The second episode of the sports documentary shows Vltava Fund Ski Team athletes from behind the scenes and gives an insight into how Jan Šrail and Fabián Štoček work hard to reach their sporting goals. At the same time, they share their emotions, struggles, and love for the sport.

Of the two Czech Pro Team male athletes on the Vltava Fund Ski Team, Jan Šrail is the highest ranked in the Ski Classics Champion competition with his 28th place overall. With a solid performance in Ski Classics Season XIV, Jan’s results ranged from Marcialonga’s 48th to Grönklitt ITT’s 8th.

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In this episode of Ski Classics Ski or Die, you can listen to Jan Šrail describe his entire journey from a young age, when he started skiing, through a challenging period with bulimia, until he reached the top of the sport he loves so much. 

“I met my girlfriend when skiing, and I can travel around the World because of skiing. If I don’t do this sport, I will be only at home. Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Italy are really beautiful countries. The sport together with this travel is really nice,” says Jan Šrail and adds:

“Also, the community is really good. I think all the skiers are really good people.”

How about skiing? How did you become a skier?

“My father was also a skier, so I started when I was 4 or 5 years old. I started really, really early.” 

Struggle with bulimia

Unraveling the untold stories of resilience, passion, and the indomitable spirit of athletes like Jan Šrail, this episode delves into the deeply personal narrative of Jan’s ascent in the World of skiing – a journey marked not only by triumphs but also a challenging struggle with bulimia.  

“The skiing was hard for me until I was 15. I had a really hard time because, I can say everything, I was bulimic. I had a really bad two years because I was seeing professional athletes; they had 70kg, and I had 90kg. I was too big and then thought I needed to do something to be stronger and faster and not so big.” 

Disclaimer: Eating disorders and disordered eating behaviors carry significant health and medical risk. If you struggle with disordered eating behaviors and/or think you may be developing an eating disorder, it is important to seek medical help and get a professional assessment and diagnosis.

Calm after the storm

In his own words, Jan reflects on the challenges and triumphs that followed his challenging times:

“It was really hard, but at 17 years old, I was the Czech champion, and from this moment came some impulse that I wanted to do sports; I wanted to do something for my body, for my life, for this sport, and every year I got better and better. Then I went to the Falun World Championships, Winter Universiade, when I was third, and it was really good, and the sport makes me happy until now.” 

Vltava Fund Ski Team is like a family

Šrail’s sentiments capture the essence of the team spirit:

“This team is like a small family. We have really good service guys, really good manager and partners. They are really friendly and like this sport. It’s really good,” concludes Jan Šrail.

Stay tuned for the second episode of Ski Classics Ski or Die, to be released tomorrow, Friday, November 24, at 12:00 CET. It will take you behind the scenes with the Vltava Fund Ski Team.

Read More: Ski Classics Ski or Die: This Czech Pro Team continues the Ski Classics documentary series.

Ski Classics Ski or Die release dates

• November 17, 12:00 CET – Episode 1: Team Ragde Charge (WATCH HERE)
• November 24, 12:00 CET – Episode 2: Vltava Fund Ski Team
• December 1, 12:00 CET – Episode 3: Lager 157 Ski Team

Ski Classics Ski or Die – Part of the SC – The Ski Community

You can watch Ski Classics Ski or Die exclusively as a member of the SC – The Ski Community. A membership gives access to the streaming service SC Play, where you can watch the new documentaries and live-streamed events.

If you are an active skier, you can, as a member, also generate your global Ski Classics ranking, see your historical race results, and sign up for new events. Get the latest news in the ski world and full access to all content on ProXCskiing.com and its sister sites (Langd.se, Langrenn.com, Maastohiihto.com) – such as member articles, equipment tests, and training videos. 

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For more information about Ski Classics, please visit skiclassics.com.