It was the competition that almost didn’t happen. But after the inter services snow sports championships were cancelled in 2021 due to COVID, the organisers were more determined than ever to make it happen. And so they did. Meribel ISSSC 2022 is underway and the athletes from all three services, across alpine skiing, telemark and snowboard, are keen to get racing. This is the 70th inter services snow sports competition and the 15th time it’s been held in the resort of Meribel, in the French Alps.

Royal Marine Taylor Lawrence burst on to the international bobsleigh scene in January 2020, being fast tracked into Brad Hall’s team as injury cover for a World Cup race in Winterberg. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and will be competing in his first Olympic Games in Beijing in February. A talented sportsman, Taylor played academy level football and rugby union before joining the Armed Forces at the age of 20. He reveals to Cath Brazier and Julian Evans the military pride that drives him to succeed.

Sarah Hawkes is hoping she’ll be selected to compete in Judo at the Commonwealth Games 2022, which are being held in Birmingham. The Corporal, who serves with the Royal Military Police, will be representing Northern Ireland, and is excited about the prospect of a ‘home’ games. At the moment, she isn’t looking any further than this summer but she says competing for Great Britain at the Olympics is, unsurprisingly, her ultimate aim.

Officials are hoping the current COVID-19 restrictions in France will be lifted in time for the Inter Services Snow Sports Championships to take place in Meribel. The event, which was cancelled last year, is scheduled to start on 30 January but restrictions mean competitors are currently not allowed to travel to the resort. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret'd) Steve Davis, secretary for the UK Armed Forces Winter Sports Association, revealed to Forces News that a postponement until March is being "tentatively" considered.

Martin Colclough’s first experience of para sport was 25 years ago when he as physical training instructor in the British Army. Little did he know then that the Paralympic movement would come to define his life, his career, and his legacy. He is a huge cog in the wheel that connects and develops injured, wounded, and sick serving personnel and veterans with the world of elite disability sport. He talks to Cath and Julian about how it came about and what keeps him going in this ever-changing sporting environment.  

Stu Robinson is a gold medal winning Paralympian. He’s a key member of the Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby team who, this summer, became the first European nation to win a medal at the Paralympics. Hear his story here on Forces Sport, from the hospital bed where he woke up with both of his legs amputated, to being crowned Paralympic champions in Tokyo.

Billy Aprahamian set himself a five-year plan to go from the British Army to being involved in the UK’s top horse-racing festivals. After winning the Grand Military Gold Cup in 2018 as a jockey, he went on to become assistant trainer to Nicky Henderson at Seven Barrows stables. Billy shares his story with Forces Sport and tells us how, ultimately, his life is driven by his love of horses. 

Gemma Rowland is an elite rugby player and gives 110% whether she is wearing an Army shirt, the black and yellow for Wasps in the Premier 15s or the red of Wales women. But, as Cath Brazier and Julian Evans found out, it’s her drive and constant search for improvement off the pitch that really singles her out. In this episode they go beyond rugby to discuss mental health, the challenges still faced by women in sport and how the military gave her the strength to achieve.

Nick De-long suffered the disappointment of not making it as a professional football as a youngster but was encouraged to pursue an armed forces career. Cath Brazier and Julian Evans have both seen how, in his time with Royal Air Force and UK Armed Forces football, ‘Ding Dong’ has proven to be an inspirational leader, both on and off the pitch. Going full circle, he has now returned to Bristol Rovers, where he played as a youth, to help develop their young players. 

Army boxer Chez Nihell speaks to Cath and Jules about his tough decision to retire from professional boxing, even with an unbeaten record in four fights. An armed forces stalwart in the ring, he is looking forward to coaching the stars of tomorrow and reckons he could handle himself against the likes of Jake Paul!