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PODCAST

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan

Ashley Cain & Dani Aravich

Flame Bearers is a women"s sports storytelling studio. We tell stories via video production, podcasts, and live events and have supported just shy of 400 world-class athletes from 52 countries.In a landscape where 85% of coverage is dedicated to men and the remaining 15% often highlights a narrow segment of women athletes, we broaden the lens to highlight diverse voices. Why? Because we’re here to inspire the next generation of athletes, centering their stories on their terms. Our mission is to

sports personal journals

All Episodes

9:34

Polina Rozkova: We Made History

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/04/08

We’re taking a look at athletes who made it to Milan, starting with Polina Rozkova, a wheelchair curler representing Latvia, who won Latvia’s first-ever Winter Paralympic medal in Milano Cortina. In this episode of Made It To Milan, Polina Rozkova shares the intensity of that final battle, including equipment challenges with her wheelchair setup, a decisive shot against Italy where she displaced two stones, and how a mid-tournament adjustment from her coach changed everything. After a 12-hour

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17:46

María Martín-Granizo Ferreiro: Skiing Shows I Can Do...

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/04/01

In this episode of Making It To Milan, Ashley Cane sits down with Spanish Paralympic alpine skier and world champion parasurfer Maria Martín Granizo-Ferreiro. Representing Spain in alpine skiing, Maria shares how growing up in a ski-obsessed family shaped her path and how she became the first athlete with her disability to compete against able-bodied skiers in her region. She opens up about balancing elite alpine skiing with a world championship parasurfing career, navigating burnout, injury, and

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23:55

Brittany Hudak: Giving Myself Grace

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/03/25

In this episode of Making It To Milan, Dani Aravich chats with Brittany Hudak, a Canadian Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete representing Canada, as she prepares for her third Paralympic Games. A two-time Paralympic bronze medalist, Brittany reflects on discovering para sport at 18 after being recruited by a 10-time Paralympian in a Canadian Tire store, and how learning to ski later in life shaped her resilience. She opens up about qualifying for Sochi 2014 after just two years in the

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20:48

Polina Rozkova: Stay Calm and Don't Have a Cow

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/03/18

In this episode of Making It To Milan, co-host Dani Aravich speaks with Polina Rozkova, a Latvian Paralympian who competes in wheelchair fencing and wheelchair curling for Latvia. Polina Rozkova traces her athletic roots back to swimming at age three and shares how she discovered fencing during rehabilitation after her 2009 injury. She reflects on representing Latvia at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games and returning to the stage for Beijing 2022, detailing the pressure and pride of competing for her

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11:12

Aline Rocha: We Must Evolve

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/03/13

In this episode of Making It To Milan, co-host Ashley Cane speaks with Aline Rocha, a Brazilian Paralympian who competes in both the Winter and Summer Paralympic Games. Representing Brazil as a sitting skier in cross-country and biathlon, and as a wheelchair racer on the track, Aline is a soon-to-be five-time Paralympian. She reflects on beginning wheelchair racing in 2010 after being introduced to Paralympic sport by her husband and coach, Fernando, competing at Rio 2016, and becoming Brazil’s

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19:15

Natalie Wilkie: I Had Something to Prove

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/03/11

In this episode of Making It To Milan, co-host Dani Aravich sits down with Natalie Wilkie, a Canadian Paralympic cross-country skier and multi-time medalist representing Canada. Natalie shares how she first entered sport after losing her left hand in a childhood accident and how cross-country skiing became a space where she could compete at the highest level. She reflects on balancing expectations as a proven medal contender while continuing to evolve technically and physically within the sport

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21:12

Carina Edlinger: I’m the Master of Hardships

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/03/06

In this episode of Making It to Milan, Dani Aravich sits down with Carina Edlinger, a Paralympic biathlete representing the Czech Republic. A Paralympic champion and six-time world champion, Carina reflects on her journey from competing for Austria to changing nationality and navigating the complex approval process that now allows her to race biathlon, but not cross-country skiing, in Milano Cortina. She opens up about the mental toll of that decision, the challenge of forming a new relationship

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25:06

Brenna Huckaby: I Forge My Own Path

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/03/04

In this episode of Making It to Milan, co-host Dani Aravich sits down with Brenna Huckaby, a Paralympic snowboarder representing Team USA, to talk about her road to the Milano Cortina Paralympic Games. Brenna shares how she went from growing up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as a gymnast to being diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 14, undergoing an above-the-knee amputation, and discovering snowboarding on a rehabilitation ski trip in Utah. She opens up about moving across the country at 17 to pursue the

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17:51

Kristi Yamaguchi: Be a Champion in Life

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/02/25

Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi joins co-host Ashley Cain for a conversation on a historic career in figure skating, decades of preparation, and what it takes to stay in it through heartbreak and doubt. Kristi shares how she began skating through physical therapy as a child, and her journey balancing school, family and training to become the first-ever Asian American to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympic competition. Her former coach Christy Ness joins to reflect on Kristi's training and

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24:43

Liu Jaiyu: Find Your Own Soul

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/02/18

Liu Jiayu joins co-host Ashley Cain to talk through what it means to return for a fifth Olympic run in snowboard halfpipe for China after stepping away from the sport. Jiayu shares how retirement plans shifted toward a comeback, fueled by honest conversations with sponsors and encouragement from her godmother, plus a renewed focus on being “chilled” and present in Milan. She breaks down how she turns her brain on and off on the mountain, uses music and visualization before dropping in, and navigates

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19:15

Hannah Lim: Owning my Pride

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/02/13

Ice dancer Hannah Lim joins co-host Ashley Cain to talk about representing South Korea on the road to the 2026 Olympics in Milan. Hannah shares how she first stepped on the ice at four in Richmond Hill in Toronto, Ontario, skated in free skate until she was 14, then found her home in ice dance after trying the Argentine tango and leaning into the artistic side of skating. She explains how a club connection brought her to Montreal, where she teamed up with partner Ye, and why their disciplined

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20:57

Mia Clerc: Live Without Regrets

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/02/11

In this episode, Mia Clerc: Live Without Regrets, Mia (Madagascar, alpine skiing) looks ahead to Milano Cortina 2026 with a focus on patience, joy, and staying present. She shares with co-host Dani Aravich how returning from a 2021 injury reshaped her training mindset, and what it takes to keep confidence when pressure and performance anxiety hit. Mia also explains the reality of racing for a small nation, from limited equipment to piecing together support through family and sponsors, while still

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20:54

Amber Glenn: I’m Done Comparing Myself

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/02/06

In this episode, Amber Glenn: I’m Done Comparing Myself, Amber Glenn (United States, figure skating) speaks with co-host Ashley Cain on how she steadies herself for Milan by staying consistent, keeping doubts in their place, and focusing on the moment in front of her. She reflects on the pressure and expectations that come with being an Olympian, and why treating the Games like any other competition helps her skate with confidence. Amber also breaks down the craft of choosing music, balancing crowd

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24:00

Sabrina Simader: Opening the Closed Door

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/02/04

In this episode, Sabrina Simader: Opening the Closed Door, Sabrina Wanjiku Simader (Kenya, alpine skiing) reflects on the joy and pressure of carrying a first for her country, from becoming Kenya’s first woman Winter Olympian to racing in spaces where she rarely sees her nation represented. She shares how her stepdad’s ski lift first put her on the mountain, why her mom’s steady belief keeps her going, and what it takes to manage the “learning days” that never make the highlight reel. Sabrina opens

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21:50

Hilary Knight: There's a Place for Everyone in Sport

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/01/30

In this episode, Hilary Knight: There's a Place for Everyone in Sport, US ice hockey player Hilary Knight reflects with co-host Ashley Cain on a career defined by longevity, leadership, and change. She shares what it takes to stay patient across five Olympic cycles, the unseen sacrifices behind team success, and why winning gold is as much about collective trust as performance. Hilary also speaks candidly about coming out while competing at the highest level, the responsibility of visibility, and

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28:26

Olivia Smart: Believe in the Journey

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/01/28

In this episode, Olivia Smart: Believe in the Journey, Olivia Smart (Spain, ice dance) opens up about chasing her second Olympic Games with deeper gratitude after time away from competition. She breaks down the mental side of elite sport, from overthinking and “inner demons” to learning how to manage nerves that get louder the more you care. Olivia shares what it means to make history for Spanish ice dance, helping earn multiple Olympic spots for her country, and why competing at Europeans in her

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28:04

Julia Kern: Every Challenge is an Opportunity

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/01/21

In this episode, Julia Kern (cross-country skiing) shares what it takes to stay steady through five-month winters on the road, from finding joy in the routine to rolling with the punches when things go sideways. Co-host Dani Aravich connects the Olympic and Paralympic paths, reflecting on pressure, performance, and what it means to race on the same Italian courses two weeks apart. Doro Kern, Julia Kern’s mother, adds the long-view perspective on competition, resilience, and learning how to lose,

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24:23

Dani Aravich: No One Could Tell Me No

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2026/01/14

In our first episode, meet our incredible athlete co-hosts: Dani Aravich, a Paralympic biathlete and Nordic skier and the cofounder of Culxtured, and Ashley Cain, Olympian and 2X US Champion in pairs skating. Dani is also training for her 3rd Paralympics, and has a unique perspective on training for the Games while also working to uplift athletes’ stories. From her unconventional path from Division I running to parabiathlon and para Nordic skiing, Dani shares the challenges of mastering a highly

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17:25

Flame Bearers: Joy in Motion

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2025/12/17

After nearly 400 conversations with Olympians, Paralympians, and trailblazing women athletes from 55 countries, one thing is clear: no two stories are alike. Some athletes train with world-class facilities, others without basic equipment. Some are household names, others are fighting for visibility in sports you’ve never even seen on TV. And yet, across all these differences, certain themes echo again and again.That’s what this new Best Of series is all about: spotlighting both the range of

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18:08

Best Of: Maé Bérénice Méité

Flame Bearers: Making It To Milan ·

2025/12/10

After nearly 400 conversations with Olympians, Paralympians, and trailblazing women athletes from 55 countries, one thing is clear: no two stories are alike. Some athletes train with world-class facilities, others without basic equipment. Some are household names, others are fighting for visibility in sports you’ve never even seen on TV. And yet, across all these differences, certain themes echo again and again.That’s what this new Best Of series is all about: spotlighting both the range of

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177 results

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