Sam In Cham with Samantha Ryder

Joining me this week is Iranian alpinist Nasim Eshqi. Kickboxing champion of Iran, many times over, Nasim left the sport in her early 20’s because of the pressure to ‘cover up’.

Climbing mountains gave her the chance to be outside, and away from prying eyes. Since she started climbing aged 23, Nasim has established many new routes in countries including Iran, Turkey, India, and across Europe. 

She left home on a climbing expedition in 2022, but following the death of Mahsa Amini, she never returned. “We are all Mahsa,” she says. “She was an innocent young girl, who didn’t even live long enough to commit a crime”. Nasim’s mission now is to defend those who cannot defend themselves. 

If we feel something is not right, she tells me, we must be brave, and speak out.

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook

John Falkiner, Professional ski bum, stunt man, telemark skier, and now mountain guide, there seems to be little he cannot conquer when it comes to mountains. At 18, lured by the prospect of deep powder skiing, he moved from the snowy mountains of Australia to the Swiss resort of Verbier – and it didn’t disappoint. 

A chance meeting on the slopes with fellow skier Ace Kvale and photographer Marco Shapiro – next stop, the front cover of Powder Magazine. From here, sponsorship deals and lifelong friendships turned John’s passion into 50 years of action-packed fun. He’s been involved in more than 80 films…including James Bond and Bridget Jones…although I’m reliably informed, he wasn’t her stunt double. 

His adventure continues, all be it a little toned down, playing guitar with his ‘Lost Guides’ and taking a more cultural route through life. He tells me he was really happy to be born when he was…saying it’s become way too expensive to be a ski bum!

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook.

This week freeride skier Megane Betend joins me for a chat. The French speed queen started skiing at the age of 2 and soon joined the ranks of the local alpine ski club. It gave her all the essentials - discipline and great technique - but her heart was never really in it. 

After she qualified as a ski instructor, she started to freeride, skiing often in the wild mountains of the Chamonix valley. It was fast, steep, and exciting and in her first competition she made the podium … the rest, as they say, is history. 

This winter Megane will compete in the Freeride World Tour – a culmination of everything she has put in place and the sacrifices made to get to this point. It may almost be time to dream of that championship title, but she tells me the hardest is yet to come.

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook

Chamonix legend Gary Bigham is about as original as you can get. Luckily, he had some free time...and was available for a chat! From the ski bum era of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, we take a trip down memory lane to some of the wild times here in the valley, when beer was cheap, and work was a dirty 4 letter word…

Gary travelled the world with his skills as a photographer and filmmaker – films including ‘Life’s a beach in the Alps’ and ‘I’d rather be skiing than happy with you’. During this time, he skied for Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, and France, until in his words, they found someone better. 

Back in the 1980s, Gary bought a chalet here in the Chamonix valley, and over the last 40 years, it’s become a mecca for some of the world's coolest, including Patagonia founder Yvonne Chouinard…a story he still won’t tell me about…but there’s time!

Gary's daughter Guri is currently in the process of restoring slides and films in order to make his legendary archive accessible for all. These iconic images published in legendary magazines are a special time in skiing history. To find out more, you can visit @thegarybighamarchive

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook 

Joining me this week is Carly Van-Evelingen – groom/ equestrian/ climber/ ski bum/ van lifer… yes, it’s been a mixed bag…even for her. 

Having delved into all kinds of professions, she says she never really fit…then one summer, decided to come to Chamonix to climb…it may have been a fleeting visit, but she knew she’d be back, And within months, Carly had returned – this time for good.

Carly has not only had her fair share of jobs, but also life’s hurdles. She talks about mental health with a sense of authority, but also trepidation. It’s something she has and will have to deal with for the rest of her life – but she says, thanks to the mountains, it’s no longer controlling her – now, for the most part, she tells me she is in the driving seat.

Follow Carly @cooroo on Instagram

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook

Joining me this week is ultra-runner Emily Schmitz. Born in Wisconsin, Emily studied art at university there but says she didn’t realise how little it was going to prepare her for life in the real world. After finishing, she waited tables before a friend of hers suggested heading to Colombia. With few plans on the horizon, she boarded a plane to a country she had never been to with a language she didn’t speak. 

Determined to learn Spanish, her plan was to stay in Colombia for a few months – 10 years later, she says it’s time for a change. Emily first came to Chamonix 3 years ago staying for the summer months to run and train for races – now she’s back, with a plan to make trail running more than a hobby. 

With a track record of being pretty successful never planning the plans…something tells me she might just make it!

Follow Emily Schmitz @emilyschmitz.runs for more

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook.

Fay Manners has had quite the year so far. In her ‘spare time,’ the UK-born Data Analyst likes to play in the mountains here in Chamonix. In fact, not just here in Chamonix, but in any mountains. 

For Fay - it’s been a year of firsts so far. Along with climbing partner Lina Van den Berg they got Phantom Direct’s first female ascent of the Grandes Jorasses. Then, a few months later, crossed the pond to the US where she joined expedition partner Michelle Dvorak to become the first female pair this year to climb the Cassin Ridge on Denali, America’s highest peak at almost 6200 meters. 

Fay’s love of the mountains brought her to Chamonix 7 years ago – and like many others before her, she only came for a season. So, what next for the young adventurer? She says climbing rock faces in Greenland has been a long-time ambition, but to add a little twist, she’s going to sail there…and why not…

Follow Fay Manners @faymanners for more

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook.

Emmanuel Ocampo is dedicated, determined, and incredibly disciplined. He’s also an ultra-runner who lives in Chamonix. Growing up in a small town in Argentina, he was always very sporty – competing mostly in team disciplines, hockey, football, swimming, and the like.

In his early 20’s he ran a 10km road race – he didn’t like it. Then he discovered a trail race of the same distance…he completed it…and the rest, as they say, is history.

Since then, he has completed numerous ultra-marathons, moved to Chamonix, learned to ski, mastered ski touring, found a new love of road biking, and got himself some sponsors! 

But he tells me life is not always that picture-perfect image we so often see on social media. There is a dark side to sport as we see more and more now, and Emmanuel has not gone unscathed. With a deep competitive edge, he is prone to self-punishment when things don’t go according to plan. He has suffered depression and bouts of anxiety, and although for him, the mountains offer relief and comfort, he says it’s important to share these down times with others just in case there is someone out there suffering the same. 

Follow Emmanuel Ocampo @emmanuelocampo14 for more

 For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook.

Tamsin Gay may not have known what she wanted to do with her life growing up, but she has certainly found her niche. The International Mountain Guide and TV Safety Location Advisor spends the majority of time at home in the mountains – whether it’s guiding people around some of the most stunning peaks in the French and Swiss alps, trad climbing in the Scottish Highlands, or ensuring the safety of TV crew in some of the world’s most remote locations. 

In this week’s podcast, Tamsin bares all – quite literally. She says she didn’t like school but went on to obtain a first-class honors degree, and after a few years in the insurance business, Tamsin put on a pair of skis – and basically hasn’t taken them off since. A few years ago, she was given an opportunity to work with a TV production crew as part of their safety team – and despite being filmed in her pants and having a close encounter with a polar bear… she tells me she has the best jobs in the world…I for one am inclined to agree.

Follow Tamsin Gay @tamsin.gay for more.

For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook.


Warning: this content does contain some adult language

British and world-renowned mountaineer and author Victor Saunders has not only reached six of the seven summits but has also made SIX ascents of Everest – however, he still won’t agree he’s a good climber. Instead, he’s happy to play down his MASSIVE achievements and focus on his ‘failures’ – which you and I would be happy to have even considered.

He spent his adolescence in Lossiemouth, Scotland, where he developed a love of exploring, and while academia was more of a chore, he did manage to earn himself a place at the school of architecture in Bedford Square, London. His job would allow him to earn enough money to pursue his love of climbing and fulfill his dreams of exploring the very edges of the world. 

In this week’s podcast, Victor talks peaks and troughs, and why the shape of the mountain is far more important than the size! His slight frame and rather shy demeanor resulted in occasional bullying at school – and while he may not look like a superhero, I think this is as good a time as any to say not all heroes wear capes.

Follow Victor Saunders @victorsaunders for more.


For more on the amazing athletes and sports enthusiasts featured on the podcast, head to Instagram @samincham_thepodcast and Facebook.