Gold medal for USA's Ted Ligety

By Published On: February 18th, 2011Comments Off on Gold medal for USA's Ted Ligety

ligetyPut on your dancing shoes America. Ted Ligety won the World Championship giant slalom.

For what is now officially the best giant slalom skier in the world it was business as usual. Ted “Shred” Ligety went about his job. He fed off the energy of the World Championships, listened to a detailed course report from Bode Miller, the fastest skier of the second run and then he executed, laying into his turns as only he can. And he continued to execute, turn after turn, coming away with a narrow .08 of a second gold medal margin over Frenchman Cyprien Richard. Austria’s Philipp Schoerghofer salvaged his nation’s pride with a strong bronze medal performance.

The day, and indeed the next two years, belong to Ligety who will add this gold medal to a collection of crystal globes from his two GS World Cup titles.

It took near perfect execution to pull off. Fourth after the first run ,Ligety said he wasn’t too concerned about a quarter of a second disadvantage. Although his three World Cup GS wins in December had  resulted from first run wins, that had not been common in past years when he had delivered wins by coming from behind. “It really doesn’t matter what position you’re in as long as you’re in touch.”

“Between runs we just talked fight, fight, fight,” said coach Sasha Rearick. “We’ve been here before, we know what we have to do. When we saw the course today we knew those were the type of turns where Ted can dominate. This course set suited dynamic skiers. He should win, he knows he should win and he’s a great skier, but to actually go out and execute on race day is a challenge. He is the best in the world when he can go clean and deep. The main thing was for him to trust himself and go as hard as he can.”

When he ran in the second heat he was looking at Richard with the lead, having come from further out with the second-fastest run of the second heat. Richard had been seventh, 0.71 out. After Richard ran Carlo Janka dumped all his speed leading into the flat and dropped back and Didier Cuche, skiing with his hand in a cast could not get into the fight, ran into some trouble on the steep and also dropped back. Ivica Kostelic, too, fought his way down the pitch to finish well back. Neither Schoerghofer, the first run runner-up, nor Aksel Svindal, the first run leader could match Richard.

“Drop your knee in and kill it. You’ve just got to work hard on that bottom Ted. Hammer,” was the tail end of a long and detailed course report from Miller. After a tough first run when he got behind the course above the pitch, Miller was nearly perfect in the second, but had left an impossible task of making up nearly two seconds. He got back enough to climb from 27th to 12th, but his role in this championship was not as the winner, rather as the teammate. The information he delivered helped Ted Ligety produce a world championship.

“It’s always nice because the coaches don’t really know what’s going on with the course until somebody runs it,” Ligety said. “Having Bode relay up is good because he obviously has a good feeling for the snow and he was the fastest guy in the run so he knew what to do. He got on the radio and told me that I had to push super hard, where I had to be tactical and where it was still clean enough to hammer.”

For Schoerghofer the result was important, for his nation even more so.
With just one previous medal for the Austrian men – in super G from
Hannes Reichelt – the medal was all but mandatory, but the team had
entered the race without Reichelt – injured in training – and Benjamin Raich
who has undergone surgery after a crash in the team event here.

Schoerghofer, in fact, might not have made the GS team had the team
remained healthy. He was supported by a huge fan club that took up a
section of the bleachers and was led my his mom and family and his
girlfriend’s family. “There were 120 people cheering,” he said smiling.
They are from many towns in the region and it is only a two and a half
hour drive.”

“I am extremely proud to have this medal for Austria and I am extremely proud for me.”

He said he did not watch Svindal’s run, knowing the six time World medalist stood a good chance to bump him off the podium.

“I didn’t ski good enough down the steep and out of there were some small mistakes,” said Svindal. “I didn’t carry the speed I had in the first run. I have the gold from the combined so that’s the way it is. As long as you are in the fight for medals, sometimes you are going to get them and some times not.”

Also missing the steps was Cuche who had told his doctors if he won a medal of any color he wouldn’t need anesthesia when they operate on the thumb he broke in training.

“No, it is not a disappointment,” he said. “My heart hurts because I know that was my last start in a World Championship. I won’t be in Schladming (2013).”

It is the fourth U.S. gold medal in GS, the first coming in 1982 from
Steve Mahre in a record setting U.S. showing in Schladming. The second
was a surprise from Diann Roffe in 1985 at Bormio and Bode Miller won
his at St Moritz in 2003. But this one, this gutsy, no nonsense effort
from Ligety has turned a disappointing World Championship into a
successful, joyful celebration for the USA.

Nothing left now but the dancing.

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Men’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 18, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Ligety, Head/Head/Head
2 Richard, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
3 Schoerghofer, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4 Svindal, Head/Head/Head
5 Jansrud, Head/Head/Head
6 Fanara, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
7 Janka, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
8 Cuche, Head/Head/Head
9 DeTessieres, Head/Head/Head
10 Sandell, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic

Men’s World Championship Giant Slalom, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 18, 2011. … It is the ninth of 11 scheduled events. … The fourth of five men’s races. … It is the 46th giant slalom held in World Championship competition.

It is the second career World Championship medal for Ted Ligety having previously won a bronze medal in GS at Val d’Isere in 2009. … He also owns an Olympic gold medal from combined in 2006. … It is his fourth win of the season – all in GS – including World Cup results.

It is the first medal and first World Championship result for Cyprien Richard as an individual, though he was a member of the gold medal French team earlier in this championship. … it is his third podium result of the season having won a World Cup GS at Adelboden and finishing second in GS at Alta Badia.

It is the first medal and second result at World Championships for Philipp Schoerghofer. … He was 14th in GS at Val d’Isere. … It is his second podium result of the season having won the Hinterstoder World Cup GS earlier this month.

Bode Miller matches his 12th best World Championship result. … It is the third time he has placed 12th in a World title meet race. … it matches his tenth best result of the season. … It is the third result of the season for Warner Nickerson. … his first in World Championship competition.
 
Medal Count
Austria     6 (3gold, 2silver, 1bronze)
Italy 5 (1gold, 2silver, 2bronze)
USA 3 (1gold, 2silver
France 3 (1gold, 1silver, 1bronze)
Slovenia 1 (1gold, 1silver)
Canada 1 (1gold)
Norway 1 (1gold)
Switzerland 1 (1silver)
Germany 2 (2bronze)
Sweden 1 (1bronze)
Croatia 1 (1bronze)

Images by Gepa

Place   Garmisch-Partenkirchen
(GER)
  Discipline   Giant Slalom
Date   18.02.2011   Category   FIS World Ski Championships
Race codex   0076   Gender   M
Valid for FIS Points   YES   TD Name   Stocker Rudolf (AUT)
       
  
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time FIS Points
 1  1  534562 LIGETY Ted  1984  USA   1:02.33  1:08.23  2:10.56  0.00
 2  3  191423 RICHARD Cyprien  1979  FRA   1:02.79  1:07.85  2:10.64  0.53
 3  5  51007 SCHOERGHOFER Philipp  1983  AUT   1:02.13  1:08.86  2:10.99  2.87
 4  2  421328 SVINDAL Aksel Lund  1982  NOR   1:02.08  1:08.97  2:11.05  3.27
 5  6  421483 JANSRUD Kjetil  1985  NOR   1:03.01  1:08.28  2:11.29  4.86
 6  14  191750 FANARA Thomas  1981  FRA   1:03.32  1:08.00  2:11.32  5.06
 7  4  511313 JANKA Carlo  1986  SUI   1:02.57  1:08.91  2:11.48  6.13
 8  11  510030 CUCHE Didier  1974  SUI   1:02.46  1:09.03  2:11.49  6.20
 9  8  191746 DE TESSIERES Gauthier  1981  FRA   1:02.86  1:08.64  2:11.50  6.26
 10  25  180534 SANDELL Marcus  1987  FIN   1:03.56  1:08.10  2:11.66  7.33
 11  13  51215 BAUMANN Romed  1986  AUT   1:03.72  1:08.05  2:11.77  8.06
 12  16  532431 MILLER Bode  1977  USA   1:04.01  1:07.82  2:11.83  8.46
 13  32  511896 MURISIER Justin  1992  SUI   1:03.90  1:08.00  2:11.90  8.93
 13  9  380260 KOSTELIC Ivica  1979  CRO   1:02.31  1:09.59  2:11.90  8.93
 15  27  202462 DOPFER Fritz  1987  GER   1:03.47  1:08.50  2:11.97  9.40
 16  22  421669 HAUGEN Leif Kristian  1987  NOR   1:03.55  1:08.51  2:12.06  10.00
 17  10  292491 MOELGG Manfred  1982  ITA   1:03.37  1:08.80  2:12.17  10.73
 18  20  501324 OLSSON Matts  1988  SWE   1:03.85  1:08.34  2:12.19  10.86
 19  17  150398 BANK Ondrej  1980  CZE   1:03.41  1:08.98  2:12.39  12.19
 20  12  292120 SIMONCELLI Davide  1979  ITA   1:03.72  1:08.79  2:12.51  12.99
 21  15  510997 BERTHOD Marc  1983  SUI   1:04.20  1:08.38  2:12.58  13.46
 22  30  53853 SIEBER Bjoern  1989  AUT   1:03.89  1:08.73  2:12.62  13.73
 23  23  50600 GOERGL Stephan  1978  AUT   1:03.91  1:08.74  2:12.65  13.93
 24  18  511352 VILETTA Sandro  1986  SUI   1:03.55  1:09.20  2:12.75  14.59
 25  19  420148 KARLSEN Truls Ove  1975  NOR   1:03.87  1:09.05  2:12.92  15.73
 26  38  561148 SKUBE Matic  1988  SLO   1:03.98  1:09.10  2:13.08  16.79
 27  36  180570 ROMAR Andreas  1989  FIN   1:04.10  1:09.07  2:13.17  17.39
 28  28  990048 BORSOTTI Giovanni  1990  ITA   1:04.49  1:08.83  2:13.32  18.39
 29  37  202437 LUITZ Stefan  1992  GER   1:03.68  1:09.68  2:13.36  18.66
 30  7  292000 BLARDONE Massimiliano  1979  ITA   1:04.43  1:09.19  2:13.62  20.39
 31  34  150644 KRYZL Krystof  1986  CZE   1:04.40  1:09.32  2:13.72  21.06
 32  35  180666 TORSTI Samu  1991  FIN   1:04.29  1:09.48  2:13.77  21.39
 33  24  192653 FREY Thomas  1984  FRA   1:03.75  1:10.10  2:13.85  21.92
 34  21  201702 NEUREUTHER Felix  1984  GER   1:04.45  1:09.48  2:13.93  22.46
 35  31  534038 NICKERSON Warner  1981  USA   1:04.85  1:09.91  2:14.76  27.99
 36  43  150834 ZIKA Adam  1989  CZE   1:04.65  1:10.25  2:14.90  28.92
 37  45  491151 DE LA CUESTA Paul  1988  SPA   1:04.60  1:10.31  2:14.91  28.99
 38  49  380292 ZRNCIC-DIM Natko  1986  CRO   1:05.19  1:10.29  2:15.48  32.78
 39  52  220689 RYDING David  1986  GBR   1:04.93  1:10.86  2:15.79  34.85
 40  46  20174 VIDOSA Roger  1984  AND   1:04.95  1:11.08  2:16.03  36.45
 41  50  700724 BABUSIAK Jaroslav  1984  SVK   1:05.41  1:11.44  2:16.85  41.91
 42  42  30149 SIMARI BIRKNER Cristian Javier  1980  ARG   1:05.97  1:11.17  2:17.14  43.85
 43  60  410270 CAFE Tim  1987  NZE   1:06.09  1:11.99  2:18.08  50.11
 44  53  370022 JENOT Olivier  1988  MON   1:06.81  1:11.41  2:18.22  51.04
 45  59  90131 GEORGIEV Georgi  1987  BUL   1:06.24  1:12.22  2:18.46  52.64
 46  66  680041 ABRAMASHVILI Iason  1988  GEO   1:05.97  1:12.58  2:18.55  53.24
 47  58  380318 BRIGOVIC Sebastian  1992  CRO   1:06.50  1:12.22  2:18.72  54.38
 48  71  350086 HEEB Simon  1991  LIE   1:06.92  1:13.03  2:19.95  62.57
 49  65  60088 VAN DEN BOGAERT Jeroen  1979  BEL   1:06.67  1:13.94  2:20.61  66.97
 50  64  680047 BENIAIDZE Alex  1991  GEO   1:08.27  1:12.65  2:20.92  69.03
 51  77  660021 DANILOCHKIN Yuri  1991  BLR   1:07.77  1:13.62  2:21.39  72.17
 52  73  670058 KOSHKIN Dmitriy  1986  KAZ   1:08.14  1:14.29  2:22.43  79.10
 53  56  480736 KHOROSHILOV Alexander  1984  RUS   1:05.34  1:28.40  2:33.74  154.46
Did not qualify for 2nd run
 54  74  550054 ZVEJNIEKS Kristaps  1992  LAT   1:08.28    1:08.28  
 55  48  302982 OHKOSHI Ryunosuke  1988  JPN   1:08.65    1:08.65  
 56  82  710311 RUDIC Marko  1990  BIH   1:08.72    1:08.72  
 57  81  170136 VIAL Christian  1984  DAN   1:08.89    1:08.89  
 58  76  750088 RISTEVSKI Antonio  1989  MKD   1:09.29    1:09.29  
 59  63  400237 MEINERS Maarten  1992  NED   1:11.31    1:11.31  
 60  90  950000 OETTL REYES Manfred  1993  PER   1:11.35    1:11.35  
 61  79  230192 TSAKNAKIS Alexandros  1986  GRE   1:11.47    1:11.47  
 62  89  280030 VANDEPUT Virgile  1994  ISR   1:11.52    1:11.52  
 63  87  240132 FARKAS Norbert  1992  HUN   1:13.09    1:13.09  
 64  91  570015 SCOTT Peter  1990  RSA   1:14.07    1:14.07  
 65  85  520082 TURKSEVER Erdinc  1985  TUR   1:14.21    1:14.21  
 66  80  120047 ZHANG Yuxin  1989  CHN   1:16.26    1:16.26  
 67  98  360034 GIRST Patrick  1989  LUX   1:16.80    1:16.80  
 68  94  270055 LYNE Conor  1993  IRE   1:16.87    1:16.87  
 69  96  340154 FENIANOS Tarek  1990  LIB   1:21.25    1:21.25  
Did not qualify for final race
 70  9  400163 ROOIJ VAN Joery  1986  NED   1:07.36  1:08.36  2:15.72  
 71  18  20267 ESTEVE RIGAIL Kevin  1989  AND   1:07.84  1:08.29  2:16.13  
 72  37  350095 PFIFFNER Marco  1994  LIE   1:08.38  1:09.03  2:17.41  
 73  26  110266 ANGUITA Martin  1991  CHI   1:08.55  1:08.91  2:17.46  
 74  42  110269 CARVALLO Nicolas  1991  CHI   1:08.65  1:09.43  2:18.08  
 75  43  260110 KIYA DARBANDSARI Mohammad  1989  IRA   1:08.71  1:09.48  2:18.19  
 76  41  750089 DEHARI Dardan  1990  MKD   1:08.35  1:10.21  2:18.56  
 77  23  460060 BARBU Alexandru  1987  ROU   1:09.52  1:09.11  2:18.63  
 78  30  700843 KUTLIK Matej  1991  SVK   1:09.03  1:09.98  2:19.01  
 79  61  670029 PIMENOV Taras  1984  KAZ   1:09.04  1:10.11  2:19.15  
 80  69  680045 VAKHTANGISHVILI Kote  1991  GEO   1:09.72  1:09.77  2:19.49  
 81  35  60015 MOLLIN Bart  1981  BEL   1:09.15  1:10.36  2:19.51  
 82  29  700879 ZAMPA Andreas  1993  SVK   1:09.72  1:09.93  2:19.65  
 83  54  860005 BRACHNER Patrick  1992  AZE   1:10.89  1:09.50  2:20.39  
 84  123  910003 LINDNER Georg  1983  MDA   1:10.21  1:10.19  2:20.40  
 85  74  680054 GEDEVANISHVILI Dimitri  1993  GEO   1:10.43  1:10.55  2:20.98  
 86  85  550038 DAUGULIS Kaspars  1989  LAT   1:10.82  1:10.61  2:21.43  
 87  71  690672 TELYCHUK Vasyl  1992  UKR   1:10.66  1:11.40  2:22.06  
 88  66  40474 POCCARD Marc  1989  AUS   1:10.24  1:12.05  2:22.29  
 89  62  260079 SAVEH SHEMSHAKI Hossein  1985  IRA   1:11.18  1:11.39  2:22.57  
 90  73  690086 FESHCHUK Rostyslav  1990  UKR   1:11.14  1:11.52  2:22.66  
 91  28  110294 ECHEVERRIA Jose Tomas  1992  CHI   1:10.71  1:12.14  2:22.85  
 92  58  250286 ASTVALDSSON Jon-Gauti  1991  ISL   1:11.28  1:11.73  2:23.01  
 93  89  520100 SIMSEK Emre  1987  TUR   1:10.75  1:12.52  2:23.27  
 94  68  240128 BUJTAS Csaba  1992  HUN   1:11.31  1:12.82  2:24.13  
 95  67  250259 GUDMUNDSSON Brynjar-Jokull  1989  ISL   1:11.30  1:13.19  2:24.49  
 96  87  550058 BRISHKA Roberts  1993  LAT   1:12.79  1:12.08  2:24.87  
 97  76  690067 DOLGYY Sergiy  1984  UKR   1:12.11  1:13.12  2:25.23  
 98  106  170114 STENE Nils-Henrik  1988  DAN   1:12.47  1:13.22  2:25.69  
 99  56  120035 LI Lei  1987  CHN   1:12.61  1:13.12  2:25.73  
 100  52  260084 TIR Omid  1984  IRA   1:12.67  1:13.47  2:26.14  
 101  70  240111 BENE Marton  1986  HUN   1:12.61  1:14.12  2:26.73  
 102  64  40543 BROWN Callum  1994  AUS   1:13.89  1:13.15  2:27.04  
 103  103  170126 MADSEN Nicolai  1991  DAN   1:13.36  1:14.34  2:27.70  
 104  92  660019 DUS Evgeny  1992  BLR   1:13.71  1:14.00  2:27.71  
 105  86  80068 GUGLIELMINI Fabio  1994  BRA   1:14.74  1:14.33  2:29.07  
 106  81  660015 MAZALEUSKI Siarhei  1992  BLR   1:12.86  1:17.31  2:30.17  
 106  77  80062 SETUBAL Paulo E.  1988  BRA   1:14.29  1:15.88  2:30.17  
 108  97  230353 KARAMANIDIS Chrysostomos  1990  GRE   1:16.45  1:14.92  2:31.37  
 109  101  740030 GHAZARYAN Arsen  1992  ARM   1:15.54  1:15.87  2:31.41  
 110  88  310403 MINIC Mladen  1993  MNE   1:15.45  1:16.17  2:31.62  
 111  104  270040 MC SHERA Shane  1990  IRE   1:15.22  1:18.02  2:33.24  
 112  111  770015 TIMOFEEV Evgeniy  1994  KGZ   1:16.98  1:17.05  2:34.03  
 113  94  210024 BABIKOV Dmitriy  1990  UZB   1:17.33  1:17.46  2:34.79  
 114  96  120037 TIAN Yuheng  1985  CHN   1:16.43  1:18.79  2:35.22  
 115  90  280027 BARNETZ Niv  1994  ISR   1:17.41  1:18.20  2:35.61  
 116  115  770006 BORISOV Igor  1965  KGZ   1:16.98  1:18.65  2:35.63  
 117  102  270045 MCKELVEY Nicholas  1991  IRE   1:16.95  1:19.23  2:36.18  
 118  108  740028 MANUKYAN Yura  1991  ARM   1:17.76  1:20.10  2:37.86  
 119  109  360035 TRIERWEILER Ben  1988  LUX   1:21.60  1:22.44  2:44.04  
 120  113  570018 SPEELMAN Sive  1995  RSA   1:20.19  1:24.55  2:44.74  
 121  118  570017 DYWILI Tsotane  1992  RSA   1:23.01  1:22.64  2:45.65  
 122  116  590033 MARQUES Joao-Miguel  1992  POR   1:31.55  1:26.62  2:58.17  
 123  114  740029 KHACHATRYAN Davit  1992  ARM   1:28.57  1:31.49  3:00.06  
 124  120  941000 NKRUMAH-ACHEAMPONG Kwame  1974  GHA   1:31.16  1:29.70  3:00.86  
 125  122  620058 THAKUR Rajat  1994  IND   1:32.51  1:32.63  3:05.14  
 126  117  590035 GONCALVES Jorge  1968  POR   1:30.99  1:35.44  3:06.43  
 127  119  921000 ROY Jean-Pierre  1963  HAI   1:36.51  1:34.07  3:10.58  
Disqualified 1st run
   95  740022 NERSISYAN Arsen  1987  ARM         
   47  700830 ZAMPA Adam  1990  SVK         
Did not start 2nd run
   61  430429 BYDLINSKI Maciej  1988  POL         
   54  220083 BAXTER Noel  1981  GBR         
   44  150495 VRABLIK Martin  1982  CZE         
   26  180251 PALANDER Kalle  1977  FIN         
Did not finish 2nd run
   51  220874 BALDWIN TJ  1990  GBR         
   33  910004 DEFLORIAN Mirko  1980  MDA         
   29  531799 FORD Tommy  1989  USA         
Did not finish 1st run
   97  160091 PAPAMICHAEL Constantinos  1993  CYP         
   93  770011 TRELEVSKI Dmitry  1983  KGZ         
   92  210032 VORONOV Artem  1993  UZB         
   88  310388 KOSIC Bojan  1990  MNE         
   86  690036 VAKHNENKO Igor  1981  UKR         
   84  780002 RUMIANCEV Vitalij  1985  LTU         
   83  250272 HALLDORSSON Gunnar-Thor  1990  ISL         
   78  110320 CLARO Eugenio  1993  CHI         
   75  80063 LONGHI Jhonatan  1988  BRA         
   72  350087 KINDLE Nicola  1991  LIE         
   70  460040 NAN Ioan-Gabriel  1980  ROU         
   69  40349 RISHWORTH Mike  1987  AUS         
   68  40332 STEVENS Hugh  1986  AUS         
   67  260097 SAVEH SHEMSHAKI Porya  1987  IRA         
   62  92534 CHONGAROV Nikola  1989  BUL         
   57  380298 SIROKI Tin  1987  CRO         
   55  30266 GASTALDI Sebastiano  1991  ARG         
   41  491129 TERRA Ferran  1987  SPA         
   40  410266 GRIFFIN Benjamin  1986  NZE         
   39  481006 ZUEV Stepan  1988  RUS         
Disqualified 2nd run in qualification race
   93  740022 NERSISYAN Arsen  1987  ARM         
Disqualified 1st run in qualification race
   105  210020 EGEMBERDIEV Safar  1986  UZB         
   40  750088 RISTEVSKI Antonio  1989  MKD         
Did not start 2nd run in qualification race
   112  540001 VON HOHENLOHE Hubertus  1959  MEX         
   27  30271 MURTAGH Rodrigo  1991  ARG         
Did not start 1st run in qualification race
   15  320244 KIM Woo-Sung  1986  KOR         
   12  320293 KYUNG Sung-Hyun  1990  KOR         
Did not finish 2nd run in qualification race
   121  170120 BRODERSEN Mathias  1990  DAN         
   100  570012 HEATH Alexander  1978  RSA         
   78  550049 BLUMS Kristaps  1992  LAT         
   75  240134 PETROVICS Daniel  1992  HUN         
   47  230192 TSAKNAKIS Alexandros  1986  GRE         
   44  30283 FREEMAN CRESPO Ignacio  1992  ARG         
   38  350088 OEHRI Josef  1991  LIE         
Did not finish 1st run in qualification race
   110  770004 TRELEVSKI Andrey  1979  KGZ         
   99  270053 LYONS Simon  1993  IRE         
   84  770011 TRELEVSKI Dmitry  1983  KGZ         
   82  570015 SCOTT Peter  1990  RSA         
   79  120048 HUANG Haibin  1990  CHN         
   59  250292 HALLDORSSON Sigurgeir  1991  ISL         
   53  250272 HALLDORSSON Gunnar-Thor  1990  ISL         
   50  430472 KLUSAK Michal  1990  POL         
   34  60160 ALAERTS Kai  1989  BEL         
   33  670058 KOSHKIN Dmitriy  1986  KAZ       

Share This Article

About the Author: Hank McKee

In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”