Pat Sharples, Head Coach at GB Snowsport (Bonus Episode #17)

It was a real pleasure to interview Pat Sharples, Head Coach at Snowsport GB.  I've known Pat for 20+ years, but with his globe-trotting lifestyle rarely see him these days. I loved hearing about the rise to the top of freeskiing in the UK and the team of talented athletes that he's leading to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Sit back and enjoy this 'Chat with Pat'... Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code Save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST’ at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout. SHOW NOTES Almaty in Kazakhstan hosted the Moguls & Aerials World Championships Tom Gerken Schofield finished 6th in the Dual Moguls He started to ski at Rossendale Ski Slope in Lancashire Pat lived in Courchevel for twelve years, working for Ski Olympic at the Hotel Les Avals in Courchevel 1650 The European Mogul Challenge took place in the 90s in Meribel, Verbier and Val d’Isere Ian ‘Big Mac’ taught Iain how to do a ‘180’ (or ‘heli’ as it was called at the time). He is now Resort Direction for Alpine Action Jim Adlington is the founder of Planks Clothing British Freeski Camps were founded by Warren Smith Iain skied in Saas Fee last summer The Salomon Grom Camps started in 2005 The AIM series was running at the same time Pat’s first Salomon sponsored skier was James ‘Woodsy’ Woods Katie Summerhayes and Tyler Harding made their public debut at The New Breed’ quarter-pipe competition at the Manchester Ski Show The X-Games Europe in Tignes was a key event for the progression of UK freestyle The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi was the first to include ski slopestyle and the British team was funded with lottery money Izzy Atkin won the first ski freestyle medal at the Winter Olympics (look closely at the start of this video and you can see Pat giving Izzy some final words of advice) Izzy and Zoe Atkin are based in Park City, Colorado Kirsty Muir is only 16 but finished 2nd in the Slopestyle World Cup in Aspen this winter Rowan Cheshire came 7th in PyeongChang in the Half Pipe Pat visited Ella Hall in Bournemouth and made her day! If you enjoy the podcast, you can always buy me a coffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/theskipodcast