Ski Sunday is back! At 5pm today on BBC2 to be precise, so don’t miss it! For snowsports lovers, Ski Sunday is a British institution. It’s been running since 1978 and originally mainly covered downhill ski racing, but now covers the whole spectre of snowsports on offer, both traditional and more recent additions to the family. Ski Sunday is now the longest-running BBC Sports TV programme, just going to show the undying love of snowsports from the British public.
Graham Bell and Ed Leigh are the current presenters and try their hand at everything thrown their way. I think we all envy them, they spend their winters testing ski runs, reporting on snowsports events, trialling new technology and exploring alternative ski areas. And this is their job?! And with the ever-growing success of British snowsports stars in recent years including Jenny Jones, Lizzy Yarnold and James Woodsy (Woods), the British snowsports scene is changing. And it could be said that some of the newer sports such as park and pipe and ski cross make viewing that bit more exciting.
Why do we love it so much, what is that magic formula that keeps us coming back for more? I’m not sure you can put a finger on it, I guess for British snowsports fans this is really the only programme that can keep us going between ski trips and the Winter Olympics. You watch it with a mix of jealousy and happiness, happy for seeing the sight of the snow, jealous that you might not be there right now.
One of my personal favourites was watching Graham Bell ski the infamous world cup downhill run, the Hahnenkamm, at speed, carrying a camera. Anyone who’s skied this run in Kitzbühel knows that it’s not exactly a peaceful ride, and is in fact regarded as one of the most difficult races in the world cup circuit. Graham Bell once named Scott McCartney’s big crash on the Strief downhill course in Kitzbühel as one of his most memorable moments on Ski Sunday, and the footage shows just how dramatic this is.
Not only does Bell ski this at speed, with technical skill, he manages to give us a running commentary and film it, he instantly earned my respect (even more so than before) for this!
What’s your favourite memory of Ski Sunday, let us know, and will you be watching this winter? We for sure are looking forward to hearing that infamous theme tune start this evening and will definitely be tuning in.
