BIOGRAPHY
Skiing always comes first for 2006 Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Cup giant slalom champion Ted Ligety. Whether it's dropping cliffs in his speed suit on a cancellation day, taking the snowmobiles into the Utah backcountry or laying down some of the most incredible angles in all of ski racing, "Shred" is constantly pushing and evolving the sport.
Following a season where Ligety became the World Championship bronze medalist in giant slalom, he was sidelined for a good portion of the preparation period with damage to the medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee. He shook that off with a podium at the opening World Cup race of 2010 and carried his momentum into a his second giant slalom title in three seasons, which was punctuated by winning for the third straight year in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. The Olympics, as Ligety would say, didn't go that sweet, but capping the season with another discipline title helped soften the blow for this ultra competitive racer.
TED SAYS
I don't feel like last season was all that great, except for walking away with a globe. It's cool to be able to ski at this level for multiple years.
We had a super promising team going into the Olympics and it was amazing to see Bode, Andrew, Lindsey and Julia really take charge and dominate like they did. I would have liked to have contributed to that and definitely should have, but ski racing is funny like that.
Still, the Olympic super combined was pretty cool, had I been a little faster in the downhill, I would have been in there, but it was sweet to have me, Bode and Will (Brandenburg) go 1-2-3 in the slalom portion. My goal for next season is definitely to get my slalom back to the level it was a few years ago – and keep the GS globe.
FIRST TRACKS
Ligety was on skis at two and began racing at 11, working his way from the Park City Farm Team on up to the Park City Ski Team. Although he played other sports as he went into high school, he says, “Skiing really was my only passion.” U.S. coaches watched and waited as he worked up through the junior ranks, and when he collected slalom silver at the 2004 Junior World Championships, and then 23rd in a World Cup slalom, he clinched a place on the ’05 Ski Team.
OFF THE SNOW
Ligety is the mastermind behind Shred, a company he started with friend Carlo Salmini following the 2006 Olympics. Originally started with goggles, Shred now makes helmets, sunglasses and outerwear, but more importantly pushes the style envelop with ski racing. Aside from the biz, Ligety digs tennis, formula one racing, water skiing and ripping around the Utah backcountry in a pair of snowmobiles he bought after the 2010 season.
OLYMPICS
2010 Olympic Winter Games
- 5th in super combined
- 9th in giant slalom
- 19th in super G
2006 Olympic Winter Games
- gold in combined
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
2009 FIS Alpine World Championships
- bronze in giant slalom
2007 FIS Alpine World Championships
- 4th in giant slalom
2005 FIS Alpine World Championships
- 12th in combined
WORLD CUP
2010
- FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom champion
- four giant slalom podiums, including a third straight win in Kranjska Gora
- first World Cup podium in super G with second in Val d'Isere
- 7th in World Cup overall standings
2009
- second straight win at Kranjska Gora giant slalom
- 9th in FIS Alpine World Cup overall standings
2008
- FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom champion with four podiums (two wins)
- two slalom podiums
- 5th in FIS Alpine World Cup overall standings
2006
- first World Cup victory with giant slalom win in Yongpyong, Korea
2005
- first World Cup podium with third in Beaver Creek, CO slalom
OTHER
- Star of 2010 Audi documentary Truth in Motion: www.itunes.com/truthinmotion
- slalom silver medalist at 2004 World Juniors
07/19/2010
Men's Alpine Face-Off at Hockey Camp
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07/08/2010
Mustache Mondays with Ted Ligety
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03/14/2010
Vonn, Ligety Take Globes
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03/10/2010
Ligety Has GS Globe in His Reach
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02/27/2010
Italy's Razzoli Wins Slalom Gold
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02/26/2010
Men's Slalom to Wrap Olympic Alpine
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02/23/2010
Ligety Takes 9th in Giant Slalom
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02/22/2010
Miller, Ligety Back in Action with GS
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02/21/2010
Miller Lands 'Perfect' Gold
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02/21/2010
Miller Seventh After Downhill
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02/20/2010
Medalists Miller, Ligety, Weibrecht in Super Combi
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02/15/2010
Miller Takes Bronze in Downhill
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02/11/2010
Miller 8th in Thursday's Downhill Training
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02/11/2010
Ligety Mentors New Generation Of Alpine Skiers
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02/10/2010
Busy Thursday at Whistler Creekside
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02/10/2010
U.S. Fast Before Downhill Training Canceled
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02/05/2010
Speed Team Trains at Park City
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02/02/2010
Alpine Bibs Raise Over $90K for Haiti
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01/31/2010
Ligety Fast Before DQ Finish in Slalom
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