In this episode of The PowHERful podcast AJ sits down with Olympic Great British free skier Zoe Atkin. The Stanford junior is at the top of the ski world as the 2024/2025 Crystal Globe winner but in this episode gets vulnerable about her relationship with fear and how sometimes it paralyzes her at the top but of the pipe. But through her studies, her experience, and her own drive to be the best in her process - she shares how she overcomes it and how it’s a trick we all can apply to whatever scares us. 

 

In this episode of The PowHERful podcast AJ sits down with Olympic Great British free skier Zoe Atkin. The Stanford junior is at the top of the ski world as the 2024/2025 Crystal Globe winner but in this episode gets vulnerable about her relationship with fear and how sometimes it paralyzes her at the top but of the pipe. But through her studies, her experience, and her own drive to be the best in her process - she shares how she overcomes it and how it&rsquo;s a trick we all can apply to whatever scares us.&nbsp;
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Welcome to The PowHERful Podcast where we introduce you to PowHERful women who are changing the game in and outside of their field of play. These are women’s stories of Olympians, extreme and outdoor athletes– women who happen to do things many of us can only dream of, but the lessons and inspiration they share is universal.

Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode of The PowHERful Podcast.

 

Welcome to The PowHERful Podcast where we introduce you to PowHERful women who are changing the game in and outside of their field of play. These are women&rsquo;s stories of Olympians, extreme and outdoor athletes&ndash; women who happen to do things many of us can only dream of, but the lessons and inspiration they share is universal.
Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode of The PowHERful Podcast.
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The PowHERful Podcast with AJ McCord

S2/E8: Zoe Atkin (GB Freestyle Skiing - Halfpipe)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1498ce24-d718-42fd-ab10-b2a40115c58f/transcript

FEAR | In this [BEST OF] Episode of The PowHERful Podcast, AJ McCord sits down with Olympic Great British free skier Zoe Atkin. The Stanford student is entering the 2026 Winter Olympics as one of the top contenders to bring home a gold medal in free ski halfpipe. In this episode she gets vulnerable about her relationship with fear and how one psychology class at Stanford changed the way she approached the fear that would sometimes leave her paralyzed at the top of the pipe. She takes us to school, sharing the ways she’s able to overcome and process it and, spoiler alert, they’re ways we took can tackle fear in our everyday lives.

 

For more on the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, follow @ThePowHERful on Instagram!

 

FEAR | In this [BEST OF] Episode of The PowHERful Podcast, AJ McCord sits down with Olympic Great British free skier Zoe Atkin. The Stanford student is entering the 2026 Winter Olympics as one of the top contenders to bring home a gold medal in free ski halfpipe. In this episode she gets vulnerable about her relationship with fear and how one psychology class at Stanford changed the way she approached the fear that would sometimes leave her paralyzed at the top of the pipe. She takes us to school, sharing the ways she&rsquo;s able to overcome and process it and, spoiler alert, they&rsquo;re ways we took can tackle fear in our everyday lives.
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For more on the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, follow @ThePowHERful on Instagram!
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(BEST OF) Zoe Atkin (GB Freestyle Skiing - Halfpipe)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/697a1e3f-7152-41e1-b26f-b3d300269e89/transcript

OPTIMISM | At first Anna Gibson thought the idea of joining Team USA’s ski mountaineering training camp was a bit ridiculous. She’s a professional trail and track runner, and diverting into ski mountaineering, a sport that will make its Olympic debut in Milan-Cortina, wasn’t in her 2025 plans. But then she asked the question ‘what if?’ and had the courage to look at the positive possibilities. Instead of focusing on what if it didn’t work out, she leaned into the belief that what if it did? The result: she’s an Olympian, and will represent Team USA in skimo in Italy. This episode is for anyone who’s also wondered ‘what if’ when considering a change, a career move, a new city, a new hobby, and shows what’s possible when you choose to chase it. 

 

For more on the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, follow @ThePowHERful on Instagram!

 

OPTIMISM | At first Anna Gibson thought the idea of joining Team USA&rsquo;s ski mountaineering training camp was a bit ridiculous. She&rsquo;s a professional trail and track runner, and diverting into ski mountaineering, a sport that will make its Olympic debut in Milan-Cortina, wasn&rsquo;t in her 2025 plans. But then she asked the question &lsquo;what if?&rsquo; and had the courage to look at the positive possibilities. Instead of focusing on what if it didn&rsquo;t work out, she leaned into the belief that what if it did? The result: she&rsquo;s an Olympian, and will represent Team USA in skimo in Italy. This episode is for anyone who&rsquo;s also wondered &lsquo;what if&rsquo; when considering a change, a career move, a new city, a new hobby, and shows what&rsquo;s possible when you choose to chase it.&nbsp;
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For more on the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, follow @ThePowHERful on Instagram!
&nbsp;

Anna Gibson (USA Skimo)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fe0d7ecb-993f-4b56-8654-b3d00151e267/transcript

As women’s sports continue to rise, women’s surfing isn’t just riding the wave — they’re leading it. Lakey Peterson, a veteran of the World Surf League Championship Tour, represents a pivotal generation of female trailblazers. She recalls a time when winning a contest earned her $15,000, while the male winner of the same event took home $100,000. Since then, she’s witnessed the league evolve, achieving equal prize money, combined tours, and better waves.

 

For Peterson, embracing these changes later in her career has been both a challenge and an opportunity. On this episode of the PowHERful Podcast, she shares how she’s adapted, where she draws the perseverance to keep pushing forward, and her vision for the future of women’s surfing.

 

As women&rsquo;s sports continue to rise, women&rsquo;s surfing isn&rsquo;t just riding the wave &mdash; they&rsquo;re leading it. Lakey Peterson, a veteran of the World Surf League Championship Tour, represents a pivotal generation of female trailblazers. She recalls a time when winning a contest earned her $15,000, while the male winner of the same event took home $100,000. Since then, she&rsquo;s witnessed the league evolve, achieving equal prize money, combined tours, and better waves.
&nbsp;
For Peterson, embracing these changes later in her career has been both a challenge and an opportunity. On this episode of the PowHERful Podcast, she shares how she&rsquo;s adapted, where she draws the perseverance to keep pushing forward, and her vision for the future of women&rsquo;s surfing.
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S3/E9: Lakey Peterson (Surfing)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8ad932f8-4f17-4ffe-a581-b345003bac87/transcript

S2/E8: Zoe Atkin (GB Freestyle Skiing - Halfpipe)

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