GIRLS ON THE PISTE PODCAST Bella Syme & Emma Woodward

Winter 23/24 is just around the corner and we are excited! 
As we start to gear up for a new ski season, we had a lot to talk about with Lucy Aspden-Kean who joins us for this episode. Lucy is Commissioning Editor for Travel at the Telegraph, with a specialist focus on snow and ski. 
Lucy has worked on the travel desk at the Telegraph for 9 years and we loved chatting about her experience there, adventures and bucket list trips that her role has taken her on, discovering the thrill of off-piste, best family ski memories - and where’s next!


Amongst other exciting and adventurous escapades, Lucy took part in an inspiring trek to Everest and has since interviewed some of the rescue team there and written a fantastic article on the increasing dangers of inexperienced climbers taking on Everest (article linked below). ‘Following a deadly season on Everest, the overlooked heroes tasked with saving stranded climbers explain why their job is getting harder.’


We discuss Norway, Patagonia, Japan, navigating travel journalism through the pandemic, skiing with family, the magic of skiing .. and the places it takes you.

Links:
Lucy’s Article on Everest:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activity-and-adventure/mount-everest-climbers-danger-tourism-rescue-world-records/
‘Everest is a magnet for inexperienced climbers – they are putting their lives at risk’
Following a deadly season on Everest, the overlooked heroes tasked with saving stranded climbers explain why their job is getting harder
Sherpa Tenzing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenzing_Norgay
Tenzing Norgay Sherpa's interview, in Tibetan, with All India Radio, Kurersong, India.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbTgL6xpQuE
Other articles by Lucy:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/l/lu-lz/lucy-aspden/
Lucy’s Instagram Page:
https://www.instagram.com/lucy_aspden/?hl=en
Article about Lucy’s trip to Everest:
https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/lancashire-womans-inspiring-trek-everest-24230055
Rauris  - Austrian Resort
https://www.raurisertal.at/en/
Chris Bonnington - Climber  
His career has included nineteen expeditions to the Himalayas, including four to Mount Everest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Bonington
Chris Bonington was the first to scale Everest 'the hard way' - by the south-west ridge - and he has taken part in three other expeditions. No other mountaineer, writer or photographer has as much experience of Everest. 
https://www.amazon.com/Chris-Boningtons-Everest-Sir-Bonington/dp/0297829270#
Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This episode Bella chats with award winning photographer and film-maker Shannon Corsi and professional big mountain skier plus Queen of Corbetts, Veronica Paulsen. These are two of the inspiring girls behind the film Nexus.
Nexus, a feature-length ski film featuring an all-female cast of skiers will come to London this September. Nexus follows five distinct groups of female skiers, their connection to the mountains and how the sport shaped their relationships.

“For years, top women in the ski industry have heard the same sentiment ‘we already have a girl in this segment, one is enough’,” said Michelle Parker, one of the industry’s most prominent freeskiers and Nexus athlete. “If we want to see change in this industry, we need to be the ones out there moving it forward. Nexus is a milestone this industry was long overdue for.”

On Tuesday 12th September, ALS Ski are so excited to bring the UK premier of the Nexus ski film & Q&A panel with Nexus athletes Caite Zeliff, Veronica Paulsen and Director Shannon Corsi.
All profits will be donated to Protect Our Winters UK and Women of Winter
Date and time: Tuesday, 12 Sep 2023 18:30 - 20:30 BST
Location: The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)1 Kensington Gore London SW7 2AR
Tickets - £35, U25 - £25, with optional additional charity donation to Protect Our Winters UK and Women of Winter
LINKS
*Nexus Tickets*
Nexus Website
Shannon's Instagram
Shannons Website: https://www.shannoncorsi.com/
Veronica's Instagram  
Veronica’s Youtube
ALS Ski Insta
ALS Ski: Book Your Ski Holiday Here:www.als-ski.com
Protect Our Winters 
Women of Winter 
Veronicas double back flip
Corbets Couloir 
Jackson Hole
Pretty Faces
Female ski movies to check out
Home away from home with Veronica's friend Max  
Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week we loved chatting with adventurer, mother, writer, broadcaster and designer Alexandra Tolstoy.
As very keen skiers as well as new mums who have just attempted a ski trip with small people - we were keen to discuss her recent family trip over Easter to Meribel and what makes for a fun and easy ski holiday with children.
We also talk about her two inspiring businesses - Alexandra organises bespoke horse riding holidays in Kyrgyzstan (Alexandra Tolstoy Travel) and runs The Tolstoy Edit, which is a curated shop of her favourite interiors discoveries.
Alexandra has had a fascinating life to say the least. She fell in love with travel at an early age and spent twenty years riding horses all over Central Asia, Mongolia and Siberia. She travelled by horse and camel for nine months on the Silk Road across central Asia to China, hosted a BBC TV series, wrote a book about her adventures and spent time rediscovering her family heritage in Moscow - not to mention raising 3 children as a single mother.
She has recently set up The Tostoy Edit - a collection of gorgeous decorative pieces for the home, influenced by her travels and embracing folk traditions and craftsmanship. 
Separately Bella and Emma discuss Emma’s recent trip to Deplar Farm in Iceland, hosted by Eleven Experience. We have talked about (and raved about) Eleven Experience before on the podcast - and safe to say the trip lived up to the expectations of being a trip of a lifetime! From heli-skiing above the ocean  to snowmobiling to incredible food to viking sauna rituals to horse-riding to sipping cocktails in the swim-up bar in the geothermally heated pool .. to seeing the Northern Lights .. to trying fermented shark! .. The award winning adventure Deplar Farm is remote, action filled, revitalising and unique - it has to be experienced to be believed. 
LINKS:
https://www.alexandratolstoy.co.uk/ Alexandra Tolstoy
https://thetolstoyedit.com/ The Tolstoy Edit
https://alexandratolstoytravel.com/ Alexandra Tolstoy Travel
Chalet Du Guide - Meribel Village  (Please Enquire with ALS Ski for Availability)
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/alexandratolstoy/
https://www.instagram.com/alexandratolstoytravel/
https://www.instagram.com/thetolstoyedit/

Eleven Experience
https://elevenexperience.com/ Eleven Experience 
https://elevenexperience.com/deplar-farm-iceland-winter/ Deplar Farm, Iceland
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/elevenexperience/ Eleven Experience
https://www.instagram.com/elevenskiing/ Eleven Skiing

Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week we chat with award winning photographer Yves Garneau.  
Yves shoots ski and snowboard photos for editorial and commercial clients all over the globe. He’s regarded as one of the best winter action sports photographers in the business and his images can be found in publications and ad campaigns around the world. He is also one of the Alps’ most trusted interior photographers and has shot for some of the world’s biggest brands, as well as  for practically all of Europe’s most exclusive ski tour operators and real estate agents.
Make sure you check out his instagram page for some examples of his incredible shots.  
https://www.instagram.com/yves.garneau/
We’ve both been away in the Alps visiting properties, holidaying with family and skiing! So tune in to hear more on that as well as how Bella got on testing out Carv, and Emma trying out the amazing kit from EcoSki!


LINKS
Yves Garneau Website https://www.g1photo.com/
Yves Garneau Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yves.garneau/?hl=en
Le Refuge de Solaise https://en.lerefuge-valdisere.com/
Yellowstone National Park https://www.yellowstone.org/
Yellowstone National Park Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ynpforever/?hl=en
Carv https://getcarv.com/
Carv Insta https://www.instagram.com/carv.ski/
Yves Garneau Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yves.garneau/?hl=en
Villa Larix St Moritz https://studiodar.co.uk/portfolio/private-villa-st-moritz-realisation/
Grand Combin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Combin
Petit Combin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petit_Combin 
The Lodge, Verbier https://www.als-ski.com/verbier-chalets/2017/8/5/the-lodge
Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week we chat with Rachael Westbrook, founder of the sustainable ski wear company EcoSki. Rachael launched EcoSki in 2020 - it’s a business with a clear mission: to give skiers better choices for obtaining their kit, limit unnecessary purchases (and waste) and keep mountain kit in circulation for longer.

Eco Ski: https://ecoski.co.uk/
LINK: https://www.instagram.com/eco.ski/?hl=en
As we discussed last week the impact we are having on our planet is ever prevalent, and certainly a huge topic to try and approach in a short podcast. But in the immediate future we strongly feel that educating ourselves and making significant and regular changes (whether big or small) to the way we live is key. 
The ski and winter sports industry - and certainly the travel industry in general - is  a tough one to work in and to claim to be ‘green’.
So that’s why we love to see change and incredible companies emerging such as EcoSki, who’s  pledge is that there are  many ways in which we can continue to do what we love whilst reducing the overall impact we have both socially and environmentally. 
EcoSki’s mission is to help you find a way to ski cleaner, greener and kinder.
Here’s what you can expect from Eco Ski:


Raising awareness of the impact that our daily choices have on the environmentSeeking out the ski and outdoor brands that are operating more responsibly Highlighting the skiwear and outdoor gear that is hardwearing, durable and/or uses more innovative, planet friendly materialsChampioning the people and companies that are pioneering a more sustainable way of production Helping make skiwear more accessible and affordable for allEnsuring this kit is kept in circulation for longer via their repairs, pre-owned and rental departmentsProviding end of life solutions for outdoor gear to reduce the amount sent to landfillCommunicating clearly and honestly with full transparency Helping to raise funds, awareness and support for both local and environmental charitiesInspiring change in people through their love of the mountains 
LINKS
Eco Ski https://ecoski.co.uk/
One Percent for the Planet https://onepercentfortheplanet.org/
Nexus Film https://www.nxusfilm.com/ 
Protect our Winters https://protectourwinters.uk/
Patagonia https://eu.patagonia.com/gb/en/home/
Houdini https://houdinisportswear.com/
Arc'teryx https://arcteryx.com/
Picture https://www.picture-organic-clothing.com/en 
Ortovox https://www.ortovox.com/uk-en
Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com

This week we are so excited to welcome Henry Cookson - British polar explorer, adventurer and founder of Cookson Adventures.

The Financial Times describes Henry Cookson as ‘a 2.0 version of the traditional fearless British explorer’. 
Since achieving a world record for kite-skiing to the Antarctic Pole of Inaccessibility and guiding Harry the Duke of Sussex’s charity expedition to the North Pole, he continues to set new benchmarks in ultra-luxury travel. 

Henry's  long list of conquests include a record breaking expedition to the Southern Pole of inaccessibility, organising the first commercial submersible dive in Antarctica and monumental contributions to conservation across the globe. 


Together with his hand-picked team at Cookson Adventures, not only does he guide and host many of the trips they organise, but he is consistently sought to speak with authority on the cutting edge of global travel and expeditions. Through his work, several million in donations has been raised for charitable causes.


LINKS

HENRY COOKSON https://www.instagram.com/henrycookson_/?hl=en
Cookson Adventures Website and Instagram page: 
 https://cooksonadventures.com / https://www.instagram.com/cooksonadventures/
 Cookson Adventures on Film: https://cooksonadventures.com/on-film/

Locations Henry Talks About:
Antarctica: https://cooksonadventures.com/where-weve-been/antarctica/Subs: https://cooksonadventures.com/yacht-expeditions/submersibles/Chad: https://cooksonadventures.com/where-were-going-next/a-conservation-adventure-in-chad/Socotra: https://cooksonadventures.com/where-were-going-next/explore-the-secrets-of-socotra/Conservation: https://cooksonadventures.com/conservation/Henry’s Trip for Walking with the Wounded
https://web.archive.org/web/20100526081137/http://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/the-team/henry-cookson/
Financial Times Article: 'No time to dive - the rise of the submersible'
https://www.ft.com/content/c64fa6b8-fcc6-471c-83f8-fc1bfc6a973a


CLIMATE CHANGE 
A good list of documentaries to help understand some of the planet’s issues. In particular: Life on our Planet (David Attenborough) & Cowspiricy
https://uniteforchange.com/en/blog/environment/documentaries/
The Cloud damaging the planet https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001hzb3/panorama-is-the-cloud-damaging-the-planet
Travel with ALS Ski, your luxury ski specialists.
ALS Ski is your go to destination for booking your ski holiday.
Check us out at www.als-ski.com