Two “locals” on a same podium

My skiing loyalty is split between America, where I now live and get my unfair share of great skiing, and France where I worked hard to learn the sport and try to master it. I love both countries from a ski standpoint and feel totally incapable of taking sides. I don’t follow alpine ski racing as fervently as I used to when I was a teenager, but still keeps tabs on who wins what. This past Friday, I was elated when Ted Ligety from Park City and Cyprien Richard from Morzine-Avoriaz shared the same podium at the Bormio World Cup Finals in Italy. For me, these two guys are “locals” even though one’s American and the other French, but both lives in places that used to be are now “home” for me. In addition to knowing their respective parents, these two athletes impress me equally for many different reasons. Ted Ligety’s competitive career got jump-started when he became the Combined Olympic Champion in Sestriere in 2006 and following that glowing season suffered a “low visibility” period until this past week when he not only won the last GS race of the season but also clinched the Giant Slalom World Cup Title for the year. Cyprien Richard has been at it for a longer time with his share of injuries and setbacks (multiple knee and arm surgery.) After finishing third of the Europa Cup GS last year, he earned a permanent spot on the French ski team competing on the World Cup and built up his skills both progressively and strategically, race after race, before taking third in that last world cup GS race of the season.
Way to go guys!