Val D'Isere - Men's Slalom Ski Sunday

Dropping.

When winter descends on mother

nature smiles, the mountains, live.

The snowfall paints the prettiest

picture and shapes the ultimate

playground, where you and I find

simple pleasures. Speed, a carved

turn, a powder turn. And where the

elite go from being just like us, to

being nothing like us, because they

see things we cannot. They risk

being we will not.

In their world, an inch feels like a

mile, a 10th of the 2nd feels like a

year. They put it all on the line

for us to consume, on the edge of

our seats. Our simple to pleasured

enjoyed through them, vicariously.

Of course, this is not a selfless

act. The prize on offer is glory.

And he makes history, the champion

of the world!

A place in history.

Dave Ryding rewrites the record

books!

Bill Winter Olympics is just

weeks away and the playground is

bigger than it's ever been. -- the

Winter Olympics is just weeks away.

There's enough excitement and

anticipation to write a smile, from

us and hopefully from mother nature.

Hello and welcome to Ski Sunday.

We are in Val D'Isere in France,

and we're gearing up

for a pretty busy winter.

Yep, the World Cup tour

is kicking into gear.

Later in the series,

we'll have the classic downhills

from Wengen, Kitzbuehel

and the famous night slalom

from Schladming to look forward to.

And, of course, we've got at least

one eye on the biggest ever

Winter Olympics from Pyeongchang,

which starts in February.

Team GB are targeting their most

successful Games ever, and, on snow,

we have medal contenders in Alpine,

Nordic and freestyle.

Later in the show, we'll hear

from one of them - James Woods has

been talking to Tim Warwood

about the Big O.

Unsurprisingly for Woodsy,

he's taking it all in his stride.

I am a kid from Sheffield who just

love something that nobody knows

about. That's where I come from and

that's who I am. I want to be the

best I can be and really, really

don't care about anything but going

straight in.

It's a big year

for our Winter Olympians,

and it's also a big year for us.

Ski Sunday is about to turn 40,

and we're hoping you'll forgive us

for getting a little nostalgic.

This is Bobsleigh and the downhill

races.

More of that later.

First of all, we've got

the racing to bring you.

We're here for the men's slalom.

As usual, there's a field packed

with talent, including

the exceptional Henrik Kristoffersen

and the 6-time overall World Cup

champion Marcel Hirscher.

Right up there mixing it with those

two is our own Dave Ryding,

who's grounding in the sport

is rather different to his

esteemed competitors.

Chemmy Alcott has been to visit him

at home in Lancashire.

You wouldn't think that this is the

kind of place where World Cup medal

winning skiers are raised but Dave

Ryding is different and his rise to

stardom has been anything but

conventional. Dave works super hard

and is rarely home to take a break

but he is back in Lancashire and has

kindly invited me over for a cup of

tea. Hello, Dave.

Good morning.

How

you doing?

Good, yourself? Good.

Come in.

I was worried you were

going to invite me in then, I've

come all this way! Dave, this is it.

That's the guy.

Fairly substantial,

it was an amazing performance.

He's

2nd, that sensational!

How often do

you polish this?

Not often enough.

It is amazing.

It's something I

never thought I would get, actually,

but I always thought it would be

cool to have I have one.

I've always

been impressed by your mental focus,

but none more so than that 2nd run

at Kitzbuhel. For the 1st time to be

in with medal contention pull off

that performance, it shows you are

not fazed by the big events.

I

surprised myself, really, how I took

it. I got a lot of similar emotions

as when I was in a kid. I said this

to people at the time, I was able to

deal with the emotions in a very

similar way. I think I learned quite

a lot from the World Championships

when I was forth after the 1st run.

I didn't ski the 2nd run as well as

I could have.

He holds his head in

his hands in disappointment!

Going

from 4th to 11, I learned from that,

that you have to do two runs and

risk everything because everyone

else's.

You are skiing against these

guys from Austria, powerhouse ski

nations. But that's not where it

started for you, but dry ski slopes.

I wondered if you could take me to

the old stomping ground.

Of course

we can.

Rocket Dave Ryding, this is

where it started for you.

Yes, one

sunny Sunday. Even though it was

just on this small swipe it was a

cool feeling amazed me want to come

back for more.

And our area... The

Lancashire Alps, with the sheep.

There wasn't a fence so there's

sheep would come on the side quest

might raced around sheep?

Yes.

That's what you are so agile.

I

learnt a lot of skills. It is quite

flat here and when we are racing on

flat slopes, that's when I'm very

good. Kitzbuhel is different, so I

learned that over the last ten years

on the snow. It shows you can take a

lot from the dry slopes and it puts

you in good stead.

Is it true your

grandad used to sell skiing stuff

out the back of his van to support

your young boy dreams?

Yes, it paid

for my skis and equipment. That's

how we did it, part of the journey.

I think I quite enjoyed it as well!

Of course they did and I bet they

enjoy seeing the fruits of the hard

work they put in.

As much as is nice

for me, it's nice that the family.

The sacrifices, because they did a

lot, well worth it.

I know you have

been putting in hard work for a long

time. Last season it was all about

the left footers. Your coach was on

your every single time you trained

about those left footers. You

managed to match them up, which is

why your performance has excelled.

What are you working on technically

right now?

It is funny... Everyone

says it is so similar now, but when

we are looking we slow it right

down. There are still parts of my

skiing that need to be worked on,

specifically on that turn. It's a

good thing, because I still see

improvements to come, which will

improve my results, hopefully, and

give me more speed and consistency

Baines. I used to see limits for

myself but after last season I don't

think there are limits any more.

One

slalom race down for the season.

Plenty of positives to take from his

performance.

Yes, he was one of the

fastest skiers on the hill. The won

the 1st run and the 2nd run he had

to push hard because it was so

tight. He came in under the steep

with a half 2nd lead and the race in

the bag but stood on his inside ski

and went out and ultimately no

points scored.

He's gone up a get

technically but is his approach to

the 2nd run evidence that he's gone

up a gear mentally as well?

He told

us in the family was disappointed at

the World Championships, that he

didn't put down two attacking runs.

The 2nd most disappointing for him.

He knows if he wants to win he has

to take risks on both runs.

Slalom

is decided on fine margin on the cut

is so brutal, it's a risky strategy.

Particularly because he hasn't

scored a result yet this season. If

you don't score points, the world

ranking slips and you will start in

a worse position. I think this hill,

never really suited him in the past,

he will be happy with a solid top

ten results.

We have a dimension

there has been a very subdued

atmosphere here for the 1st weekend

of racing in Val D'Isere.

This is

the 1st home race for the French ski

team since they tragically lost

their charismatic downhiller, killed

in a training accident in Canada

just before the season started. And

just a couple of days ago, a young

German, Max, 17 years, also killed

racing in Canada. Ski racing has

been 20 years without a fatality and

now we have had two in the space of

a couple of weeks.

Racing got underway yesterday and

there was an impeccably observed

minute's silence. Time to get the

slalom underway. It is contested

over two runs.

The fastest 30

getting to race again.

Matt Chilton has your

commentary from run 1.

Matt Chilton has your

commentary from run 1.

One of the steep slopes on the tour.

To add to the family stumping with

snow, just like the old days. Dave

starts with bib number 14. Michael

Matt, the Austrian skis out into the

blizzard. Really aggressive start.

Jumped out of the start. Won't mind

the steep too much, Michael Matt.

Nice rhythm to start with. Younger

brother of Mario. Double world

champion and the reigning Olympic

champion. But he has retired now.

Michael Matt keeping it in the

family. Nice work so far. Nothing

wrong with this. Onto the only brief

flat section on this slalom hill,

which is one of the toughest on the

tour. They used a water injection

bar in the early part of the week to

send water into the top layer of the

snow, allowing it to freeze and

create a top surface of sheet ice

which has now been covered in fresh

snow. All sorts of elements to deal

with. That is a good run from

Michael Matt. 49:19 49.19. Seem to

enjoy his 1st run on this course.

Stefano Gross at the start.

Powerful. Powerful pics from the

start heart for the Italian,

straight into the rhythm, attacking

this top set. The course has been

set by one of the Norwegian coaches.

We will keep an eye on Henrik

Kristoffersen, who will have the

advantage with a little bit of

inside knowledge, potentially. He

started number seven. Stefano Gross

has ripped through the top 20 turns.

Really nice rhythm. Fast transition

from edge to edge. Michael Matt's

lead coming under pressure now from

the Italian. 31 years of age,

Stefano Gross, lots of experience.

And he leads the way in Val D'Isere

by 19 hundredths of a 2nd.

Stefano

Gross is a beautiful skier, grey

upper and lower body separation and

also really very fluid on these

tight and difficult course, that is

what gained him the lead.

So now the main man Marcel Hirscher.

He is on his way. World champion,

World Cup champion, Olympic silver

medallist. Marcel Hirscher with a

wide turn, took the scenic route and

that eight gate but now he's back

into the rhythm. That is fast.

Marcel Hirscher at his very best.

0.30 six. The mistake at the top

cost him but expect a second-half

charge here from Marcel Hirscher.

That would be typical of him, who

has won no fewer than 20 World Cup

races in his career and still only

28 years of age. Marcel Hirscher

chasing the leader of the Italian

Stefano Gross. How close can he go?

49 seconds flat is the time to beat

and forth only for Marcel Hirscher,

just over 30 seconds.

Classic Marcel

Hirscher, out of the start gate like

a bull in a china shop. Great

calves, generating huge speed but

almost went out of the course, if he

can iron out those mistakes he will

fly on the 2nd run.

The Norwegian

psyching up their man Henrik

Kristoffersen. The winner of this

race 12 months ago. The course has

been set by his coach. Let's see how

much that helps. It is a good start.

0.16. Henrik Kristoffersen made

light work of the 1st 16 the Times.

-- turns. He trails by three tenths

of a 2nd.

He might have been able to find a

tenth of a second or two there. And

he has. 12 hundredths. Kristoffersen

back in contention. There was a

heavy edge, a sign that he just

applied the brakes briefly. The

winner of five World Cup slalom is

last season. Henrik Kristoffersen

goes into third in Valdez. 0.4 one.

That heavy edge look like it might

have slowed him down, and it did.

Ready to race is Daniel Yule. The

talent this respect the summer going

back to his roots. He visited

Scotland where his parents were

born. The Scottish air must have

done him some good. He has taken a

fourth in slalom and a third in

Giant Slalom already this season.

Will he be celebrating with a wee

dram after a good result here today?

The first of the Swiss, Daniel Yule,

Scottish heritage. Let's see what he

can produce. On one of the steepest

slalom hills in the world. It is a

good start. 0.16. No lack of

aggression from Daniel Yule. And

he's in trouble, and out of the

race. That is going to hurt, because

he was in front. When he sees the

splits later he will know that he

had a chance. Mattias Hargin from

Sweden, number 11. He has been

training on this course, and down

the road from here, getting some

training in any resort early in the

week. 16 hundredths of a second in

front of Stefano grows at the first

intermediate. 0.35 behind. He lives

in Switzerland in the winter, in

Engelbergen, where he is a

passionate free skier Tommy loves

the adventure skiing. That has

propelled them into the spotlight,

along with his slalom success back

home in Sweden. He has only one

single World Cup race in his career,

the 32-year-old. How close can you

go? Looks promising, good enough for

third. Hargin is in the hunt. Good

scheme from suite. Next to go is

Manuel Feller. The young string is

known for his risk it all racing and

his reputation as a wild child could

not be further from the truth. He is

quite zen and lost to relax by

fishing. Can he catch a big one and

take victory today?

Number 12,

Manuel Feller from Austria. The

silver medallist at the World

Championships in St Moritz last

February. The long hair hanging out

on the back of his race helmet.

Feller is a bit of a wild boy at

heart. Looks like he's going nicely.

He's going very nicely. He's in

front of Stefano Gross by 100th. He

dances from edge to edge. Beautiful

slalom technique from Manuel Feller.

33.19 's next target. He is miles

and one, he has absolutely nailed

the top two thirds, and what a shame

for Feller, who is a faller!

Now it

is the turn of Andre Mhyrer from

Sweden, the winner of seven World

Cup slalom races in his long career.

One of the tallest slalom races

around but with a really light touch

on the snow. How seafaring at the

top? It looks like decent skiing but

he's trailing by half a second. Now

onto the flats. He might be able to

generate a tenth of a second or so

here. It is cutting up quite

severely underfoot. He has lost

brother time. Six tenths of a second

down. His team-mate Mattias Hargin

is in second. Stefano Gross is safe

in the lead. And Andre Mhyrer is

third. That is a fine finish. 21

hundredths of a second behind. He

has not his team-mate Mattias Hargin

down one place.

Dave Ryding is ready to race in

Valdez. Lots of British support at

the foot of the hill. Riding showed

his ability in the first race of the

season, setting the quickest time in

the opening run in Levi, and he has

the quickest intermediate, two

hundredths of a second faster than

current leader Stefano Gross. This

time, he is half a second down. The

flats are approaching. This is where

he can make time. This is where he's

one of the best in the world. Has he

managed to claw back any of that

deficit? He's now eight tenths down.

The steepest of this course does not

work in his favour. He was unlucky

with the big draw today, pulling out

number 14, but he's going to be in

the second run. He has skied well.

Skiing into ten, that is all right

for Dave Ryding. He has a chance to

move up in the second leg later on

today.

I think backlash that he had

in Levi when he had the race in the

bag was playing in the back of his

mind and he skied that almost too

conservatively, too much respect,

and you could see on the top of the

course how how he was. There was no

risk. He will be kicking himself

after the first run but a good

chance with a good start number on

the second run, he could move up the

rankings.

After the first one

Stefano Gross leads the way for

Italy. Michael Matt second. Dave

Ryding is well positioned going into

the second run, in 15th place. We

said at the start of the show that

we hoped mother nature would turn up

and she is in full force.

It is

dumping human Val d'Isere but you

can run a skull and anything. It is

a fair race for everybody.

D-Link

David Grace conservatively?

At the

back of his mind would have been

that DNF in Levi when he had a race

in the back. He were skiing along

the line, that is why he was not as

quick as some of the other racers.

What about Stefano Gross, unexpected

leader after the first one?

He's a

proven winner on the tour, but he's

been forming the last couple of

seasons. It is great to see him

back. He has the advantage of his

coach setting the run in the second

track. What about the perennial

favourite Marcel Hirscher, he looked

a bit rough. He has great ski speed,

he just couldn't quite control it.

Kristoffersen, his coach set the

first one, and it was set for him.

Even after the fall line, but I

don't think he's quite on the form

that he was on last season.

The top

30 the start gate ready to drop.

Matt the commentary. Dave Ryding

ready to go in Val d'Isere, author

and running. His advantage of full

second over the current leader.

Difficult start. For Dave Ryding.

Complicated conditions. As he skis

off into the teeth of this blizzard,

maintaining most of his lead. 0.75,

and still ahead at the next

intermediate, 0.4 one. Looking in

good shape. Hitting the flats now.

Good exhilaration. There is a little

bit of soft snow on the top surface.

Looking to reduce the ice underfoot,

riding behind by 100th of a second.

He's going to have to put his foot

down over the final 15 terms, to do

some damage to the lead. Almost home

and drive. Hundreds of British fans

here to cheer him on. He's out, down

eighth position.

Disappointing

second run for Dave Ryding. He has

held in the start gate for a long

time and the names would have built,

but he lost lots of time from the

last split to the finish, not able

to carry that speed from the steeper

the flat.

Next to ski, from Norway,

I was really impressed by the way he

tackled first run. He seems to

thrive in these tricky conditions.

Still one second in front with the

next intermediate coming up. He

would have lost some time, for sure,

how much, though? Another quarter of

a second. That is the best we have

seen at intermediate two for a

while. Still three quarters of a

second in front. Onto the bottom

half. Nordbotten with an advantage

of 0.49 at last. At last we the lead

of Marco Schwarz coming under threat

from Jonathan Nordbotten of Norway.

He has beaten comfortably, almost

half a second. Nordbotten leading

the Val d'Isere slalom World Cup.

That is a great run from Nordbotten

proving that you can do it in these

conditions. I guess the Norwegians

are used to skiing in the flat light

and poor visibility.

Ready to race

is Marcel Hirscher, the six time

world champion suffered a broken

ankle in the baroque -- in the

off-season and has been hitting the

gym hard to get back to full

fitness. He has spent time kayaking

and visiting a sea wildlife century

while on holiday. Will we see turtle

power here today? He broke his leg

in August. It is remarkable that he

is racing at this level. He's had a

good deal of success already this

season, Marcel Hirscher, including

victory in the Beaver Creek Giant

Slalom last weekend. He is adding to

his lead. Putting down one of these

trademark second-round charges. 28

years of age, Marcel Hirscher. 46

World Cup wins in total. 20 of them

have been in slalom. Can he add to

that total? Maybe so. He's going

quicker and quicker. He doesn't mind

about the blizzard. He's absolutely

ripping it up in these difficult

conditions. And the great Marcel

Hirscher is going for the lead in

Val d'Isere and he has got it by a

mile! He has crush the opposition.

Classic Marcel Hirscher on the

second run. Really calm things down

after the first run. No major

mistakes. Superbly clean. Now he's

thrown down the gauntlet.

Next ago

is Henrik Kristoffersen. The

Norwegian had a complete break from

skiing or three months this summer

during which he went water-skiing,

motocross riding and did lots of

training with his shirt off. He will

be working up a sweat in the slalom

today. Henrik Kristoffersen, the

winner of this race 12 months ago in

Val d'Isere. The first of five World

Cup slalom as he took on the tour in

2017. He comes into this second run

with a lead of 0.14 of his great

rival Marcel Hirscher. He has a

ready lost that the lead and it is a

deficit of four hundredths of a

second now for Henrik Kristoffersen.

3p of a second down. Bash back three

tenths of a second. Conditions

almost impossible at the top. It is

a little clearer here. Fractionally

better visibility on the bottom of

the course. But I don't think Marcel

Hirscher will be worried about

Kristoffersen's conclusion. It is

drifting away from him. He will need

a miracle finish to overturn the

lead of Marcel Hirscher. It looks

like finish, but Marcel Hirscher is

safe in front as Kristoffersen skis

into second position.

Don't get me

wrong, Kristoffersen is skiing well

but maybe just not quite as good as

last season. Timing is ever so

slightly off at the beginning of the

turn, he's jumping in and forcing

that section of the turn. I think he

will get it back as the season goes

on, though.

Now Mattias Hargin. For

Sweden. On his way. His advantage

over Marcel Hirscher isn't much. And

it has been lost already.

Intermediate number one, he trails

Marcel Hirscher by 0.26 of a second.

The next split, and Hargin has

clawed back at tenth of a second. If

he keeps it error-free and finds

exhilaration here on the flats, then

it is possible, I think, for Hargin

to topple Marcel Hirscher from the

top of the leaderboard. But now I

think that's no longer the case.

He's too far behind. 0.50 four.

Hargin has done well to keep

upright. To keep them carving. In

these really difficult conditions in

Val d'Isere. But he's down in fifth

place. The second run under way for

Andre Myhrer. Pushing out into the

snowfall which has just eased off

slightly at the top of the course. A

little bit of mist, on the camera

lens, difficult for the camera

operatives to keep these pictures

coming through in these conditions.

Drifted into the red bat back in the

Green zone now with a lead of four

hundreds over Marcel Hirscher. 34

years of age and still going strong

and still looking strong. 0.31

behind. Hirscher will start to

believe that place on the podium

might well be guaranteed, as Myhrer

hits the last seven turns and tries

to accelerate past Marcel Hirscher

but he is only 3rd. Hirscher in

front.

Not the most aesthetically

ski pleasing skier to watch but

makes up with it with power and

strength and skis are very tight

line and gates. That will be a

confidence building result for the

Swede.

Michael Matt next ago, won is 1st

and only World Cup slalom

competition last season. Younger

brother of the great Mario, the

Olympic champion in Sochi last time

round. Michael Matt is struggling

here. He is feeling his way through

some of these turns, that's how poor

the visibility is. Hirscher's lead I

think we'll be safe at this next

intermediate. Seven hundredths. Matt

keeps himself narrowly in front. Now

he finds himself on the flats and

starts to move it up through the

gears, hands down on some of these

turns. Practically propping himself

up. Now he has lost all that lead

and a lot more. 0.38 behind. The top

three separated by 0.0 four. Can

Michael Matt fightback? Last few

turns. Michael Matt is home in four.

Stefano Gross's fans here, hopeful

that their man can turn this around.

The leader after the 1st run, ready

to race that the 2nd time in Val

D'Isere. His advantage over Hirscher

is decent enough. More than half a

2nd is what he brings into the 2nd

leg. The Italian is underway.

Getting bumped away, the blizzard

has picked up again. A bit late in

the line and most but not quite all

of his lead has slipped away. Next

intermediate absolutely key to his

prospects, and it's good. Still in

front, still green, it has been all

the way. A 2nd. Has to keep it

error-free on the bottom bottom half

of his slalom run. It is starting to

get away from him. A little back

seated. The skis back under control

now. 21 hundredths to find.

Hirscher's lead remains intact. Can

Stefano Gross take the win in Val

D'Isere? No, he's only six. Marcel

Hirscher does it again.

Disappointment for Stefano Gross in

the end, coming out of the start

gate he had a trip and it cost him

basically all of his advantage on

Hirscher and then he had to try and

match him and couldn't on that final

section leading into the finish.

Marcel Hirscher comes through the

blizzard to take his 2nd victory of

the season, ahead of Henrik

Kristoffersen in 2nd, with Andre

Meyer 3rd. Dave Ryding of Great

Britain finished in 19th position.

Marcel, the 1st run it looks like it

was linked to recovery after link to

recovery?

Yes, I was really shocked.

Wrong choice of set up, wrong choice

of skiing, wrong joys of -- wrong

choice of technique. I went to the

hotel, watch the video, analysed and

tried my best. So yes, it was

better.

A look better on the 2nd

runner. Romagna yes, luckily, I

risked everything. It is unusual

that you see the finish area with

this high potential.

Dave, disappointed with that?

this high potential.

Dave, disappointed with that?

Yes,

of course. It was a big step

backwards. It was tough. I don't

want to make excuses, but I couldn't

see anything. There was so much snow

on the gates, it was coming off the

gates into my face. I did what I

could.

Elsewhere in winter sport,

it's been an encouraging start

to the season for our British

athletes as they look

to build momentum ahead

of the Winter Olympics.

In short track speed skating,

Elise Christie won the 500

metres at the World Cup

in Korea last month.

Eve Muirhead skippered the Scottish

women's team to gold at the European

curling championships.

The Scottish men took

silver in their event.

Defending Olympic skeleton

champion Lizzy Yarnold took

bronze at the World Cup

in Lake Placid in October.

And in bobsleigh, the British

4-man teams secured two

podiums in a month.

Bradley Hall skipped his team to

bronze in Utah, while Lamin Deen's

crew took silver in Whistler.

And you can see the next

round of the skeleton and bobsleigh

World Cup from Innsbruck

on the red button.

Coverage starts on Friday.

Meanwhile, in freestyle,

Katie Ormerod took silver

at the first snowboard

Big Air World Cup of the season

in Milan last month.

And Katie Summerhayes

equalled her best ever result

in the ski slopestyle World Cup

with a silver in Stubai.

In men's Ski Slopestyle,

James Woods remains among the best

riders in the world.

And the 1st World Cup of the season

in New Zealand in August he took yet

another gold-medal, adding to his

already impressive haul from the

last five years. It is one of the

most competitive freestyle

disciplines and James Woods is a

representative for all the elite

freestyle skiers.

Despite this elevated status,

the Sheffield shredder

is a simple creature at heart,

as he's been explaining

to Tim Warwood.

I love it, and that's why we all got

into it. Their mountain is like a

blank canvas where you can show

yourself.

This is the sport that I love. I'd

know that I put all my eggs in this

basket, so I work really hard.

That

right there ladies and

basket, so I work really hard.

That

right there ladies and and The Miz

Mr James Woods. A 180 Octo grab. The

right side 1260. He makes everything

look so effortless.

For those that don't know, start the

start, where did it start for you?

Well, I came from Sheffield, that's

it really. None of my family skied

all snowboarders.

How does a kid

from Sheffield become one of the

world's best freestyle skiers?

I was

just around ten years old, at that

phase in my life, a kid playing

loads of football and just doing

everything. There was a dry slope in

Sheffield. I remember, my dad was

like,...

There's the skis slope.

I

didn't even know what a ski slope

was. I remember my mum finding a

free ski and snowboard lesson in the

newspaper and I went and tried it

and it just went... Skiing every

day.

Every moment of every holiday,

he was there all day. I went from

work today, Sam Egerton lunchtime.

It was great. We would have a nice

little chat in the sunshine.

How

much do you think Sheffield as a dry

slope was instrumental in the

freestyle side of your skiing?

Absolutely. I started and had the

influence of the ski club guys,

teaching me how to ski, and it was

great. Smashing the gates. Smashing

the gates. Ten, 11, 12 years old I

was meeting all these people, people

lots older than me, kids that were

15, 18, 20, 30...

Ancient guys who

were 22!

And they were killing it. I

remember my 1st skiing and

snowboarding idols. They were the

local guys its Sheffield. That's how

it works. It is that skate park

mentality and those guys really

brought me up.

Hi, I'm James Woods, I got silver in

ski cross.

Who was your idol, who

did you look up to and try to

emulate?

It was always Candide.

And

still is!

Candide is just God, you

know? As far as everything's

concerned. But everyone around the

ski village. The guys I was skiing

with, I was definitely not the best.

I loved to do it and I had a great

time, but there were people who were

far better than me. I was just

riding a wave with everyone. It was

after school for me and after work

for everyone, I suppose. Always

dark, orange lights, a dim glow and

still now... The finals, at night

time under the lights. And honestly,

it's the best thing. Some of the big

dogs alike, I hate doing the lights,

I don't like the periphery. I'm

like, just like Sheffield.

It takes

me back!

X Games is kind of

X Games is kind of freestyle skiing

and snowboarding, that was the

Olympics at the time, was in it?

That's what you aspire to?

Obviously

we are brand-new to the Olympics. I

didn't grow up staring the Olympics

down as the ultimate goal, the end

goal or anything like that. I

genuinely didn't think I would be in

the running. It was as big a

surprise for me as the US for anyone

that I got into the freestyle

Olympics. Sharpie gave me a ring and

said, how do you want to play at

Qwest might

what we do?

Idol, we

might as well, someone is going to

win.

COMMENTATOR: Beautiful run from

James Woods.

The whole thing about

representing your country, that is

what has brought the Olympics up to

par. It's like, actually, this is

really weird but I'm not competing

for myself. I was Great Britain. I

was wearing biscuits, very different

to anything I've done before.

Freestyle skiing it's an image, if

look good, you feel good.

If you

feel good, you ski good. Excellent

philosophy!

Wearing the uniform

essentially, how is it?

Really

weird, really strange. Conforming,

wearing this, being part of the

team, it is strange. At the Olympics

it hits home, and not doing this for

me, I'm not doing it for my personal

gain, of course I am, in a way I'm a

competitive person and want to do

the best I can do. You see a

challenge and you get the eye of the

Tiger, don't you? But that

whole representing your country side

of it, that's what the Olympics

represents. That was probably the

biggest thing I could take out of

Sochi., Tyton considering how work

he has had to work out the back,

with that injury, will be pleased

with that result.

If you gold-medal

at the Olympics, it's a life

changer, isn't it, really? Is that

thought in your head?

I mean... To

be honest, not really.

You will be

on cereal boxes back home. All Bran,

Woody edition. Woodsy's Museli.

It's

cool, but I'm not kid from

Sheffield. That grimy kid that just

love something nobody knows about.

That's where I come from and that's

who I am. I want to be the best eye

candy. It would be sick to influence

and inspire some people. I love

being in the mountains, hanging out

with my friends. I really, really

don't care about anything but going

straight in.

I hate to say this to

you, so sorry, you can't ski

forever.

Yes, you can stop I am

sorry, you can't. What is next? Ten

years, 15 years' time, what is next

to James Woods, what are you going

to do? I will ski forever, dude.

It

will really hurt when you get to 35!

It already does! I tried to make

some clever decisions, business

minded that would keep me doing the

stuff I love to do. Like I said

before, I love being in the

mountains and skiing more than

anything. I love charging, I will

ski forever.

That's what I want to

hear. You're a legend!

You are a

legend.

You really are a legend! He

is never anything but totally

honest, wears his heart on his

sleeve and is someone we can feel

proud of?

Yes, he's a genuine

contender for gold. I think what

might have surprised some people is

he doesn't prioritise the Olympic

dream. The be all and end all is not

that gold medal, instead he has

these very old school core freestyle

values I really like that about him.

But he still massively competitive?

Yes.

One of Woodsy's closest

rivals in Pyeongchang

will be Gus Kenworthy.

The American Kenworthy

is a multiple X Games

medal winner in both ski

slopestyle and half-pipe,

and he took silver in slopestyle

at the Winter Olympics in 2014.

In the freestyle community,

Kenworthy is part of the furniture,

but he felt quite the opposite

until just two years ago.

Any time anything was bad, the

weather, the contest, the judges it

was this is so gay. We had people

that called us fags. I thought, when

are they going to realise I am gay?

I look back on it

I look back on it fondly. It was

four years ago, in Sochi. In some

ways it feels like a lifetime ago,

and other ways it feels like it was

just yesterday.

Can you back woods

with his treble 14? Oh! Eugh! Nobody

knew that I was gay, I hadn't come

out my parents yet. We had talked

about out in Sochi, like a protest

to all of the anti-LGBT legislation

they had in place. And then it was,

like, congratulations and I got a

parade in my hometown. And I felt

really guilty.

It really put it into

perspective for me. And it was the

beginning of me realising that I did

need to come out and figure out how

I was going to do that.

That's not a

straightforward as you might think

in action sports where many of the

athletes fit in with the stereotype,

Camacho adrenaline fuelled

community, despite its origins

celebrating independence and

originality, the professionals are

often guilty of conforming to the

uniform soundtrack of their peers.

They revel in their differences with

society rather than each other.

I

was scared that coming out I would

lose fans and sponsors and get

judged worse at events. I travel all

year round with these guys and they

are some of my closest friends and I

think they would think that I had

been deceitful to them, that they

would resent before it. I felt like

I had a lot to lose and I was going

to lose it all, so I was scared. The

year after the Olympics, X Games

went so badly for me. I had a cry in

the parking lot and said I don't

want to do this any more, I did want

to be in the sport I cannot be

myself, and I am so ashamed of

myself and he was like, you don't

have the closet yourself, you can

come out in the sport, I am here

with you. It was like, basically,

you are so good at this, you have no

reason to stop. I ended up winning

every event for the rest of the

season, had my best finish and I

wanted to come out ranked number one

in the world, because even if anyone

disagrees with me being gay or

cannot take it, they cant disagree

with that.

He finally came out in

October 2015 and announcing his news

on social media and in a magazine

interview.

The reaction was the

opposite of what I'd expected. I had

set myself up for the worse. I had

screenshot id. How much followers I

have. And all I needed was the

people that I had already told, who

were already supportive, and then it

was just the opposite. I posted a

cover, but we did it, and my phone

started going crazy. I got calls

from other people in the industry

who had joked about things and

called me gay, Corden Yafai get or

whatever, saying that they were

sorry and if they had any idea they

would never have said those things.

I was like in tears during those

apologies. I had people posting my

article and saying how much they

supported me and I felt so loved. I

never expected the reaction to be

what it was. Anything that I've done

in my life that I am most proud of

is coming out and doing it the way

that I did it, because I get

messages every single day from kids

and I see people on the street in

New York or LA who say that the

article resonated with them and help

them come to terms with themselves,

help their parents accept them, help

someone else understand, and I'm

just hoping that my story of seeing

someone come out at the peak of my

career in a sport that you wouldn't

think would be accepting, and seeing

how accepting it was, I hope it

gives people encouragement and can

apply for people that are in the

closet, in sports.

His story has

inspired a new range of global

sponsors who see him as the perfect

poster boy for their brand in an

increasingly diverse market. Eugh! I

was thinking, is it bad that I'm

getting sponsors because of this?

Then it was like, I don't care.

Yellow macro this brand wants to

partner with me for living with my

life authentically, I want to be

with that brand. It is amazing for

any kids in the closet bar in

sports.

Solid run from Gus

Kenworthy.

I wanted to do well for

myself and for the LGBT community, I

want to be their sports guy, I want

to be at the Olympics and get a

medal for the community. The more

representation you have, the more it

helps break down barriers and stigma

and homophobia and eventually it

will get to the point where it is

not so crazy and shocking and it

will not have to be a big statement

by coming out, it can just be

everyone living their lives,

authentically.

What an inspiring story - to see

an athlete at the very top

of their sport coming out,

being supported by their peers,

and high profile sponsors

is so encouraging.

You only need to look back to 1998

when a skateboarder talked about his

sexuality in interview and was

dropped by sponsors. The fact that

he has owned it and the dialogue has

been about as results rather than

his sexuality is the biggest success

for me.

As he said in the prom,

hopefully this will none -- this one

they not be a thing and not even

were talking about. He's actually

half British. His mother is from the

UK and moved to US when he was two

years old.

We have it on good

authority that he is a fan of

British TV, so he watch ski Sunday.

Can you believe next year it'll be

40 years since Ski Sunday first

appeared on the BBC?

Originally inspired

by Franz Klammer's daring run

in the downhill at the

Winter Olympics in 1976,

the programme has evolved over

the years to include freestyle,

snowboarding, and

other winter sports.

But one thing has remained

a constant and very popular

presence, as Graham explains.

Every week we get hundreds of

comments from the audience about one

thing, the theme tune. People

absolutely love it. And to be fair,

it is the best thing about the show.

Very sadly I have it as a ring tone

on my phone. It is the soundtrack of

the winter.

SKI SUNDAY THEME.

A very good afternoon and welcome to

the ski slopes of Europe. Yellow

macro to celebrate ski Sunday toning

body the BBC for the manic orchestra

have agreed to give a performance of

a special piece of music. It is

called Pop Looks Bach and I am

joined by the son of the original

composer.

I remember listening to it

on TV. My dad was not aware that it

was going to be played. It came on

the TV and he was delighted and

thrilled. Like a lot of the other

music that he found out watching TV,

that was played, yes.

He worked for

a publishing house. How much music

videos reproduce?

For them, quite a

lot, maybe 20, 25 different records

but maybe upwards of 80. 80 albums

of music.

You are a keen musician

himself and I understand you got the

big vinyl collection.

Ski Sunday.

This is Bob Sleigh and the downhill

racer is with Pop Looks Bach. What

is it about this piece of music that

makes it so catchy, that makes it

last so long?

It is not based on any

one work of Bach, but it is like a

Bach toccata, it has this classical

sounding thing, then it has this

little jazz and blues sounding

section which gives it more of a

modern flavour. And the timpani

kicks everything into life and

brings it to life.

What would your

dad think if he was here today, and

the BBC for the moniker was playing

his piece of music and the fact that

it has run on ski Sunday for 40

years?

He would be delighted to be

here. He would be very pleased that

his music is so much love. -- loved.

It is the star of the show. There's

been another element that has been

almost as constant as the theme

tune.

Graham. 33 years and counting.

Before we leave you,

we've just got time for Ski Social.

Before we leave you,

we've just got time for Ski Social.

As ever, we want you to send

us pictures and videos

of yourselves in action.

You can be good or bad, just than

the average.

Just use the hashtag Ski Sunday.

To kick things off,

we've picked a couple

of our own personal favourites

from the early part of this season,

but these definitely fall

into the good category.

Check out Candide Thovex's

latest offering in his One

of those Days series...

And Graham has been polishing his

ego a little bit and insisting that

we put in this clip.

ego a little bit and insisting that

we put in this clip.

I set a

skijoring world record.

He has a

twig on faster traditionally skiing

downhill.

160 is my goal. It is not

just me that this into speed. This

Swiss skier has set a skiing world

record of 80 miles an hour

backwards. Ski Social has turned up

this nugget. He's not the only

snowboarder from the Forest of Dean.

DJ Miff from EMF ascent bassoon.

Charlotte is planning a snowboarding

trip and wants to find the best way

to get fit.

A classic is the lunges

and squats to work on your legs. I

have been working in yoga. My wife

is an instructor and has convinced

me that it is the best way to

prepare for a season. It gives you

all the body strength and critically

also gives you the flexibility to

deal with the inevitable snags.

Then

jamming Green has asked which snow

sports he can get his wife into,

because she has got dodgy knees.

If

you can't do alpine skiing, there's

always Nordic skiing, which gets you

out enjoying the mountains. Because

it is the 40th year, we've had a

request for some of the more

questionable outfits down the years.

I think you should lead on this one.

It is fair to say that I learn

through trial and error and fashion

terms. This is a standout, the

purple and white stripe. Also the

pink pants with the grey camo

jacket. And I like this green,

yellow and white striped jacket.

What was I thinking?

In the British

team, I didn't have much choice, we

wore a uniform.

Check out this

catsuit, though. It's not about the

catsuit, it is about the mullet,

incredible!

That's all we have

time for this week.

Next week, we're back in Val D'Isere

but the speedometer is getting

cranked up a notch.

We'll hear from the brilliant

British Paralympic

skier Millie Knight,

and from the superstar

of Alpine Lindsey Vonn,

as we feature the women's downhill.

See you then.