BIOGRAPHY
Todd Lodwick, who returned to competition in '09 after a two-year retirement, redefined the idea of U.S. success in nordic combined right from his first international meet. He won that first competition – an International Cup meet, as they called it in those days - to open the 1994 Olympic season and has piled up unprecedented success for an American: Junior World Championships gold in 1996, six World Cup wins, the 2004 Grand Prix championship in the World Cup season and Summer Grand Prix title, and eight straight seasons of being in the top nine world rankings. After a retirement from the sport, Lodwick returned in 2009 to become a two-time World Champion.
UPDATE
At the start of the 2009 season the nordic combined world wondered, after a two year hiatus from a sport that requires constant training to be at peak performance, what was Lodwick going to be able to accomplish? Lodwick answered that question as he lived through a season-long fairytale that brought new levels of success with each turn of the page. Deciding to return to the sport, Lodwick had to earn his way back to competing at the World Cup level. Three consecutive Continental Cup wins and a second place later, and Lodwick was on his way to Germany - the site of his first World Cup performance since March of 2006. He proved his success was not limited to the Continental Cup level by taking two second place finishes in Oberhof. After another three top-15 finishes, Lodwick made his way to the competition that spurred his desire to make a comeback - World Championships. In Liberec, Czech Republic, Lodwick's dreams came true, twice! He opened the event with a gold in the mass start event and two days later had a gold in the Gundersen. "Words cannot describe it. The biggest thing about my comeback was World Championships. This is a dream come true and a crazy fairytale that someone dreamt up for me to come out of retirement to ski at World Championships and win a medal," Lodwick said. "That was my book, the book that I wrote. If you believe it's possible, then anything is possible." Lodwick plans to take that attitude with him as he works toward the 2010 Olympics.
OLYMPIC SEASON
Loddwick started off the 2010 Olympic campaign with a bang, winning two Continental Cups. Loddwick recently added two World Cup podiums to his resume,with sights are set on gold in Vancouver.
FIRST TRACKS
Like many young skiers, he toyed with both jumping and combined before deciding in the summer of 1991 to stick with combined (older brother Kris was a combiner). In November '93, he competed what now would be called a Continental Cup in Lillehammer to open the Olympic season; two years later, he became the first U.S. skier to win a nordic combined World Cup; making it even more tasty was winning in front of his family and friends in Steamboat. Six weeks later, Lodwick was JWCs gold medalist in Asiago, Italy. Lodwick was fourth in the World Cup points in '98, '00 and 2005.
FIRST WORLD CUP
Jan. 7, 1995 in Schonach, Germany (eighth in nordic combined)
OLYMPICS/WORLDS
2009 Worlds: Gold in mass start, Gold in Gundersen, 10th in Gundersen. 2006 Olympics: Eighth in the individual HS106/15K, Seventh in the team sprint, ninth in the HS134/7.5K. 2003 Worlds: 14th in Gundersen, 19th in sprint. 2002 Olympics: Seventh in the individual combined K90/15K; Fourth in the team event, fifth in the K120/7.5K sprint. 2001 Worlds: 17th in the Gundersen HS90/15K, eighth in the team sprint, 25th in the sprint HS116/7.5K. 1999 Worlds: 14th in the Gundersen HS90/15K, 10th in the team sprint, 13th in the sprint HS90/7.5K. 1997 Worlds: fifth in the team sprint. 1995 Worlds: Fourth in the team sprint.
I AM
A father of two... Family is really important...I love the outdoors... big into fishing and hunting when time allows... favorite quote: "Dream big because dreams come true."
* - Four-time Olympian ('94, '98, '02, '06)
* - Seven-time World Champions team member ('95, '97, '99, '01, '03, '05,'09)
* - 2009 World Championship gold (mass start)
* - 2009 World Championship gold (Gundersen)
* - 4th in '05 World Cup rankings (top-8, '98-2005 season)
* - Career: Six World Cup victories
* - 2004 German Grand Prix Champion
* - All-time U.S. Olympic best: 5th, 7th in 2002; and 4th in team event
* - 26 World Cup top-3s
* - USA record 17 U.S. titles (9 combined, 8 jumping)
* - Swept U.S. Combined, jumping titles '04, '05 and '06
01/21/2010
World Champs Highlight Olympic Combined Team
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01/16/2010
Lodwick Notches Third in France
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01/10/2010
Demong, Lodwick Make History in Italy
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01/09/2010
USA Batttles, but Gottwald Wins
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01/09/2010
Demong Nails Strong Jump
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12/23/2009
Spillane Wins Olympic Trials in Steamboat
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12/20/2009
USA Has Strong Weekend in Ramsau
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12/19/2009
Spillane Just Misses Podium Again
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12/18/2009
Lodwick Challenges in Ramsau
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12/13/2009
Lodwick Sweeps Weekend in Utah
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12/12/2009
Lodwick Wins Snowy Cup
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12/10/2009
Lodwick Headlines Utah Continental Cup
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11/24/2009
Steamboat Plays Host for Lodwick
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10/10/2009
Lodwick Wins 20th Title in Placid
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10/09/2009
Placid Ready for U.S. Champs Saturday
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10/08/2009
Lodwick Looks for 20th Title in Placid
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09/22/2009
Nordic Athletes Look for Success in Placid
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08/12/2009
Champion Q&A: Todd Lodwick
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07/22/2009
Lodwick in Car-Bike Crash
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