A 78-year-old grandfather from Winchester has described the 'exhilaration' of returning to skiing after a break of more than three decades, saying it made him feel '25 again'. Julian Chisholm first took to the slopes as a teenager and was a regular skier while studying in Vancouver in the 1970s, but he had not skied for 30 years.
His desire to ski again was sparked during a trip to Vancouver with his wife, Josephine, in 2022. Although they did not ski, seeing the mountains of North Vancouver revived memories of his student days. 'I decided that if I was ever going to ski again, it would have to be at Whistler,' he said.
In 2024, Julian returned to Whistler with family. His first run, which once took 20 minutes, took nearly two hours. 'I had my doubts about getting down the run and if it was a sensible idea,' he said. 'But then I started to paint a picture in my head of racing down the slope – and suddenly I was doing it. I felt this wave of immediate satisfaction and exhilaration wash over me.'
The story comes as research from Crystal Ski Holidays reveals that 78% of Brits think about revisiting old hobbies, but many are put off by age. The company is launching a competition to find 'Britain's Rustiest Skier', offering a £3,000 voucher. Entries open from 2 February 2026.
Julian, who has since skied in Mayrhofen, Austria, encourages others to follow their passions. 'You shouldn't be afraid to go back to the beginning and start again if it gives you joy,' he said. 'Age is irrelevant providing you're fit, so if you've got that little itch, follow it.'
