Today on The Gist, a look at ski racing’s uphill battle for relevancy and safety. We talk with Nathaniel Vinton, author of The Fall Line: How American Ski Racers Conquered a Sport on the Edge. Plus, political writer Harry Enten from FiveThirtyEight goes down the list of likely Republican presidential candidates and identifies their political kryptonite. For the Spiel, we play a round of “What The Hell Is That Beverage?” with Slate’s L.V. Anderson, and Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker. Today’s sponsors: Harry’s, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. And by Automatic, the connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone. Save 20% with free shipping and a 45-day return policy when you go to automatic.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus

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