Ep 87 First races of Val’s 70th Critérium.
1. Weather for The 70th Critérium de la Première Neige.
2. Men's World Cup Giant Slalom on The Face de Bellevarde today.
3. Lindsey Vonn won in St Moritz.
4. 3 Swiss Olympic Champions are injured.
5. Double gold for Australian Mogul skiers.
6. Tik Tok isn’t recommended off piste training.
7. Vie Val d'Is party.
8. Storm Bram messing with Scottish Snow.
9. Skiing into a 60-foot hole.
10. 2 views same lunch.
11. Check when hiring a car.
12. FFS skiers dancing at the Folie.
Special Offers I have Spied....
World Cup racing on Bellevarde’s legendary Face… Men’s Giant Slalom today, slalom tomorrow.Marco Odermatt clearly one to watch for but we will be cheering for Team GB’s Freddy Carrick-Smith in his 2nd World Cup race.
Lindsey Vonnn continues to astonish… won the first race of her season, the St Moritz downhill.Another chance for gold today. Tigne’s Laura Gauché is in the same race.
Michelle Gisin is the 3rd Swiss reigning Olympic Champion to be injured in training recently…. She had her neck operated on yesterday. Lara Gut Behrami is off for months recovering from an ACL tear, while Corinne Suter has fingers crossed that she will be fit to defend her downhill title.
Australian mogul skiers Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham
BOTH won gold medals at the FIS World Cup in Ruka, Finland
Watching Tik Tok videos
Is not great off piste training.
Vermont Rescue Services
Are a bit sick of rescuing
Inexperienced and ill equipped
Skiers and boarders
Who watched a ‘great’ video…
The Vie Val d’Is …. Val’s club for people who live and work here
Had their welcome party
In the Doudoune club….
Shame there were so few of the
English speaking seasonal workers….
Storm Bram is hitting the Highlands, potentially playing havoc with the Scottish early season snow.
Watch Parkin Costain
When he fell through
A sixty foot hidden
Chimney in the snow…
2 very different views from same lunchtime in same restaurant.
Recollections may vary…
Check for additional costs when renting a car, and also check if it has snow tyres or chains.
UN
Universal Health Cover Day
Don’t ski without insurance…
You can buy basic insurance with your lift pass.
For just 3 euros 50 per person per day.
Skiers from
the
Are dancing at
the Folie this evening….
00:10 - Weather for The 70th Critérium de la Première Neige.
00:36 - Men's World Cup Giant Slalom on The Face de Bellevarde today.
01:29 - Lindsey Vonn won in St Moritz.
02:06 - 3 Swiss Olympic Champions are injured.
02:53 - Double gold for Australian Mogul skiers.
03:16 - Tik Tok isn’t recommended off piste training.
03:47 - Vie Val d'Is party.
04:32 - Storm Bram messing with Scottish Snow.
04:50 - Skiing into a 60-foot hole.
05:14 - 2 views same lunch.
05:57 - Check when hiring a car.
06:40 - FFS skiers dancing at the Folie.
Good morning Val d’Isère We have great weather for this weekend’s World Cup races on Bellvarde’s Face
The 70th Critérium de la Première Neige The annual event That marks the opening of Alpine World Cup Skiing in France.
Full day of sunshine Maximum temperature of plus three, min minus four Breeze from the East of less than 7 km per hour.
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Men’s Giant Slalom on the Face this morning…. First run starts 9.30 And second a one o’clock
Who is going to win ?? Will Marco Odermatt collect his sixth gold of this season?
Brazil’s multitalented Lucas Pinheiro Braathan…
Any of France’s eight racers
Or will Team GB’s sole racer 18-year-old Be top of the pops In just his second World Cup race ? He did come sixth in the National Championship Held here in Val in April
The prize giving ceremony takes place In the centre of town This evening from five thirty There will be music Fun atmosphere And also the public bib draw For tomorrows Slalom. |
Wow… Lindsey Vonn did it……
Top of the Podium in yesterday’s downhill in St Moritz
Her first race this season
At the age of 41 Doesn’t get much more impressive than that
She will be the one to beat today !
Tignes 30-year-old Laura Gauche is also racing… she came 35th yesterday But was 3rd and 8th in training…
Romane Miradoli was the fastest French lady, finishing 6th, just 1 and 3/4 seconds slower than Lindsey
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Unfortunately 32-year-old Swiss double Olympic Champion Michelle Gisin Crashed in training in St Moritz Injuring her right wrist, left knee and Cervical spine….
Her neck was operated on yesterday We all wish her a full and speedy recovery.
She is the third Swiss current Olympic Champion To be injured in training this month. Lara Gut-Behrami is recovering from her ACL injury And won’t be back on skis for months While Corinne Suter injured her left knee, lower leg and right foot. But is hoping she still has a chance of defending her Olympic Downhill gold.
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Australian mogul skiers Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham BOTH won gold medals at the FIS World Cup in Ruka, Finland
which 31-year-old Matt correctly describes as WILD Considering his country’s reputation as Beach-loving Rather than a Skiing powerhouse…
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A new threat to the Rescue Services…. Tik Tok….
Vermont have had a series Of 911 calls From inexperienced skiers And snowboarders Lost in their woods…..
Apparently for their Research And planning They skipped Fitness Kit
Meteo and maps
instead watched Tik Tok videos Where Frolicking In the early season powder Looked Like Really good fun….
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The Vie Val d’Is …. Val’s club for people who live and work here Had their welcome party In the Doudoune club….
It was a fun event Well attended
But I was puzzled…… In the 3 hours I was selling Drink jetons I only met five English speakers…..
Maybe our English seasonaires Don’t drink at all…. Or were put off by the cheap prices… Or got their French Friends to buy their jetons…
Or maybe only five came to the party….
Shame….. the Vie Val d’Is do a lot for you… Take advantage of the events They put on !
Why not even volunteer to help…. Good way to meet new people….
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Scotland had a nice start to their winter But Check before heading to the Cairngorm… Storm Bram is hitting the Highlands Bringing torrential rain Gales And warm temperatures.
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Skiing off piste Has its thrills and Spills. Parkin Costain A professional skier was When he fell through A sixty foot hidden Chimney in the snow…
And survived.
The link to the video Which captured THE MOMENT Is in the episode description And on the website.
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I had long ago decided that I wasn’t Sharing Bad restaurant experiences on this podcast And ALREADY Have had a VERY GOOD example of why …
Friends were moaning about Their lunch…. Said the soup was 25 euros All mains were way over 30…. The service wasn’t good And the place was cold….
We were in the same restaurant … About an hour apart… Had a great meal The soup of the day was actually 18 euros My main course 25…. We were warm And the service was EXCELLENT…..
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This is just a warning….. If you are renting a car in Geneva, on the Swiss side,
Check if you are going to be also charged a daily rate For having the car in France…..
This happened to a friend recently. 12 euros a day She was only here for 3 days so Irritating rather than financially crippling
I can’t see anything about it on a very quick search Maybe it is in the Tiny Print ?
Always worth asking if there are any extra charges Especially if the car hire looks Relatively Cheap….
Remember to check you have snow tyres Or chains… Even if the road is clear on the way up It might not be when you leave.
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Today is the UN Universal Health Cover Day….. Health for All. strong, equitable health systems that leave no one behind
however much we may moan about the NHS at least we have a system where people are working hard against the odds to provide good health care for everyone
More than half the world’s population Still lacks access to Essential health services.
I have put a link to the UN’s campaign In the episode description.
While everyone is campaigning Don’t forget that Insurance While skiing Is highly recommended…..
You can buy basic insurance with your lift pass. For just 3 euros 50 per person per day
To help you decide If this is Worth it
The average price of a Piste rescue is approx 500 euros Transport from slopes to medical centre An Additional 250 euros And a Helicopter rescue 4 thousand.
I am off to the Folie again this evening…. Apparently Skiers from the Are dancing….
The slopes a stage Skiing choreography…
The food also sounds good !
See you again in the morning.
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