From London to the World Cup: Chemmy Alcott's Unconventional Path to Olympic Skiing

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, the Ski Moms welcome Chemmy Alcott, a British former World Cup alpine ski racer who competed in all five disciplines and represented Great Britain at four Olympic Games. Growing up in London, Chemmy's journey to elite ski racing is extraordinary, she trained on eight-second dry ski slopes made of plastic "hairbrushes" and at age 10 convinced her parents to let her travel alone to New Zealand for two months of training, a pattern she continued for eight years.Chemmy opens up about skiing at only 80% capacity for eight years due to fear of failure before her breakthrough at Sölden, where she embraced 100% effort and risk-taking. After coming within 1.8 seconds of an Olympic medal at Sochi 2014, her surgeon's warning about potential leg amputation led to her retirement. Now a mother of two boys (ages 8 and 6), she's achieved her childhood dream as presenter of BBC's iconic Ski Sunday and co-founded Carpe Diem Coaching with her husband Dougie, running camps across Europe for ages 6 to 89 focused on building confidence and resilience. She also founded Swiss Mountain Rescue after discovering CBD and meditation eliminated her chronic pain in just two weeks after 10 years of suffering.Resources:Carpe Diem Coaching: https://www.cdcperform.com/Instagram: @chemmyskiBBC Ski SundaySwiss Mountain Rescue (health and wellness brand)Imbrace (compression leggings)Key Quotes:"I always say that I was made to be a ski racer. I got his glutes and her lungs and I was made to be this mountain goat.""My injuries are something I'm really proud of because every time I got injured was a moment where I was choosing to be my very best and take those chances."Stop by Salem, Woburn, or Framingham, and head to skihaus.com to check store hours and get exact locations. Find your perfect family-friendly mountain stay—or list your own! 👉 Browse or list at Ski Mom Family Rentals Register by August 15, 2026, and use code SKIMOMSRETREAT to save $100 on your trip.Visit www.theskimoms.co/events to see the 2027 lineup and reserve your spot. Get the best gear recommendations and trip-planning tips directly to your inbox. Head to skimom.substack.com to subscribe. Join for free—or upgrade for all the premium perks. Premium subscriptions start at just $5 a month and get to listen ad-free and unlock exclusive content, including insider travel guides, packing lists and more. Support the showKeep up with the Latest from the Ski Moms!Website: www.theskimoms.coSki Moms Discount Page: https://www.theskimoms.co/discountsSki Moms Ski Rental HomesJoin the 13,000+ Ski Moms Facebook GroupInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theskimoms/Send us an email and let us know what guests and topics you’d like to hear next! [email protected]@skimomsfun.com