This week Emma is joined by Annika Malacinksi, a rising star in Nordic Combined, a sport which combines ski jumping and cross country skiing.

Competing for the US, Annika is now on the World Cup circuit and has participated in two World Championships in a sport she took up less than a decade ago.

Annika shares how she got into Nordic Combined, what ski jumping feels like, and how the event format works with the two sports. She also explains her training for the two disciplines, and how she manages both the feelings of fear and adrenaline.

Despite the men’s event being part of the very first Winter Olympics, Women’s Nordic Combined is still excluded. Annika shares talks about this ongoing battle with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and what this could mean for the future of the sport.

Expect to hear:

• How Annika got into Nordic Combined
• What ski jumping feels like
• How Nordic Combined competitions work
• Why Women’s Nordic Combined isn’t an Olympic sport
• Pushing for equality
• Annika’s hopes for the future

It’s a tale of perseverance, passion and hope.

More about the visuals? You can now watch the episode on ⁠YouTube⁠.

Follow Annika on Instagram and watch the video about her battle for equality at the winter olympics here.

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Follow your host Emma Cole on Instagram, check out her website.

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Purchase a pair of Shokz headphones here and use the discount code EMMACOLE for £10 off

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Thanks to Tune tank for the tunes.

Welcome to the first episode of This is Winter Sports, a series supported by Protect Our Winters UK.

This week Emma is joined by Chemmy Alcott, the first British ski racer to win a run in a World Cup. Chemmy is a four-time Winter Olympian who represented Team GB throughout a 20-year sporting career and reached a career high of 8th in the world. Now presenting BBC Ski Sunday, Chemmy will be at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics taking us through all the action.

Chemmy shares where her passion for ski racing comes from, how she navigated the challenges of being a pro ski racer, and how she beat her top speed in retirement.

She also reveals one of her biggest fears... and it's not what you expect.

Expect to hear:

• How Chemmy made her pro skier dream a reality
• Chemmy’s evolving journey with fear
• Transition from athlete to presenter
• What to look forward to at the Winter Olympics

Chemmy is incredibly inspiring, full of passion for snow sports and offers a ton of brilliant advice too. Follow Chemmy on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

More about the visuals? Watch the episode on YouTube.

-

✨🎙️ Make sure you subscribe and follow the podcast now to know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops in a fortnight.

Keep up to date on all things Passion Stories podcast on Instagram and sign up to the monthly newsletter here for some epic exclusive content.

Follow your host Emma Cole on ⁠Instagram⁠, check out her website.

-

Thanks to Protect our Winters UK for supporting the podcast.Sign the Clean Miles Campaign now

-

Purchase a pair of Shokz headphones here and use the discount code EMMACOLE for £10 off

This week Emma is joined by James Shaw, renowned pilates educator and practitioner.

James shares his pilates journey, from starting out thanks to an encouraging hairdressing client, to opening his own classical pilates studio and teacher training academy in Margate.

He shares his views on classical and contemporary pilates as well as why pilates is so popular and common misconceptions. He also talks about the importance of making pilates more accessible and how he makes his classes welcoming especially to neurodivergent people.

James also shares his mindset which has helped him overcome challenges along the way, his thoughts on taking risks, and how pilates helps his ADHD.

Expect to hear:

• Key principles within pilates
• The difference between classical and contemporary
• Creating a space where pilates is for everyone
• Channeling a risk-averse mindset
• ADHD and pilates

It’s a story of discovery, self-belief, and a ton of passion, and James is incredibly inspiring.

Follow James on Instagram and keep your eyes peeled for his upcoming book and check out James’s studio in Margate too.

More about the visuals? Watch the full episode on Youtube.

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The Passion Stories pod wants to hear your views! Complete the audience survey to be in with a chance of winning a pair of Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones: Audience survey link: https://forms.gle/oxn9CHuT4cvkWzDN6

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Follow your host Emma Cole on Instagram , sign up to the monthly newsletter here and check out her website.

✨🎙️ Click subscribe or follow now to know when the next episode with a wonderfully passionate person drops in a fortnight. We are about to launch the Winter Sports series - get excited!