Ep 70 Team troubles and fatal fire.
1. Weather 13th November 2025.
2. Skiing from a hot air balloon.
3. Property problems in ski resorts.
4. Troubles in the team.
5. Carrick-Smiths are in the Arctic.
6. Maison Sport and Team GB.
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson
7. Won gold.
8. Transgender athletes banned from LA 2028.
9. French Olympic medal bonuses.
10. Austrian fire, 25 years ago.
11. Sherpa supermarket opening tomorrow.
12. World Kindness Days.
Special Offers I have Spied....
If bored with the piste, ski out of a hot air balloon like Austria’s ex World Cup Racer David Meier. Watch it here at 53:27 minutes.
Property problems continue in Val and Chamonix, particularly for people who live and work here. Changes to the rules may help in the future.
France is still much easier to buy or let a property in a ski resort than Austria…
More troubles for the French ladies Biathlon team. Apparently someone tampered with someone else’s rifle…….Rumours were circulating that the coach was on the move but he insists he is focusing on his team doing well in the Olympics.
Team Carrick-Smith were on the move…. Nearly 4 days in the car to get to the Arctic circle for training before this weekends World Cup slalom in Levi.
If you can donate anything to help these three talented young men shine on skis for the GB, here is the link.
Maison Sport is sponsoring Team GB's Men’s Alpine World Cup Team.
Figure skaters Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson won gold recently in Osaka.
Transgender athletes will be banned from the LA 2028 Olympics. Though a final decision on DSD yet to be declared.
The French Winter Olympic medalists will get a tidy bonus….
80,000 euros for a gold, 40 for silver, 20 for bronze.
Considerably more than in Beijing.
25 years since the fatal funicular fire at Kitzsteinhorn Glacier in Austria.
155 died.
Only 12 escaped, helped by a volunteer firefighter who was with them and chose the best route, even though it looked the scariest.
Val continues to open…. Sherpa supermarket from tomorrow.
World Kindness Day….
Also be kind to yourself !
00:11 - Weather 13th November 2025.
00:22 - Skiing from a hot air balloon.
01:00 - Property problems in ski resorts.
01:58 - Troubles in the team.
02:36 - Carrick-Smiths are in the Arctic.
03:02 - Maison Sport and Team GB.
03:18 - Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson Won gold.
03:39 - Transgender athletes banned from LA 2028.
04:00 - French Olympic medal bonuses.
04:25 - Austrian fire, 25 years ago.
05:53 - Sherpa supermarket opening tomorrow.
06:05 - World Kindness Days.
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Good morning Val d’Isère Another sunny day Apparently
No complaints but Yesterday wasn’t Particularly sunny Even though I said it would be ! It was bright and dry… So not BAD.
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I love skiing in Val On the piste…. Don’t mind off piste As long as The snow is fluffy And I don’t have To walk uphill For longer Than I ski
That all gets a bit Blasé for some…
Former Austrian world cup racer 24-year-old David Meier
Skied out of a Hot air balloon….
Head first
I have put a link to the video In the episode description The balloon bit is at 53:27 minutes. It is in German But you can get the idea… I liked the sound effects When he managed to stop JUST in time…
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Every year it becomes more difficult To find accommodation For workers in Val. The council meeting last week Gave some hope for the future…. Developers will be Forced to provide property for People who work in Val. FINALLY…
Chamonix has a similar problem
Seventy percent of its housing are ‘second homes’.
To tackle the problem For Priced out residents And seasonal workers
It is the first ski resort to adopt the Airbnb Law….imposing restrictions.
And the planning rules mean no more Second homes can be built.
Property rented for less than 90 days a year Must have special permission.
A new property larger than 200 square metres Must also provide affordable housing.
Compared to Austria
Buying, letting and renting in a French ski resort Looks EASY.
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The French ladies Biathlon team Is not necessarily a happy place to be…
We all know about Julia Simon Who is riding out her suspension.
Another serious allegation NOT involving Julia… Was investigated….
Apparently One athlete was spotted Tampering with a teammates RIFLE. WOW…….makes theft look tame……..
There were rumours that the team coach Was on his way out But he insists his Future is focused on his athletes earning Italian Olympic glory.
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Team Carrick-Smith Are on the move… They drove for nearly Four days to the Arctic circle To have a few days training Before this weekends World Cup slalom In Levi.
Remember how close Freddy’s time was To the eventual winner last month In his first ever World cup race
If you have any pennies or euros…. To help these three talented Young men I have put the link In the episode description.
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The ski lesson booking platform Is Sponsoring the British Alpine Men’s World Cup Team As they prep for the Olympics.
Did you know that Maison Sport Was founded by former Members of the British Ski team ?
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Thinking of the Olympics… Our skaters Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson Won gold at the NHK trophy Figure skating in Osaka recently.
Their tenth Grand Prix medal.
They are not yet OFFICIALLY selected for the Winter Olympics But if they get there We expect them to Do even better than Their tenth place In the last Olympics.
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More Olympic news But this time Summer 2028 in Los Angeles…
All transgender athletes will be banned… Though not yet clear If athletes with DSD Differences of sexual development Will be allowed….
You will remember The women’s boxing in Paris….
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Thinking of Paris… The French Winter Olympic medalists Will receive the same bonuses As in Paris…. Traditionally The summer athletes Receive more … Who knows why…. So 80 thousand euros for a gold 40 for a silver And 20 for a bronze.
This is an impressive increase Since Beijing.
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It is something I often think about When I take the funicular
The memory is so strong That it is hard to believe It happened twenty five years ago…
9 am on the first day of the season At Kitzsteinhorn Glacier in Austria…… There was a terrible fire On their funicular
One hundred and fifty five died.
The culprit was a heater in the Empty conductor’s cabin at the bottom Of the train.
A volunteer firefighter Was near the fire And persuaded the eleven People close to him To ignore their instincts And go down through the smoke towards And past the fire
he rightly recognised the chimney effect He knew the smoke and toxic fumes would rise.
Only these twelve survived the blaze.
4 years later, 16 defendants Including engineers And safety inspectors were tried and acquitted.
International investigators queried this But appeals got nowhere
between them the Total amount Families of the victims And the survivors Received was less than 14 million euros.
Even worse NO APOLOGY.
The train line was shut forever And replaced with a bubble lift.
There is a memorial at the valley station
One hundred and fifty five Glass columns One for each of the victims.
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Val continues to open… Tomorrow the Sherpa supermarket….
We will be spoilt for choice After only having the Petrol Station spar since August !
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In a world where you can be anything Be kind….
Today is World kindness day…
Have to say I used to be REALLY KIND
Until I realised That wasn’t doing me any favours !!
It is extraordinary How people take advantage of the kind trait…. Then ignore you when You are no longer useful !
The world is definitely divided Between Givers and takers !
I now suppress Spontaneous kindness ….. Though don’t go as far as being Unkind. Just less likely to offer to help
Which gives me MUCH more time For dogs, skiing and art !
Better get scribbling See you tomorrow. |