Crans-Montana Ski Sunday


Crans-Montana

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Every once in a while someone truly outstanding comes along. A

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trailblazer, a pioneer breaking new ground, breaking consequence,

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breaking records. And for every leader there are followers. Striving

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to close the gap. A really good run from Lara Gut. Dreaming, believing

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that one day they'll no longer be in the shadows. Continues to show

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confidence. To blaze a trail themselves. A dominant force,

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seemingly unstoppable, untouchable. The chasing pack continues its

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pursuit undeterred, unrelent ing will. Some fall away, but for the

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rest there is no giving up. An endless game of cat and mouse. The

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chase is on. We're in Switzerland this week

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for the women's World Cup races, where everyone is trying to catch

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the amazing Lindsey Vonn. But their pursuit has been put

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on hold for now ? heavy snow and high winds have put

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paid to the racing here, probably to Lindsey's disappointment

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more than anyone else's, as she was eyeing up

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another victory. Instead, we're going to bring

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you highlights from last week's Wherever she races, Lindsey

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is the star attraction and the girl everyone has to beat,

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but despite stacking up the records and unbelievable levels

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of expectation on her, I am never afraid to go fast. That's

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what I love about ski racing. Really it is just you and the mountain. You

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can go as fast as you want to go. Later in the show, we bring

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you an epic mountain adventure from Alaska, with a courageous team

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attempting to push the boundaries of what's possible in the remotest

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and most challenging terrain. I'm excited about this trip because

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it is different. It is something that no-one has done. The

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possibilities are huge. Stay tuned for that -

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I promise you, it's one not to miss. First though, we have

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racing to bring you. The piste in Garmisch is a challenge

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as tough as they get in downhill. If anyone was going to beat

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Lindsey Vonn, they knew they would have to be

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at their very, very best. The winter resort of Garmisch,

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steeped in alpine history. In 1936, the Olympics were held here, the

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first time alpine skiing was included in the Olympic programme.

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They've twice held the World Championships, in 1978 and five

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years ago in 2011. Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The host of

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downhill number six of nine of the 2015-2016 ski World Cup. The

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Austrian, 24 years old, Tamara Tippler. A handful of World Cup

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starts. The best this year, the best of her career, 11th in the sprint

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downhill. 0.71. This is fantastic skiing from Tippler into this key

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part of the track. Gets thrown out of shape by the compression. Over a

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second faster, but late in the line. This could cost her. Hard on the

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right ski. Just makes it inside the gate. But that's a lot of speed

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scrubbed off. I will be amazed if it's the anything like 1.28. It is

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still green. She lost a whole second but is 5Ks slower. This might not be

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green. Falls one gate from home. This is an incident-packed ladies

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downhill. We've only got one finisher from four starters. This is

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the error. Higher up. Look at her fighting to get back across into the

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compression, into the back seat. Can't fight it back to make the last

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gate. And Tippler is another DNF. Alice will be the next to go. Her

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best result of the season was 12th in the Val d'Isere back in December.

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Her compatriot Jacqueline Wiles is the only finisher. McKennis has the

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green light by two tenths. What is in store for her? Four tenths now.

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She has doubled her lead. She's out of shape and I think she must be

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skied out that. Top body was all twisted. She is indeed out of the

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track. Another one bites the dust here in Garmisch. Just here, runs

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wide. Gets in the soft stuff. Gets twisted. With the right shoulder

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going behind her there is no way she's going to carve that right ski

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back to make that gate. It is miles away. There is the hot favourite,

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Lindsey Vonn. Relaxed enough to be on her smartphone. Next up, Nadia

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Fanchini. Fourth in the second downhill of the season. Time is

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fine. But will she come into these pattern of gates too hot. She's run

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wide and is hit by the compression. She's out of shape, out of line.

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Drive it forward, on to that left ski. She's got the speed. Hard on

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that right ski to come across the hill. No problems for Fanchini. Can

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she keep it together here she's going be faster you would assume.

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Over a second faster! It is the line that's quick, because she's three Ks

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slower on the clock than Wiles. If she can negotiate these two gates we

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have a new leader, Nadia Fanchini! 1.46, that's a brilliant time.

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1.43.13 the time to beat. It was worth waiting for. Next is Lauren

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Ross. All the travel that comes with racing the World Cup is a blessing

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for Laurenne Ross. She will be focusing on the downhill and hopes

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to be snapped on the podium. Laurenne Ross of the United States

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the next to go. One World Cup podium to her name and that was on this

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hill, back in 2013, when she was second. Ross trying to keep those

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hands in front of her face as much as possible and it pays off. Finds

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nearly four tenths. She goes work in these tricky gates. Into the

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compression. Driving the weight forward. Slides them in. Now tries

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to make them bite. Does well, adds more to her advantage. 0. .47, the

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right side of the clock. The feed-back from the coaches on the

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side of the piste is working as the skiers get the right line in the

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hobble. 1.15.9. She runs little wide. That 0.3 might be under

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threat. Laurenne Ross trying to take the lead from Fanchini. Gets out of

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shape but she's OK. 0.36. 1.42.77 the total. Fanchini hasn't had a

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chance to make into it the leaders's enclosure but Laurenne Ross gets the

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applause from Jacqueline Wiles. Next is the Principality of

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Liechtenstein's Weirather wire. She is from ski-racing royalty. Her

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mother won two Olympic golds and her father was 1982 downhill world

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champion. Can she rule here and be crowned the victor? It's the winner

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from last year, Tina Weirather, who also podiumed here in 2013, when she

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was third. She is quick on the top, but this needs to be clean. It needs

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to be direct. Needs to be smooth. Weirather, hard on that left ski.

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Just about stays inside the blue line. She runs little wide and has

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to ski a few more metres, but she's got the green light before that

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little mistake. What is it going be like if she comes across the

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traverse before plunging down the finish. She has lost a little bit.

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Has to ski extra metres on that gate. 1.42.77 is under threat, but,

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no, that mistake cost her. Half a metre. 200ths the wrong side of the

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clock. She knows it was that gate four from home. A couple of small

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errors. That was the one that cost her the lead. Lara Gut of

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Switzerland, the next to go. The only skier other than Vonn to have

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won a downhill this season. She won in Val d'Isere when Vonn skied out.

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She is level peg ing with Laurenne Ross, our leader. What can Lara Gut

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do here through this tricky section? Never on the podium here. Never

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better than fourth. Gut hard on that left ski. She lost half a second

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between intermediate three and four. Can she get that back? Well, it is

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going be a very difficult ask. There is another... Oh, correction! She

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gets bumped out and the answer is no, she won't bring it back, because

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she's been bumped out of the track. She is still on course. Lara Gut,

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her heart will be racing. She'll be mighty relieved to get to the

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bottom. 0.89 off the pace. Didn't have her weight on that right ski

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coming into this turn, and was pushed out. Bang! Hits that roller.

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Can do nothing but go straight on. Ready to race is Larisa Yurkiw. She

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has a fair bit in common with the American number one. She suffered a

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severe near injury two years ago and trains extremely hard to stay in

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peak physical adoption. She has a dog. Larisa Yurkiw will want to be

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leader of the pack today. Next to go is Larisa Yurkiw. What a season the

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Canadian has been having. She's podiumed in the last three

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downhills. Yurkiw, nice and tight as she comes into this tricky pattern

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of gates. Almost gets pushed out of shape. Yurkiw just gets that right

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shoulder pushed behind. It clatters that gate. She's still got the green

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light but she's having to ski some extra metres. This is going be tight

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on the next time split, which is 1.28.36. She has still got the green

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light by 0.38. Not quite as quick as Laurenne Ross on intermediate five,

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but Yurkiw, can she take the lead away in 1.42.77, yes she can! She

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leads by 17 Hunts. Yes away in 1.42.77, yes she can! She

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leads by 17 Hunts. -- 17 00s. That got her a little late in the line.

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Late on this gate and then late on the double gate after that one.

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She's enjoying that. Next ago is Fabienne Suter, the

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Swiss racer has had a great season in the downhills, regularly making

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the podiums. When not racing she has been training to be a farmer. She

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will be hoping to bring home the bacon with a win today.

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Next up to Switzerland, Fabienne Suter. Had a great start to the

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season, and then Toure muscles just above her left knee -- tour a

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muscle. Good skiing here from Fabienne Suter. Now she comes into

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the compression. A little open. As a result has her lead cut to four one

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hundredths of a second. Doesn't look quite as fast as Larisa Yurkiw. We

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will find out now. A little open as well. It's working well for her.

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Exactly the same speed as Yurkiw. She needs to keep this together,

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Suter. This is going to be close. Can she snatched the lead away? Yes,

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she can. 0.29 of a second. Next up is the home favourite Viktoria

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Rebensburg. Now, what can Rebensburg do here? Cheered on by the home

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support. Tightest to that gate of our seeded skiers. Just outside now

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by three one hundredths of a second. Ooh, no. A little late. How will

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that manifest itself later on? Tentative through their, but still

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in touch. Four hundredths off the pace. A little wide, there. All

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these extra metres could add up. Here comes our final time split.

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Gets pushed out of the tuck position but she's in touch, the speed is

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pretty similar to Suter but it does not seem to be as direct from

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Rebensburg. Can she make the podium, can she take the lead away? Ooh, six

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one hundredths of a second. She goes second. Well, that's excellent from

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Rebensburg. Just got bounced out of the top spot, perhaps, before that

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final time split. Trying to get in the tuck position. Just gets popped

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out of it. Now Vonn. Last time out broke the record for most World Cup

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downhill wins for a lady. Matching up her 37th downhill win. How is she

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on this next split? 53.46, she's nearly half a second faster than

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Fabienne Suter. Our current leader. Vonn ripping it up once again. Now

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this key turn. Still leads by half a second. Needs to make this gate, no

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problem. Now how is she going to fare as she comes across the

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Traverse? Really bumpy, here. No problems for Vonn. And you fear for

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the time. This is phenomenal skiing by Vonn. She's nearly six kilometres

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faster than Fabienne Suter was. Vonn, surely, not another win? Ooh,

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one and a half seconds! 41 metres! Phenomenal! Absolutely sensational

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from Lindsey Vonn. This lady is absolutely unstoppable right now.

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But is different class -- that is different class. It is going to be

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another win for Lindsey Vonn, one and a half seconds faster than her

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closest rival, it is another masterclass from the world number

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one. Lindsey Vonn claims 76 World Cup race win. Fabienne Suter returns

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to the podium, her third podium of the season. For Viktoria Rebensburg,

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only her third podium of her career in downhill, and her thirst of the

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season. Lindsey Vonn winning by over a second half. She looked really

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relaxed. Dare I say it, she made it look easy. I know it is more

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complicated, Carol, what is the foundation to her success? Skiing is

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her happy place at the moment. She looks freest on the mountain and she

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is taking every box physically. Physically strong, no pain in her

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knee any more, and mentally she has the confidence to charge the top of

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the term, which few of her peers are doing. She has gone away and worked

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hard, so much so that she won a giant slalom this year. Combine that

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with the fact she is the Queen of speed and she is kind of invincible.

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You always talk about her with a huge amount of reference, there is a

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lot to be admired about her skill. I really love the power that she puts

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into her skiing. She's racing downhill on men's skis, which much,

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much stiffer, but if you can get them to bend at the top of the turn,

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that energy is released as acceleration at the end of the term,

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that's why she's so fast from Steve to fight. One of the things that is

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a slight difficulty is that men's skis have a longer radius and she

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has two setup from slightly further behind, so that is when she is

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honourable. That leads me onto quite a difficult question that I will put

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to you, is her overwhelming dominance of women's downhill

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diminishing the spectacle? I did think so, when Mike Tyson was

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knocking guys out in round one the crowd still turned up to watch. It's

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the same. People love to see a champion really at the top of their

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game. I think the French is almost invincible is actually getting more

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spectators into the sport. -- the fact she is most invincible. And

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don't forget she is fighting for winning. She had two knee injuries

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back-to-back and she has shown she is vulnerable, normal person. Well,

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redemption is always a popular story. Lindsey is still in demand

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even when we have a down week like this but the American still finds

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time to relax, especially now that she's got company on tour. Chemmy

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went to meet Lindsey and Lucy. This is Lucy, she is a cutie. Everyone

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wants to play. This thing about dogs, has it all ways been part of

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your life? Yeah. I got divorced and I was thinking about it, and then I

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got injured and I thought now was the time to get a dog. So I got Leo

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in Florida, he was a second-class dog in a shelter. He had a bad knee,

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so I thought, you was the one. How is Lucy going to get on with your

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other two dogs, who are big boys? This lady is absolutely unstoppable

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right now! So many times you have seen world-class athletes doing it

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because it is their profession not their passion, but you are very

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lucky because they are completely interconnected. Yes, skiing is my

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profession but it's mostly my passion. It's my happy place, it's

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where I go when everything else in my life is falling apart. It's

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always been there in my life. In my toughest times personally, there

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have been my greatest moments professionally. Because I just put

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everything into skiing. OK, can use it to me in? Lucy, there's a lot of

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other people who would like to be in there with you. There's a lot of

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elements to your skiing where the rest of the world can't keep up. For

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me what sets you apart from everyone is this commitment to the top of the

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turn, this commitment to speed, always searching for it, is that

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where you think your speed lies? I think that's definitely one of my

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biggest strengths, I am good at generating speed at the top of the

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turn. I think I'm just blessed with a good body type. I'm big enough to

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where I have the gravity working in my favour, but I'm small enough to

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where I can move my body quickly. I think it's a combination of talent,

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mental strength, hard work and just wanting to go fast. I never afraid

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to go fast. That's what I love about ski racing. Really it's just you and

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the mountain, you can go as fast as you want to go. I totally agree. You

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talked about body types, you look at you and the other girl on fire right

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now, Lara Gut. You are so different in that and it is so exciting to

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watch. How do you like standing next to her on the podium? It makes me

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feel really big! And I'm pretty normal. Watching you both ski, you

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take different lines, different tactics, and yet sometimes you can

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be within hundredths and tenths of a second within each other and I think

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that's where our sport is exciting. It's shocking how close it comes

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down to because we ski so differently and have such a

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different approach. Somehow we are not that far off each other. You

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have fans all across the world, is that pressure for you or does it

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inspire you? Know, I love it. For me it's really inspiring to know that I

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can positively impact people, especially little girls. That's what

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really motivates and drives me. When I know there's a lot of fans at the

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finish it makes me that much more excited to race. Starting to run out

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of superlatives! You are making history, every time you make the

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record there is always another record to get. I know. It's amazing

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to me that every race is another potential to break new records, it

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makes it really cool. Everybody keeps asking me if I am in the best

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shape of my life. I don't know, I'm not going to save my best, because

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who knows? I may have more and better things to come. The women

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have spent the weekend waiting and ultimately not racing here. The men

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had better luck with the weather in Japan. A stellar slalom field lined

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up at the World Cup. Here was the best of the action. All eyes were on

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Henrik Kristofferson. The 21-year-old Norwegian was making to

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make it five wins in a row. Even with his great rival Marcel Hirscher

:26:29.:26:36.

failing to make run one, it did not all go to plan for Henrik

:26:37.:26:42.

Kristoffersen. With poor visibility in the second leg he could not make

:26:43.:26:45.

up enough time to propel himself onto the podium. As the days riding

:26:46.:26:50.

of Great Britain, another positive day on the Hill.

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The 29-year-old coped far better with the conditions, making up five

:26:55.:27:02.

places to finish 22nd overall. Still a strong day for the Austrian team.

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They fill the void left by Marcel Hirscher's early departure. The

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group, sixth place was his best ever World Cup results. Schwartz scored

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his second podium finish in only his first full World Cup season. As for

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the winner, it looked as if it could finally be the German's day. He

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failed to convert the win. This time round he missed the podium by five

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hundredths of a second as he eventually finished in fourth place.

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He is yet to win a World Cup race. All was not lost for the Germans.

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Fifth after run one, he produced a clinical second leg to take his

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first slalom victory of the season. Confirmation of the final results.

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Big mountain riding is all about exploration, discovery and pushing

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the boundaries in some of the most extreme terrain.

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And for the past few years, one of the greatest free-riders

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at the pinnacle of his domain has been testing himself on the world's

:28:43.:28:45.

most extreme mountain ranges. His name is Xavier de le Rue,

:28:46.:28:48.

and last season I joined him and his team in Svalbard.

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There, I witnessed them testing out paramotors with the goal of scoping

:28:52.:28:53.

terrain and filming unridden lines in sub-zero conditions.

:28:54.:28:59.

But true to form, that was just phase one for this ambitious

:29:00.:29:08.

crew. Last season they sought out

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a location that would allow them to take their mission

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to the next level. The mountains in south-east Alaska.

:29:13.:29:29.

Remote, breathtaking, a blank canvas for Xavier and his team. He hoped to

:29:30.:29:36.

take unprecedented steps to big mountain riding by approaching this

:29:37.:29:40.

epic terrain in a way that's never been done before.

:29:41.:29:40.

epic terrain in a way that's never been done before. It is not just a

:29:41.:29:47.

sport. But it is an environment that's dangerous but at the same

:29:48.:29:51.

time rewarding. I think the challenges are to go further and

:29:52.:29:57.

explore. I'm excited about this trip because it's different. It is

:29:58.:30:02.

something that no-one has done. The possibilities are huge. Camping on

:30:03.:30:11.

top of Rainbow Glacier offers them the isolated beauty they crave, but

:30:12.:30:16.

at a cost. The challenge now is accessing these stunning peaks. All

:30:17.:30:22.

these new ideas we have involve logistics. We are a bigger crew,

:30:23.:30:26.

more money involved, more everything. More pressure at the end

:30:27.:30:30.

of the day. This is a big chunk of your winter. If it goes bad here,

:30:31.:30:35.

it's pretty bad. Necessity, as ever, is the mother invention and Sam and

:30:36.:30:39.

Xavier have a plan. They are not going to settle for just finding and

:30:40.:30:43.

filming their descent with paramotors. This time they want to

:30:44.:30:48.

use the paramotors to access the top. This Svalbard expedition proved

:30:49.:30:56.

that these motorised provider gliders can be used to hunt unseen

:30:57.:31:03.

lines. It has given them confidence, this technology opens up endless

:31:04.:31:07.

opportunities for riders and film makers. We are going in tandem to

:31:08.:31:14.

the top and jump off the top of the peak. I can see the excitement in

:31:15.:31:19.

your face when you talk about it. It is like a child's dream I think. It

:31:20.:31:25.

is something where you need to have all the stars well aligned. The idea

:31:26.:31:30.

of pioneering something so fresh left Ralph to join and strengthen

:31:31.:31:36.

their ranks in Alaska. I have never paramotored before. Sam and Xavier

:31:37.:31:39.

seem like they are into it pretty good. I have a lot of trust and

:31:40.:31:45.

faith in those guys, so if they say it is doable, I'm going to give it a

:31:46.:31:51.

shot. But together they've already faced plenty of set-backs. The

:31:52.:31:57.

mildest winter in decades scuppered their first-choice location. Then

:31:58.:32:02.

the weather prevented travel to an alternative glacier. A week ago it

:32:03.:32:08.

didn't seem like our trip would be much fun. I'm glad I can sit in a

:32:09.:32:14.

T-shirt on a glacier. If we can do it it will be amazing, but the

:32:15.:32:18.

challengeses are quite small. The up and downs of a trip like this is

:32:19.:32:22.

normal, I think. You involve a lot of people to do something that is

:32:23.:32:26.

special somewhere in a place that is so remote. It is clear that there

:32:27.:32:31.

are problems coming. Making it on to the glacier with an operation of

:32:32.:32:34.

this size is an achievement in itself. And as we bed down for the

:32:35.:32:41.

night, I'm apprehensive and eager to see what can be accomplished here.

:32:42.:32:52.

What's going on? Look at the space over there, it is all gone. The

:32:53.:33:03.

biggest peak? Yes, with all the spines. It is down to rock! Yes, it

:33:04.:33:09.

is crazy. As day breaks the damage is clear. All the rock exposed on

:33:10.:33:14.

that main peak, the snow has cascaded into the main glacier.

:33:15.:33:18.

That's terrifying, but so lucky en in as on it. In all my years on the

:33:19.:33:26.

mountain I never saw that much snow cleared in a minute during the

:33:27.:33:31.

night. The mountain is not solid. It is moving, it's living. You see it

:33:32.:33:37.

day by day faces falling down. Of course the avalanche danger is

:33:38.:33:41.

always present, but every minute you take decisions. If it is good to go

:33:42.:33:47.

or not. With snow conditions uncertain, any attempt at a drop is

:33:48.:33:51.

on hold. But the team decides to test the snow with an early hike.

:33:52.:33:57.

I've just crossed the glacier with an alpine start, 4.30, and we are

:33:58.:34:09.

heading up here to Rainbow Peak. The camera crew are getting ready down

:34:10.:34:16.

there, and a very intimidating crevasse field. Nearing the summit

:34:17.:34:21.

I'm reminded just how much effort goes into hiking these lines. If the

:34:22.:34:25.

paramotor plan works it would offer freedom here on a scale big mountain

:34:26.:34:36.

riders have only ever dreamed of. It is the scariest, deepest snow I have

:34:37.:34:43.

ever climbed. Have you got your lines, boys? I think so, yes. I

:34:44.:34:50.

can't lie, I was pretty nervous. My camera hand has got a shake on it.

:34:51.:34:55.

You don't want to show nerves in front of riders of this calibre.

:34:56.:35:05.

This is incredible. Tackling my descent I realise how effortlessly

:35:06.:35:08.

these guys ride the toughest of lines. And that's just the start of

:35:09.:35:14.

what they are hoping to create out here, with paramotors.

:35:15.:35:24.

The next morning we wait to perfect conditions, and the team are excited

:35:25.:35:31.

about the prospect of finally attempting a drop. To my knowledge

:35:32.:35:37.

it has never been done before. No-one's had the experience,

:35:38.:35:40.

expertise or courage to try this, and we are about to witness the

:35:41.:35:53.

first attempt. They are airborne. Wow! He's hanging out of the front

:35:54.:36:00.

of it! Looks like he's trying to get the bar out of the way. Cutting the

:36:01.:36:08.

motor. I think that's it for now. No drop yet. From the speed and

:36:09.:36:14.

altitude and everything it's perfect, but no chance to unstrap. I

:36:15.:36:19.

was hanging there. A nail-biting moment for Sam, but the guys remain

:36:20.:36:24.

hopeful. It was only a matter of time before conditions were right to

:36:25.:36:28.

try again. We've gone from zero to 100 in the last ten minutes. The

:36:29.:36:33.

weather window has popped out, so we are going up for attempt number two

:36:34.:36:39.

at the paramotor drop, this time though with Xavier. There's a

:36:40.:36:44.

palpable air of expectation amongst all the crew. No-one is saying

:36:45.:36:50.

anything. My heart is racing. Can't take my eyes off them. I don't know

:36:51.:36:57.

what happened, they've been going around for a second bite. To imagine

:36:58.:37:05.

what Xavier is unfeeling, unstrapped and hanging out of the front of

:37:06.:37:18.

it... They are taking another look. So close, you are just waiting for a

:37:19.:37:23.

black speck to fall out of the front. He's gone! He's out and

:37:24.:37:30.

riding! LAUGHTER. Wooh! That is

:37:31.:37:48.

unbelievable. It isn't often you get to witness a world first. They are

:37:49.:37:55.

queuing up behind us now. It's going to be a very entertaining afternoon.

:37:56.:38:09.

WOOH! The practical application of this and the way the boys can use

:38:10.:38:14.

this moving forward to access all of this terrain, to stop having to

:38:15.:38:18.

climb to be able to drop out if there's a flat section on a peak is

:38:19.:38:22.

huge. This changes the entire game for them now. Did it feel as good as

:38:23.:38:29.

it looked? Even better. It's crazy though. Just enough tension to

:38:30.:38:33.

really enjoy every moment of it. It's been such a long process over

:38:34.:38:38.

the last few trips, and today... Boom! I've had this idea and that

:38:39.:38:45.

moment he crops, everybody was near him. So good. Jumping from the

:38:46.:38:51.

paramotor was one of the magic moments of an entire life. This is

:38:52.:38:56.

what I like to do. I like to be out there, I like to adventure. This is

:38:57.:39:01.

the way I see happiness. Over the course of a year and two ex-me

:39:02.:39:07.

additions Xavier and Sam and their entire crew have been tested to

:39:08.:39:10.

their limits. But in doing so they've opened up a new world of

:39:11.:39:14.

possibilities for big mountain riding. They are an inspiring bunch

:39:15.:39:18.

to witness in action and I guarantee you it will be a long time before

:39:19.:39:24.

their achievements here are bettered. Awesome stuff. But the

:39:25.:39:36.

avalanche in that Alaska film shows how dangerous the mountains can be,

:39:37.:39:40.

particularly in the up this is year after we've had a lot of snowfall

:39:41.:39:45.

after heavy rain right to the top, which has created an unstable snow

:39:46.:39:50.

pack. The snow is adding weight to the snow layers, so it is more

:39:51.:39:57.

dangerous as the year goes on. Please stay safe out there. We

:39:58.:40:02.

thought we would start Ski Social by showing you how to stay safe

:40:03.:40:06.

off-piste. We will show you equipment you need and, crucially,

:40:07.:40:10.

the training you require to use it properly. With equipment there are

:40:11.:40:13.

three things you must carry. In some areas of the Alps it is illegal if

:40:14.:40:23.

you don't have these. First off is the transceirr, it will help you be

:40:24.:40:29.

located in an avalanche or locate your friends. And the probe, for

:40:30.:40:33.

locating the victim. And thirdly you need to practise this, good

:40:34.:40:37.

shovelling technique, as time is of the essence if you have a borrow rid

:40:38.:40:43.

casualty. If you are going to do a lot of riding off-piste, invest in

:40:44.:40:47.

an air bag. This will significantly reduce your chance of being buried.

:40:48.:40:55.

Can I have 12 euros to refill my bottle now? You owe me your life. If

:40:56.:41:02.

you are not confident or are going somewhere new, hire a guide. Not

:41:03.:41:06.

only will they keep you safe, but you will learn an invaluable amount,

:41:07.:41:10.

and they will take you to the best spots.

:41:11.:41:13.

Let's get to your pictures and videos.

:41:14.:41:16.

After last week's engagement, we've had some more -

:41:17.:41:18.

perfect for a show on Valentine's Day.

:41:19.:41:20.

So it's congratulations to Sean and Jorge, who have just got engaged

:41:21.:41:22.

in Les Arcs. And also to Peter, who popped

:41:23.:41:25.

the question to Anna in Soll, Austria.

:41:26.:41:30.

And finally to Davin, who rode to his ceremony before

:41:31.:41:34.

tying the knot with Anna in Levi, Finland.

:41:35.:41:44.

Talking of nuptials, Jane doesn't have any wedding tackle. We hope you

:41:45.:41:50.

are alright, Jane. Hope you're ok, Jane.

:41:51.:41:53.

Wherever you're riding, don't let a crash put you off -

:41:54.:41:56.

it's part of the game, as Freddie found out

:41:57.:41:58.

in attempting his first backflip. Speaking of which, we've

:41:59.:42:00.

had a question from JW, who wants to know how to go

:42:01.:42:03.

about attempting a backflip - says he's scared he'll

:42:04.:42:04.

land on his head. The back flip is one of the easiest

:42:05.:42:10.

tricks. All it takes is a lot of courage and commitment. Remember,

:42:11.:42:15.

the arms and the head will initiate the rotation, so commit with those

:42:16.:42:19.

and the body will follow. Don't hesitate, or you will land on your

:42:20.:42:24.

head. After that it is a matter of controlling the speed of the

:42:25.:42:27.

rotation. Lengthen your body out and you will slow down. Tuck up and you

:42:28.:42:29.

will speed up. Finally, after Alex Kilde's

:42:30.:42:34.

pre-release in Jeongseon last week, we've had a question

:42:35.:42:36.

on whether your time counts if you finish a race on one ski?

:42:37.:42:38.

Yes it does. You've got two skis and two poles.

:42:39.:42:45.

You can finish with three of them for your time to count. We couldn't

:42:46.:42:51.

resist showing you Bode Miller in the World Championships in 2005.

:42:52.:42:57.

He's lost a ski and he's gone! This is unbelievable. Is he going to

:42:58.:43:03.

finish on one ski? He's going for the edge.

:43:04.:43:04.

is unbelievable. Is he going to finish on one ski? He's going for

:43:05.:43:07.

the edge. He's got to be careful here. Let's see what he does on one

:43:08.:43:13.

ski for the speed gun. This should be interesting. 83.3 km/h.

:43:14.:43:21.

He didn't make it to the finish, but skied virtually the length

:43:22.:43:25.

of the course on one leg. Please keep sending in your

:43:26.:43:28.

questions, pictures and videos - you've got one programme

:43:29.:43:35.

left to get involved. We also want your suggestions

:43:36.:43:38.

for the music track to accompany our series-ending montage.

:43:39.:43:39.

Send your suggestions in using #SkiSocial.

:43:40.:43:42.

That's it for this week though. Next week, we're in Chamonix -

:43:43.:43:46.

Europe's capital of extreme sport. And home this year to the historic

:43:47.:43:48.

Khandahar races, including the men's downhill.

:43:49.:43:49.

See you then. Join us on a high-flying,

:43:50.:44:13.

sponge-diving, olive-picking, gun-toting epic odyssey

:44:14.:44:20.

through paradise.

:44:21.:44:25.

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