Christopher Del Bosco
Encyclopedia
Christopher Del Bosco is an American-born, Canadian
freestyle skier
who currently resides in Sudbury, Ontario. Del Bosco is a member of the Canadian national ski cross team. He is the reigning FIS World Champion
in ski cross and has three medals from the Winter X Games, one of every colour. Del Bosco was a former United States national champion, prior to switching over to the Canadian team.
but was raised in Vail, Colorado. Prior to joining the Canadian freestyle ski team, he had problems with substance and alcohol abuse that had led to him being stripped of two US national titles, and at age 21 was discovered drunk in a ditch with a broken neck. His sister, Heather, convinced him to go into rehab. This saved him from going to jail for another year. After this he received an offer from the Canadian ski team who had heard about Del Bosco and his Canadian passport, as Del Bosco's father was Canadian. Del Bosco was offered a spot on the team despite the character risks he carried with him and Del Bosco then agreed to join the Canadians.
He went on from there and built on his success with the Canadian ski team. In 2006 at the Winter X-Games he won a bronze medal in the ski-cross event. During the 2009–10 Freestyle Skiing World Cup he won two world cup events, one on the Alpe D'Huez
and in Lake Placid
. Del Bosco ended the season second overall on the World Cup rankings.
At the 2010 Winter X Games
Del Bosco attended as a warm up to the Olympics. There he won gold in the ski cross final, leading a Canadian sweep of the medals with Dave Duncan
and Brady Leman. This was the first time that the medals have been swept in a round other than by US athletes
.
Del Bosco was a member of the Canadian team going to the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver. He made the men's ski cross final
, and was in strong position to win a bronze medal, but fell shortly before the finish line. After the race at a press conference Del Bosco had said that “Third, I guess it’s all right for some people, but I wanted to give 100% for my sport, my country.”
After his disappointing Olympics Del Bosco had surgery in May 2010. During the next season he achieved success at the Winter X Games
when he won the silver medal in ski cross. Del Bosco then went on to the 2011 World Championships
where he won his first World Championship. Del Bosco said of his victory that "This is a really special title to have, you only get the chance once every two years. I had some tough luck at the last world championships in Japan and then (last year's) Olympics, I was fourth in both of those events. I was kind of starting to wonder about these big events and I guess the third time is the charm. I managed to get it done this time."
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
freestyle skier
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
who currently resides in Sudbury, Ontario. Del Bosco is a member of the Canadian national ski cross team. He is the reigning FIS World Champion
FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships
The FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships is the world championship organized by the FIS for Freestyle Skiing. It was first organized in 1986 and is now held every odd year. Currently, the events included in the world championships are Moguls, Dual Moguls, Aerials, Ski cross, Slopestyle and Half-pipe...
in ski cross and has three medals from the Winter X Games, one of every colour. Del Bosco was a former United States national champion, prior to switching over to the Canadian team.
Career
Del Bosco was born in Colorado Springs, ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
but was raised in Vail, Colorado. Prior to joining the Canadian freestyle ski team, he had problems with substance and alcohol abuse that had led to him being stripped of two US national titles, and at age 21 was discovered drunk in a ditch with a broken neck. His sister, Heather, convinced him to go into rehab. This saved him from going to jail for another year. After this he received an offer from the Canadian ski team who had heard about Del Bosco and his Canadian passport, as Del Bosco's father was Canadian. Del Bosco was offered a spot on the team despite the character risks he carried with him and Del Bosco then agreed to join the Canadians.
He went on from there and built on his success with the Canadian ski team. In 2006 at the Winter X-Games he won a bronze medal in the ski-cross event. During the 2009–10 Freestyle Skiing World Cup he won two world cup events, one on the Alpe D'Huez
Alpe d'Huez
L'Alpe d'Huez is a ski resort at . It is a mountain pasture in the Central French Alps, in the commune of Huez, in the Isère département in the Rhône-Alpes region.-Tour de France:L'Alpe d'Huez is one of the main mountains in the Tour de France...
and in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
. Del Bosco ended the season second overall on the World Cup rankings.
At the 2010 Winter X Games
Winter X Games XIV
Winter X Games XIV were held from January 28 to January 31, 2010, in Aspen, Colorado. They were the 9th consecutive Winter X Games to be held in Aspen...
Del Bosco attended as a warm up to the Olympics. There he won gold in the ski cross final, leading a Canadian sweep of the medals with Dave Duncan
David Duncan (ski cross)
David Duncan is a World Cup freestyle skier. Duncan currently resides in Golden, British Columbia and is a member of the Canadian National Ski Cross Team....
and Brady Leman. This was the first time that the medals have been swept in a round other than by US athletes
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
.
Del Bosco was a member of the Canadian team going to the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver. He made the men's ski cross final
Freestyle skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's ski cross
The men's ski cross event in freestyle skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, took place on 21 February at the Cypress Bowl Ski Area in the Cypress Provincial Park, West Vancouver.-Qualification:-1/8 Round:...
, and was in strong position to win a bronze medal, but fell shortly before the finish line. After the race at a press conference Del Bosco had said that “Third, I guess it’s all right for some people, but I wanted to give 100% for my sport, my country.”
After his disappointing Olympics Del Bosco had surgery in May 2010. During the next season he achieved success at the Winter X Games
Winter X Games XIV
Winter X Games XIV were held from January 28 to January 31, 2010, in Aspen, Colorado. They were the 9th consecutive Winter X Games to be held in Aspen...
when he won the silver medal in ski cross. Del Bosco then went on to the 2011 World Championships
FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships 2011
The 2011 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships were held at Deer Valley Resort, together with Park City Mountain Resort. The 2011 FIS Freestyle World Championships took place from January 30 until February 7, 2011, and included aerials, moguls, dual moguls and ski cross competitions at Deer Valley...
where he won his first World Championship. Del Bosco said of his victory that "This is a really special title to have, you only get the chance once every two years. I had some tough luck at the last world championships in Japan and then (last year's) Olympics, I was fourth in both of those events. I was kind of starting to wonder about these big events and I guess the third time is the charm. I managed to get it done this time."