15/12/2013 Ski Sunday

Hello and welcome to a brand new series of Ski Sunday. We are in our

36th year and this series promises to be a belter. We're back in the

mountains to bring you winter sport action from all over the planet. Not

only will we be bringing you the drama of legendary men's downhill

races such as Wengen and Kitzbuhel, but in this Olympic year we're

building toward the Winter Games in Sochi, which starts in under two

months. We'll be speaking to the biggest international names in

winter sport. And also catching up with the British athletes who have

got a podium finish in Russia firmly in their sights. We'll be

crisscrossing the globe to bring you unexpected stories of winter sport

trailblazers. All of this coming to you from some of the most incerdible

and beautiful locations. Ski Sunday - hold on tight. It's going to be a

ride! Our first race of the year comes from the stunning French

resort of Val D'Isere. It's the Men's Giant Slalom and the biggest

names in Alpine skiing are here. Later in the programme, I catch up

with snowboard legend and winter sport icon Shaun White. The Flying

Tomato might have cut his trademark flowing red locks but that hasn't

diminished his hunger for more Olympic gold in Sochi. The only time

I am OK with losing is if I put everything on the line. If I did the

best run I could, I can walk away content. And then British gold

medallist from Vancouver Amy Williams takes us for a tour of Val

D'Isere. This resort caters for beginners to ski racers to party

fiends and everyone in between. First, the Giant Slalom. Either Ted

Ligety will put this to bed early we shall have the most rheumatic race

we have seen. He is a world champion, he has won six of the best

eight races last season and he has dominated this season with first

runs around one second ahead of the rest of the field. He has a love -

hate relationship with this field. He has won her in the past but also

a phenomenal crash. Was flying towards the net at 60 mph. He had

the presence of mind to kick off his skis before hitting the net. Who

will challenge and? Marcel Hirscher is incredible form, dominating that

discipline. And the local favourite, Alexey controlled. The French cried

the want him on the podium. Grand Slam is over to bonds. Only the

fastest get to dissent a second time. This is what happened in the

first run. Things were looking good for Ted

Ligety. Conditions were just as he likes them. Hard and icy. When this

happened, he looked more surprised than disappointed. Sliding out of

the course. Alex Lund Svindal skied with his

usual attacking technique, putting immense power onto his skis. Too

much power, as it turned out. Svindal's ski binding breaking

halfway down the run. Bode Miller went at the course with his

trademark all or nothing style only to fall foul of the same turn that

took down his team-mate, Ligety. Home favourite Alexis Pintalrault

gave the home crowd something to cheer about with a clean, error-free

run on this Face de Bellevarde piste. The Frenchman's pint-sized

build clearly helping him on the steep icy turns. Austrian technician

Marcel Hirscher produced a run that would be considered scrappy by his

high standards but is still in touch of the Frenchman. Stephan Luitz

scored his only podium result here last season and the confidence

showed as he skied into second position. There is no shortage of

drama. This is a first-time legatee has gone out in the first Grand Slam

in five years. Looking at the threat to Alexis Pinturault, who are the

main contenders? Marcel Hirscher, he won here last year, he could really

narrow it on the second run. Stefan Luitz, second last, he did nothing

for the rest of the season. He is back in second. He loves this

course. Borja Matt Chilton for the commentary on the second run. The

Olympic mountain is about to bear its day. It is rock hard, scarily

steep and lightning fast. Courses don't come much tougher than this.

In the gate, from Switzerland, 40 macro. 21st after his first run.

They currently are is from Sweden. Andre Myhrer. He should favour this,

he is attacking the top section. Unlike ordinary Giant Slalom.

Because it is so steep, they have to set the gate so much tighter

together so it is much closer to the slalom than super-G. He is lapping

this up. Terrific start. Half a second in front. There are some tree

and traps to come. He might get caught out by this very steep

section, having to do dig the edges deep into the ice. He is going

beautifully. 40 macro, one of the younger Swiss racers, having a ball

in the second leg. Almost home. He can see the finishing line. He has

three or four turns left to make and he will be at the foot of the

mountain and he is there in first position. Gino Caviezel without

storming second run. France. Victor Muffat Jeandet. He is just over the

hill. Here he goes, the second run. His advantage over the new leader is

just over one third of a second. The French team have the advantage of

being camped in Val busier, training here. It was closed to recreational

skiers and one or two other teams were allowed. The French have got a

lot of local knowledge. He nails the top section. He doubled his

advantage. Just before, there was quite a heavy edge said. I wonder if

his lead will remain? Gino Caviezel, his time is better still. The French

man is looking tired. He is giving it everything in their second run.

Plenty more chances left to come. The French team are late on some of

these final turns. But he keeps them coming. Emergency ministers. Victor

Muffat Jeandet skiing for the lead in Val D'Isere. And he gets it,

just. So tired. Austria, Benjamin Raich. 14 hundredths of a second

faster than the leader, Victor Muffat Jeandet. He has a stack of

experience. Looking ahead, one more Olympic Winter Games. He was a

double Olympic champion in 2006. He took gold in the Giant Slalom and

the slalom and he slowly, surely finding his best form as the Olympic

selection is made within the mass of Austrian pool of talent. Half of a

second behind Victor Muffat Jeandet. Oh, he has just messed it. He made a

lot of time but not quite enough. Victor Muffat Jeandet remains in

first position for France. Now, Henrik Kristoffersen, for Norway. He

has had brilliant start to the season. He was third in the slalom

in the first and only one that has taken place so far this season. He

is bouncing. Clearly enjoying the tight gates on the top of this. His

lead at the start was 22 hundredths of a second and has he gone red? And

he has got the green light. Alex Lund Svindal, his binding parted

company with his skis. Henrik Kristoffersen is the best Norwegian

and he is having a pretty solid second run and he is getting

quicker. Into the bottom quarter and Henrik Kristoffersen's lead is zero

point 32. The young Norwegian is wrapping things up. This is

impossibly steep. He is making this look very straightforward. And that

is a significant lead. Henrik Kristoffersen, from Norway. The

Norwegian teenager, Henrik Kristoffersen, one of this new breed

of skiers coming through and proving to be very promising.

Luca De Aliprandini. From Italy. Standing tall. He looks pretty

relaxed. And he gets to work. 12 position after the first run and

that was an explosive start. He has never really made his mark in the

World Cup. He has had some top 15 places but this could be the day to

break through. The Italians have had some training in the run-up and

chose the sure number of racers they have in the second run. Luca De

Aliprandini, adding to his advantage. 14 hundredths of a second

in front of Henrik Kristoffersen. He is watching on that extreme and he

can see the man himself. Luca De Aliprandini, he comes into sight and

still has the green light. He cuts that timing beam with 12 hundredths

of a second. Just slightly late on that red gate but I do not think he

lost much speed. He can let them run. These final three turns.

Exciting race! And he has got it! More than half of a second. X macro

on fire. What a run! The grand slalom champion was nicknamed the

Iceman in 2010 but recently his career has been put on ice. Problems

have plagued him. Finally, he is fully fit again. He showed signs of

early churn to form with an excellent top six finish in Beaver

Creek last weekend. He goes again. This is the hill where he was

crowned world champion in 2009. The World Championships were held here,

at Val D'Isere. The following year he went on to win Olympic gold on

the solar mountain so he knows this modern and he likes it. -- Whistler

Mountain. Is this good enough? No, he has drifted into the red. The

Swiss will be greatly encouraged by what they have seen. In the last two

seasons, Carlo Janka has been relatively anonymous, he had a heart

problem that needed surgery and the resulting lack of form. But he seems

to be bouncing back just in time for the Olympic Winter Games, where the

Swiss do not have that many to choose from. Lots of good downhill

and super-G but a slight lack of choice within the Giant Slalom. Luca

De Aliprandini, his lead is safe. Carlo Janka is only good enough for

fourth place. Looking tired and slow. But he will be happy. All of

the results are having this world ranking and improving his start

under for the next race. Another Italian. Roberto Nani. Ninth place

after that first run. Traffic effort this morning. He has got the

sunshine to lead the way as the sun begins to burn off the clouds. His

lead is over his team-mate, Luca De Aliprandini, who still stands in the

leader 's enclosure. This is a very good start! He has taken chance

after chance. He just had to go sideways as he went from the

relatively flat to be steep section and I wonder if that might have cost

him the next time? That might just catch up with him. It is not

textbook style from Roberto Nani but it is good enough and he is still in

front by just under half a second, making up for the mistake with some

good, clean, accurate turns. Finishing the turn right on the

gate, starting the next one high. This is solid. Brilliant skiing. We

could have an Italian 1-2-macro. -- 1-2. Roberto Nani leads the way for

Italy. Roberto Nani showing some amazing recovery skills just before

the intermediate time. He was right on the tail of his skis and had to

pull himself forward. Brilliant start. The best of the Swedes. Matts

Olsson. Good effort when the course was quite trotted up. His lead after

the first run over Roberto Nani. Big Swedish contingent here in Val

D'Isere. A lot of them have come out to support Matts Olsson. How is he

doing on the top? Looks like he has got the better of the flatter

section. He is in touch. About three tenths have vanished from his lead

and he will have to work really hard on the steep, second half of this

slope, which hosted the Olympics in 1992. All of the men's Alpine events

apart from the slalom. It has hosted the World Cup for the past 58 years.

In 2009 it completed a hat-trick by hosting the Alpine skiing World

Championships. Matts Olsson, I am not sure he has done enough to beat

Roberto Nani, but he might just be between the two Italians. Not quite.

Third. Italians in first and second, that remains intact. Fritz Dopfer,

sixth after the first run. 0.71. The Germans have Fritz Dopfer racing now

and then of course the incredible Stefan Luitz, very much the Val

D'Isere specialist. He was second a year ago. He will be the last but

one man on the Hill before Alexis Pinturault sets the French hearts

beating fast. Fritz Dopfer meanwhile seems to be going solidly enough.

Half a second in front, so he has shared a couple of tenths. A little

skid sideways. Trying desperately not to be too hard and heavy on his

edges. Sometimes impossible because the course is so rock-hard. They

have injected water in, let it freeze overnight, artificially

hardening the course is to make it as icy as possible. Some racers like

it and some hate it. Fritz Dopfer seems to be somewhere in between.

Roberto Nani leads the way for Italy. Germany's Fritz Dopfer

chaffing that time. It is only fifth in the end for Fritz Dopfer. --

Fritz Dopfer chasing that time. Could there be an Italian one here?

-- 123 here? Highly experienced, he has had some promising results in

technical events this season, man Fred Mould, but it is a while since

he has claimed a World Cup victory. -- Manfred Moelgg. He lost time on

that sudden change of direction. He traversed across the front and look

at the result. Just 13 hundredths. And Manfred Moelgg is struggling to

keep up with the demands of this slave. The gates are coming thick

and fast. No time to get ready for the next gate before it bites you in

the backside. Manfred Moelgg is struggling. I think Roberto's lead

is safe. There will be an Italian in top spot but it will not be Manfred

Moelgg. Good enough for fourth. Roberto Nani still leads with four

to go. In the gate, one of two French men still to tackle this

course. He comes from an area just two hours away. A big contingent

have travelled across on this Saturday morning to watch him race.

Thomas Fanara is off to a very steady start. Lovely turns at the

top and plenty in reserve as well. A lead of 0.86 over Roberto Nani

coming into this second run. Through the banana gate nicely. He heads

from one side to the other and things start to take on a different

complexion. The mountain gets mighty steep. Still with the green light

and the upper hand. Thomas Fanara could make another little mistake

and still be on course to take the lead away from Roberto Nani. The

French still have Alexis Pinturault to come. Thomas Fanara is flying.

Beautiful turn. He has so much strength. Light on his edges. Sweet

skiing from the local man. Thomas Fanara almost there and skiing for

the lead for the French team in Val D'Isere. And he has got it by more

than half a second! That was tremendous from Thomas Fanara. And

look at the French crowd going mad. Thomas Fanara taking the lead. He

was slow on the top section of course but then further down he was

brilliant, matching Roberto Nani down those steep and difficult

turns. That has got the crowd warmed up. Marcel Hirscher is the first

skier to win the overall world title without racing the skiing events

since the great Alberto. Can he repeat last season's success here?

Marcel Hirscher had a very good but not perfect first run. Dead level

with Thomas Fanara coming into this second leg. Marcel Hirscher will

really attack the top section when it is relatively flat, and it will

suit him down to the ground. He is throwing everything down the hill.

He has to be careful the speed does not get away from him as he hits the

steep. He had to harness the power he builds up at the top. Look at the

lead! 0.58, so a massive advantage for Marcel Hirscher. He is in really

good shape now. Attacking the steep section and then he is in trouble.

He jams the skis sideways, and emergency manoeuvre to get himself

out of trouble, and still his lead of over half a second remains

intact, such is the measure of his technical skiing skills. He can put

the brakes on but not lose any speed. Remarkable. Marcel Hirscher

about to break French hearts in Val D'Isere. They still have Alexis

Pinturault to come later but at the moment Marcel Hirscher leads the way

with a masterclass. Fantastic. That silenced the French crowd but they

love ski racing here so unappreciative round of applause.

Marcel Hirscher absolutely nailed that run. He was not happy with his

last run, so he just went for it. A slight mistake when his skis skidded

out from under him but most of the time he was getting clean times and

accelerating down the course. Stefan Luitz is ready to race for the

second time today. A brilliant first run. He skied into second position,

and that is where he finished this race, behind Alexis Pinturault, 12

months ago. He has been quite anonymous since. Very much the Val

D'Isere course specialist. He is on his way here at his lead is

minimal, 11 hundredths of a second. I can't see that this top section is

good enough to match Marcel Hirscher. He is so far in a

different leader. Stefan Luitz looks unlikely to repeat the heroics of 12

months ago and Marcel Hirscher's lead is intact. Making heavy going

of this, it skiing a few extra metres. You can see the skidding

turns and that puff of smoke a sign that he is not carving. He is

skidding the skis through and having to break and slow himself down with

the racing line. Marcel Hirscher's lead is intact. It will come down to

the last man on the mountain, Alexis Pinturault, for the moment. He was

born just down the valley from Val D'Isere and he knows these slopes

well. He took his first World Cup slalom win here last season, but GS

is his preferred event. He is one of an elite group of skiers to beat Ted

Ligety in recent years. Excitement and tension at the foot of this

slope as the last man on the mountain gets ready to race. He just

had to hold himself there. In danger of opening the timing being early.

That would not be good but he is away now, and cleanly. Attacking the

time set by Marcel Hirscher, the last man on the mountain. He has a

lead of 0.41. Can he make it count? He failed to a year ago when Marcel

Hirscher was leading. He has his hand down and he

Hirscher was leading. He has his from the racing line and paying

price. Not point to wait off the pace, so not going according to

plan. -- 0.28 off the pace. pace, so not going according to

French are desperate for a home win. Alexis Pinturault is getting further

removed from Marcel Hirscher's time. The mistakes are coming thick

and fast. The tension and the pressure just too much once again.

Marcel Hirscher is about to win the Val D'Isere giant slalom. There is

no way back for Alexis Pinturault now and he finishes fourth. Marcel

Hirscher takes win. Just goes to show you do not always get what you

want. He looked a little nervous and stiff and he made a big mistake on

that right-hander, the sharp one, just as you onto the steep. Then his

time just drifted away and he did not get those clean turns that

Marcel Hirscher was able to nail on the steep section. Marcel Hirscher

wins in Val D'Isere by three quarters of a second to Thomas

Fanara with Stefan Luitz on the podium again. Alexis Pinturault

fourth and Roberto Nani fifth. I don't know what happened here in Val

D'Isere. I like this hill very much. I will come back every year and it

is so funny to race here. I am very happy I got second place. It is not

a victory here in France but for me it is almost the same. For a lot of

people of my town, they were there and I am very happy for them to do

it well in front of their eyes. I have never seen this race Hill in

such hard conditions. It is icy like an ice skating place. It is

definitely a really big difference between the last one and here. So

Alexis Pinturault misses out on the podium but Marcel Hirscher did

brilliantly. He nailed that second run with superb skiing, carving and

accelerating all the way. I thought Alexis Pinturault would have done

better on the second run and he missed out on the podium. Stefan

Luitz is going to have to find somewhere else to podium because his

two only podium results have come from Val D'Isere. Time to catch up

with all the goings-on in the world of winter sport. This is the news.

Great Britain's Lizzie Yarnold is off to a superb start in the

skeleton World Cup. The world junior champion took bronze in Lake Placid

on Friday to add to her gold and silver from Calgary and Utah

respectively and sits top of the rankings after three events. The

experienced Shelley Rudman has started solidly as well. She's lying

in third place overall. In skiing, Britain's Chemmy Alcott is looking

to get back on track for Sochi. She's been back on snow for the

first time in four months this week after recovering from a broken leg.

Shaun White busy first truly mainstream icon of snowboarding and

opinion within the sport over his career choices is divided, no one

can deny that he has single-handedly raised the sports profile. 13 X

Games gold medals and he will want to build on his two Olympic golds.

One thing is for certain - you cannot ignore Shaun White. There is

all of snowboarding and then there is Shaun White snowboarding. Love or

hate him, he is a machine. Shaun White is just Shaun White. I have

been doing this for a very long time. Funny to say that. Even the

men around my age, I started competing ten years before them. I

was professional and 13. I already have sponsors since I was seven.

Everybody was in the mid-20s at that point and I was, OK, I have to be

better. Off the bat, I set the bar pretty high, I had to be better than

these fully grown, men. They were competing against me. I had to be

better. I had to learn their tricks and better that. Do you feel that

your life is starting to work in the rhythm of Olympic cycles? You did

Vancouver, you had downtime to refresh yourself and then you are

building towards 2014? It is hard to describe because I truly dislike it

and love it at the same time. You don't really realise how great is

until it is over. It gives everything purpose. Today, I woke up

chose a healthy rather breakfast than this because of the Olympics.

Oh, I will go into the ice bath so my muscles will be great for the

next day because of the lyrics. Everything has got this big gold.

After my first Olympics, I did not know what to do with myself.

Literally, I did it! All right! What do you do? And, I kind of, to be

truthful, I got depressed, I did not know what to do and I lost my next

event the next season. Second place. After that season, that was a loss.

And I did not really know how to make myself feel the same, that

feeling at the Olympics. It is amazing but I like that, it gives me

a lot of purpose and a lot of... Things to look forward to. Shaun

White! Tomahawk! That is mind blowing! His second gold medal. The

ultimate competitor. It is OK to be competitive. Ever since he arrived,

he has been unashamedly out to win. It is an attitude that has split the

world. In a sport that has antiestablishment roots, winning at

all costs instead of riding for kick does not appeal to everyone. It is

so bizarre. The sport is built around that, everybody is friends,

and we like each other and we are cool but if you are entering any

competition, you want to win. I mean... If you wanted to just ride

with your friends, it is funny because everybody gets to the

bottom. How was it? I am just having a great time with my friends! I am

just so stoked! I said the same things because it is so easy. For

me, I just started to put my emotions onto my sleeves. I started

to speak the truth. And most riders, I want to say they are the

same, they are starting to realise it is OK to win. To want to win. You

are such a competitor, when that day comes, whether it is in two years or

12 years, you have to accept that losing is OK? Will you? I wish I

could say... To truthfully say it would be OK. The only time I am OK

with losing is if I literally put everything on the line. If I did the

test run I could and then I can walk away content. If I put my best run

on and somebody beat it, they deserved to win and they are the

best moments because what happens after is such an amazing thing. I

wish I could tap into that all of the time. You have been so

successful, have you ever felt like it is lonely but the top? Yes,

within the sport, for sure. It has been somewhat lonely. But I have

never lived in the mountains, any sport, I always go home and hang

with my friends and my family. I was describe myself as very big at

multitasking, always doing something different. I'm biggest passion at

the moment is playing music because it is so much fun and there is no

competition and the band I play in our just for show. And I remember

feeling pretty nervous but more excited nervous. It was awesome,

went onto stage and normally I am alone. On that halfpipe. All of

these men are with me, this is great. I was not carrying the grip

on my back. Everybody was doing their part. I like that. And

that's... It has been interesting. Reading between the lines, what do

you think? Shaun White is a jock, he has the values of a sportsman and in

any other sport, those values would be cherished but in snowboarding, a

sport that next to think it has a soul at its heart, there is a very

uneasy truce that exists. Can he backed that up? More medals in

Sochi? Vancouver, he won with his first run, the second was the

victory lap. In Sochi he will get pushed harder because there is a

young Japanese rider, they will passion. But in slopestyle, the new

kid on the block, he will find it harder. There were such depth in

that field. And a podium could be beyond him. Mainly because of Great

Britain and one of our medal hopes. Billy Morgan. Billy Morgan. I

started after skiing with my school and I was 14. Slopestyle is

basically sliding from the top to the bottom and leading five or six

jumps or handrails. You need good a real awareness for those jumps. Good

balance on those rails. Creativity comes in hugely to making your

tricks with different. Success in Sochi, if I manage the podium, that

would make me so happy after four years of training. It would mean

everything to me, for sure. How did he get so good? Gymnastics. He was

tumbling and lots of snowboarders don't have that bedrock. Is he a

genuine contender? In Vancouver it was about double quirks, in Sochi it

is trouble and he is rumoured to have three of them on lockdown. What

about the others? Jamie Nicholls is worthy of mention. He has two

troubles that he can land and he is arguably the best real rider in the

world. Have plenty to celebrate. Val D'Isere is one of our favourite

resorts so we decided to send Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams

on a tour of the time to show you what is on offer. I'll come to Val

D'Isere. This time has got you covered. -- time. -- town. The

results of culture and alpine atmosphere here and I hear that the

skiing is pretty good, also. It is fantastic. Val D'Isere is home to

Olympic champion Jean-Claude Jelly so the skiing area covering here and

the neighbouring resort is named in his honour. But the 300 kilometres

of pistes, ranging from the fast to this, part of a large zone. It is

perfect for beginners and intermediate. The network of runs is

impressive. But it is the expanse of incredible off piste Touraine but

appeals to people. It is well worth investing in a guide and exploring

this area. If you are looking for something more acrobatic, check out

the snow puck. You can hang with locals or have a go yourself. --

puck. Into apres-ski? You must go to an original folly. Live music and

dancing every day. Come and have a look. After all that dancing, you

could ski down I will just get into one of these bubbles. -- but I will.

Here in Val D'Isere, there is so much to do that more than anything,

there are so many restaurants. Tonight, and will stay traditional

and stick with French food. -- I will. Traditional French modern food

is about the meat and the cheese. After a long day shopping, it is

great to relax among the many Byers with the holiday-makers. Miss

Williams performing very well under pressure, there! I did not see her

twerking! Ben Ayliffe exports are high octane and many are dangerous

and almost all of them require brutal competitive edge. But in

Vancouver 2010, a new sport left the public aghast. Cue the Beastie Boys.

You will agree that is very impressive and for the first time on

Ski Sunday, we will feature ski Cross next week. The perfect pick me

up. And if you can't wait until then, Ski Sunday Extra brings you

full coverage of the ski Cross from just down the valley in Val Thorens

and is available now on the iPlayer. And for all you ski addicts, we have

even more. Next Sunday from 12.15pm, we'll be bringing you live coverage

of the Women's Giant Slalom on the Red Button and online. A perfect

hors d'oevre to the Women's Downhill Race from right here in Val D'Isere,

which will be our feature race on Ski Sunday at the slightly earlier

time of 4:45pm. The fastest women on two skis will be hurtling down the

mountain, including Tina Maze, Maria Hofl-Riesch and the great Lindsey

Vonn continues her return from injury. As they cleared up,

congratulations to the Austrian, repeating his performance from last

year. Until next week - au revoir.