Franz Klammer remains the most successful downhill World Cup skier of all time, having won the downhill World Cup a record five times. Of his 26 World Cup victories, 25 came in the downhill discipline with another in the combined race of 1976. To add to his World Cup and World Championship titles, Franz added the Olympic downhill title in 1976. Later on his career in 1984, Franz won the downhill at Kitzbühel on the legendary Hahnenkammrennen for a record fourth time, after three consecutive wins from 1975 to 1977.
Sue Stockdale
Sue Stockdale became the first British woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole, a feat she achieved in 1996. Since then, Sue has taken part in expeditions to Antarctica and the Geographical North Pole. She has also skied across the Greenland Ice Cap with a select international team. The former senior Executive at British Gas and Scottish 3,000m runner also appeared in Channel 4’s Superhuman series where contestants were subjected to some of the toughest tests ever seen on TV.
Rhys Jones
An ambitious skier and mountaineer, Rhys stood on the summit of Mount Everest on his 20th Birthday becoming the youngest person in the world to complete the Seven Summits Challenge – which includes the highest peaks on each of the world’s continents. Rhys spends most of his life in the mountain environment. He now runs the mountain expedition company RJSeven Expeditions, organising treks, climbs and challenges around the world.
Chemmy Alcott
Chemmy Alcott is a former British World Cup alpine ski racer. She competed in all five disciplines: Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom, Slalom and Combined. Chemmy competed in four Winter Olympic Games and seven FIS World Championships. She was also the Senior British National Champion five times (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008). She retired from international competition following the 2015 season. Chemmy took part in the 2014 Arctic Circle Race in support of Ski 4 Cancer raising some £15,000 for the charity.
Graham Bell
Five time Olympic skier turned TV presenter, adventurer and journalist, Graham Bell is the face of the BBC’s Ski Sunday as well as a successful commentator and sporting pundit. Until recently Graham held the prestigious title of International Performance Director for The Ski & Snowboard Federation and is a patron of The British Ski Academy. Graham was also a significant member of the board of SnowsportGB and the Olympic committee.
Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards
Michael Edwards, better known as Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, was an international ski racer who then became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in ski jumping at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. At the time, he was the British ski jumping record holder and the world number nine in amateur speed skiing (171.9 km/h). Eddie became famous for his perseverance and achievement without funding. In 2013, Eddie competed in and won the ITV celebrity diving programme ‘Splash!’ Eddie also commentates on the Channel 4 TV programme ‘The Jump’.
