The Quiet Dream

Will Davies

0.0 (0)
PLACES & TRAVEL

The Quiet Dream is a podcast about good people doing great things, quietly and resolutely, and celebrating sport's connection to the outdoors and the human pursuit of excellence. Currently focusing on Milano Cortina and previewing each winter sport that will be competed in Italy and the Australian connection to the great spectacle in February.

MAR 17

Olympic Legacy with Colin Hilton, President and CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation

With the end of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the platform has been set for a generation of winter sports enthusiasts and hopefuls in Italy, through Milan and the mountains around Cortina and the Dolomites. In this episode we take a look a little bit about the legacy of a major sporting event, including the Olympics. Colin Hilton is the President and CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, an organisation which does and has done an incredible job keeping the spirit and buzz of the Olympic Games alive every single day. After hosting the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Games, and Steven Bradbury’s short track speed skating gold medal, and with a lot of focus now on the Utah 2034 Olympic Winter Games, it’s an incredible case study for incorporating facilities and the winter sports environment into the community and lifestyle every day. The city and area is also now blessed with great venues from 2002 that have been maintained and used consistently, allowing the footprint for 2034 to be an exciting one. Do they upgrade? Do they build more? Do any major works need doing? It’s also a fascinating question being faced by the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and what they do with their venues to ensure sport and recreation in South East Queensland is world class, and brilliant for the community, for years to come. Before the Milano Cortina Games, we caught up with Colin to chat about his journey as a leading administrator, and the work being doing by the UOLF.

31 min
FEB 5

Figure Skating Preview - Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

A preview of the Figure Skating competitions at the Milano 2026 Winter Olympics, with international sports reporter and News Producer, specialising in Figure Skating, at Olympics.com, Lena Smirnova. Lena gives us a unique insight into how to enjoy and follow the sport, what to look out for, and some of the major names to be excited about in Italy in February. Four Australians are making their Olympic Winter Games debuts, Anastasia Golubeva and Hektor Giotopoulos Moore in Pairs and Holly Harris and Jason Chan in Ice Dance, and Lena chats about their story, as well. The Figure Skating competition at Milano Cortina begins on Friday the 6th of February, at Milano Ice Skating Arena, with the Teams Event. Competition concludes on Thursday the 19th of February, with the women's singles gold medal being awarded.

1h 4m
FEB 5

Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing Preview - Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

A look at and preview of many of the snowboard and freestyle skiing events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, with FIS Park & Pipe Media Coordinator Chad Buchholz. From Scotty James, Ayumu Hirano, Mark McMorris, Fin Melville Ives and Valentino Guseli, to Eileen Gu, Chloe Kim, Choi Gaon, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Mia Brookes, Chad has a unique insight into many of the great athletes to keep an eye on. Chad also runs through the ins and outs of many of the events at Livigno in Italy, and how to appreciate the incredible feats we'll be witnessing.

39 min
FEB 2

Speed Skating Preview - Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

A look at and preview of the Speed Skating competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, with international speed skating broadcaster, and expert, Gavin Day. It’s a stacked field of emerging superstars, and Gavin says Jordan Stolz from America could be one of the stories of the Games, along with his battle with the Netherlands' Jenning de Boo. Also chats about the women’s fields, with Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida a name to be familiar with, and Dutch stars Femke Kok, Suzanne Schulting, Joy Beune and Jutta Leerdam, as well as Japan’s Yoshida Yukino, Takagi Miho, USA’s Erin Jackson and Brittany Bowe, Korea’s Lee Na-Hyun and Norway’s Ragne Wiklund among others to keep an eye on. Further in the men’s field, names to watch include Damien Zurek from Poland, Ning Zhongyan from China, Kjeld Nuis and Stijn van de Bunt from Holland and Italian hope Daniele di Stefano. Events will take place at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, in the north west of Milan. It’s a temporary facility, converted from an exhibition centre. Competition starts on Saturday February 7 with the Women's 3000m and finishes on Saturday February 21 with the Women's Mass Start Final.

31 min
JAN 28

Ice Hockey Preview - Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

A preview of the ice hockey tournaments at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with international and NHL hockey reporter and expert Alan Adams. Alan chats through the logistics of getting the NHL players back to the Olympics, and previews the men’s tournament, identifying Canada’s relative issues in goaltending, and the ‘battle of inches’ between the USA and Canada, who he says have built their rosters to be able to even just beat each other. Says it's exciting to be watching players like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, the Tkachuk brothers and Leon Draisaitl of Germany at the Olympics again. Says Sweden could win the men’s tournament and have the balance to win, but that Canada and the USA are the premier teams. Says then comes Sweden, and then the rest including Finland who he says you wouldn’t want to be playing in knockouts because they could ride great goaltending and grind a team into the dust, not make many mistakes and create big surprises in a low-scoring game. Added Czech Republic is somewhat resurgent but don’t have the depth to go the distance against the premier teams just yet. Covers the differences between NHL and IIHF hockey, highlights a potentially interesting quirk with the refereeing in some games, and dismisses any issues in ice size. On the Women’s side, praises the Professional Women’s Hockey League and what that is doing to the level of the sport, but says it will still be a Canada v USA final, and expect some of the best hockey you will ever see. Adds that Canada has gone for a settled and experienced roster and with hope that Marie Philip-Poulin can carry them to great heights again given her remarkable ‘determination to win’. Says the USA has a really good program, great feeder system and NCAA talent, but with the PWHL, it’ll be interesting to see what impact the lack of being able to centralise for a year ahead of the Games has. On Hilary Knight, Alan says she has been the face of the US program since just about day one and continues to be among the best in the world, as well as the ability to produce in the big games. Says Czech Republic are getting better, Sweden and Finland are taking a while to meet the higher level, but will get there with the right investment, and beyond that, it’s tough for the rest to put themselves in the frame. Also discusses some of his favourite Olympic hockey moments, including Canada v Poland at Calgary 1988 and having Mats Naslund’s gold medal in his mouth just after the final between Sweden and Canada in 1994. Australia hasn’t qualified for either the women’s or men’s tournaments. The women's hockey tournament at Milano Cortina begins on Thursday the 5th of February and the men’s starts on Wednesday the 11th of February.

39 min
JAN 26

Darcie Morton Interview - Biathlon Preview Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

A look at the Biathlon competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, with Australian biathlete Darcie Morton. The wider Australian team for the Winter Olympics has been named, and Darcie is set to make her Olympic Games debut in Italy, having secured Australia a spot at the Aterselva Biathlon Arena in Antholz. Becoming the first Australian Biathlon competitor at a Games since Sochi 2014, Darcie chats about her journey in the sport, her battle to achieve qualification, the unique features of biathlon, what she expects from the venue in Antholz, and some of the major names to keep an eye on at Milano Cortina. The Biathlon competition starts with the Mixed Relay event on Sunday the 8th of February and ends on Saturday the 21st with the Women’s 12.5km mass start.

27 min
JAN 24

Short Track Speed Skating Preview - Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

A preview of the Short Track Speed Skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, with international freelance sports reporter and a Director at AMP Media, Nick Moore. Nick runs through why he loves the sport, how he developed a unique understanding of the athletes and personalities involved, and what to watch out for in Milano. Chats: The big presence and wonderful rise of William Dandjinou from Canada, and the challenge from his teammate Steven Dubois. Australia's Brendan Corey and his chances of success, following in the footsteps of Steven Bradbury. Italy's Pietro Sighel and Jens van 't Wout from the Netherlands, whom he describes as 'a real rocker' and someone to be excited about watching take on Dandjinou. On the women's side, Italy's legendary Arianna Fontana and he bid at a sixth Olympic Winter Games. Dutch star Suzanne Schulting and the big programs she has been running across short track and speed skating, as well as the young Xandra Velzeboer and how impressive she is in the 500m, in particular. Kristen Santos Griswold and Corinne Stoddard from the USA, Choi Min Jeong and Kim Gil-li from Korea, Hanne Desmet from Belgium and Canada's Courtney Sarault. And an insight into the venue, the Milano Ice Skating Arena, at the Unipol Forum, in Assago, Milan. Short Track Speed Skating starts at Milano-Cortina 2026 on Tuesday the 10th of February.

38 min
JAN 12

Curling Preview - Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

A preview of the Curling competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, with international curling commentator and expert, John Cullen. John chats about what makes curling one of the great sports at the Winter Olympics, why he loves the game, what to keep a close eye on, and takes us through the infamous Rumble at High Park curling scandal. The Australian mixed doubles team of Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt had just missed out on qualification for Milan, and John runs through the who's who in Italy, including Estonia's Mixed Doubles pairing Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill, Canada's Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant and Italy's Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini. The incredible form of Canada's Rachel Homan and the pressure that comes with the expectation. The experience and personality of Canada's Brad Jacobs in the Men's Fours and continuity with Mark Kennedy and Ben Hebert. An open men's field, including Great Britain and Scotland's Bruce Mouat, Yannick Schwaller of Switzerland, and strong teams from China, Norway and Sweden, as well as the energy from USA and Daniel Casper. Curling starts on Wednesday the 4th of February at the Cortina Curling Olympic Centre.

53 min
12/22/2025

The Quiet Dream: Cross-Country Skiing Preview, Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics

A look at and preview of the Cross-Country Skiing competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, being skied at Tesero in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Guests: Australian Cross-Country skier Rosie Fordham who chats about her incredible rise to be pushing the best skiers in the world, and breaking new ground for the sport in Australia. Cross-Country and Nordic Skiing journalist and analyst John Teaford from FasterSkier.com, who runs through the major names to keep an eye on at Milano Cortina, including Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Einar Hedegart, Federico Pelligrino, Jonna Sundling, Ebba Andersson and a detailed analysis of what makes Jessie Diggins so remarkable. John also chats about his incredible career as a writer, director and producer, and shares some tales from travelling to some of the most incredible winter landscapes in the world while working on the Warren Miller Ski Films.

1h 6m
12/16/2025

The Quiet Dream: Alpine Skiing Preview, Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics

Chatting all things alpine skiing ahead of the Winter Olympics at Milano Cortina, with an Australian preview angle too. Guests: Australian Olympic Skier and 2026 hopeful Harry Laidlaw. AMP Media Director Luke Norman, who covers the FIS World Cup circuit, chatting about the terrain in Italy and some of the superstars to watch, including Marco Odermatt, Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn.

1h 20m

10 Episodes

The Quiet Dream is a podcast about good people doing great things, quietly and resolutely, and celebrating sport's connection to the outdoors and the human pursuit of excellence. Currently focusing on Milano Cortina and previewing each winter sport that will be competed in Italy and the Australian connection to the great spectacle in February.

Creator

Will Davies
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

10
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2025 Will Davies