Ted Ligety
Encyclopedia
Theodore Sharp "Ted" Ligety (born August 31, 1984, in Salt Lake City
, Utah
) is a champion alpine ski racer
from the United States. He was the 2006 Olympic
gold medalist in combined
and the three-time World Cup champion in giant slalom
(2008
, 2010
and 2011
). Ligety won the gold medal in the giant slalom at the 2011 World Championships
. Through March 6, 2011, he has eight victories (all in giant slalom), 25 podiums, and 68 top-ten finishes in World Cup competition.
, Utah
, Ligety began skiing at two and racing at ten. He attended The Winter Sports School
and graduated in 2002. He was named to the U.S. Skiing Development Team and won a silver medal in slalom in the Junior World Cup in 2004. He made his first start in a World Cup event during the 2004 World Cup
season in the giant slalom at Park City, and he was added to the U.S. Ski Team
full-time in the 2005 season
, during which he had four top-15 finishes in slalom, placing 24th overall in the discipline.
, at Beaver Creek
in December, and followed that up with a second and a third during the next three slaloms. Ligety's first major victory of his professional career came at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, held at Sestriere
. Ligety won the gold medal in the men's combined
event, a major upset after the two racers favored to win the event failed to finish the slalom portion. At age 21, he became the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing
in a dozen years, since Tommy Moe
won the downhill at the 1994 Winter Olympics
in Lillehammer
, Norway
. Ligety also became just the fourth American male skier to win Olympic gold, along with Moe, Phil Mahre
(slalom, 1984) and Bill Johnson
(downhill, 1984). At Turin, Ligety also participated in the giant slalom
and the slalom
, but he failed to complete either event. Following his Olympic victory in the combined, Ligety recorded his first World Cup
victory, a win in the giant slalom in Yongpyeong
, South Korea
. He finished ninth in the overall World Cup standings for the year, marking the first time that three American men had placed in the top 10 (along with Bode Miller
in third and Daron Rahlves
in fourth), despite the fact that he did not compete in downhill or Super G that year.
to Rossignol
. With Rahlves' retirement, Ligety began to compete in all five events. However, he managed only two podium finishes during the season, a second in slalom and a third in giant slalom. Disappointingly, he had three fourth place finishes, one in giant slalom, one in super combined, and one in the World Cup finals downhill, as well as a fourth place finish in the giant slalom
at the 2007 World Championships in Åre, Sweden
, missing a medal by 0.07 seconds. He finished eleventh overall in 2007
.
season title in the giant slalom
in 2008
, and finished fifth in the overall standings. He won the final two giant slaloms of the year at Kranjska Gora
and Bormio
to edge out two-time defending champion Benjamin Raich
of Austria
for the season title. He also recorded four other podium finishes: a second and a third in giant slalom and two third places in slalom. In addition to his title, Ligety ranked seventh in combined and ninth in slalom.
, Austria
, and then placed second at Beaver Creek
, Colorado
. At the 2009 World Championships in Val d'Isère
, France
, Ligety took the bronze medal in the giant slalom, then won his fourth World Cup race at Kranjska Gora
. He finished the season with another second at the finals in Åre, Sweden
, which left him ranked third in GS and ninth overall for the season.
in as many seasons. At the finals in Garmisch
, Germany
, he finished on the podium to secure his second season title in giant slalom, and finished seventh in the overall standings.
At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
at Whistler, he finished ninth in the giant slalom
and fifth in the super-combined
; he was fifteenth in the downhill portion and first in the one slalom run to finish a half-second out of the medals.
skis, Ligety switched his equipment supplier to Head
in the summer of 2010, as fellow American champions Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller
did in previous seasons. Ligety won his sixth World Cup race in December 2010, his first win on home snow in the U.S., taking the giant slalom by a substantial 0.82 seconds at Beaver Creek
, Colorado
, the site of his first podium five years earlier. It was the first World Cup victory in the U.S. (and North America
) by an American male in four years; the last was by Bode Miller in the downhill at Beaver Creek in December 2006
. Six days later, Ligety won the next GS race in Val d'Isère
, France
, by over a full second. He won his third consecutive GS race at Alta Badia
, Italy
, the following week.
In February he won his first world championship, taking gold in the giant slalom
at the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
, Germany
. Fourth after the first run, Ligety won by 0.08 seconds over Cyprien Richard
of France.
and Tiger Shaw.
Following his Olympic gold medal at Turin, he started Shred Optics in 2006; Ligety designs all the products and uses them himself.
The company produces ski goggles, sunglasses
, and helmets.
Ligety served as the Director of Skiing for the now-bankrupt Mt. Holly Club, a private luxury ski and golf resort in southwestern Utah.
It is located in eastern Beaver County
, on the site of the former Elk Meadows ski area (1971–84).
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
) is a champion alpine ski racer
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
from the United States. He was the 2006 Olympic
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events, held at Sestriere and Cesana-San Sicario, Italy. The races were held from February 12-25, 2006.-Medal table:- Men's events :- Women's events :-Course Information:...
gold medalist in combined
Alpine skiing combined
Combined is an alpine skiing event. Although not technically a discipline of its own, it is sometimes referred to as a fifth alpine discipline, along with downhill, super G, giant slalom, and slalom.-Traditional & Super-Combined:...
and the three-time World Cup champion in giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
(2008
2008 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy....
, 2010
2010 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 44th World Cup season began on October 24, 2009, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on March 14, 2010, at the World Cup finals in Garmisch, Germany....
and 2011
2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February...
). Ligety won the gold medal in the giant slalom at the 2011 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011 – Men's giant slalom
Complete results for Men's Giant Slalom competition at the 2011 World Championships. It ran on February 18 at 10:00 local time and 13:30 local time , the ninth race of the championships. 123 athletes from 51 countries competed in the qualification race on February 17.- Qualification :- Race :...
. Through March 6, 2011, he has eight victories (all in giant slalom), 25 podiums, and 68 top-ten finishes in World Cup competition.
Career
Growing up in Park CityPark City Mountain Resort
Park City Mountain Resort is a ski resort in Park City, Utah, located east of Salt Lake City. The resort has been a major tourist attraction for skiers from all over the United States, as well as a main employer for many of Park City's citizens. Park City, as the resort is often called by locals,...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Ligety began skiing at two and racing at ten. He attended The Winter Sports School
The Winter Sports School in Park City
The Winter Sports School in Park City is a college preparatory school, with students from 9th through 12th grades, located in Park City, Utah.-General information:...
and graduated in 2002. He was named to the U.S. Skiing Development Team and won a silver medal in slalom in the Junior World Cup in 2004. He made his first start in a World Cup event during the 2004 World Cup
2004 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 38th World Cup season began in October 2003 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded at the World Cup finals in Sestriere, Italy, in March 2004. Sestriere would host the alpine skiing events at the 2006 Winter Olympics....
season in the giant slalom at Park City, and he was added to the U.S. Ski Team
United States Ski Team
The United States Ski Team, operated under the auspices of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association , develops and supports men's and women's athletes in the sports of alpine skiing, adaptive alpine, freestyle skiing, cross country, adaptive cross country, ski jumping, and nordic combined....
full-time in the 2005 season
2005 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 39th World Cup season began in October 2004 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in March 2005 at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. The overall winners were Bode Miller of the U.S. and Anja Pärson of Sweden....
, during which he had four top-15 finishes in slalom, placing 24th overall in the discipline.
2006 Season
Ligety recorded his first World Cup podium finish in the first slalom of the season2006 Alpine Skiing World Cup - Men's Slalom
Men's Slalom World Cup 2005/2006-Calendar:-Final point standings:In Men's Slalom World Cup 2005/06 all results count.Note:In the last race only the best racers were allowed to compete and only the best 15 finishers were awarded with points....
, at Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek Resort
Beaver Creek Resort is a major United States ski resort near Avon, Colorado, run by Vail Resorts. The resort comprises three villages, the main Beaver Creek Village, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead to the west...
in December, and followed that up with a second and a third during the next three slaloms. Ligety's first major victory of his professional career came at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events, held at Sestriere and Cesana-San Sicario, Italy. The races were held from February 12-25, 2006.-Medal table:- Men's events :- Women's events :-Course Information:...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, held at Sestriere
Sestriere
Sestriere is an alpine village in Italy, a comune of the Province of Turin. It is from the French border. Its name derives from Latin: ad petram sistrariam, that is at sixty Roman miles from Turin....
. Ligety won the gold medal in the men's combined
Alpine skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics - Men's Combined
The men's combined was held on Tuesday, 14 February, two days after the downhill. The combined competition, as the name suggests, is a combination where the times in the downhill racing and the slalom events are added. One run of downhill and two runs of slalom are used to determine overall ranking...
event, a major upset after the two racers favored to win the event failed to finish the slalom portion. At age 21, he became the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
in a dozen years, since Tommy Moe
Tommy Moe
Tommy Moe is a former alpine ski racer. He is now retired from international competition and lives in Wilson, Wyoming...
won the downhill at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1994 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events held near Lillehammer, Norway. The speed events were held at Kvitfjell and the technical events at Hafjell, from February 13-27, 1994.-Downhill:February 13, 1994-Super G:February 17, 1994...
in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Ligety also became just the fourth American male skier to win Olympic gold, along with Moe, Phil Mahre
Phil Mahre
Philip Mahre is a former champion alpine ski racer, widely regarded as one of the greatest American skiers of all time...
(slalom, 1984) and Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson (skier)
William Dean "Bill" Johnson is a former alpine ski racer with the U.S. Ski Team. He was the first American male to win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing, winning the downhill at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Bill has 2 sons, named Tyler and Nick...
(downhill, 1984). At Turin, Ligety also participated in the giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
and the slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
, but he failed to complete either event. Following his Olympic victory in the combined, Ligety recorded his first World Cup
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
victory, a win in the giant slalom in Yongpyeong
Yongpyeong
Yongpyong Ski Resort is a ski resort located in Daegwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do of South Korea. As well as skiing facilities, the resort offers golf in the summer months.The ski season runs from November to early April...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. He finished ninth in the overall World Cup standings for the year, marking the first time that three American men had placed in the top 10 (along with Bode Miller
Bode Miller
Samuel Bode Miller is an American alpine ski racer. He is an Olympic and World Championship gold medalist, a two-time overall World Cup champion in 2005 and 2008, and is generally considered the greatest American alpine skier of all time...
in third and Daron Rahlves
Daron Rahlves
Daron Louis Rahlves is an American freestyle skier and a former alpine ski racer. Raised in northern California, he attended the Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont and currently resides in Truckee, California...
in fourth), despite the fact that he did not compete in downhill or Super G that year.
2007 season
In the summer of 2006, Ligety changed his ski supplier from VölklVölkl
Völkl is a sports equipment manufacturer based in Germany. It is a subsidiary of the Jarden Corporation. Initially it manufactured skis, but has extended its line to snowboards, outerwear, and tennis gear...
to Rossignol
Skis Rossignol
Skis Rossignol S.A., or simply Rossignol, is a French manufacturer of alpine, snowboard, and Nordic equipment, as well as related outerwear and accessories, located in Isère, France. Rossignol was one of the first companies to produce plastic skis. The company also owns the brand Dynastar as well...
. With Rahlves' retirement, Ligety began to compete in all five events. However, he managed only two podium finishes during the season, a second in slalom and a third in giant slalom. Disappointingly, he had three fourth place finishes, one in giant slalom, one in super combined, and one in the World Cup finals downhill, as well as a fourth place finish in the giant slalom
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2007 - Men's Giant Slalom
Event: Giant slalom MenDate: February 14, 20071st Run Start Time: 10:00 CET2nd Run Start Time: 13:00 CET- Results :...
at the 2007 World Championships in Åre, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, missing a medal by 0.07 seconds. He finished eleventh overall in 2007
2007 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 41st World Cup season was scheduled to begin on October 28, 2006, but cancellation of the opening races in Sölden delayed the season's start by two weeks. A very poor snowpack in the Alps, along with stormy weather in January, caused numerous races to be moved and rescheduled throughout the...
.
2008 season
Ligety won his first World CupAlpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
season title in the giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
in 2008
2008 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy....
, and finished fifth in the overall standings. He won the final two giant slaloms of the year at Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
and Bormio
Bormio
Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
to edge out two-time defending champion Benjamin Raich
Benjamin Raich
Benjamin Raich is a champion alpine ski racer who won gold medals in the giant slalom and slalom at the 2006 Winter Olympics of Turin, Italy...
of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
for the season title. He also recorded four other podium finishes: a second and a third in giant slalom and two third places in slalom. In addition to his title, Ligety ranked seventh in combined and ninth in slalom.
2009 season
Ligety opened defense of his 2008 giant slalom title with a third place finish in SöldenSölden
Sölden is a municipality in the Ötztal valley of Tyrol, Austria.-Geography:At c. 467 km² , it is the largest municipality in the country. The population of 3,449 is outnumbered by tourists, of which 15,000 can be accommodated...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and then placed second at Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek Resort
Beaver Creek Resort is a major United States ski resort near Avon, Colorado, run by Vail Resorts. The resort comprises three villages, the main Beaver Creek Village, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead to the west...
, Colorado
Colorado
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...
. At the 2009 World Championships in Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère is a commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. It lies from the border with Italy. It is on the border of the Vanoise National Park created in 1963. The Face de Bellevarde was the scene of the men's downhill race as part of the 1992 Winter...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Ligety took the bronze medal in the giant slalom, then won his fourth World Cup race at Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
. He finished the season with another second at the finals in Åre, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, which left him ranked third in GS and ninth overall for the season.
2010 season
Ligety notched his fifth World Cup victory in January, his third win at Kranjska GoraKranjska Gora
Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
in as many seasons. At the finals in Garmisch
Garmisch Classic
Garmisch Classic is an alpine ski resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany. The resort is in the Bavarian Alps, and its maximum elevation is 6726 feet above sea level, with a vertical drop of 4429 feet...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, he finished on the podium to secure his second season title in giant slalom, and finished seventh in the overall standings.
At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Whistler Creekside in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. The ten events were scheduled for February 13–27, 2010; weather delayed the first event, the men's downhill, two days until Monday, February 15....
at Whistler, he finished ninth in the giant slalom
Alpine skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's giant slalom
The men's giant slalom competition of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Whistler Creekside in Whistler, British Columbia. Originally scheduled for February 21st, it was rescheduled to February 23rd, due to delays of preceding alpine events....
and fifth in the super-combined
Alpine skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's combined
The men's super combined competition of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics was held at Whistler Creekside in Whistler, British Columbia. The competition was scheduled for February 16, but was postponed due weather delays in preceding races; it was held five days later on February 21...
; he was fifteenth in the downhill portion and first in the one slalom run to finish a half-second out of the medals.
2011 season
After racing for four seasons on RossignolSkis Rossignol
Skis Rossignol S.A., or simply Rossignol, is a French manufacturer of alpine, snowboard, and Nordic equipment, as well as related outerwear and accessories, located in Isère, France. Rossignol was one of the first companies to produce plastic skis. The company also owns the brand Dynastar as well...
skis, Ligety switched his equipment supplier to Head
Head (company)
Head N.V. is a sports equipment and clothing company, known mainly for their alpine skis and tennis racquets. Founded as a ski company in Baltimore, Maryland, the company is currently headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and Kennelbach, Austria...
in the summer of 2010, as fellow American champions Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller
Bode Miller
Samuel Bode Miller is an American alpine ski racer. He is an Olympic and World Championship gold medalist, a two-time overall World Cup champion in 2005 and 2008, and is generally considered the greatest American alpine skier of all time...
did in previous seasons. Ligety won his sixth World Cup race in December 2010, his first win on home snow in the U.S., taking the giant slalom by a substantial 0.82 seconds at Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek Resort
Beaver Creek Resort is a major United States ski resort near Avon, Colorado, run by Vail Resorts. The resort comprises three villages, the main Beaver Creek Village, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead to the west...
, Colorado
Colorado
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...
, the site of his first podium five years earlier. It was the first World Cup victory in the U.S. (and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
) by an American male in four years; the last was by Bode Miller in the downhill at Beaver Creek in December 2006
2007 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 41st World Cup season was scheduled to begin on October 28, 2006, but cancellation of the opening races in Sölden delayed the season's start by two weeks. A very poor snowpack in the Alps, along with stormy weather in January, caused numerous races to be moved and rescheduled throughout the...
. Six days later, Ligety won the next GS race in Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère is a commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. It lies from the border with Italy. It is on the border of the Vanoise National Park created in 1963. The Face de Bellevarde was the scene of the men's downhill race as part of the 1992 Winter...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, by over a full second. He won his third consecutive GS race at Alta Badia
Alta Badia
Alta Badia is a ski resort in the upper part of the Val Badia in South Tyrol, northern Italy. It is included in the territories of the municipalities' of Corvara, Badia and La Val. It is a regular stop on the World Cup schedule, usually by the men in mid-December...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the following week.
In February he won his first world championship, taking gold in the giant slalom
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011 – Men's giant slalom
Complete results for Men's Giant Slalom competition at the 2011 World Championships. It ran on February 18 at 10:00 local time and 13:30 local time , the ninth race of the championships. 123 athletes from 51 countries competed in the qualification race on February 17.- Qualification :- Race :...
at the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch Classic
Garmisch Classic is an alpine ski resort in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bavaria, Germany. The resort is in the Bavarian Alps, and its maximum elevation is 6726 feet above sea level, with a vertical drop of 4429 feet...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Fourth after the first run, Ligety won by 0.08 seconds over Cyprien Richard
Cyprien Richard
Cyprien Richard is a French alpine skier.Richard has won two podiums in Alpine Skiing World Cup, in Alta Badia and Bormio, Italy, both in giant slalom. He also won one world cup race at Adelboden, Switzerland, tying Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal for first place.- Race victories :- External links :*...
of France.
Other achievements
Ligety has won six national championships, putting him behind the all-time record of nine, held by Bode MillerBode Miller
Samuel Bode Miller is an American alpine ski racer. He is an Olympic and World Championship gold medalist, a two-time overall World Cup champion in 2005 and 2008, and is generally considered the greatest American alpine skier of all time...
and Tiger Shaw.
Following his Olympic gold medal at Turin, he started Shred Optics in 2006; Ligety designs all the products and uses them himself.
The company produces ski goggles, sunglasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
, and helmets.
Ligety served as the Director of Skiing for the now-bankrupt Mt. Holly Club, a private luxury ski and golf resort in southwestern Utah.
It is located in eastern Beaver County
Beaver County, Utah
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,629 people, 2,265 households, and 1,697 families residing in the county. The population density was 2.56 people per square mile . There were 2,908 housing units at an average density of 1.12 per square mile...
, on the site of the former Elk Meadows ski area (1971–84).
Season titles
| Season | Discipline |
|---|---|
| 2008 2008 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy.... |
Giant Slalom Giant Slalom skiing Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G.... |
| 2010 2010 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 44th World Cup season began on October 24, 2009, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on March 14, 2010, at the World Cup finals in Garmisch, Germany.... |
Giant Slalom |
| 2011 2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February... |
Giant Slalom |
Race victories
| Season | Date | Location | Race |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 2006 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 40th World Cup season began in October 2005 and concluded at the World Cup finals in Åre, Sweden, in March 2006. The schedule included a nearly month-long break in February for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.... |
05-Mar-2006 2006 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 40th World Cup season began in October 2005 and concluded at the World Cup finals in Åre, Sweden, in March 2006. The schedule included a nearly month-long break in February for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.... |
 Yongpyong, South KoreaSouth Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
Giant Slalom Giant Slalom skiing Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G.... |
| 2008 2008 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy.... |
08-Mar-2008 2008 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy.... |
 Kranjska GoraKranjska Gora Kranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps... , Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... |
Giant Slalom |
| 14-Mar-2008 2008 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 42nd World Cup season began in October 2007 in Sölden, Austria and concluded on March 15, 2008, at the World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy.... |
 BormioBormio Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Giant Slalom | |
| 2009 2009 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 43rd World Cup season began in late October 2008 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in mid-March 2009, at the World Cup finals in Åre, Sweden.Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won the overall title by two points over Benjamin Raich of Austria. Svindal returned from a season-ending injury in December... |
28-Feb-2009 2009 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 43rd World Cup season began in late October 2008 in Sölden, Austria, and concluded in mid-March 2009, at the World Cup finals in Åre, Sweden.Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won the overall title by two points over Benjamin Raich of Austria. Svindal returned from a season-ending injury in December... |
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia |
Giant Slalom |
| 2010 2010 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 44th World Cup season began on October 24, 2009, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on March 14, 2010, at the World Cup finals in Garmisch, Germany.... |
29-Jan-2010 2010 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 44th World Cup season began on October 24, 2009, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on March 14, 2010, at the World Cup finals in Garmisch, Germany.... |
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia |
Giant Slalom |
| 2011 2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February... |
05-Dec-2010 2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February... |
 Beaver CreekBeaver Creek Resort Beaver Creek Resort is a major United States ski resort near Avon, Colorado, run by Vail Resorts. The resort comprises three villages, the main Beaver Creek Village, Bachelor Gulch, and Arrowhead to the west... , USA |
Giant Slalom |
| 11-Dec-2010 2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February... |
 Val d'IsèreVal d'Isère Val d'Isère is a commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. It lies from the border with Italy. It is on the border of the Vanoise National Park created in 1963. The Face de Bellevarde was the scene of the men's downhill race as part of the 1992 Winter... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Giant Slalom | |
| 19-Dec-2010 2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 45th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 23 October 2010, in Sölden, Austria, and concluded on 20 March 2011, at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.Being an odd-numbered year, the biennial World Championships took place in February... |
Alta Badia Alta Badia Alta Badia is a ski resort in the upper part of the Val Badia in South Tyrol, northern Italy. It is included in the territories of the municipalities' of Corvara, Badia and La Val. It is a regular stop on the World Cup schedule, usually by the men in mid-December... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Giant Slalom | |
| 2012 2012 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 46th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 22 October 2011, in Sölden, Austria, and will conclude on 18 March 2012, at the World Cup finals in Schladming, Austria.Two races will take place in Sochi, a venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics... |
23-Oct-2011 2012 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 46th FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season began on 22 October 2011, in Sölden, Austria, and will conclude on 18 March 2012, at the World Cup finals in Schladming, Austria.Two races will take place in Sochi, a venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics... |
 Soelden, AustriaAustria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
Giant Slalom |
External links
- FIS-ski.com – Ted Ligety – World Cup season standings – 2004–11
- Ski-db.com – Ted Ligety – results
- U.S. Ski Team.com – profile – Ted Ligety
- U.S. Olympic Team.com – biography and other features
- Ted Ligety.com – official homepage
- Shred Optics.com – company