraising scheme you’ll ever hear. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss!

It’s Newscast time once again as we welcome the incredible Raphael back to break down the latest Olympic headlines and bring you our newest Olympic sport preview ahead of Milano Cortina! We dive into the drama surrounding the ice hockey venue in Milan and explore the biggest threat yet to NHL players appearing at next year’s Games. We also look at major new funding headed Australia’s way for its Olympians, along with fresh developments for the 2030 French Alps Olympics. Plus, we step into the world of biathlon for our latest sport preview, unpacking what makes this unique discipline so compelling ahead of 2026. Get your speakers ready, this is one hell of an episode!

American journalist Brian Pinelli is one of the leading voices covering the Olympics, having reported on ten different Games throughout his extraordinary career. Currently on the ground in Cortina ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Brian shares how the preparations are progressing and what to expect from Italy’s second Winter Games this millennium. We also hear more epic stories from his storied career and learn about his experiences covering a forgotten multi-sport event in a future Australian Olympic city. It’s an amazing chat that’s sure to get you pumped for the day ahead!

Innika De Rosa’s journey into ski mountaineering is one of the most unique you’ll ever hear. Unlike many athletes, the Australian didn’t grow up in sport, but after moving to Norway, a series of unexpected events introduced her to SkiMo, a discipline now on the cusp of its Olympic debut. Earlier this year, her path took a dramatic turn when she broke her leg at the World Championships in Switzerland, but Innika remains determined to keep chasing her Olympic dream. In this conversation, she opens up about how she discovered the sport, the challenges of recovery, and what drives her to keep pushing toward the Games in what is by far one of the most entertaining interviews we’ve ever had on this show! Don’t miss it!

It’s that time again to dive into the latest Olympics news with our Newscast, as Patrick joins Ben to get you fully up to date! We break down the drama surrounding the ice hockey venues in Milano Cortina and whether we’ll actually see any action on the ice in a couple of months. We also revisit a certain New Zealand skier we mentioned last time, with some pretty big news we missed! Plus, we kick off our latest sports preview by diving into everything you need to know about the thrilling world of Short-Track Speed Skating. It’s one jam-packed episode you definitely don’t want to miss!

Ski mountaineering is a sport we’re still discovering, and one of the best guides on this journey is Aussie SkiMo athlete Brian Lichi. Brian has carved a strong path in the sport and is one of the key driving forces behind its existence and growth in Australia. His passion has taken him all the way to the top, where he currently serves as chair of the Australian SkiMo Committee within Snow Australia. In this epic chat, we explore Brian’s beginnings in the sport, the origins of SkiMo down under, and his own ‘selfish’ Olympic ambitions that fueled his journey. We also dive into what it took to grow the sport in Australia, the prospects for Australian athletes at Milano Cortina next year, the fun of designing uniforms, and which Australian animal should be used as SkiMo's mascot down under. It’s an epic conversation that will both entertain and educate — so get listening!

Cameron Smith is one of the leading faces of American ski mountaineering and is on the verge of making history as part of the sport’s Olympic debut in Italy next year. In this epic chat, we discover how a simple invitation to join his sister at an event more than a decade ago changed the course of his career, and how he climbed the ranks in a sport still growing on the world stage. We also explore the ski mountaineering scene in the US, why Cameron believes the sport will explode after next year’s Olympics, and what it would mean to him to make the Olympics and how he expects to do in Italy. It’s an amazing conversation you won’t want to miss!

 We’re speeding closer and closer to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, so much so that we’re bringing you a Newscast EVERY WEEK between now and the Games! To get you pumped, we’re keeping you up to date with weekly episodes, kicking things off with Colin returning to the show to deliver all the latest news and a massive sports preview. We dive into the start of the torch relay and why we’re so excited to see it finally get underway, plus break down some big news about a former guest and Canadian icon who has been banned until 2027 and what actually led to that decision. Throw in strong results from several Team OTP members, a full preview of all things freestyle skiing and far too much talk about someone’s mother, and you’ve got one massive Newscast you won’t want to miss! 

Aussie luger Alex Ferlazzo is a true icon of winter sports down under, the first Australian to compete in three Olympic Games in luge, most recently at Beijing 2022. There, he made history with a 16th-place finish, the highest ever by an Australian luger at the Olympics. Since then, Alex has gone from strength to strength, with multiple top-ten World Cup results and a record-breaking fifth place at the 2024 World Championships, which was the best result ever by an Australian luger at any international competition. As we welcome Alex back to the show, he reflects on that history-making run in China, the momentum it created, and how it’s fuelled his pursuit of even greater success on the world stage. We also check in on his preparations for a fourth Olympic Games in Italy next year, and the ambitious goals he’s set to rewrite the record books yet again. Strap in: this is an epic chat you won’t want to miss!

It’s a huge achievement to be an Olympian in one sport, let alone a three-time Olympian. But what about aiming for a fourth Olympics in the same sport while also adding a completely new discipline to your list? That’s exactly the journey Australian cross-country skier turned ski mountaineer Phil Bellingham is on right now, as he pushes to qualify for a fourth Olympics in cross-country skiing and the brand-new SkiMo discipline. We explore how he got started in cross-country skiing, his experiences at three Olympic Games so far, and why Australia consistently punches above its weight in a sport rarely discussed down under. We also dive into the challenges of SkiMo, what inspired him to take on this new pursuit, and what it would mean to become Australia’s first-ever male SkiMo Olympian. It’s an amazing story from an incredible athlete that you won’t want to miss!

Get ready for the latest Off The Podium Newscast! Colin and Ben dive into the biggest Olympic news, from recent uniform drops for Team Canada, Team Australia, and Team Milano Cortina, to scheduling updates for LA and emerging future Olympic bids. Plus, we unpack the puzzling push to turn Australian medallists into New Zealanders. On top of that, we bring you a full Figure Skating preview ahead of Milano Cortina — who to watch, key storylines, and everything you need to know about arguably the biggest sport of the Winter Olympics. It’s an epic episode you won’t want to miss! 

We love bringing you content from amazing authors telling incredible stories, and today is no exception. We sit down with American author Doug Levy to discuss his remarkable book Hero Redefined, which shares powerful stories from extraordinary Olympic athletes you may not have heard of. We learn about Doug’s writing process, what inspired him to tell these stories, and why he chose the athletes he did. We also discover why Doug was the best person to tell these stories, who he wished he could have found, and how his journey took him all the way to Tanzania. It’s an amazing chat full of incredible stories, so get listening and enjoy! 

Brianna Salinaro has had an extraordinary journey across two very different sports. The American represented her country in taekwondo at the 2020 Paralympics, just five years after making history as the first-ever female para taekwondo athlete to represent the USA at an international competition. After that, she switched to track and field and came close to making the US team for the Paris Paralympics. In this extraordinary chat with Brianna, we explore her incredible journey, what it means to be a trailblazer, and why she continues to push herself higher as she aims for a second Paralympic Games. It’s an amazing conversation you won’t want to miss!

We’re into another classic OPENING CEREMONY REVIEW as we track back to 2006 and the last time Italy hosted an Olympics, giving us a taste of what we might see again in Milano Cortina 2026. We take a fine-tooth comb to everything this Torino Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony had to offer — from flaming speed skaters and Pavarotti, to Ferrari F1 cars doing doughnuts and an Italian President who somehow managed a dirty mouth and a cold head. There’s even some Italian BDSM, a very sparky flame lighting, and the birth of an Opening Ceremony tradition we still can’t handle. It’s bold, bizarre and oh-so-Torino — and one you won’t want to miss!

Lara Hamilton is Australia’s number one ski mountaineer and could make history at Milano Cortina next year as the nation’s first-ever Olympian in the sport. But how does a former Nordic skier — and current champion trail runner — switch dreams and rise to the top of a completely different sport, all while managing a rare condition that sometimes makes it hard just to get out of bed? In this episode, Lara opens up about her remarkable journey, the drive pushing her toward the Olympics, and what it would mean to become Australia’s first female Olympic SkiMo athlete. We also dive into the challenges of competing on the world stage, why SkiMo deserves more attention in Australia, and how her DJ and music skills might even give her an edge on the slopes. It’s a fascinating chat that will inspire you and get you even more excited for the Olympics and SkiMo — don’t miss it!

Today marks 100 days to go until the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, and what better way to celebrate than by being joined by our two favourite Olympic podcasters, Jill and Alison from Keep The Flame Alive! We chat all about our excitement levels for the upcoming Games, discover which events and athletes we’re most looking forward to, and even find out that our shows share a surprising love for a few of the same stars. We also dive into the behind-the-scenes logistics of covering the Olympics next year and why we’re going to have an absolute blast doing it. Throw in some unexpected Pitbull and Steve Urkel mentions you didn’t know you needed, and you’ve got one unmissable episode. It’s the perfect way to celebrate our 500th episode in style!

A massive chat coming your way today as we sit down with one of the faces of the Australian Paralympic team, Ben Tudhope, to talk about his extraordinary career in para snowboarding and his hopes ahead of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Paralympics next year! Ben takes us through his remarkable rise in the sport, from making history as the youngest-ever Winter Paralympian at just 14 years old in 2014, to becoming one of Australia’s most inspiring athletes. We hear how that journey shaped him not just as a competitor, but as a person, and why chasing medals isn’t the only thing that drives him to be his best. Plus, Ben shares some hilarious stories about post-race haircuts, the good luck charm that never leaves his side, and his possible viral idea of driving fast cars with Ian Thorpe in the backseat. It’s one hell of an interview you simply can’t miss!

Get into the Newscast zone again as we welcome the amazing Alex Loveless to discuss all the latest Olympic news and preview another epic sport ahead of the 2026 Winter Games! We dive into the shock retirement of Ariarne Titmus and compare it to a similar high-profile exit, share updates from Milano Cortina including a fancy stage and an unfinished venue, explore why Donald Trump is in the Olympic conversation this month, and reveal exciting news on the groundbreaking of a major project. Plus, we bring you up to speed with Ski Mountaineering ahead of its Olympic debut in February with our latest sports preview. It's another epic episode you won’t want to miss!