Alpine 100: How a £5 Lottery Supports Britain’s Ski Stars

CarveCast Episode 24 welcomes Scott Dobson, trustee of the Alpine 100 Trust — a charity supporting British winter sports athletes through financial grants for equipment, training and travel. We break down how the grant system works, how athletes can apply, why funding is such a serious barrier in ski racing, and how the UK ski pathway runs from plastic dry slopes through to elite performance levels.   The Alpine 100 Trust runs through a monthly lottery. Five pounds per ticket. Members can buy as many as they like. At the end of each month the prize pot is split across four winners while the remaining fifty percent goes directly into athlete support grants. Once an athlete has been a member for six months they can apply for help with ski gear, training camps or travel costs. For many this is one of the only reliable ways to secure funding while progressing through the expensive world of ski racing.   We also explore how race athletes come through the system, how national governing bodies select talent, why academies in Europe cost so much, and how heavily parents often have to self fund. Scott shares decades inside the industry — from racing, coaching, military skiing and repping equipment — giving a rare overview of how skiing has changed and where support is most needed.   We also talk ski equipment evolution, carving skis, the shift from long straight skis, BOA boot systems, retail trends and post covid recovery. If you care about British skiing, athlete development or the future of the sport, this episode is worth your time.     Join or learn more about Alpine 100 https://www.alpine100.org   Watch and listen to CarveCast YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheCarveCast Podcast https://carvecast.podbean.com Website https://thecarvecast.com   Follow Adam Matthews Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mrthaibox123 TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@mrthaibox Business email [email protected] Podcast email [email protected]     Chapters 00.00 Alpine 100 overview 02.54 How the lottery funds athletes 05.26 Grant application process 08.26 Why the trust was created 11.20 Race pathway from dry slope to national level 14.12 Funding challenges in British ski racing 16.50 Scott’s journey in the ski world 19.58 Skiing within the British Army 22.53 Military skiing still active today 26.17 Scott’s favourite resorts 28.05 Carving ski evolution 32.10 BOA boot system discussion 34.35 Covid effect on skiing and recovery 38.06 How to join and support Alpine 100 43.01 Lottery prize breakdown and grant eligibility     Keywords Alpine 100 Trust, ski racing, charity, athlete support, winter sports, fundraising, UK skiing, ski equipment, military skiing, covid recovery, carving skis, racing development, CarveCast