We're traveling back in time to the Cortina 1956 Winter Olympics to hear all about the bobsled (or bobsleigh) competition. These Games saw some big changes: New rules about weight and new types of sleds. Cortina 1956 was the first Olympics for Italian Eugenio Monti, whose results put him on the road to becoming a local hero and one of the best bobsled drivers of all time.

Bobsled also featured some sibling rivalry, royalty and the last American medal before a decades-long dry spell. Weather impacted the bobsledders in a bad way. Did Mother Nature have something against the Swiss? Come along on a wild ride through the icy bobsled track of Cortina.

Thank you to our ongoing contributors and patrons! This show thrives because of our listeners. Want to give back? Learn more here.

For a transcript and complete list of sources used in this episode, visit: https://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Games History Moment with hosts Jill Jaracz & Alison Brown is released monthly. In 2026, these episodes explore the 7th Winter Olympic Games at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy in 1956. Look for our regular episodes every week, with daily editions during the Olympics and Paralympics.

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Paralympic silver medalist Jenny Sichel joins us to talk all things coxswain: What the position does, how vital they are to the success of the boat, and what they carry in their coxswain bag.

Jenny has competed as a coxswain in both able-bodied and para rowing. We talk with her about how she got into coxing and discovered para rowing. Plus, we talk about her Paralympic experiences at Rio 2016 and the heartbreaking circumstances around the boat's silver medal.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thank you to our ongoing contributors and patrons! This show thrives because of our listeners. Want to give back? Learn more here.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of Jenny Sichel.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

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In our year-long look back at the Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Winter Olympics, we take to the slopes of the Tofane in the Dolomites to explore the Alpine skiing competition. With three events for men and women alike, athletes thrilled spectators on the slopes.

The clear hero of Alpine skiing--and of these Olympics--was Austrian Toni Sailor. Hear how experts discounted his talents and how he almost didn't make a competition. On the women's side, hear how a pharmacy student surprised everyone in the slalom. Plus, Japan wins its first-ever Winter Olympic medal. Find out who raced to national glory and made the podium!

All this, plus more amazing stories from the seventh Winter Olympic Games.

For a transcript and complete list of sources used in this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons via Picryl. Public Domain.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

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The U.S. Center for SafeSport was created in 2017 by the U.S. Congress in the wake of the Larry Nasser scandal to address abuse and misconduct in American Olympic and Paralympic sports. On this episode, we talk with Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, who became the organization's new chief executive officer in February 2026.

Benita is an Olympic champion herself, winning gold in 1984 in the 100 meter hurdles. She's also a mother of children who have their own competitive athletic journeys. These experiences combine to give her insight as to how to lead an organization whose mission is to protect young athletes.

Our conversation, which took place during her first week on the job, gets into the differences of the inappropriate behavior she saw during her time as an athlete, the measures the U.S. Center for SafeSport is taking today, and her hopes for what the center can achieve in the future.

Also on this episode, Alison reviews her experience at Stars on Ice, which includes insight on how influential Alysa Liu has become in our culture.

Plus, there are rumors that the International Olympic Committee has said game over to esports and has thoughts about the sports programs for French Alps 2030 and Brisbane 2032.

2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Montreal 1976 Summer Olympics. All year long, cultural institutions and the Olympic Park will have events to celebrate these Games. The fun will culminate in a big 50th anniversary celebration on August 1.

Find out what's going on here: https://montrealolympique.ca/en/

The best event will be The Great Nadia Gathering in honor of the impact Nadia Comaneci had on baby names. If you're a Nadia of a certain age (born 1976-1978), this contest is for you:

https://montrealolympique.ca/en/events/the-great-nadia-gathering-contest/

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of U.S. Center for SafeSport.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

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To be a spectator at the LA28 Olympics, you can buy tickets directly from the Organizing Committee, or you can book a hospitality package through On Location, the Games' official hospitality provider. Paul Caine, president of On Location joins us to talk all things Olympic hospitality, from how the company did at Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026, to what they're planning for once-in-a-lifetime experiences related to the LA 2028 Olympics.

Find out more about LA28 packages at https://hospitality.la28.org/. Learn more about On Location and its other events (they're gearing up for World Cup) at https://onlocationexp.com/.

Going to the Paralympics? Don't worry - there will be hospitality packages for the Paralympics too - more info will be released in the future.

We have a ton of Games News to share - from an Olympic trials pool up for sale to Milano Cortina's instant budget shortfalls and legacy issues. For you that means the slidingnovela is back! We have the information we most definitely are not shocked to hear.

LA28 has announced that ticket drop #2 will take place in August. If you haven't signed up for the ticket lottery, do so here: https://tickets.la28.org/

What's the likelihood of snagging some $28 tickets? We've got some interesting stats from the first ticket drop that may surprise you.

Plus, French Alps 2030 is having trouble finding a place to hold the ice hockey tournament, but never fear, Paris and Lyon would like to step up and host those events.

Also, the World Games 2029 sport program is out, and it's a doozy!

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of On Location.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

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While we still have Winter Olympics and Paralympics on the brain, we take a look at what's going on with Utah 2034 with Catherine Raney-Norman, Utah 2034's vice president development and athlete relations. Catherine is a 4x Olympic speed skater who transitioned into development work after retiring from competition.

Given that Utah 2034 can't go after sponsorship deals until after LA28, it has created an innovative funding program called Podium 34. For the first time in Olympic history, private donors are stepping up to help fund the Games.

Catherine talks about the program and how it's changing Games funding for the future.

To learn more about Podium 34, visit: http://utah2034.org/podium34/

In LA28 news, Santa Monica is making plans to host a Nations Village during the Games. Also, if your event tickets take you to a venue at USC, you may want to build in some travel time.

Plus, if you're in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, this summer, check out the Tread of Pioneers Museum's free weekly Olympic Heritage tour! Olympian Ben Berend will lead this series, which runs from June 2 through Sept. 9. Find out more at the museum's website.

For a transcript of this episode, please visit http://flamealivepod.com.

Thanks so much for listening, and until next time, keep the flame alive!

Photo courtesy of Utah 2034.

***

Keep the Flame Alive: Obsessed with the Olympics and Paralympics? Just curious about how Olympic and Paralympic sports work? You've found your people! Join your hosts, Olympic aunties Alison Brown and Jill Jaracz for smart, fun, and down-to-earth interviews with athletes coaches, and the unsung heroes behind the Games. Get the stories you don't find anywhere else. Tun in weekly all year-round, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics. We're your cure for your Olympic Fever! Call us: (208) FLAME-IT.

***

Support the show: http://flamealivepod.com/support

Bookshop.org store: https://bookshop.org/shop/flamealivepod

Become a patron and get bonus content: http://www.patreon.com/flamealivepod

Buy merch here: https://flamealivepod.dashery.com

Hang out with us online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flamealivepod

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Facebook Group: hhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/flamealivepod

Newsletter: Sign up at https://flamealivepod.substack.com/subscribe

VM/Text: (208) FLAME-IT / (208) 352-6348