That's whyTelegraph Ski and Snowboardasked him to pick stand-out runs from around the world and talk us down eachone all the while filming himself navigating them on skis. With the ski season on hold there has been a change of plan, viewers will still see him on screen but in a different capacity as he swaps skis for skates as a contestant on ITVs Dancing on Ice. The 2020 series of the weekly winter sports magazine . Hes also took us heli-skiing in Alagna and revealed the secret side to the Austrian party hot spot Ischgl. We did debate whether we presented from a studio at MediaCity in Salford but I was already out in Switzerland and coming from New Zealand, it was safer for Ed and Chris to head here rather than the UK, said Chemmy. Ed said ahead of the show that she has smashed it as co-lead presenter. The majestic Matterhorn is always in view and the glacier has some of the highest pisted skiing in the Alps., A luxury resort that holds a special place in Grahams heart is the five-star family-friendly luxury resort of Val DIsere in France as it was where he met his wife Sarah in the 1980s. Latest snow reports: Where has the best conditions for the end of the ski season? Please enter your email address. As for snowboarding, Jamie Barrow remains Britains fastest man on a board, travelling over 94mph on the notoriously steep Chabrires slope in Vars, France, in April 2016. "The longest I've ever been apart from them is three nights so it will be difficult but it is a sacrifice I know I've got to make for my dream job so I'm not complaining," she added. Passion for skiing to reflect and inspire. By Most of us are familiar with the BBC show Ski Sunday and its iconic theme tune. Both runs look immaculately and smoothly groomed until Bell takes us over a rise to the steepest part of Clarey, and is faced with bumps, since the run hasnt been groomed by piste bashers overnight. Latest snow reports: Where has the best conditions for the end of the ski season? When you ski down a slope, gravity is pulling everything down, he explains. Book Graham Bell now by calling Champions (UK) plc on 0203 9580 389, Contact Champions Speakers for speaking engagements, INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED 5-TIME OLYMPIC SKIER, ENGAGING AFTER DINNER SPEAKER & SPECIAL GUEST. Ed said there are no resorts open in France, Germany and Italy not quite true as resorts are open in France, but the ski lifts are closed. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Graham took a silver medal at the World Junior Ski Championships in 1984 and represented Great Britain at five Winter Olympics in Sarajevo 1984, Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992, Lillehammer 1994 and Nagano 1998. Theyre going to have the womens and mens course beginning down the same run, explains Bell as he sets off, before pointing out spots where each course will deviate in different directions, before joining again in a shared finish area at the bottom of the run. Thats why Telegraph Ski and Snowboard asked him to pick stand-out runs from around the world and talk us down each one all the while filming himself navigating them on skis. Bell was missing in the recent episode but has not left the tv show. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Highlights included Graham tackling the Arctic Circle Race; a 160mi (260km) cross-country skiing race in Greenland; and surviving a night in a snow-hole without food, water or a sleeping bag. As Le Lac comes into view below, this is ably demonstrated by Graham as he hurtles down the final, thrilling, straight-line descent to the village, before whizzing through the safety net chicane at the bottom laughing with the fun of it as he does so and, as befits a true Winter Olympian, calmly drawing to a halt by the gondola lift back up to Tovire. It has high-class accommodation options such as the boutique Small Luxury Hotel Himmlhof and the Arlberg Hospiz St Christoph and Hospiz Alm restaurant which all ooze opulence. "If I could have mapped out my life, then this is pretty much how I would have done it," says Chemmy Alcott. While he may not quite reach Clareys record-breaking 100mph, part of the reason hes chosen this run is that it is usually quiet, so theres a real chance to pick up some of the speed that Graham, as a five-time Winter Olympian, loves as much as Johan Clarey himself. The tv presenter made a Twitter post on the 9th of January with the caption, "Ski Sunday on now. It is completely luxurious with its own private chef., Grahams best World Cup result came on the fearsome Hahnenhamm hill at Kitzbuhel in Austria. Graham Bell, 56, is a British Olympic . Telegraph Ski and Snowboard readers have the chance to join Graham Bell on an exclusive holiday to one of Austrias best resorts, St Anton, next March. You can do the same in Norway by staying on a boat called the HMS Gssten, run by a British company that runs ski touring from the vessel. For his latest installment the Ski Sunday presenter is back in Austria, this time in Saalbach in the countrys Salzburgerland province. The only ones still to tick off his list are ones in remote outposts in Russia and the Himalayas. Shame he is so unenthusiastic about the women racing a fantastic hill in St Anton, said Chemmy on Twitter in reaction to this article. Find out more here. Bell achieved 12th place in the infamous Hahnenkamm Race in Kitzbhel, Austria.[1]. Please review our, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. Jump to content. He has competed in four Olympics, seven World Championships and won the Europa Cup for Great Britain. The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. It's been called . You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. It took me a while to adjust.. But the purpose of Grahams visit isnt to check out the glacier, hes there to share a favourite black piste, Johan Clarey, renamed last season after the Tignes-born ski racer, who has recorded the fastest ever skiing speed in a World Cup race. Ski Sunday presenter Graham Bell, and ex-Olympic downhill ski racer, knows a great run when he skis one. This run is west facing, Graham says of Johan Clarey, so it stays in the shade for most of the day.. Bell took on the challenge in March 2017 at Jaguar Land Rovers Revi Test Centre in Arjeplog in northern Sweden, close to the Arctic Circle, where the temperature was a chilly -28C. All times are in GMT and subject to change. ITV has just announced the former team GB downhill skier will compete in the channel's popular reality show Dancing on Ice 2021. In 2015 he ran the gruelling Marathon des Sables in the Sahara desert, and this summer he joined the British team for the first leg of the Clipper round-the-world yacht race. As he explains: Its draw is its history and tradition with all the grand old hotels built at the turn of the 19th century that look so regal and posh. In this episode, Iain speaks with the following people: Chemmy Alcott, BBC Ski Sunday Al Morgan, SkiKitInfo.com Jarrod Osbourne, Ski Olympic Will, Random Rental Luke Rees, AWE365.com Graham Bell is still working with Ski Sunday. I have no recollection of it but my Mum, now 93-years old, says I was there and I always believe my Mum. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. In Scandinavia, Graham recommends rein Sweden and Hemsedal in Norway. Isnt there a rather good motoring show with three presenters that appeals to people that barely have a passing interest in cars? Graham is a patron of several UK charities including the DisabilitySnowsportUK, Snow Camp. #OnThisDay 1978: David Vine introduced the first ever edition of Ski Sunday. Learn how to get involved in ice hockey to put your skating and hand-eye co-ordination to the test. Graham also enjoys the skiing areas in Italys Vallee dAosta region and the vast German speaking Dolomiti Superski. Former Olympic GB skier and Decathlon UK Ambassador Graham Bell, gives his expert advice to help you improve your skiing technique with Wedze on the slopes t. Ski Sunday was my inspiration with Ron Pickering and David Vine fronting the show. As well as being in the shade, which means it will keep its snow well, Graham tells us that the Johan Clarey run is also special because not many skiers come down it, which is why, if its empty, theres the chance to really open the throttle. Without a doubt Eds film about the New Zealand freeskier, Hank Bilous. Then there is Hakuba on the island of Honshu in the Nagano Prefecture where, he exclaimed, Ive never seen snowflakes like it, they were the size of saucers. Niseko on the island of Hokkaido, south east of Sapporo, has some of the best powder skiing in the world and you can ski on the volcano, so the terrain is quite mellow, but it just does not stop snowing.. This is boosted by its Grande Motte glacier, which opens for summer and autumn skiing as well as in winter. Despite only having hosted the World Championships once, the resort has hosted numerous World Cup events over the years. Former Winter Olympian skier, Graham Bell. Graham has also worked for Eurosport, ITV, and Sky, covering a range of different sports. These cookies do not store any personal information. Its much more like waterskiing. I started to feel unwell the moment I got back. Since retiring from competition Graham has continued to test his competitive instinct. But what about the current re-incarnation? After retiring as a professional ski racer in 1998,[citation needed] Graham started his television career at Eurosport commentating live on the World Cup Ski Circuit for two years, before moving over to an in-vision role on Ski Sunday. Graham Bell, who has been involved in the show for more than 20 years, will miss this series as he will be seen on our television screens taking part in ITV's Dancing On Ice instead. If you fall on the flat its always much more painful than if you fall on a steep slope. Discussion board, ski club forum, snowboarding, off piste skiing Graham is a former Olympic skier and presenter on BBC's Ski Sunday. Graham Bell, 56, is a British Olympic skier, TV presenter, adventurer and journalist. Actually a bit scarier., Bell had five warm-up runs, initially reaching speeds of 50mph and moving progressively up to 100mph. According to her, the gaps were extremely narrow and she thinks it was a real fight. Starting his run from Tovire at 2,704m, Graham takes us all the way down to Tignes Le Lac at 2,100m. denver museum of nature and science prehistoric journey. Graham Bell, who has been involved in the show for more than 20 years, will miss this series as he will be seen on our television screens taking part in ITV's Dancing On Ice instead. I feel as inspired in 2021 as the credits rolled as I did back in 1978 watching that very first programme. Lets just say Grahams position might be in jeopardy, but please producers perhaps have three presenters for 2022. The new series starts this weekend and she steps up to be lead presenter with Ed Leigh. Snow conditions are great, weve had a little bit of fresh [snow], but the man made [snow] underneath is absolutely perfect. He later explains this is because the slope is north-facing meaning the snow is kept out the sun and in good condition. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. No, its Ski Sunday presenter and Winter Olympian Graham Bell travelling at 117.48mph to become the fastest person ever towed on skis by a vehicle. Graham Bell and Ed Leigh present from the Swiss resort, with over 20,000 ski racing fanatics expecting a classic contest between 2015's world champion Ted Ligety and World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher. Is it a plane? The big fear was catching an edge, because I was only skiing on a centimetre of snow on top of bullet-proof ice. The series starts in January 2021. "Becoming a ski racer, a mum of two and now Ski Sunday presenter, I've pretty much achieved all my goals - apart from winning an Olympic medal," said Chemmy. So, what did he make of it? Graham Bells favourite ski runs | Watch the full series. The four-time Great Britain Winter Olympian has been a regular on Ski Sunday since she hung up her race skis in 2014. He set a personal best top speed on skis of 121mph (195km/h).