The Next Turn - skiing, ski racing and sport

On the 20th anniversary of her horrific accident and creation of the Kelly Brush Foundation, Kelly joins The Next Turn for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation. From early days of recovery, the seeds of the Foundation to enormous growth and impact it has now, Kelly talks us through it all. It is a wonderful chat with a woman who has found a way to take an unfortunate circumstance and turn it into positive change for our sport and well beyond. We also have a terrific Olympic recap with special guests, Christine Feehan and Jacques Reid.

We are thrilled to have Dženifera Ģērmane as our guest this week on The Next Turn. The 22 year old slalom skier from Latvia has found her way to the front page of the World Cup rankings. Despite a career riddled with injuries, Jenny, as she likes to be called, has managed to keep building and growing, while remaining grateful for the blessings and and cruel twists ski racing presents.

This week on The Next Turn we take a close look at the NCAA circuit with the perspectives of two successful coaches in the league, Joonas Räsänen of the University of Denver, and Bill Reichelt of the University of Vermont. In a candid discussion we dive into the recruiting process, what makes a good recruit and the difficulties of building the right team. We also cover the role of collegiate skiing in the larger development system, and the strengths and weaknesses of the league. It’s a must listen for future student athletes, their parents and coaches.

This week, The Next Turn is thrilled to have Ed Drake as our guest to take a deep look at the Alpine World Cup tour. As the lead commentator for TNT’s alpine coverage, former Olympian and host of The Ski Racing Podcast, Ed has a unique and heavily experienced perspective that he shares for our listeners. This episode will have you fired up, with your finger on the pulse of the athletes as we head into the Olympics.

This week, we are excited to have Steve Porino join as we reach the halfway point of the World Cup Season and are mere days away from the Winter Olympics in Cortina. As the long-time voice of alpine coverage for NBC, Steve shares his unique and experienced perspective on the current storylines that are making headlines in our sport. From behind the scenes production of broadcasts, the process of gathering of information, and the struggles of getting up in the middle of the night to share his passion, Steve shares it all. This conversation is the perfect recap and tee-up for the Games, and we will all become better fans because of Steve’s insights.

This week on The Next Turn, we are joined by Miha Hrobat of Slovenia and breaks down why last season was such a success, what clicked in his skiing, and why he’s quietly become one of the sneakiest fast speed racers on the World Cup. We dig into the surprising reason behind his early-season struggles, and how those challenges shaped his mindset heading into the heart of the winter.With the speed classics at Wengen and Kitzbühel right around the corner, Miha shares how he’s feeling mentally and physically as the stakes rise on the sport’s most demanding tracks.He also gives rare insight into the Slovenian team dynamic — the strengths that make it competitive, the weaknesses they’re still working through, and what it’s really like racing speed for a nation not traditionally known for downhill.And in a candid, thoughtful segment, Miha doesn’t hold back as we explore FIS safety issues, course setting, and the realities speed racers face week in and week out. Smart, honest, and packed with real perspective — this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

The Next Turn is back heading into the New Year with Valérie Grenier and Britt Richardson. Coming directly off solid results at Semmering, Austria, where the conditions were incredibly tough, the two Canadians talk through the challenges of that day. Val and Britt share their thoughts on where they feel they each are in the arcs of their respective careers, the parallels, the opportunities for improvement ahead, and managing the pressure and expectations in the build up to the Milan/Cortina Games.

This week on The Next Turn, Erika Pykäläinen of Finland joins us for a candid conversation about the challenges of an early start on the World Cup and the tough road to find success at the highest level of our sport. From technical cues to mental adjustments, coaches insights to personal ownership…no subject was off limits. Erika shows her grit, resilience, gratitude and humor in this very enjoyable chat.

Thea Louise Stjernesund and Mina Fürst Holtmann may share a nation, but their paths to the World Cup couldn’t be more different — one a child prodigy, the other a late bloomer. In this episode, they take us back to the beginning, sharing how they found ski racing, what hooked them, and what’s kept them in the sport. Recorded after Sölden and Levi and before Copper, Thea and Mina walk us through the early part of their season: what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what they’re carrying forward. They offer insight into their training habits, inspection style, and the unique communication-driven culture of the Norwegian team. They also open up about what they admire in each other’s skiing… and the card game they can’t get enough of, all provides for a lively, thoughtful conversation with two athletes on the rise.

Felix Monsén is currently the only Swede competing in World Cup speed — to keep his career on track without the funding of the Swedish Team, he founded the Speed Swedes, the platform for him to create his own team and to cover his own travel, accommodation, and training heading into the 2026 Cortina Olympic Games. In this episode, Felix explains what happened and how he suddenly faced the possibility of forced retirement. Despite near–career-ending injuries, Felix chose to keep going. He now races independently for Sweden with coach, manager and best friend Alex Koell at his side. This conversation might frustrate you, but it will also fire you up — because when everything fell away, the people who believed in his talent, along with his own belief in himself, kept him moving forward. Felix and Alex share what it really takes to run an independent World Cup speed team: the work, the travel, the finances, and the grit.