PlanetSKI: The Dave Ryding Interview

28th February 2022

Last modified on March 3rd, 2022

The GB slalom skier has been speaking to us about his latest podium success, when he may retire and the state of GB alpine skiing. We will be posting the full video later in the week, but we can’t wait to tell you that Dave will very likely be racing again next season.

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We met him on Monday, the day after his latest podium success – a second place on Sunday 27th February at the slalom World Cup in Garmisch Partenkirchen in Germany.

See here for our full report on the race:

Dave Ryding wins world cup silver

By Monday he was enjoying his latest result in his home ski resort of Gurgl in the Tirol in Austria.

Dave is sponsored by the area and he spends time training and staying in the valley.

He found time to sit down for an extended video interview with our editor, James Cove, on the slopes of Obergurgl.

We will be positing it later this week so do check back for that.

Dave gave the strongest suggestion yet that he will be competing next season.

“I’ve got one more year I think, and then we’ll have to wait and see,” he said to James.

“I told my fiancee it might be this year but I think I have bought myself another year.

“I’ve got to think about my fiancee Mandy a bit more now as she has put her life on hold.”

Dave went on to talk about another podium finish to James.

He was 19th after the first run and then put in a blistering second run.

After the interview James had some lunch with friends in the mountain restaurant they had met at.

As James was finishing his soup Dave passed by.

“Thanks for the interview James I really enjoyed it. I like the stuff your do on PlanetSKI especially that piece a couple of years ago about the Schladming night slalom. Fancy coming for a ski?” offered Dave.

Within a matter or moments, the soup was gone and James was clipped in.

James Cove & Dave Ryding. Image © PlanetSKI

James tried to follow as one of Dave’s team took some social media footage:

Dave Ryding. Image © PlanetSKI

They talked further about the beauty of the Gurgl region and the stunning mountains.

“There’s great snow here because it is so high,” said Dave.

“They blend it so well in Gurgl. It’s traditional Austria – there’s apres ski and they just do everything right.

“It’s really hard to beat and that’s why they call it the Diamond of the Alps”.

James Cove & Dave Ryding. Image © PlanetSKI

Obergurgl, the Tirol. Image © PlanetSKI

Then they skied some more without the cameras on and notes being taken.

“The saying goes that you should never meet your heroes,” said James after their ski.

“Well that is total and utter boll**ks.

“If that is the case then you have the wrong heroes.

“I met mine today and I can report that Dave is the loveliest, kindest and most generous of men, without a hint of ego and self-importance.

“An absolute gent and he also happens to be one of the best skiers in the world to boot.

“He had no need to ask me for a ski, or spend that amount of time with me, but he did.

“He is a national skiing treasure that all us Brits should be proud of.”

Don’t forget to check back for that interview where Dave has been speaking to James about his latest podium success, when he my retire and the state of GB alpine skiing.

We also touch on whether he wears underwear while racing, his forthcoming marriage to Mandy and, er, Country & Western music.

It’s quite a watch.

And in case you are wondering about the article James wrote on the Schladming night slalom back in January 2020 then here it is:

Schladming: A celebration of slalom

Dave came 8th that night:

Schladming excels with Ryding in the Top Ten

James donned his ‘Rocket’ mask in celebration:

After his World Cup victory in Kitzbuhel this season we posted a look back at his career and how he started on plastic – written by PlanetSKI’s chief reporter, Jane Peel.

If you want to find out about the man they call ‘The Rocket’ then see here: