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Ligety Pulls Off Rare Triple at Skiing Championships Ligety, Critical of Changes to Skis, Wins Third Gold on Them at Worlds
(about 9 hours later)
The American Ted Ligety became the first man in 45 years to win three events at ski racing’s world championships with a dominating victory in the giant slalom Friday in Schladming, Austria. Earlier in the championships, Ligety was an upset winner in the super-G and came from behind to win the super-combined. Shortly after Ted Ligety became the first man in 45 years to win three events at ski racing’s world championships on Friday, the United States ski team coach Sasha Rearick was asked to weigh the historic significance of Ligety’s accomplishment.
The last man to win at least three gold medals at the world ski championships was Jean-Claude Killy, who won four golds in 1968. Ligety is the fifth man to win at least three events in one championship and the first non-European. “Think of all the great skiers — Hermann Maier, Kjetil Andre Aamodt, Bode Miller — who could not do it in the last 45 years,” Rearick said in a telephone interview from Schladming, Austria. “The biggest change in the modern era of ski racing is the number of guys who specialize in one or two events. And it was those specialists who would always get in the way of a multievent guy trying to win three or four events.
Ligety, the defending world champion in giant slalom, built a 1.3 second first-run lead Friday and held it to finish in a combined time of 2 minutes and 28.92 seconds. Marcel Hirscher of Austria was 0.81 seconds behind in second place and Manfred Moelgg of Italy took third, trailing Ligety by 1.75 seconds. “But Ted found a way to get past them anyway,” Rearick said. “It speaks to his mastery of the sport. And it speaks to one other thing: Ted hates to lose.”
“The second run was tough,” Ligety said. “It was bumpy and the light was flat so I was trying to charge, but it wasn’t easy. I was glad I had that buffer.” Ligety, 28, who earlier in the world championships won the super-G and the super-combined, dominated the giant slalom, his best event. He built a 1.3-second first-run lead and held it to finish in a combined time of 2 minutes 28.92 seconds. Marcel Hirscher of Austria was 0.81 of a second behind in second place, and Manfred Moelgg of Italy took third, trailing Ligety by 1.75 seconds.
Ligety now has four world championship gold medals over all, which ties him with Bode Miller for most by an American. He is also the first skier of either gender to win a super-G, giant slalom and super-combined in one world championship. The last man to win at least three gold medals at the world ski championships was Jean-Claude Killy, who won four golds in 1968. Ligety is the fifth man to win three events in one championship and the first non-European.
“I felt I had a chance in every event but to get three gold medals far exceeds my expectations,” Ligety said in a telephone interview. “I thought maybe I’d sneak in with a bronze or silver in a couple of the events. But I did ski to win every day.”
Nonetheless, the victories in the super-G and the super-combined were somewhat unexpected. Ligety had never won a race on the World Cup tour in either discipline. Each of his 15 World Cup wins had come in the giant slalom.
“This hasn’t sunk in yet,” Ligety said. “It’s just really cool to have your name mentioned with Jean-Claude Killy’s. You dream about it as a little kid, but I don’t know if you ever really think it can happen.”
Ligety’s preparation for this season began in controversy as he had to adjust to new giant slalom ski specifications imposed by international ski racing officials. Ligety had vehemently opposed the new skis, which are generally not as responsive as the more shaped skis Ligety had grown accustomed to throughout his career.
“Ted was critical of the decision process and I supported him,” Rearick said. “But once he lost the battle with the changed skis, he turned the corner on it and said: ‘OK, I’ll show you. I’ll win on these.’ And he adapted his style and technique. He figured it out.”
Ligety conceded he had drawn attention to himself with his public, vociferous criticism of the changes. It created a little more pressure, but it also made him more determined.
“After how much I ragged on the new skis, I knew I was going to have to ski well,” said Ligety, who has won four of five World Cup giant slalom races this year. “Otherwise it would have looked like I was making excuses.”
As for his coach’s assertion that he hates to lose, Ligety was not running from that characterization.
“Being on the podium is always a good day,” said Ligety, who can win his fourth gold medal at the world championships in Sunday’s slalom. “But being on the top of the podium is always far better.”
Ligety has four world championship gold medals in his career, tying the American record held by Miller. Ligety, Miller, Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Vonn each have five world championship medals over all, the most for an American. But Ligety is the first skier of either gender to win a super-G, giant slalom and super-combined in one world championships.
Besides Killy, the other men with three or more gold medals in one world championships were Austria’s Toni Sailer, who won four in 1956 and three in 1958; Norway’s Stein Eriksen, who won three in 1954; and Emile Allais of France, with three in 1937.