A Brit has revealed how returning to the slopes after more than three decades – and racing down the mountain at an ‘exhilarating’ speed – has left him ‘feeling 25’ again.
Julian Chisholm has always been a determined man; no matter his age, if he wants to do something, he takes action.
So it came as little surprise to his family and friends when, aged 78, he decided to get back into skiing.
Thankfully, his ski skills hadn’t fully disappeared.
‘It’s just ridiculous to think that you’re crumbling away because you’re getting older,’ Julian said.
‘If there’s something I want to do, nothing will stop me.
‘The essence of life is to keep doing what you love – if you get that slight itchy feeling, go for it. It’s a cliché but age really is just a number.’
The grandfather of two, who hails from Winchester, Hampshire, first hit the slopes as a teenager.
Julian Chisholm, 78, skiing at Whistler, after a 30-year hiatus from the snowy slopes
Julian skiing at Wengen in 1988 – more than 30 years ago
Then, in 1970, while studying in Vancouver, he regularly skied both Grouse Mountain and Whistler.
‘In the winter term, skiing was very much what we did,’ he says.
It wasn’t until 2022 – while visiting Vancouver, Canada, with his wife, Josephine – that Julian first started feeling that familiar ‘itch’ to return to skiing, after 30 years away from the slopes.
Although the couple didn’t ski during the trip, seeing the mountains in North Vancouver sparked memories of his student days.
He says: ‘When I returned with Josephine, I had my doubts about getting down the run and if it was a sensible idea.
‘At the time, I thought that I’d had my stint at the sport and now it was time to stop.
‘I took up swimming and other hobbies, but nothing compared to the satisfaction of being in the mountains, feeling that fresh snow on my face and heading down the slope.’
But that visit to Vancouver planted the seed, and Julian decided that if he was ever going to ski again, Whistler would be the only place he would do it, and only if his family came with him.
Julian (right) with a fellow skier at Whistler, enjoying his return to the sport
Julian (second from left) ready to ski with others in his group – all kitted out with the right gear
He continues: ‘I started to paint a picture in my head of racing down the slope – and suddenly I was doing it.
‘I was very uncertain about what was going to happen when I decided to try skiing again, but I knew I just had to get on with it.’
In 2024, Julian returned to the slopes at Whistler, alongside strong skiers from his family – and a 90-year-old instructor.
His first run, one that would once have taken him 20 minutes, took nearly two hours.
Julian says: ‘I kept falling over but then, suddenly, I got my ski legs back. As I went down the run, I remembered how good it felt.
‘I felt this wave of immediate satisfaction and exhilaration wash over me.’
Julian has since been back to the mountains again, with Crystal Ski Holidays, on a trip to Mayrhofen, Austria, and plans to do another skiing holiday in the next year or two.
He says returning to skiing has been one of the most rewarding decisions of his life, giving him the chance to rediscover a passion he thought he’d left behind and to create new memories with his family.
Julian, alongside his wife Josephine, centre, on a recent trip
Julian ready to ski at Whistler – showing that you can do anything, regardless of your age
He says: ‘You shouldn’t be afraid to go back to the beginning and start again if it gives you joy. Age is irrelevant providing you’re fit, so if you’ve got that little itch, follow it.’
Julian hopes his story can help to inspire people to get back skiing or doing whichever sport they enjoy regardless of their age.
It comes as new data by Crystal Ski Holidays reveals 78 per cent of Brits think about returning to their former hobbies – but many are afraid that they are ‘too old’.
And, to encourage former skiers to return to the slopes, the ski tour operator is launching a nationwide competition to find ‘Britain’s Rustiest Skier’.
The competition invites all former skiers – whether it’s been two or 20 years since they last hit the slopes – to share their story for a chance to win a £3,000 Crystal Ski Holidays voucher.
Entrants are asked to explain why they stopped skiing, what they miss about it and why they’re ready to make a comeback, with the winner set to reclaim their run in style.
The competition opens on Monday, February 2, 2026 and closes at 23.59 on February 28, 2026.
