Charley French Interview - a podcast by Ian Harvey

I have a huge treat for you today. You know those “most interesting man in the world” advertisements that the beer brand Dos Equis does? OK, I have a true candidate for this title. Anyone who races the Boulder Mountain Tour, Yellowstone Rendezvous, or World Masters knows or knows of Charley French. This is one of the most inspirational and interesting people that I know. Listeners, you don’t want to miss this story!

Charley is currently 94 years old. He started Nordic skiing around 1975 when he was about 49 years old. Since then, Charley has participated in 45 Boulder Mountain Tour Nordic ski races. He dominates any age group competition that he competes in and has for many years. The includes at both the national and international level having had won as many world masters titles as he wants to compete in at both Nordic skiing and triathlon and anything else he wants to win. I guess he has 5 World titles in triathlon, 12 in Nordic skiing, and has national cycling time trial age group records as well as Ironman triathlon records. Basically, this man wins anything and everything that he wants to. In his 90s, he still races annually in the Boulder Mountain Tour and the Bogus Basin Hill Climb, a famously difficult road bike race up a mountain above Boise, Idaho. After competing in age groups younger than his in international masters competitions (and winning regularly), they finally created a 90+ age group for him which in itself is amazing.

Charley is also a famous personality, innovator for Scott USA, and has lived an amazing life. For example, he made the revolutionary areo bars that Greg Lemond won the 1989 Tour de France with in such legendary fashion. 

Further episodes of All About Ski Preparation

Further podcasts by Ian Harvey

Website of Ian Harvey