The Ski Podcast

Today is a special interview with Mark Smith – the train travel expert also known as ‘The Man in Seat 61’.  We discuss his background; how he came to set up his website seat61.com ; his views on the best routes to the Alps by train; the trend towards night trains; plus whether there will ever be competition for Eurostar on the cross-channel line.  Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code If you’re headin...

We find out about skiing in Montenegro and Tignes, what it’s like at European Gay Ski Week and we look at the new Jandri 3S lift in Les 2 Alpes. We also have our regular snow reports, your feedback and news on World Cup wins for Team GB. Host Iain Martin is joined by freelance journalist Mary Novakovich, Matt Ware from European Gay Ski Week and regular guest, Catherine Murphy.  Intersport Ski Hire...

We focus on ski touring in this equipment special. Iain and Al look at the best skis and ski boots for people wanting an ‘all-rounder’ set up or a dedicated lightweight touring set up, as well as discussing layers and the different bindings available.   This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. They are the winter sports specialists, with 16 shops around the...

This special episode of The Ski Podcast featuring Val d'Isère legend John Yates-Smith.  John is just starting his 50th winter in the resort. He started in the 70s in the early years of the British ski industry and went on to run Bladon Lines’ operations in Val d'Isère for a decade.  In 1991, he co-founded his own chalet company, YSE Ski , which has now been offering ski holidays in VDI for over 30...

Our special Christmas Episode is the present of snow reports for you from across the Alps, including Tignes, Les 2 Alpes, La Plagne, Courchevel, Combloux, Val Gardena, St Anton, Grimentz…and the Brecon Beacons in Wales! SHOW NOTES Iain is currently in Tignes (0:30) Alex Armand, Tip Top Ski Coaching , Les 2 Alpes, France (1:30) Jen Tsang, That’s La Plagne , La Plagne, France (2:00) Alex Irwin, 150...

Today we look at the iconic resort of Jackson Hole, find out how Saas Fee are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ and learn about ‘The Last Ride’ film project. We also have snow reports from Verbier, Les 2 Alpes and La Plagne, an update on the latest ski racing action from Matt Garcka and your feedback. Host Iain Martin was joined by Jess McMillan from Jackson Hole and Jon...

In this episode we discuss how to ski safely on the slopes, and why that’s important. Plus we find out about the opening weekend of the season in Les 3 Vallées and take a look at the new venue for the London Snow Show. Host Iain Martin was joined by Kimberley Kay and Dr Carol Porter, authors of the ‘Project Fear’ study and Louise Paley and Amie Henderson, co-founders of the ‘ Piste X Code ’. Inter...

Today’s episode celebrates the release of the new film from The North Face, ‘Of A Lifetime’, featuring Xavier De Le Rue, his brother Victor and his daughter Mila.  The film covers an expedition the three of them took to Antarctica. Not only is the scenery breathtakingly beautiful, but you will be gripping your seat when you see some of the insane faces that Xavier and Victor take on.  The trip was...

In this special episode, Iain speaks with Lucy Aspden-Kean, Ski & Snowboard Editor at The Telegraph.  We discuss Lucy’s journey from the Blackpool Gazette to an MA in Journalism and how she beat 300 other applicants to win a ski internship at the Telegraph.  Lucy shares her advice for aspiring travel journalists, what it was like working on the travel desk during Covid, plus we also discuss ho...

Today we find out what it’s like skiing down Mont Blanc, learn about skiing in Hokkaido in Japan, plus we cover a drugs bust in Verbier, a cable car crash in Val Thorens and get an update on the Alpine World Cup. Host Iain Martin was joined by Floss Cockle, from FreeFlo Ski Coaching in Tignes and ski journalist and photographer , Mike Richards. Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code All podcast listene...

In our fifth of this winter’s equipment specials, Iain is joined by equipment expert Al Morgan to look at two vital areas of your winter wardrobe – ski gloves and socks. Previous episodes in this series have included the Best Skis , Ski Boots , Jackets and Helmets and Goggles for winter 2025.  This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. Ellis Brigham are the wi...

In this episode we discuss how to get more families skiing and how resorts can help parents, plus we look at what’s coming up on the World Cup ski racing circuit this winter.    We have our first snow report of the season and there’s an update from the Carrick-Smith boys as their first race of the season gets closer.  Host Iain Martin was joined by Nicole Feliciano from the Ski Moms podcast and Ma...

In the fourth of this winter’s equipment specials, Iain is joined by Al Morgan to look at two really important areas of your winter wardrobe – helmets and goggles.  Previous episodes in this series have included the Best Skis , Best Ski Boots and Best Ski Jackets for winter 2025.   This Special Episode of The Ski Podcast has been made possible by Ellis Brigham. They are the winter sports specialis...

In this special episode Iain and Al look at the best ski jackets for 2025. It’s the third in our series of looking at the best snowsports equipment available for winter 2025.  In our first two episodes, we looked at the best skis and the ski boots. In later episodes, we’ll look at the best helmets, goggles, gloves and socks, plus there will be a special episode focusing on ski touring equipment. T...

This episode is a Snow Show special, including interviews with Dave Ryding, Chemmy Alcott and others at the 2024 London Snow Show, Northern Snow Show and the industry event LISTEX.  We discuss the upcoming World Cup season, the Alpine Ski World Championships in Saalbach, the growth of the Magic Pass and there’s big news about the future of the London Snow Show itself. Plus we have a new competitio...

Joanna Yellowlees-Bound joins Iain for this special episode as we cover her 40-year career in the ski industry, graduating from resort rep to managing director of Erna Low - one of the oldest ski companies in the UK.   Joanna is one of the most experienced professionals in the UK ski industry, with a career that spans the first halcyon days of the ski business in the 80s to our post-Brexit world t...

Iain and Al reveal the ‘Best Ski Boots for 2025’, plus we also cover all the jargon you need to know about ski boots, including what Mondopoint and BOA mean, plus the differences between the shell, liner and last.  We’ve already covered the best skis, and in later episodes, we’ll be covering the best ski jackets, helmets, goggles, gloves and socks, as well as a special episode focussing on ski tou...

GB Snowsport CEO Vicky Gosling joins Iain for this special episode of The Ski Podcast.  We go behind the scenes of British skiing and snowboarding to find out what goes into running an organisation like GB Snowsport and how a country with no mountains outperforms countries from across the world. We also find out about Vicky’s background in the RAF, what it was like working alongside Prince Harry o...

Iain and Al reveal the ‘Best Skis for 2025’, including Piste skis, All Mountain skis and Freeride skis, plus we help you understand what length skis to buy, as well as what 'rocker' and 'side cut' mean. In later episodes, we’ll be covering the best ski boots, jackets, helmets, goggles, gloves and socks, as well as a special episode focussing on ski touring equipment.  This Special Episode of The S...

Today we look at skiing in Sweden and Hemsedal in Norway and we find out what it's like coaching your kids to be pro skiers. Plus we find out more about the European Sleeper service to Innsbruck and the Dolomites, as well as discovering what Crans Montana is like in September. Iain Martin was joined by four-time Winter Olympian and ski coach Emma Carrick-Anderson and Ben Nyberg, Managing Director...

Chemmy Alcott is probably the most well-known woman in snowsports in the UK.  After a racing career that took her to four Winter Olympics, she now balances presenting Ski Sunday on the BBC, with bringing up her young family and coaching new aspiring racers.  This special episode is part of an occasional set of podcasts I’m going to be publishing this winter focussing particularly on women in the s...

Today we find out what’s new at Banff Sunshine Village in Canada and we look into the history of one of the UK’s oldest snowsport retailers, Ellis Brigham. Plus, we have the latest gossip on which European destination Vail Resorts are planning to buy next. Host Iain Martin was joined by Kendra Scurfield, VP Brand and Communications at Banff Sunshine Village ski resort and Mark Brigham, Marketing D...

Today we find out what it’s like skiing in Arctic circle in Svalbard and look into some of the great work that the clothing brand Arcteryx are doing on sustainability. Plus we report on Tignes' decision to split with Compagnie des Alpes. Host Iain Martin was joined by Dominique Showers from Arcteryx Clothing and Verbier local and regular snow reporter Robin Shah.  SHOW NOTES Mt Seymour in BC is ju...

We find out about the ski resort of St Martin de Belleville in Les 3 Vallées, what it’s like driving an electric car up the 21 hairpin bends that take you to Alpe d’Huez, plus we look at a brilliant new initiative to raise funds for British skiers.  Iain was joined by Vanessa Fisher and Simon McIntyre, MD at Igluski.com and down the line by Scott Dobson from Alpine 100 . SHOW NOTES Vanessa shared...

In this episode we focus on Courchevel, including an update on the Saulire cable car and how the resort is surviving without Russians, plus we discuss summer in Les 2 Alpes and find out about the new Northern Snow Show. Iain was joined live by Alex Armand, from Tip Top Ski Coaching in Les 2 Alpes and YouTuber Alex Irwin from 150 Days of Winter as well as down the line by Ian Brown from Chill Facto...