GIRLS ON THE PISTE PODCAST – Details, episodes & analysis

Winter 23/24 is just around the corner and we are excited! 

As we start to gear up for a new ski season, we had a lot to talk about with Lucy Aspden-Kean who joins us for this episode. Lucy is Commissioning Editor for Travel at the Telegraph, with a specialist focus on snow and ski. 

Lucy has worked on the travel desk at the Telegraph for 9 years and we loved chatting about her experience there, adventures and bucket list trips that her role has taken her on, discovering the thrill of off-piste, best family ski memories - and where’s next!

Amongst other exciting and adventurous escapades, Lucy took part in an inspiring trek to Everest and has since interviewed some of the rescue team there and written a fantastic article on the increasing dangers of inexperienced climbers taking on Everest (article linked below). ‘Following a deadly season on Everest, the overlooked heroes tasked with saving stranded climbers explain why their job is getting harder.’

We discuss Norway, Patagonia, Japan, navigating travel journalism through the pandemic, skiing with family, the magic of skiing .. and the places it takes you.

Links:

Lucy’s Article on Everest:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/mount-everest-climbers-danger-tourism-rescue-world-records/

‘Everest is a magnet for inexperienced climbers – they are putting their lives at risk’

Following a deadly season on Everest, the overlooked heroes tasked with saving stranded climbers explain why their job is getting harder

Sherpa Tenzing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenzing_Norgay

Tenzing Norgay Sherpa's interview, in Tibetan, with All India Radio, Kurersong, India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbTgL6xpQuE

Other articles by Lucy:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/l/lu-lz/lucy-aspden/

Lucy’s Instagram Page:

https://www.instagram.com/lucy_aspden/?hl=en

Article about Lucy’s trip to Everest:

https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/lancashire-womans-inspiring-trek-everest-24230055

Rauris  - Austrian Resort

https://www.raurisertal.at/en/

Chris Bonnington - Climber  

His career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Bonington

Chris Bonington was the first to scale Everest 'the hard way' - by the south-west ridge - and he has taken part in three other expeditions. No other mountaineer, writer or photographer has as much experience of Everest. 

https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Boningtons-Everest-Sir-Bonington/dp/0297829270#

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This episode Bella chats with award winning photographer and film-maker Shannon Corsi and professional big mountain skier plus Queen of Corbetts, Veronica Paulsen. These are two of the inspiring girls behind the film Nexus.
Nexus, a feature-length ski film featuring an all-female cast of skiers will come to London this September. Nexus follows five distinct groups of female skiers, their connection to the mountains and how the sport shaped their relationships.

“For years, top women in the ski industry have heard the same sentiment ‘we already have a girl in this segment, one is enough’,” said Michelle Parker, one of the industry’s most prominent freeskiers and Nexus athlete. “If we want to see change in this industry, we need to be the ones out there moving it forward. Nexus is a milestone this industry was long overdue for.”

On Tuesday 12th September, ALS Ski are so excited to bring the UK premier of the Nexus ski film & Q&A panel with Nexus athletes Caite Zeliff, Veronica Paulsen and Director Shannon Corsi.
All profits will be donated to Protect Our Winters UK and Women of Winter
Date and time: Tuesday, 12 Sep 2023 18:30 - 20:30 BST
Location: The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)1 Kensington Gore London SW7 2AR
Tickets - £35, U25 - £25, with optional additional charity donation to Protect Our Winters UK and Women of Winter

LINKS
*Nexus Tickets*
Nexus Website
Shannon's Instagram
Shannons Website: https://www.shannoncorsi.com/
Veronica's Instagram  
Veronica’s Youtube
ALS Ski Insta
ALS Ski: Book Your Ski Holiday Here:www.als-ski.com
Protect Our Winters 
Women of Winter 
Veronicas double back flip
Corbets Couloir 
Jackson Hole
Pretty Faces
Female ski movies to check out
Home away from home with Veronica's friend Max  

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week we were honoured to be joined by the one and only WOODSY or James Woods.
James 'Woodsy' Woods is a Slopestyle, Freeskier from Sheffield, UK and one of the most successful freeskiers the UK has ever produced. 

Amongst many other achievements, Woodsy is a 2 times Olympian, took Gold in the Big Air comp at the 2017 Winter X Games and took another gold at  the 2019 Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships in Utah.

He was in Switzerland last week training for the Freeski World Cup in Corvatsch which was held over the weekend (March 26th – 28th 2022) and we were lucky enough to catch him mid-training before it kicked off.

Find out what a ‘switch rightside triple 1440 octo grab’ is - the trick that got him the gold! We talk about his career, tips for getting started in the park, future plans, teleporting and more. 

We also discuss the incredible scenes at the Freeride World Tour Finale last week in Verbier!

https://www.instagram.com/jameswoodsy/

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

Episode 10!! Golly gosh as Bella would say. We did it. And to celebrate (and take your mind off the fact it's a year since the first UK lockdown) .. (and the new travel ban) .. it's a bumper hour long episode for you this week! 

This week we LOVED chatting with Pam Thorburn - Pam is an Ex Alpine turned Ski Cross Athlete who was on the British World Cup team for both Alpine, then Freestyle Skiing, focusing on Ski Cross. She retired last year and now coaches Cross Fit and has set up her own gym in Rotterdam!
We talk ski cross,  her proudest moments, fitness for skiing, cross fit, ski modelling with broken bones, her aversion to wearing pink ski suits (the opposite to Bella) and more.

We also touch on  our own tips for ski fitness (which maaaay possibly have gone a bit out of the window at the moment) and  Question Tiiiiime has escalated into Quiz Tiiiiiime this week - we’ve made each other some fun little quizzes!

Thanks for listening!

LINKS:

Pam Thorburn
@pamthorburn

The Bar Rotterdam (Pam's new gym)
https://www.thebarrotterdam.com/

Head Kore 105 Ski (offpiste)
https://www.head.com/en_US/kore-105-44.html

Head Joy (piste ski)
https://www.head.com/en/sports/ski/joy

Cross Fit
https://www.crossfit.com/what-is-crossfit

Nocco drinks
https://nocco.com/en-uk/

Yoga - the amazing Toto Yoga class Emma does - usually London based in normal times but now also regularly on Zoom - HIGHLY reccommend 
http://www.totoyoga.com/
@totesyoges

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week we loved chatting  with Zoë de Pass aka @dresslikeamum. We both adore Zoe’s campaign and instagram account @DressLikeAMum which has a huge following, with an inspiring positive ethos and an empowering message which many women relate to, plus amazing style tips (she rocks a pink jumpsuit like no other!)

Most importantly Zoë is a lover of the mountains and super keen snowboarder. She hosts an annual Women Who Ski event - the ULTIMATE girls ski holiday! 

We also talk International Women’s Day, what we would be wearing on the slopes if we could get there, fave quotes .. and .. Bella has finally finished painting her house a lovely shade of blue.

Image:  Zoë in @pandaoptics goggles who kindly sponsor our podcast 🐼 

@dresslikeamum:
Zoe is a mum of 3 and created and launched Dress Like A Mum in 2015. The campaign was designed to dispel the myth that mum’s can’t dress - with the motivation being to speak to and inspire women no to lose themselves, their identity and energy in the midst of parenthood or ‘middle age’, as well as to develop creative and sustainable wardrobes for women as they move through various stages of life.

In 2017 Zoe also set up the fashion label DLAM with longevity at the heart of her vision working alongside  many well known retailers and it has been a huge success. 

@dresslikeamum

@dlam_by_zdp

@burton

@pandaoptics

@willyfinder

@internationalwomensday_global

@chamonixmontblanc

@stantonamarlberg

@kalumaski

@goldbergh

@peakperformance

@mywardrobe_hq

@hurr

@hestragloves
 

LINKS:

Dress Like A Mum / DLAM
https://www.dresslikeamum.com/

Women Who Ski Event - The Ultimate Girls Ski Holiday
https://kalumaski.com/women-who-ski/

https://www.mywardrobehq.com/
Rent pieces from 500+ designers

https://www.hurrcollective.com/
Rent clothes to get affordable and sustainable access to thousands of designer fashion pieces 

Article by Abi Butcher re. Contactless Chalets:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/contactless-catered-chalets-ski-worlds-answer-brexit-covid/

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

Will Greenwood MBE was our special guest on the podcast this week to discuss skiing and of course, rugby! 

As well as his many legendary rugby achievements, including  being an integral part of England’s World Cup victory in 2003, Will is also a very keen skier. We chatted to him about his best ski stories, heli-skiing in the Himalayas, plans for next winter and his absolute favourite resort which has already had a lot of airtime on this podcast - Sainte Foy! 

As we are currently mid-Six Nations excitement we also talk about this (with some helpful ski analogies from Will), how professional rugby currently being played without a crowd could be changing the sport, his company Our Legend (offering one of a kind family holidays and sporting events, hosted by some of the biggest names in sport) and more. 

Find out about Snow Rugby, our quote of the week from Jean Claude Killy, more ‘off the beaten track’ recommendations plus skiing and mental health.

LINKS:

Will Greenwood MBE https://willgreenwood.co.uk/about-will/

Skiing in Sainte-Foy - Will Greenwood - Article
"This lesser-known ski resort made for the best family holiday we've ever had".

Our Legend https://www.ourlegend.com/

Festival Of Sport https://festivalofsportuk.com/

Sainte-Foy https://www.saintefoy-tarentaise.com/en/

Wavell Wakefield https://www.rugbyworld.com/rugby-positions/opensides/wavell-wakefield-67206

UK Staycationshttps://als-sun.com/the-uk - Contact info@als-sun.com

Konrad Bartelski https://www.instagram.com/konradbartelski/ https://www.konradbartelski.photography/ 

Jean-Claude Killy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Claude_Killy https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/galleries/10-greatest-World-Cup-ski-racers/jean-claude-killy/

Snow Rugby https://www.snowrugby.it/en/what-is-snow-rugby/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-46973265

Snow Polo https://www.snowpolo-stmoritz.com/

White Turf https://www.whiteturf.ch/en/

Grimentz https://www.whiteturf.ch/en/

Riksgränsen https://riksgransen.se/en/

We Mention (Instagram Tags):
@willgreenwood @festivalsportuk @saintefoytarentaise @saintefoyofficiel @ourlegenduk @konradbartelski @iamaustinhealey @seanlangmuir @supporting

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it.  If you can dream it, you can become it.”
(William Arthur Ward)

This week we discuss how fear affects your skiing, the spectacular Freeride World Tour which is currently underway, our most adventurous ski stories (inspired the @snowfinelskiwear competition), plus find out how Ultima Collection - 'The Signature of Exceptional' - were such a success story in the challenging year of 2020.

We were thrilled that Michala Chatel joined us for chat - the managing partner of Ultima Collection - some of THE most luxurious properties in the Alps and the Mediterranean. 
Ultima Collection launched in 2016 and is an impressive collection of luxury 5* hotels, villas, residences, spas and private clinics in some of the worlds’ most prestigious  destinations.
Despite obvious challenges, 2020 has been an incredibly successful year for Ultima. Following on from points raised with our previous guests, we talk about the positive changes happening in travel, and how Ultima have created a completely different product that’s disrupting the traditional hospitality sector.
 
The charity we mention is Supporting Wounded Veterans.
Bella is on the committee for the charity and they are hosting a series of spring talks. The first one is this Thursday and is one she particularly involved with and interested in, which is how to treat mental illness through psychedelic drugs.
They are free to listen to. (We just ask for donations where people can ☺️)
Please share with friends and enjoy!
https://www.supportingwoundedveterans.com/springtalks


LINKS:

ULTIMA COLLECTION
https://www.ultimacollection.com/

FREERIDE WORLD TOUR
https://www.freerideworldtour.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCraJ3GNFfw6LXFuCV6McByg
https://twitter.com/FreerideWTour?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

ELAN VOYAGER - The world's first fully functional, folding, all-mountain ski
https://elanskis.com/voyager?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-elanskis&utm_content=later-14581909&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram

SNOW FINEL COMPETITION:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLtV3dEgn2K/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week it’s a DOUBLE whammy, two for one, ‘ski instructor special’ episode. 

In Part 1 Emma asks Bella some questions about her career as a ski instructor before we speak to Jas Bruce and James Duffield in Part 2. 
Jas is a BASI trainer, former British athlete, top ski instructor and now head of product and relations for BASI. He is currently based in Edinburgh. James is also a BASI trainer and top British ski instructor (and Emma’s brother) who is based permanently in the Alps in Sainte-Foy. 
At the end of the half-term week and what would have been one of the busiest weeks of the season for them (and us) we discuss what they’ve been doing during the pandemic, positive changes happening in the industry to adapt, challenges and achievements in their careers so far, ski racing, nordic skiing, family ski hols and why some of the best skiers ski with teddy bears. 

* Please excuse any squeaking in the background half-way through which is Bella’s dog trying to put her point across. 

LINKS:

Kamchatka 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamchatka_Peninsula

Skiing in North Korea 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csoP8Didoi0

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/news/kim-jong-un-opens-new-ski-resort-in-north-korea/

Heli-skiing in Alaska - Contact ALS Ski for further info:

https://www.als-ski.com/contact-us

BASI

https://www.basi.org.uk/

Interski 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvtzzlCF6zF/?igshid=1tx1ki51koaza

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=270230893910273

Nordic Skiing - BASI

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BASIMembers/permalink/10157572099085826/

Lift served skiing may be out this year in France unless you are a club skier but Nordic activities are going strong including this CPD day run by BASI and Tania Noakes in Praz de Lys. You can even take the Nordic L1 course as a CPD for another string in your bow.

Snoworks Courses 

https://www.snoworks.co.uk/

New Generation Ski School 

https://www.skinewgen.com/

Powder Extreme

https://www.powder-extreme.com/

Guilia Monego 

https://www.instagram.com/giuliamonego/?hl=en

Freeride World Tour 

https://www.freerideworldtour.com/

Restaurants mentioned in The 3 Valleys:

La Bouitte

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week it’s a DOUBLE whammy, two for one, ‘ski instructor special’ episode. 

In Part 1 Emma asks  Bella some questions about her career as a ski instructor before we speak to Jas Bruce and James Duffield in Part 2. 

Bella also quizzes Emma about her favourite resorts that are  ‘off the beaten track’ and Emma answers some quick fire questions on which resorts are best for what! From skiing on a budget, to learning to ski, best for après, best for foodies and more. 

We of course have our weekly ski fact, plus find out about Emma’s owl and Bella going to jail. 

Links:

Kamchatka 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamchatka_Peninsula

Skiing in North Korea 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csoP8Didoi0

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/news/kim-jong-un-opens-new-ski-resort-in-north-korea/

Heli-skiing in Alaska - Contact ALS Ski for further info:

https://www.als-ski.com/contact-us

BASI

https://www.basi.org.uk/

Interski 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvtzzlCF6zF/?igshid=1tx1ki51koaza

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=270230893910273

Nordic Skiing - BASI

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BASIMembers/permalink/10157572099085826/
Lift served skiing may be out this year in France unless you are a club skier but Nordic activities are going strong including this CPD day run by BASI and Tania Noakes in Praz de Lys. You can even take the Nordic L1 course as a CPD for another string in your bow.

Snoworks Courses 

https://www.snoworks.co.uk/

New Generation Ski School 

https://www.skinewgen.com/

Powder Extreme

https://www.powder-extreme.com/

Guilia Monego 

https://www.instagram.com/giuliamonego/?hl=en

Freeride World Tour 

https://www.freerideworldtour.com/

Restaurants mentioned in The 3 Valleys:

La Bouitte 

https://www.la-bouitte.com/en/

Bistrot Du Praz 

https://www.bistrotdupraz.fr/

Le Blanchot 

https://leblanchotmeribel.com/

Bel Air 1650 Courchevel

http://www.belair-courchevel.com/index.php

La Soucoupe

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week we are joined by the bestselling author, award-winning explorer, photographer and Britain’s best loved adventurer - Levison Wood. We talk about his love of the mountains, paramotoring, honeymooning in North Korea, his next book launch and the mental health challenges in exploring the world solo. 

With one year to go until the Beijing Winter Olympics we discuss how it is such an exciting time for winter sport talent - Team GB has its best ever medals prospect. We answer questions on favourite skis boots and skis, plus tips for a first ski holiday and skiing with kids. 

We also run through a ski resort update, with Italian resorts opening up slowly from this week.

Thank you to @snowfinelskiwear and @pandaoptics for supporting this podcast.
https://snowfinel.co.uk/
https://www.pandaoptics.co.uk/

LINKS

Levison Wood
http://www.levisonwood.com/
@levison.wood 

His Books:
http://www.levisonwood.com/books

Encounters: A Photographic Journey - Levison Wood
ORDER

Beijing Winter Olympics
https://www.olympic.org/beijing-2022

Volkl
https://www.voelkl.com/en/

Dalbello
https://www.dalbello.it/en/

Skiing Pics On Tinder Most Likely To Get You A Date
https://www.clubmed.co.uk/l/blog/top-holiday-pics-on-dating-apps

Catch Her If You Can BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p08vwr8y/catch-her-if-you-can

Chamonix
https://www.chamonix.com/chamonix-mont-blanc,0,en.html

Paramotoring
https://parajet.com/

Sierra Nevada
https://sierranevada.es/

El Lodge - Sierra Nevada
https://www.ellodge.com/

Michael Palin
https://www.themichaelpalin.com/

Mandla Nicruagua
https://www.instagram.com/mandla_nicaragua/

Supporting Wounded Veterans
https://www.supportingwoundedveterans.com/
https://www.instagram.com/supportingwoundedveterans/

Morzine
https://en.morzine-avoriaz.com/
https://www.instagram.com/morzineofficiel/

Portes Du Soleil
https://www.portesdusoleil.com/
https://www.instagram.com/portesdusoleil/ 

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com