Ski Sunday returns
| 15:03 UK time, Friday, 9 January 2009
So what's going on with Ski Sunday - a programme that has undergone significant changes in recent years. Well, I'm the person responsible for implementing those changes - I'm here to explain all.
Here's some background: last year we extended Ski Sunday to include longer features - from snowboarding in the Himalayas to ice diving in New Zealand, the show's presenters, Ed Leigh and Graham Bell, explored some of the most spectacular places on earth.
Ski Sunday also continued to cover ski racing, we had one of the most exciting Hahnenkamm races I've ever seen. I'll never forget Bode Miller skiing up the side of the netting, on the advertising banners and still managing to finish second - just amazing!
But I have to admit we didn't get things quite right last year. Ski racing fans wanted more of the action and our new viewers wanted more adventure.
The big question was; how to serve our winter sports fans better and without losing the mountain adventure element of the programme that had proved so successful?
Thanks to your comments (on the Sport Editors' blog and on Graham Bell's 606 site) we realised what was wrong. We were trying to make a programme for two different audiences and the answer was to split the show in half. And that's exactly what we've done, we now have a dedicated ski racing programme, Ski Sunday, and a new mountain adventure show called High Altitude - the best of both worlds.
We had all the right ingredients last year but it just didn't feel right mixed up in the same bowl. We've simplified things without losing any of the originality.
Ski Sunday will continue its inventive coverage of ski racing. Viewers will have a unique insight thanks to Graham's downhill camera runs and on-site analysis. We'll feature some of the biggest and best races, plus, for the first time we'll show live ski racing on the red button.
In High Altitude, Graham and Ed will undertake some spectacular challenges - speed skiing, ice climbing, bob skeleton - and explore some the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world.
Let me know what you think of both shows and please keep the feedback coming. Help us get things right and make the programmes you want to see.
So Ski Sunday returns at 1710 GMT on 18 January and High Altitude starts a week later at 2200 GMT on 25 January.
Before then, to whet your appetite, we will be showing the Wengen downhill live on the red button on 17 January at 1130 GMT and the World Cup slalom at the Swiss resort at 1215 GMT on 18 January.
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Sounds almost too good to be true!! Live skiing on the BBC?! Could you give us some more details of what that might include?
Winter sports are mentioned in several places on Roger's current blog. Will the Ski Sunday mix keep us up to date with how our bob teams are getting on? Any chance of any ski-jumping?
Many thanks.
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When does Ski Sunday come back to our screens?
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Good work BBC - consultation at it's best. I wonder how many biscuits and tea it took the Execs to come up with this for plan?
Only joking - it sounds exciting but you have to take some stick for such a self satisfied blog.
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Personally I loved the format last year but I know dedicated Ski Race fans (old people like my dad) weren't so happy.
I like the idea of the High Altitude programme but would really like to know what snowboarding you'll be covering on either of the programmes? Ed's snowboarding parts and his commentary is legendery and I hope you intend to show some snowboarding competitions (especially halfpipe) over the season. Or how about some slopestyle and boardercross. Just so long as you don't portray boarding as Skiings 'goofy' younger brother, which the Beeb has been shamefully guilty of in the past.
Look forward to seeing the results and watching both shows.
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Will the live skiing also be available online?
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Hallelujah! Looks like Ski Sunday will once again become one of my favourite programmes. I have to say it became largely unwatchable for me over the last few years.
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that's more like it - skiiing on "Ski Sunday"!
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Having 2 shows is better.
Ski Sunday has what it stands for in its name - its about Skiing and to turn it into a Top Gear kind of show destroyed the name of the show.
Having High Altitude is better and its better to see Ski Sunday back in its format, can we have the traditional tune back for Ski Sunday and High Altitude can have the up-to-date tune rather then some old boring tune that High Altitude will have on.
I hope that High Altitude shows us what we are missing and get the celebs on the slopes in the challenge and Ski Sunday is showing us skiing and more.
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And when is it on ?
Anyhoo do what you want as long as somebody mentions Konrad Bartelski.
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Gabby:
Congrats to the return of Ski Sunday and now, when it first airing of the programme...
Thanks for the many improvements that you and the rest of the team did....
~Dennis Junior~
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Why doesn't the BBC just bite the bullet and start showing a couple of hours' live skiing each Saturday as part of its main sports coverage? There's a huge fan base, the atmosphere is always electric, and it would re-establish the Beeb's reputation as a dedicated sports broadcaster. I think the country would love it, and it would become a real hit.
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It is good to see Ski Sunday back as a ski racing programme only. Last season I stopped watching as |I was annoyed that we were paying for the presenters junkets to all these exotic sites and which would only be relevant to a miniscule audience. High Altitude obviously keeps the junket going for the lads at great expense to the licence payer and still for a miniscule audience - a good one to miss!
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Glad to see you have relised your mistakes! I will judge for myself thanks! But there is no way i am watching "High Altitude" its a complete waste of our money!!!"
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Ski Sunday is brilliant - I loved the new format. I thought there was a good balance between the two. Hopefully splitting them up will mean the best of both worlds! More of each.
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fabulous. absolutely the right way to go about things. well done.
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Thought last year's series was the best yet, definitely makes sense to split the show though - I've no desire to watch men in skintight lycra falling down mountains on sticks, and it appears that some people don't like watching folks in baggy clothes appreciating the scenery. Will definitely be watching High Altitude, but I'll echo scottfraz's post - would be great to see some competitive boarding on the BBC.
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Gabby - Would it be possible to confirm what you mean by the "LIVE" coverage you're promising?
Don't you mean extended highlights on the red button following the Ski Sunday Shows? That's what appears on your Ski Sunday Schedules:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/6159078.stm
Just thought I'd highlight this as I presume you didn't mean to promise live coverage (other than Vancouver 2010, of course)? Unless you have live coverage in mind for the Val d'Isere World Champs? Please can you clarify! :-)
Also, are there any plans to produce a show following the British athletes in the run-up to Vancouver 2010? Other than the skiers, the British wintersport athletes get no terrestrial coverage whatsoever.
Look at our FIBT athletes for example. You've got:- Kristan Bromley - current World, European, and Overall World Cup Skeleton Champion; Shelly Rudman - Olympic silver medalist and currently second in the overall womens Skeleton WC standings; Amy Williams - currently third in the overall womens Skeleton WC standings; Nicki Minichiello - currently fifth in the overall womens bobsleigh standings (she finished second in the Königssee WC only this afternoon); and there's also Lee Johnson - currently top-10 in the overall 4-man bobsleigh standings.
These guys deserve some recognition! We have extensive coverage with Martin Haven on British Eurosport2, but surely they deserve some terrestrial coverage following all this success! Please give them at least a little air time! Lee Johnson's a great character - often seen break dancing and performing back-flips in the finish area!! He'd make excellent viewing, that's for sure! :-)
The vast majority of the British public only see these sports once every four years. Wouldn't it be great to allow them to get to know these athletes? They need to know who to look out for in Vancouver! :-)
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agghhhh
yet again dyed in the wool hardcore skiers are "complaining" that adding some spice and adventure to the programme format is in some way taking the mickey out of ski sunday
these will be all the same folk who no dout complain at every opportunity that Top Gear has offended the nation
as a skier since the age of 4 i have seen Ski Sunday change from a popular sporting programme in the 90's to a nearly irrelevant minority programme by 2006
i have to say that SS in 2008 was one of the best things i had seen broadcast in a good while , the mix and format was spot on, some racing, some adventure and a bit of history/ environmental thrown in to the mix
as for the comparisons to TG, fair enough, i like TG and the beeb should take that as quite a compliment, proving that for once it had it right
another massive boost was that non skiing friends would watch this commenting on the adventure / challenges and the racing was short enough so that interest did not wander.
so is the change to 2 separate programmes positive progress ?
yes for some,
but i'm afraid it looks like the BBC has scored an own goal with this stupid change
in future i'll happily watch the adventure part but for the racing i'd rather watch the high quality coverage that Eurosport 1+2 offer week in week out through the whole season .... downhill, Super GS, GS , Slalom , Ski Jumping, Biathlon, XC , XC Sprint , Luge, Skeleton and bob ......
BBC are you taking note ? perhaps some variety would be a good thing, add a bit more into the schedules
so please keep the mixed programme and bin this idea to split it
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I echo the comments of 'HNMonster' above - the British Bobsleigh teams, especially Skeleton, are genuine World Class athletes and surely merit greater coverage than they currently get.
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Glad to see the BBC realised what Ski Sunday is - a skiing programme, not a holiday programme.
Everyone tunes into Ski Sunday to watch highlights of the world skiing competitions - without having to press red. That is what the show was set up to do, and should do exclusively.
If we wanted a review of the best locations to go walking in the summer, we would expect a programme introduced by Lawrence Llewyen-Bowen.
Keep Ski Sunday to skiing, and certainly keep the wonderful theme tune!
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Hi, I've just tweaked Gabby's blog to let you know Ski Sunday returns on 18 January at 1710 GMT on BBC Two.
High Altitude starts a week later and is on at 2200 GMT.
Before all that you can watch the Wengen downhill LIVE on the red button on 17 January from 1130 GMT and the Wengen slalom on 18 January, starting 1215 GMT.
Ski Sunday will also have an accompanying website and this is being launched early next week.
There will be some video teasers ahead of High Altitude so keep an eye out for them on the website.
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Well done BBC on an excellent programme. Can't wait for its return. Good idea to split it into two shows, as even though last years format was very entertaining it just wasn't long enough!! (could be me being greedy!!). Just felt too much was trying to be crammed into the time slot.
I dare say that format attracted alot of people to winter sports who otherwise wouldn't have given it a second glance, something this two show series may not do.
Have to agree with HNMonster regarding next years winter olympics-what better time to showcase British winter olympians.
Just have one concern-why is High Altitude on so late-surely it could take the Top Gear time slot of 8pm?
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Shame you have not capitalised on Channel 4's pull out by providing extra race coverage. And as for starting halfway through the season....
Some of us have ditched our Sky subscriptions so no longer have Eurosport coverage. So I am looking to the BBC for the coverage we should have on Freeview.
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Anna T - Will this live red button coverage effect the Eurosport coverage?
Are there any more live broadcasts scheduled apart from Wengen?
Who will be commentating on the live skiing? Graham Bell alone, or will Matt Chilton return to Ski Sunday?
Exciting news - apologies to Gabby for doubting the live coverage! :-)
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Hi Gabby/Anna
I think this is a good idea, the "holiday" aspect of the previous format was a bit out of place.
Are you continuing with the celebrity thing? Although I don't think it was the best way to go about it, I think a "tips" part from Graham would be great....those sloane rangers in Val all with their weight on the inside ski swishing around on their bases need help!
Also - I'd like to see a small part about the resort where the racing is held.
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I agree with the guy using the camparison with Top Gear.
I watched the last series of Ski Sunday; every episode. This is the first time I'd done this since I was a kid. Most of my friends were the same. I really can't see me watching either of the two successor programmes now.
An adventure programme on its own will be pretty awful; been done before and always looks terrible (see the 'rad' outward bound programmes of my youth, through to the currect BBC Scotland 'Adventure Show')
And as the other poster stated, if you are that keen on WC skiing other channels do it muc better than 20 minutes of highlights a week late.!
Top Gear was fast becoming an irrelavance. A little reinvention and it became the most popular programmme on 2
I feel the opportunity to do he same for Ski Sunday has now been missed with this development, and within a couple of years the programme will be off our screens for good.
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Some people seem to be making a comparison between last years Ski Sunday and Top Gear and I can understand why.
However the thing is Top Gear is not and never will be a sports show. Would the BBC get away with covering Formula One by showing 10 minutes of highlights in the middle of Top Gear. No they wouldn't so I don't see why winter sports should be covered like that.
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Great News, I thought,Radio Times Listing Ski Sunday "News from the piste" BBC 2 3.30 Sat -err it is Sat but never mind.
Tune in to find walking the Alps in summer which was a good programme and Mr Bell is a good presenter but it was a repeat from last year and there was no "News from the piste"
Log on to BBC Sports and read about adventure /ski division - still no complaint but then find actual skii ing presentation doesn,t start until Hahnenkahn 25th Jan which is half way through the season But what! 1/2 hour highlights + another 1 hour red button extended highlights of same thing! For those of us who dont have Sky and can no longer see Channel 4 (they have given up alltogether) this is hardly mega coverage. Sorry BBC but you have boobed once again
Why not stick to 24hour a day darts which is what you appear to think is a good substitute.?
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Well done glensheeskier, great to hear a skier stating that so many of us hit the mountains for the mountains!!
Loved the old format, love the new format last year, new places to go, places to ski AND board. How many people board/ski and how many actually race? I want to see places to inspire me to ride more, so keep the variation. I want more people to be interested, not go back to the past!!!
The new show should be great, but why so late...some people work, roll out the recorders again.
How much racing will we see in 30mins? I would rather have a regular 1hr mountain slot, one set of credits, and races included!
The RED button is then for EXTRA coverage.
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I thought that the new style last year was good and very informative.I would like to see a return to 1hour of ski racing and a second show with the likes of travel etc on.I do remember in the early 1990's bbc2 ran a show called "the snow show".it was a bit like top gear for snow sports.does anybody know what happened to it or how long it ran for?I think it was shown on thursday evenings.I'd also like to hear more about the British team on ski sunday.happy skiing!
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I for one am eagerly looking forward to the return of Ski Sunday and the debut of High Altitude. Personally I thought last years format was as good as any over the years & I have watched them all....which gives you a clue of which age group i may be in!
certainly a breath of fresh air was added into the format which it needed, having gone a little stale.
Seems some of the "more mature" viewers can't enjoy the hucking and gnarly stuff then.
Why do i think they may not all be skiers....
or boarders..
Anyway keep up the excellent work.
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Completely agree with HNMonster - skiing is all well and good, but it's other winter sports where there is a bit of British action, and it's often these sports which capture the publics imagination more during the Winter Olympics.
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I really enjoyed last year's format, but a split makes sense. Having grown up watching ski sunday I for one can't wait for more ski racing. As the terrestrial opposition at 4 seems to have abandoned racing this season I'm looking forward to Wengen and Kitzbuhel and all the rest. I just hope we also get some coverage from the early races like the Birds of Prey??? I agree with some other posts we need more race coverage as not all of us have or want sky. More racing required!!!! But thanks for a very welcome return even it is halfway through...
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Agree with glensheeskier on this one?
I thoroughly enjoyed last year?s series of Ski Sunday - thought the mix of content was great (although admittedly some weeks would have liked to see more of the racing). One of the best things was having a dedicated timeslot at primetime. One-hour on a Sunday evening gives a perfect opportunity to showcase racing highlights with the adventure content ? I knew I could sit down, relax and enjoy the view! I don?t think the dedicated timeslot can be underestimated ? if you look at many programmes, something which really frustrates viewers is when the timeslots change/are not constant (eg MOTD). Appreciate that the primetime slot means that the show has to cater for the wider audience and be a bit more general interest, but I thought the show did this brilliantly.
A lot of this has been discussed in length on previous blogs, but maybe worth making the point again. The updated format of the show is a great advert for mountain sports ? not just racing and is an attractive format for non-skiers/boarders. Don?t get me wrong ? I love the racing, but going on a skiing holiday is about the whole mountain experience. The mixed content format was used by the bbc to defend the need for the primetime slot to cater for the wider audience ? seems they have now changed their view on this????
Splitting the show into two parts with differing/odd timeslots will undoubtedly lose/frustrate viewers ? especially as the two shows are only on for 30 minutes each?why not longer? Don?t know what the viewing figures were for last years series, but would imagine they were good. I will still watch, and hope to see as many of the programs that I can, but with the strange times, will no doubt miss more than if a regular timeslot was used. I now have a freeview box as well though, so looking forward to watching some live racing on the red button.
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Ski Racing? is that all Ski Sunday has fallen back into?
where is the coverage of the other ski activities? are the bbc not going to captivate some new younger audiences by picking up on the new wave of freeskiing?
where's the ski and snowboard X? the halfpipes, the slopestyle and big airs?
surely skiing is so much more than the one piece spandex wearing cow bell clanging alpine racing of old.
look around, you'll see that the youth in this country are pretty good on boards and ski's and are competing in national and international events beating "mountained" countries at there own game and gearing up for the 2010 Olympics.
It's about time people (at the BBC) spotted that this is the future of skiing and snowboarding in the UK and supported our rising superstars with coverage to the masses!!
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Gabby i recon the existing format for SS was untouchable. It gave the viewer an insight into alpine life outside of competitive ski racing.
For many competition is the least most important thing when on the slopes.
Your program also helped explain to people who have never had the oppertunity to ski or board how exciting being in the mountains really is.
Friends & family got an insight into the lifesyle i enthuse about from the comfort of their home.
Dare i be as bold to say, that i think SS might have brought people to the mountains who traditionally would 'poo poo' the concept of an Alpine break?
I feel that 'High Altitude' will not be subscribed too as much as you hope. Its going to be Sky+ed.
Satellite TV caters for this format already and you really need to 'be into' the sport to fully appreciate it.
I get my fill of wintersport action live on a Sat/Sun from Eurosport. I don't want just highlights of the weekends action on a Sunday tea-time.
I hope it works out but as they say 'don't fix what's not broken'.
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Hooray, Ski Sunday is going back to what it does best...ski racing. Those of you that are moaning about the departure from last year's nonsesnse need to remmember that SS is a sports programme, made by sport producers at BBc Sport, and they have cottoned on that Bell on a train in August, or Ed Lee on a caravanning holiday does not constitute sport. Thank goodness.
There is no mention of Mat Chilton on Gabby's blog and he is currently doing a terrific job as the stand-out commentator at Eurosport, so I assume his Ski Sunday days are over which would be a terrible blow to the programme. Gabby, please let us know who your commentator will be, and please don't say it will be Graham on his own???
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yes , tigertomcobbley a sports programme covering the sport of skiing......
surely tha should involve all disciplines not just GS, super GS
and since the FIS hijacked snowboarding that should be involved as well
but i guess i'll log back onto mpora.tv to watch the TTR at Davos, or GO211 to watch how well the UK is doing at the Burton European Open...and at the end of the month watch the xgames on expn..
rather than using some of that licence payers money going on programming that may entertain, enlighten and bring more people into our still elitist activity........
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Hi Gabby,
Given today's sad news, will there be a tribute to David Vine on the show this week?
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Hey, just wondering if anyone could tell me the song at the end of Ski Sunday: The Alps that was on this weekend. Help much appreciated
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I have just had a surf around the ski sunday site and watched the "making of ski sunday titles" video. At one point Graham Bell is sleeping in the back of a helicopter, or maybe just pretending...I would like to let the producers know that this is not funny and is actually an insult to those who pay the license fee. If he cannot be bothered to be awake or pay attention to the scenery around hin whilst going helicopter skiing then maybe he is not fit to be in such a privaliged position. Most of us who get one week each year...and none this year...would give our right ski for such a CHANCE. Some humility please.
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Skiing good. Snowboarding bad. I think snowboarding is probably one of those things that is great to do but dull as slush to watch. I would have thought that was obvious - lots of people turn up by the piste to watch the skiing. Only a few out of fashion grungey nurd types hang around the snowboarding pipes.
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redhanky - I suppose you missed the Olympic boardercross a few years back, or the halfpipe for that matter. Definitely not dull as slush to watch! Personally I welcome the return to the ski racing coverage, I grew up watching Ski Sunday and loved it, still love to watch ski racing even though I have been a snowboarder exclusively for almost 20 years now. Thought last year's programme was poor for the lack of racing, but equally so for the lack of snow contest coverage. Can't we have both? The Burton European Open is on this week, will we see any coverage of that at all? I guess we'll find out on Sunday.
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Ski/Snowboard Cross is definitely the future as Peter Kay would say - the boarder cross was the highlight of the games for me. It's also much more TV friendly than traditional skiing.
Of course there is still room for skiing too - but really for a couple of months a year if the BBC wanted too they could offer an afternoon of winter sports action each week, something which would be great.
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redhanky..honestly are you living in the dark ages?
the grungy types hanging around snowboard pipes....get out of 1995 please.
snowboarding revenue has kept ski slopes, snowdomes and ski shops going for the last 10 years..do you think more snowdomes/xscapes/CFe's would be opening on on the back of the one piece week a year in val crowd?.....have you missed the huge turn out at battersea to watch the FIS Big Air,
Have you missed Lesley McKenna qualifying in first place for the Burton European open in halfpipe or tyler Chorlton taking fifth spot in the TTR event in china
or our team of UK riders and olympic hopefuls waiting for their runs in china..
all with thousands of people watching live in person and via livefeed sites like mpora.
obviously the answer is yes..so try googling freestyle snowsport!!!
the bbc are missing out on a huge source of interest in the show..because they listen to the old guard..try listening to the people who are going to be paying tv licence for the next 40 odd years...rather than just the ones from the last 40 years!!
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I'm also very disappointed by the snowboarding coverage, or lack of it. Even though the programme is called Ski Sunday, surely the BBC is being blinkered and one dimensional when there are a multitude of sports with a multitude of disciplines that take place on the snow.
@redhanky: Have you looked at the people on a mountain recently or seen who's going to the artificial slopes in the UK week in, week out?! If you had then you'd notice that there is now a large proportion of people snowboarding. It's not a fad and it's not just for 'grungey nurd types' whatever they are.
As fearofthepark said, the UK is starting to compete internationally at a very high level in snowboarding, freeskiing and other disciplines. It's not just about how fast you can get down anymore. So why not include these things in a complete winter sports TV programme and give our athletes the publicity they deserve?!
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Red Hanky; 'Skiing good. Snowboarding bad.' I really thought those attitudes had pretty much died out... In the same way that lots of people turn up to watch downhill so snowboarding fills stadiums with quarterpipe and big air contests, halfpipe and slopestyle contests attract massive crowds at events like the X-gams and these have been going on for years. I cerainly wasn't alone, rather part of the massed throng, who (despite it not being the best conditions plus being bitterly cold as it was an evening competition) watched the Burton European Open in Livigno 2002. Won by the superb riding of Dave Benedek - you should have a look for his film '91 Words for Snow' it showcases the multifaceted nature of snowboarding.
As for the change of format I think it's a shame. Winter sports are now full of variety and this should be covered. Some of the ski coverage is great; Bode Miller's 'off piste' advertising hoard escapade in the downhill last year was awesome to watch but I'm sure many people would be equally inspired by some good quality snowboarding coverage or freestyle skiing. Just look at how positive the response was to the boarder-X at the last Winter Olympics. I do think that last years series was too 'holiday' in it's format, the trekking across the alps in the summer seemed to be relevant to - well people who trek across the alps in the summer, rather than winter sports. I think most people who love the mountains during winter have an interest in a variety of the activities which happen there; be it downhill, halfpipe or more niche aspects like the Verbier extreme or the crazy paragliding-skiers. I loved Graham and Ed's good natured bantering and the way the program showed different elements of the winter fun to be had. With this split I rather suspect that, while some will love Ski Sunday going back to the old format, the two parts will be less than the whole. The Beeb would have originally changed it for a reason and that reason is there is so much more going on in the mountains. I would guess the number of people interested solely in downhill is dropping because of this and I'm not sure either show will fully accomplish what the BBC wants. High Altitude sounds too fringe and (being shown late on a Sunday night as a bit of an afterthought) speed skiing, ice climbing, bob skeleton - all interesting to an extent but perhaps not as the main body of the programme. Anyway lets see what the shows are like. More importantly hasn't Europe got off to an excellent start! I'm now hoping the snow instabilities in BC sort themselves out before I get to Whistler in 50 days (not that I'm counting or anything)!
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Red Hanky - Another useful comment from the dark ages that simply damages the reputation of the sport you clearly love. Those that truly care about winter sports enjoy the freedom of the mountain and the individuality and self expression that comes with the sport. True fans love it all. We share the slopes, lifts, bars and resorts all as one. We share events such as the Olympics and X Games. Snowboarding events draw just as big crowds as skiing.
As a snowboarder I am saddened by the short sightedness of the BBC's decision to change the format. I loved last year's programme, especially the exposure to all aspects of multiple winter sports. I found it educational, entertaining and informative. It seems a shame however that the BBC cares little for British talent and does not show any of the successful British snowboarders of recent times. This clearly will now only get worse in the new format, unless there is a new breed of world class home grown skiers I am not aware of.
Ed Leigh - The Jeremy Clarkson of Snowsports. Am I missing something here, or should that not be an Ace that the BBC should use again and again? I would watch everything Ed presents. I doubt I am alone.
BBC - Please move with the times and produce shows that people love, rather than the usual noise that people just watch, "as it might be interesting, but usually never is".
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Did you read Jeremy Clarkson on the Timesonline?
It is Just what I want to say.
Here's part of it "...Bernie Ecclestone probably thinks we watch Formula One because we want to see Michael Schumacher?s supreme car control. Wrong. If he wants the big viewing figures back he must arrange that in every race some floppy-haired Brazilian playboy disintegrates.
Skiing, however, has always been the best because the contestants are going so fast, and they are protected from the forces of nature by nothing more substantial than a big Durex. We could actually see their arms coming off.
So, a single half-hour of Ski Sunday provided more naked laughs than a million crying babies falling in paddling pools on You?ve Been Framed.
Nowadays, however, the show is presented by two greasy-haired dudes who I suspect may be snowboardists.
Now snowboarding, so far as I?m able to determine, is a sport where you dress up in clothes from the Dawn French Baggy Collection and then ingest as much cannabis as possible. The last man still making sense is the winner. This is not great TV.
Mind you, in last weekend?s episode of Ski Sunday, we were treated to the edifying spectacle of one young chap from America who spent an age plugging an iPod into his ears and selecting the right track before setting off. Much to my intense pleasure, he fell over almost immediately.
Amazingly, the commentary team didn?t seem to realise that any sport where the participants wear iPods doesn?t really cut the mustard. So instead of pointing out that the competitor was an imbecile, we cut straight to a link where one of the presenters was addressing us while skiing backwards through a forest.
I can?t tell you what he was on about because, like absolutely every one of the show?s viewers, I was on my knees, praying to God that he?d slither backwards into a tree. More than a long life full of health and happiness, I wanted to see him try to finish the piece to camera with half a fir tree poking out of his bottom.
This is the whole point of skiing. We don?t flog to the Alps every winter simply because we like the mountain views, or because we want to perfect the stem christie. Mainly, we go because we know that snow?s slippery, and that there?s a good chance we?ll see someone fall over. "
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/jeremy_clarkson/article1292587.ece) where you can read th whole thing.
Dave Cuthill SkiPronto.Com
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Hi
Here are my comments on Ski Sunday. I have been watching the programme since it started.
I was simply a "Must See" programme along with "Top Of The Pops" and "Dotor Who".
Simple Format "Ski" - you know what you are getting: Skiing - The best, fastest, challenging, dramatic.
"Sunday" it was always on at the same time.
The viewing figures were in the millions for years, as far as I can recall. We skied in sometimes appalling conditions inScotland and watched Ski Sunday after.
Even now, as I ski in Gran Paradiso, the the tune can be heard on a dozen ringtones in the cafe.
Keep it simple, young would-be BBC dudes!
If you want to make a programme that isn't on a Sunday, and isn't about High speed athletic skiing, then please do not try to call it "Ski Sunday"!
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*********************************
Ski Sunday was my favourite programme of 2008 - me and my GF loved it.
We are both die-hard skiers/snowboarders and absolutely loved it.
We sky-plussed every episode - it was the joy of the end of our weekend.
Why change it?
Anyone not appreciating the "non-race" parts of the programme must be unable to appreciate mountains and winter sports in general.
The programme had such a great mix of everything a montain and winter sports enthusiast would want.
It's a shame the programme is now split and that the interesting fun part is on so late - 10pm! That's my bed time!
I agree other channels have better racing coverage if you want more then the 10-15minutes covered in the last show, everyone must agree though that watching the 10th-35th (Graham?) racers cross the line is pretty dull!
I bet the only people that didn't like the last show are all over 60 years old with no intention to go to the mountains again (in fact they have probably never been) with no intention of learning about new winter sports.
Bring back the ski sunday of 2008 - please!!!!!!!!
P.S. Graham my GF really fancies you and asks for more of you getting your kit off
P.P.S. Please see our "ski sunday tribute" on youtube
******************************
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I don't get it. Ski Sunday died a death a few years ago. It was resurrected with the addition of snowboarding, incorporating the modern attitude towards these two most popular of snowsports of friendly rivalry and banter. The new format felt similar to your holidays - mixed groups of skiers and snowboarders enjoying the mountains together along with the aid of a few away from the piste diversions - and this is why it was a success on it's return. A few features missed the mark last series compared to the previous year, but it was still the best thing on tv through the winter months.
So now, with a successful series occupying an ideal time slot, why do the BBC cave in to the luddites and split the show into two formats? One of which has already failed previously and likely will do again, and the other of which will probably fail due to the late hour of broadcast meaning it won't get sufficient viewers to justify its cost.
The Beeb just seem too scared to ignore a few complaints these days, with the result of the loss or marginalisation of some of their best products. I hope both programs are a success in this split format, but I feel refinement of the single show would have been the more satisfying and enduring option.
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Whilst I have always watched Ski Sunday for the racing, I did also enjoy watching the non race stuff last season. However the racing is the shows bread and butter so the way you've gone this year seems a good shout.
I wondered if you have any plans to feature a report on those inspirational guys and gals who will be flying the flag for Team GB at the Winter Special Olympics in Boise Idaho in February?
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bowski1138 you are so right!
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Thanks for all your comments - here are a few answers to your questions:
Ski Sunday will be covering snowboarding later in the series: We have features from the Innsbruck Air and Style and the Vancouver halfpipe and snowboard cross World Cup. Ed also takes on some of the best snowboard cross professionals in Argentina. But I'll be honest with you, we need a longer show than 30 minutes to do snowboarding justice. Rest assured, I will continue to do my best to get more snowboarding on the BBC.
A few of you have mentioned other winter sports, in particular bob skeleton. We're not planning any event coverage in Ski Sunday this year but Ed does experience all the thrill of this sport in High Altitude. In the safe hands of World Champion, Kristan Bromley and Olympic silver medallist Shelley Rudman, Ed attempts a full run on a World Cup track - not to be missed!
We start Ski Sunday in January to avoid a break in the series. If we start the run in December, with the Val d'Isere and Val Gardena downhill races, we would then have to break for 2 weeks to make way for the Christmas schedule. BBC TWO prefer to launch the series in the New Year, with eight programmes running at the same time every week through those dark winter months.
I'm delighted to say Matt Chilton will continue to be Ski Sunday's main commentator. Matt is the voice of ski racing!
The music at the end of Graham's Alps programme is by Mark Isham, it's a track called 'Flames' and from the 'Crash' soundtrack. It's a beautiful piece of music.
If you love the mountains then I hope you'll like High Altitude. Stay up until 10pm, forget about work the next day and immerse yourself in the mountains.
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You have missed the biggest trick ever here. Last years programme was fresh and inventive and in line with todays market.
Ski racing is old school and not mainstream anymore. However it seems that the racing fraternity have big mouths and shout louder in BBC circles.
The biggest market by far is the freestyle scene - both snowboarding and skiing. Why doesn't the BBC acknowledge that?
How is it that the Extreme Channel, X Games etc and all the big sponsors and high street apparel stores can cater for the mass market but the BBC can't?
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Teodoro, what are you going on about?
Last year's Ski Sunday was rubbish, total lack of judgement to use a classic name to reach those who wouldnt watch it...plus you didnt have any snowboarding action at all from any competition.
Thats why Ski Sunday should come back as highlights so we will get snowboarding action as well as Skiing and High Altitude makes sure those who liked the Ski Sunday last year still get their own show...Ski Sunday was more the travel show then what it was under the legendary late Davd Vine
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Hi Gabby - thanks for the update! :-)
Well done for bringing back Matt Chilton! The Chilton/Bell comms partnership is great - look forward to hearing them again this weekend! Just worried about who Eurosport will get to call the ladies Altenmarkt-Zauchensee races now!
For the BBCi live coverage, will it be possible to stay for the full race (i.e. every racer rather than just the top 30 or so)? Dougie Crawford and Ed Drake are both training for the downhill - 70th and 76th respectively in first training. This will be their first world cup race - they'll be near the bottom of the start list, so please cover the whole race!! I think possibly only one of the guys will get to race, but it would be fantastic if you could let us see it live!! :-)
On the subject of other wintersports, I wasn't suggesting that you provide event coverage, just that it would be nice to have a behind-the-scenes look at the GBR athletes. Think along the lines of the "Olympic dreams" series. The sort of thing that Eurosport don't have the resources to provide!
And finally, the axe of C4 skiing... all down to the current financial climate. C4 decided to cut down on their minority sports output. :-(
C4 Skiing Presenter and Hothouse Managing Director, Nick Fellows: ?It?s as real shame Channel 4 has to cut skiing after six successful years strong ratings and a loyal following. Thank you to all those who have supported us and I look forward and hope we are back on air soon?.
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Cheers Gabby, much appreciated. Crash soundtrack, that'd be why it sounded familiar.
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Quote:
We start Ski Sunday in January to avoid a break in the series. If we start the run in December, with the Val d'Isere and Val Gardena downhill races, we would then have to break for 2 weeks to make way for the Christmas schedule. BBC TWO prefer to launch the series in the New Year, with eight programmes running at the same time every week through those dark winter months
End quote
What about Lake Louise and Beaver Creek - the season starts in November and some ski racing on the extended Christmas schedule would have been great. Something actually to watch for a change instead of endless old films. Bring back the New Year ski jumping of old.
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What about XC skiing?
It is a huge sport.
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With the new format I think the BBC has boobed big time. The red button coverage last year added to the main programme gave more race coverage than any previous ski sunday.
Shame, we may end uplosing 2 watchable programmes.
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Thanks for the update Gabby.
However, even though it sounds like it's out of your hands the scheduling excuse is pathetic - BBC2 could easily spare half an hour on a Sunday over Christmas, and they think nothing of taking Match of the Day out of the schedules for FA Cup weeks, so why should skiing be treated any differently?
As for skeleton bob - frankly we can see some presenter having a go on Blue Peter - it's competitive action we want to see.
Granted though for such sports it may not be practical for the BBC to secure the rights, but as suggested an "Olympic Dreams" style programme for our key Olympic athletes would be a very good compromise.
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Gabby
Thanks for hearing peoples views.
Personally I and many others appeared to have loved last years programme - it is a shame it has changed and a shame that the high-altitdue programme is on so late, but I hope it works - particularly if you are able to push for high-altitude to be one earlier!
I bet if you put the programmes back-to-back ALL the die-hard ski race only lovers would tune-in to the high-altitude programme too. If they switched off then they are just weird freaks who were probably only watching the racing to see people crash and mame themselves - losers.
On top of the racing, what was great with last years show was seeing new sports and mountain ranges (and deserts) from all around the world and learning more about these and other resorts in Europe - this is great. It's not a travel programme, it's broadcasting beautiful scenery and teaching us more of what's available to us as montain lovers, and anyway ski-lovers cannot deny that when watching travel programmes of the past one would always hope they would show a ski holiday one!
ANYONE WHO VOTES HIGH-ALTITUDE SHOULD BE ON EARLIER SHOUT "EARLIER GABBY"
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Dear Gabby,
I too wonder why BBC2 chooses to start Ski Sunday in mid Jan when the World Cup action starts in late Nov?
As for suspending it for Christmas, I can't imagine a more Christmassy scene than snow covered mountains with some racing going on!! So why suspend it over Christmas at all?
On another note, I'm glad to see SS covering snowboarding and free-style skiing too. The top ski racers going hell for leather down the mountain are most exciting, but so too are the free-style skiers doing 720 degrees turns in mid-air!!
You just need a longer show. If its on the RED Button channels, thats fine just as long as it is on!! (some of us don't have Sky)
kind regards,
Marcus
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I for one really enjoyed Ski Sunday last year as at last snowboarding was given some coverage outside of the Winter Olympics. Given that you seem to have ruined some poor soles' enjoyment of the programme by daring to include activities other than skiing, I think a new programme dedicated to the vast number of alpine sports is a step in the right direction.
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Why is it that the BBC start showing racing only half way through the season. Have they not realised that the World Cup starts in October. Duh. Come on Beeb, ski racing is way better than having to watch beer bellied darts or dull old snooker, but we don't get to see real excitement. Love the idea of High Altitude though, but cut the boarding stuff. Skiing is the way forward. Off piste adventure skiing is the best, you can go much further and do sooooo much more on skis than on a board. Come and hang out in the Alps a bit and you will see the truth, boarding is sooo passé, skiing is cool again.
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Gabby and the Ski Sunday team:
Thank you!!
I've skied for 30 years and have loved the Ski Sunday show........... I also really enjoyed last years innovations with the extra reports from around the world.
I'm really pleased to see that there will be more coverage, because there are now two programmes - thanks again!!
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Re: Gabby post #59
You promised us Matt Chilton for the commentary! ...but he was on Eurosport calling the womens Altenmarkt Super-combined alongside Emma Carrick-Anderson instead...
Vassos Alexander?! I'll stick to Eurosport, thanks!
Will we have the Bell/Chilton commentary pairing for any of the remaining live races, then?
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/6159078.stm)
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I loved the Ski Sunday from years ago because it was all about sport. I didn't like the newer format, which basically made it into yet another lifestyle programme in which blokes did blokeish things in the style of Top Gear.
Thanks for being big enough to realize you were wrong last year. Let's hope this year's format works, and we get to see the real-life drama of competitive sport: something which for me can never be offered by a couple of blokes larking about up a mountain.
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Just wanted to say thanks for the reply Gabby. Will try and catch as much of both programmes as I can this season and give my thoughts once spring comes along. I do think last years program got a bit too far away from the 'sport' roots; preferred the season prior to that but lets see how this year's goes down!
Cheers
Dave
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As someone who spends time between Austria and the UK, coming home to ski coverage on ski sunday for the last few years has been truly laughable. 20 minutes of highlights for all the weeks ski and snowboard competitions.....! Plus having a show covering the FIS circuit starting in January is ludicrous it's a bit like starting F1 coverage in July or showing a best of the Premiership from only January onwards! Please BBC go the extra yard and don't make me despair to come home to only a half coverage.
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I've been a fan of ski sunday since I started ski ing a very long time ago and I've always enjoyed the extra bits which give you a glimpse of the resorts so I LOVED last years format.
I particularly enjoyed Grahams summer exploration of the mountains.
Look forward to the new shows hope they live up to last year
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actually i was a big fan of the new ski sunday last year... happy for u to split it if it means that the 'high alt' segment is kept and not dropped... but why is at 10pm ... looks worryingly like someone does not want to keep it!
but of more immediate concern is that i just tuned in for the new series at 5pm... its now 5.15 and the snooker is still on. apart from the fact there is way too much snooker on bbc... and not enough alpine sports.... there is no way it should take precedence over the new series of ski sunday. bad bad decision. i mean really bad.
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Change.
While I am waiting for the Snooker to finish so I can watch SS, I wonder why the Beeb as not seen fit to revamp Snooker coverage.
Surely, like ski sunday, we should have shots of the presenters goofing off in helicopters and making faces in the shaving mirror in their hotel. Obviously the snooker coverage is very technical. Shouldn't we have more shots and re-runs of wives and babies cavorting on the table after tthe game?
Snooker is pretty old-school. Obviously all 2 dimensional flat-table saloon games should be shown. Why no diversionary pool and billiards?
Also, I'm surprised to find No Apres-snook. Shouldn't the BBC attract a wider audience and do some coverage of the players in the bar afterwards?
NO
If Snooker can have a fully focussed technical coverage, let's have proper skiing coverage of the whole World Cup presented by people with a passion for the ski, the skiing and the skiers.
I for one am part of the skiing industry, and seeing a pair of presenters slacking around the world trying to please a holiday audience on my BBC Licence pence is unedifying.
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I was a bit disappointed to see that the format had changed from last year and now Ski Sunday is back to a highlights programme of the race which I watched live yesterday and in HD on Eurosport.
I guess we'll have to wait and see if the split works..
Glad to see Snooker taking over our screens all day, couldn't they switch the coverage to BBC3 or BBC4?
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Hello
I watched SS on Feb 18 Jan, and all my criticism has melted away. It was exciting and the presenters were excellent. They both gave the late David Vine huge praise and that was great to see and hear. Graham did an exciting course run with camera in-hand.
It doesn't get better than Wengen on a lovely day with the Monch guarding the Jung Frau from the nasty brooding EiOgre. A deafening roar from the 30,000 crowd lining the course and en-masse in the stands as the big men hit around 100 mph on the long and daunting Downhill with all the glamour speed and strength. These suits have no padding, yet they fly high and whack those control gates on the way past.
It would have been difficult to make a mess of it, with so much going on, but no worries this time - the BEEB team was on-form.
This was vintage Ski Sunday.
An unapologetic celebration of a wonderful sport, presented with passion and respect.
Well done and keep it up! It is such a relief they still have a show on the road. Ski Sunday means big spin-off business for all Brits working in the Alps. Just skiing on the Lauberhorn piste makes a young holiday skier's week!
DC
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To be honest I hadn't read about the new Ski Sunday until I watched it today and hadn't realised the changes that were going to occur. I really enjoyed the Top-Gear-esque (although thankfully not too Top Gear-esque) format of the previous series, and I felt a bit let down watching the first programme today. Obviously it's a skiing programme and always has been. But the features and extras of the last series were brilliant. For me, ten o'clock is too late.
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"EARLIER GABBY"
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Hi Gabby, I have really been looking forward to the return of Ski Sunday and had planned to watch the first episode on 18/01/2009. Unfortunately I got kept on at work and missed the episode through no fault of my own. I logged onto BBC i Player on my return home but could not see Ski Sunday listed. I recall that the last series of Ski Sunday was never available on i Player. Why is this and can anything be done to rectify this problem? I am sure that other bloggers will agree that we love the programme and need our fix of close up ski action. Yours frustratedly ski_snob.
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I'm really annoyed! The snooker overran and my recording of Ski Sunday only showed the first 2 competitors, even though I extended the record time on my BT Vision Box by 15 minutes.
DO you have a downloadable programme repeat?
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I was so disappointed today. I cancelled another activity to be home early to watch Ski Sunday, assuming it'd be the same as last year. I needn't have bothered cancelling as the Snooker for some unknown reason took priority and pushed it back 35mins. When it DID come on, I was aghast to find it was simply a highlights show of the racing that had already been televised. What's the point of that? I now await the new show, though 10pm is a bit late with work on Monday. I hope I am wrong with my predictions of its contents though. I suspect it's going to be mostly youngsters doing tricks on skis/boards.
------------------------------------------------------
What would my ideal format of skiing tv be?
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Ok, yes, have the race highlights and stuff for adrenaline afficionados. However in addition, for the average holiday skier, and to entice others to take it up, have a magazine show that would include:
1. Features on the resort where the racing is, and others in that vicinity showing different aspects of them in winter and summer, particularly where there is summer skiing to be done.
2. A focus article each week on a different aspect of resort life, eg
- ski schools, including how people train to be instructors
- life as a seasonaire
- the infrastructure such as how funicular railways were built, a look at new skier transport facilities etc
- skiing from a beginner's perspective
- the exciting skiing available, such as parks & off-piste
3. A technique clinic feature each week - from first steps through to advanced where an expert works with a skier to resolve issues and the show gives clips/interviews.
AND FINALLY
What about Strictly Go Skiing!! I am sure there is a format that would work out there! Perhaps it could start in some of our dry slopes and get some good public attendance (and increase the interest in skiing) and then the final few get taken abroad to the real thing? Instead of purely aiming at race timings the earlier shows could feature the contestants learning to ski and perfoming stated required elements, their execution of them being compared.
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First episode of Ski Sunday was great - If you could have it in HD on BBCHD it would be even better. The Alps need to be viewed in HD to get the feeling of what skiing is really like.
Keep up the good work!
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Confess I didn't actually catch the show today, but Gabby's blog explains it all and it sounds brilliant that the show is dividing - an ideal solution.
Is there any chance of getting any coverage of the TeamGB Telemark Team who are competing on the World Cup circuit for the third season in a row? There are currently 9 members of the team, all self-funded and all highly-motivated and it would be brilliant to give them, and Telemark, a bit of airtime - it would help me no end to be able to SHOW people what telemark is, instead of having to explain it!! And would also help those who are convinced that my husband is a telemarketer!! Please consider it - it is a brilliant spectator sport and deserves wider public support. Your show is the ideal chance to do that... oh go on!
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It's on the iPlayer now in case anybody missed it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00h4gmt/Ski_Sunday_2009_18_01_2009/
skimunkee - Most of the racing isn't in HD. I know that the Schladming night slalom is going to be native HD, but all the other races so far this season have been upscaled SD on Eurosport HD.
Gabby - get a proper commentator for the live coverage if you want to attract any viewers! Nick Fellows would be your best bet since C4 axed his show. Great commentator and he knows his ski racing. Vassos Alexander knows neither!!
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Thanks once again for all your comments.
I'm sorry Ski Sunday didn't start at 5 today. The snooker session was reaching an exciting climax and, understandably, BBC TWO wanted stay with the action until all the frames had been completed. Ski Sunday was delayed until 5.35 - apologies if this disrupted some sky+ recordings.
Unfortunately Ski Sunday cannot appear on BBC iplayer because of our rights agreement. We have a limit to how much ski racing we can show on the internet.
High Altitude - our spin-off show - will appear on iPlayer though. Check out a sneak preview to the new show on our website www.bbc.co.uk/skisunday.
Thanks for all your ideas and suggestions - some really good thoughts - I only wish I had a longer show to fit in more elements.
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WOW, after all the hype you guys could not have shot yourselves in both feet more accurately. Well done. SNOOKER>>>>ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Snooker held up your programme. You moust be very proud.
I watched because I set the video (yes I still have VHS) to run for 3 hours. Thank Frank for that.
But please answer me this...How does Mat Chilton get from Austria to Wengen, and back to Austria and then to wengen with 2 (or 3?) different Tv companies and still sound live for Ski Sunday? He was good all round but this is ridiculous.
In the intersest of current BBc policy of being clean and honest with your viewers...I would like an honest answer please. If they are not live...please tell me. If they are not on location...please tell me. If you are conjuring some kind of fake magic...please tell me. You owe it to your viewers to be ontime, and honest. ta.
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Re: Gabbys' post no.92
I have just watched Ski Sunday on iplayer,are you sure it's not there??
I'd also like to say that I'm happy to see SS back at last but slightly disappointed we've gone back to how it used to be, just racing. I've only been ski-ing for a year (Devastated to see what I've been missing most of my life!!) but watching SS for 30 years. I loved growing up with the old SS but thought the new SS, particularly 2008, was an excellent programme. I loved the racing that was shown but from a beginners perspective the features were excellent. And the scenery blows me away every time I see it.
On a final note to all the complainants (If that's a word), be thankful for what you have. There could be no winter sports at all on TV.
p.s. Will definitely be watching High Altitude. Gotta try new things, just like I did with ski-ing.
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Totally agree with Treble57 - loved last year's programs and like ideas for a more inclusive format. I was in Courmeyeur last year and watched celebrity sequences being filmed - a fun idea. Was waiting to see the twist to this series and rather disappointed that it has reverted to the old race format.
There are lots more snowsports than just alpine racing - snowboarding and freestyle/freeski are much more exciting to watch. Also would like to see all the British hopefuls for Vancouver.
Don't think the split program will have such a large audience but will watch High Altitude with interest next week.
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I have to admit, I was really disappointed with the first (new) ski sunday....was it cut short because of the snooker??? Did the bbc cut the best bits out??? It seemed to just start and then end. No thought or feeling..
What was disappointing, was the fact that it was just a quick highlights package. If you are going to focus on just racing, at least make it worthwhile. Reading Gabby's comments above, regarding rights issues, have the bbc just cut the programme short so they can show High Altitude esq prgramming on iPlayer??
I am all for making changes, but the ski sunday show I watched last night was neither informative or anything like the ski sundays of old, although it did help to fill some time!! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the race focus, but it really needs to be done better.
As for High Altitude, I am looking forward to seeing this, but surely 10pm is way to late. If this a format that will continue, ie. Ski Sunday at 5/6pm and High Altitude at 10pm, I would prefer to see the later at 5/6pm and leave the brief and uninformative Ski Sunday to later in the evening.
Everything sounded so good in your Blog Gabby, but I am sure I am not the only fan, who after watching last nights show, has been left out in the cold....
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Delighted to see Ski Sunday back. Why so late in the season?
The snooker excuse doesn't really wash. It was not the 'climax'. It was the frame that took them to the end-of-a-session-less-than-half-way-through-the-match. Nice for those who are intested, but hardly worth disrupting the planned schedule for.
One request: I love the course run that Graham does. However, I'd like to see more of the course and less of Graham's goggles.
I'm looking forward to the High Altitude programme. The overall coverage of winter sports on terrestrial UK TV has never been good, and C4s withdrawal hasn't helped. I cling to the hope that the BBC will occupy a bit more space in this void.
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Some good news:
We have now secured the rights to show Ski Sunday on iPlayer.
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer - search Ski Sunday.
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Considering it was inevitable the snooker would over run (it's about time they learnt from graphics and dropped a couple of frames when time is running out!) it would have been wiser (in hindsight at least!) to schedule Ski Sunday before it yesterday.
If it's not getting an iPlayer outing, surely a repeat at some point during the week isn't out of the question.
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High Altitude is on too late, it's great fun, and could easily be on earlier, especially on a sunday night as it is a school night for many adrenaline junkies. Also please explain why the British "ski" programmes have only "blokes" presenting it. Do you not know that there are a few women out there that could do a pretty good job and make it more all inclusive. It kinda has a feel of being a "boys own" adventure and girls would not be welcome. I want to see some real women skiing the steep and the deep, showing the british public that this is a sport for all, and not just for the lads. There are women out there that are willing to climb big mountains, jump out of Helicopters, ski fast and furiously, and add some finesse to the snowline.
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For anyone that missed any of Ski Sunday it is repeated tonight at 11.20pm on BBC2 leading into the live Andy Murray match coverage.
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Gabby,
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I have now seen the first episode of Ski Sunday thanks to you working your magic and making the programme available on
i Player.
Wow the Wengen course is awesome and the programme format was great.
I did think last years mix of features was not quite right but did think you were on the right track and should have stuck with it for another series.
Can't wait for High Altitude but I do agree that 10.00 is too late. If you want viewing figures the programme needs to be scheduled earlier.
Once again thanks for a great show. It's got me in the mood for my trip to Obergurgl in March.
ski_snob
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Hello Gabby, I'm impressed with the new program split and think it will be much better that way. I'll be even more impressed if you're still reading this blog at comment 100+...
I have to agree with others that it would make sense to start the program before Christmas. For us "dip-in" and "just watch any sport because it's sport" fans you might think we would not mind, but it's exactly the opposite, it's getting to know the venues, the key competitors, the intricacies of the competition rules etc that draws you in to a sport and gets you tuning in week after week. If it's just a bit of this one week, bit of that another week, then I'm afraid any loyalty can be shortlived.
Imagine missing the first two games of the Premiership and then starting Match of the Day whilst also covering all the other leagues, women's football, plus volleyball and basketball too as alternative-to-football sports. How on earth would I be able to follow that?
With only half an hour, if that's all you have been given, there is absolutley no way you will be able to please all the people all of the time, so my thoughts would be to focus on the downhill and slalom and leave the rest for the winter olympics. Or ditch slalom for snowboard. I don't mind, but best to cover a few things well than lots of things in mediocrity.
But hey, you've got a great team with Graham and Ed, I hope you encourage them to be completely silly this series, you can tell by the twinkle in their eyes that they're always holding something back 'cos it's the BBC. Fill them up with Schnapps and send them off to interview Brits in Val D'Isere :-)
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Very disappointed to learn that High Altitude is actually on at 11.30 pm in Scotland. Ridiculous time which will only guarantee small viewing numbers. BBC scheduling is way off. We enjoyed watching the series as a family at a reasonable time. Not the same watching it on IPlayer which we will inevitably have to do.
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Neither of my sons (both recently learnt to snowboard and love watching winter sports) are able to watch High Altitude as they have to be in bed before 9pm ready for school the next day. Im usually in bed before 10pm myself on a Sunday ready for a new week at work. High Altitude is an educational programme, you should be sharing this with our younger generation and introducing them to these great winter sports. Why can you not show this between 6pm and 8pm instead of boring us with the usual repeats?
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Nice to see some changes although I did enjoy last years programes.
I would like to point out to those who feel that the High Altitude programme will be a waste of money, as they feel it is aimed at a minority, are out of order!!
Firstly how do they know it is of intrest to only a minority and secondly if it is truely minority viewing then that is what the BBC is there to do, other wise it would all be reality TV and soaps! (see ITV!!)
You don't hear people complaining about Songs of Praise, Countryfile and Indoor Bowls in the same way, do you!!
Personaly i feel sorry for the people involved as they got flack from both sides of the fence. Why can't we as a pulic not just give possitve feedback, then the things which are enjoyed the least can be whittled out.
I for one realy enjoyed seeing all the different places Ed went - I had no idea I could Ski in Australia! And Japan was jaw droppingly beautiful!
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Hi Gabby,
I'm pleased with the developments as I seem to be one of the few people who loves the ski racing (and am suffering serious withdrawal symptoms this year) but also liked the new stuff. Keeping them separate is a good idea, for me at least. I do agree with some of the other comments - half an hour is far too short to get a feel for the race and starting half way through the season is terrible. I get really excited about the race for the crystal globes and to miss half the season has been hard - I know I could get Eurosport and I've been weighing this up lately. Especially hard for me was missing Herman Maier winning at Lake Louise as I'm a big fan. Couldn't you have produced a "catch-up" show with the story so far? It could also have explained the differences between the disciplines for those who don't know. There was very little context to the Wengen race - what did it mean in terms of the title? Who's been doing well so far? Also, as well as Graham's run I'd also like to see a graphic showing the route down the mountain and the changes in gradient.
I like the idea of live stuff on the red button, so it would be great if the amount available through this method was increased -although it would need to be better publicised. I also understand those who want to see more of the snowboarding and things like snowboard and skier-cross which is also great fun. I'm convinced there's a dedicated audience out there for it. So please keep showing skiing on terrestrial - the more, the better as far as I'm concerned.
Just one negative point, I've just seen a short clip of Jodie Kidd going off-piste and it looks like she has no helmet. Your show is influential and seeing the team wearing helmets would encourage others to do so too. Just because you are an ace skier doesn't mean you can't come a cropper. A friend of mine died at Squaw Valley a few years ago in an off-piste accident, and he was an instructor. If I'm mistaken about Jodie not wearing a helmet, I take it all back, and well done.
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Hi.
Just want you to know that I'm still reading every comment and taking on board what you're saying.
Many of you have mentioned the time slot - I don't think 10pm to 10.30pm is too late to stay up but I understand what you're saying. Being a mother, I know this is late for kids.
I've emailed BBC TWO about this - as the decision is not mine I'm afraid - and asked them if they could repeat the programme earlier for younger viewers.
They agree this would be a good idea but are struggling to find free slots at the moment. However, they will continue to look into this.
Sorry it's not better news at this stage but if this Sunday's show goes down well then you never know.
Remember you can watch the show back on iPlayer or at bbc.co.uk/skisunday.
Looking forward to hearing what you think of the new show.
Gabby
P.S Graham and Ed are filming in the French Alps this week - loads of snow!
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Tiger4utoo - sorry to hear HA is on at 11.30 pm in Scotland. I'll look into this as I had no idea - I hope it's not the case for the whole series.
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Dear Gabby,
I watched and throughly enjoyed the live coverage of the downhill from Wengen on Saturday (channel 301 on our freeview box).
It was lovely to watch it live and uninterrupted in its entirity. I'm really looking forward to watching all the live ski racing action on that channel. Please keep it coming!
For next season, could we have the live coverage starting at the beginning of the season at Lake Louise?
A roundup of the title race on each live programme would be nice too!
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Oh, was something on last Saturday - didn't know about that.
Gabby - could you please explain exactly what the BBC do have the rights too now skiing wise. I know it all got split up a bit during the C4 years, so have the BBC picked up more rights now C4 have ditched their skiing coverage?
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Gabby, I have read your blog and can see why you made the decision to seperate skiing and high altitude events. However did I detect some frustration among the presenters on the last episode ?. I may be wrong, but reading their lips, gave me some thought on the new format.
That apart,, I love the atmosphere on the ski slopes and off (please can we have some apres-ski chat !)
Also whyoh why does not the BBC Sport transmit some live or recorded events from the Biatholon around the world now happening, at the moment it is only shown on Eurosport, which I do not have. There are now some Brits participating in this sport, which is the most demanding of any snow sport. I think Ski Sunday needs to be rather longer to get proper coverage of all Alpine events, and it also viewed in Europe,
Robert in Crawley/Sussex
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We have an added bonus this week. Highlights of the Burton European Open half pipe final.
Press your Red Button straight after Ski Sunday - 5.30.
Sorry I couldn't tell you earlier but we've only just signed the contract.
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Not directly related to Ski Sunday, but related to winter sports. John and Sinead Kerr have just won Britain's first medal in a championship for at least 20 years in ice skating - nothing on the website yet?
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Just like to point out
Bristol Girl Jenny Jones has just won X Games Gold Medal in Snowboarding Slopestyle....
that's what the Beeb should be showing!!
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What a shame, ski Sunday has turned into just another sports programme. As if we don't have enough already. My family really enjoyed last years format, being skiers and snowboarders. The features of different places around the world was very entertaining and enjoyable. But now all we get is down hill? Last year we enjoyed it all, but now we won't watch any of it. The down hill alone will not keep my family interested and I have to get up at 5 on a Monday morning so High Altitude is out as well. I understand that as snowboarding is mainly for young hoodies and the bbc is run by old school tie dinos, we would be pushed to a later slot, it's just a great shame that last years programme had something for everyone and now it's just for sports fans.
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Dear Gaby,
Re your earlier comments about BBC2's scheduling; 'they are struggling to find free slots' any earlier than 10pm; why, then are they showing a repeat of amazon followed by chopped up repeats of top gear?
I agree with earlier comments, start work early on mon so will be well on my way to bed by 10pm. Not everyone has sky plus!
I love skiing, but ski racing can only hold my interest for 10 mins or so, surely off piste skiing / boarding is much less of a minority sport than down hill racing. Last year's master class with Graham was excellent too.
I loved SS last year, but don't think I'll be going out of my way to watch it this season, sorry.
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Great to have both programs, although I thought last years series was a huge improvement over previous years.
I was especially pleased to see the 'race' from Tignes to Val Thorens using the 'On Piste' and 'Off Piste' methods. Looking forward to seeing many more of these kind of features!
My only disappointment has been that none of the 'pre-Christmas' action has been shown.
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BoardBum - Ski Sunday last year was horrible.
It was more of a travel show then the Highlights show that it is accustomed to.
I appauld this decision to make it into two shows.
HA will be the one for those last year but for us, the traditionalists are tired of the BBC killing off its shows such as Grandstand, we didnt like this new format so we appauld that the BBC changed it into two shows.
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Gabby, I felt I must make comment with regards the new format and viewing times of HA. As a mother of a 12 and 15 year old who are into skiing, I think 2330 hrs is far too late - especially on a Sunday night. We all enjoyed the new format last year and made a special effort to watch it together. The children would often talk about the show for days. I agree entirely with the previous comment by boardbum that its even too late for the parents. This sort of thing should be on at a decent time, as it is suitable family viewing without the added bonus of swearing. We want to encourage the youth of today to be involved in sport so should be attempting to "sell" it to them in this form of media. I exepct your viewing figures for HA would be doubled if it were shown 3 or 4 hours earlier.
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Speaking as someone who preferred the non-skiing bits more I'll be tuning into High Altitude. I would have thought that it would have been on earlier but the timing's not a big issue.
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Sorry BBC but really dissapointed with the new format. I appreciate the "old -school" complaining and looking for more coverage of the men's and women's down hill events as they were a bit shoe horned into the end of last years program. But last years ski sunday was THE program that I and a lot of my skiing friend looked forward to most all week on the TV. It removed the boredom factor that a lot of people felt watching the old ski Sunday. The new format was fun (Is that not what skiing should be all about anyway??????), really original, excellent presenters and interesting to watch.
So instead of slightly tweaking the existing formula you divide it in two, the best bit, in my opinion, is shoved out to 22:00 or 23:30??????? if you live in Scotland like me. Absolute nonsense!!! and you have blown it big time IMO. Could you not just have made it a 1 hour long program at a decent time? starting at around 7pm rather than ending up with this disjointed dogs dinner of a format. Congratulations in spoiling something excellent. It's just as well that I have Sky+.
The presenter look to be as dissapointed as a lot of the viewers feel as well.
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It's about time the BBC gave more than 1/2 hour to Winter Sports!!!
Have just watched HA and loved it - fantastic! Well done! Both are now on Sky+ Series Link! Can't wait for the rest of the season.
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What a fantastic programme high altitude. A couple of nice guys really enjoying themselves. A nice piece of escapism. envoked a feeling of I wish I could be their. What a top programme please let me pay more license fee.
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Hi Gaby.
I watched Ski Sunday this evening. I loved it. Top class. Graham Bell from the trackside doing live reaction made it seem like I was there with him. He did a great Cam-Run too. The shots didn't show it in true credit (imho). The course even on telly looked absolutely treacherous. The intro for each racer then the run was exciting. I definitely wanted more.
Later, High Altitude was great too. The lessons learned on the Mt. Blanc climb gave a good insight for people thinking of doing the climb. (looks like one has to acclimatise at high altitude more, and maybe do the shorter French route). Then, the Eiger Skydive. The thing that got me was that the sky divers in tandem vertical descent in rarified air were only travelling about 30 odd mph faster than the downhill racers on the Hahnenkamm! (And the race lasts 2 minutes on a turny course...) I love the 0-100kph time display off the start too. These guys are super-human. It's like F1 but the driver is the car too.
Keep up the good work - it's great for business.
Enjoy the mountains... DC
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I'm not liking the constant cutaways to Graham, while as great a presenter as he is, Ed Leigh is very much a spare part now on Ski Sunday.
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Hi, Anna here. I look after and edit the Ski Sunday/High Altitude website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/ski_sunday/default.stm
Many of you were eagerly awaiting the start of High Altitude and some of you will have noticed the programme that went out last night was not the billed episode we had been promoting.
It was decided to switch from the scheduled programme which included model Jodie Kidd heli-skiing and featured an avalanche.
This was following the tragic deaths of three climbers, who were caught in an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands on Saturday.
The shows producers felt it was inappropriate to broadcast the original programme and instead showed Graham Bell and Brit skier Noel Baxter attempt to climb Mont Blanc as well as actor Ralf Little and Ed Leigh sky-dive down the north side of the Eiger.
If you missed it, it is available on the BBC iplayer and this website.
And next Sunday, the Jodie Kidd film will be shown when High Altitude returns at 2200 GMT.
Before then, there is live skiing on the red button from the night slalom in Schladming on Tuesday (1930 GMT) and downhill from Garmisch Partenkirchen on Saturday (0945).
Ski Sunday is on at 1700, on Sunday, obviously!
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Thank you, thank you, thank you. We loved Ski Sunday last year and this 2 programme format is even better.
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Well done for changing the format. I love Ski racing and mountain adventures but last year was a bit like Top Gear on snow. You have now found your own identity 100% improvement. High Altitude last night was great. Please please do not return to dodgy celebs trying to slalom. Ralph Little sky diving far better he looked a pretty useful skier also. I look forward to next week
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I will try not to get my comment removed this time by not mentioning David Cuthill's blog - who for once wrote some semi-decent comments (although isn't blog #52 and #126 a slight contradiction?).
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High Altitude was AWESOME.
This is what it is all about. So nice to have this sort of programme on the BBC. It is what made last years programme so much more interesting and enjoyable.
After the programme I booked two more ski trips this year - I can't affortd it but the programme tempts me too much so thank you
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It's a shame you cannot run it back-to-back with ski Sunday but I'll live, although this is probably due to Ed's swearing which was very enjoyable, is he a bit of a ____? I remember that ice cold scouber dive last year
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hi
just wanted to say the programme high altitude on sunday was excellent! I really enjoyed last years ski sunday and was slightly dissapointed to see it had returned to a race highlight programme.
For me the High Altitude show is the best snowsports show on tv and would just like to say thank you very much for producing an excellent show!
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Can't believe High Altitude is only 30 minutes long (or should I say short!)! It's such a unique programme to find on terrestrial tv and it's great to have Ed and Graham back - please extend the programme next season!
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Would like to second all positive comments about high altitude (hopefully, more good comments = more programs !!)
This may well be beyong your control, but it is available on the iplayer (PC) but not the virgin media iplayer. Please make it so !
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I was rather amazed to hear Mont Blanc described as "Europe's highest mountain" on a programme about high altitude!!
Was the researcher back in the bar!!?
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I have just watched High Altitude, with Graham and Noel at Mont Blanc. Great Fun ! PLEASE TELL ME THE NAME OF THE SONG WHEN THEY ARE TELLING US WHAT IS ON THE NEXT PROGRAMME WEEK......starts at 29mins and 28 seconds on iplayer. I have been after that song for years !
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I was looking forward to the next downhill race from Garmisch this morning, but although the Red Button channel said it it was 'Coming Up', it never materialised! What happpened? Was was it just a local fault in East Anglia?)Tried both our freeview boxes, no race on either box. :-(
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The men's Downhill was finally cancelled around 1pm as the fog hadnt lifted. I only found this out by looking on the FIS website and Garmisch webcams! The only BBC message said it was "Postponed till 1pm". Can we have some accurate info next time, BBC??!! Also its a shame they couldn't show the women's slalom on Sunday morning instead. Would appreciate a better service in future.
Yours sincerely,
Yet Another Frustrated License Fee Payer/ Winter Sports Fan.
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Hi Gabby - I know that the Downhill was cancelled, but why couldn't you have shown the Garmisch Slalom or womens Super-G on Ski Sunday Extra (interactive) today (01-Feb)?
Eurosport had no coverage... I guess they couldn't fit it into their schedule (tennis taking over for most of the day...). I was expecting to see something on interactive - pretty disappointed that you chose to replay the Kitz downhill instead. I followed the slalom on the live timing and looked to be a close exciting race! Also would have liked to have seen Chemmy's run in the Super-G.
At least Eurosport have complete live HD coverage of the World Champs - starting Tuesday. The Schladming night slalom was stunning in full HD also! Are BBC going to show highlights in Ski Sunday, or do you only have the rights to the World Cup races? Would be a good idea to simulcast on BBC HD if you do have any coverage from Val d'Isere.
Hope tonights High Altitude is as good as the first episode - turned out to be a good idea to split the shows in the end! A little excessive to have the 24/7 replay on interactive though - is that your response to the guy who complained that 10pm was too late?! That shut them up, I guess!!
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Hello there,
I just wanted to add my cheer of approval to the new High Altitude program. I, like so many other people, love all sorts of mountain activity and this program has hit the nail on the head for me. Great photography, enthusiastic presenters, hardcore adventures; well done. To make it better just make the program 1hr long and give them (even) more money to spend on even crazier adventures for our entertainment. This is now essential weekly viewing in my house - thank you!
Tom
PS: One negative: Jodie Kidd is an accomplished sportswoman (not just a pretty face!) so I'll let you off in her case but lets not get too celeb-obsessed please.
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Not impressed by High Altitude, too much of the Lads on a mission to do some of the most stupid and irrelevant things possible. I would suggest real mountain activities, real ice climbing, ski touring. Not doing monkey rope swings for no reason. Talk about the gear needed, more on safety. Although avalanche danger was emphasised not enough was mentioned of the fact that if people really want to go off piste they need to have qualified mountain guides. The majority of people killed skiing off piste go without guides. Having Jodie Kidd go Heli skiing was pure stupidity, for one thing she was not nearly good enough and just looked incompetent. We do not need to see celebs ski, as for the most part they are punters and suited to staying on piste in their comfort zone. Much better was last years format with Graham doing some raceing with them and helping htem improve. He gave the kind of tips that would help a lot of people watching improve. This format is too much like Top Gear , laddish, and really quite boring. I still think a woman presenter would help too. Also the timing is as mainy people have said, is too late for a family show. We have to put up with so much rubbish and bad comedy and repeats, and HA is slotted in way after the watershed, when most people have to be in bed as it is a school night.
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