Steve Podborski
Encyclopedia
Stephen Gregory Podborski, (born July 25, 1957) is a Canadian former World Cup
and Olympic
downhill ski racer
with Ukrainian ancestry.
, Ontario
, Podborski grew up in the Don Mills
community and started skiing
at the age of two and a half at Craigleith Ski Club in Craigleith, Ontario. He joined the Canadian alpine ski team in 1973 and made his World Cup
debut in 1974
at age 17. He was a member of the Crazy Canucks
, and won the bronze medal
medal in the downhill at the 1980 Winter Olympics
in Lake Placid
.
In 1982
, Podborski became the first North America
n to win the World Cup season title in the downhill. In total, he won eight World Cup downhill races, including the notorious Hahnenkamm
in Kitzbühel
, Austria
, which he won twice (1981-82). In 34 more races, he finished in the top 10. He set magnificent speed result of 220 km/h at Hahnenkamm downhil race. He retired following the 1984
season at age 26.
. He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
in 1987, the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 1988, and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
in Vancouver, responsible for international relations; he also works as a sports newscaster in Salt Lake City. He has worked as a commentator for American television for the last three Winter Olympics. He covered freestyle skiing
for NBC
in 2006
and 2002
, and snowboarding
for CBS
in 1998
.
Podborski was previously married to Ann Rohmer
. He currently works for Telus
in Vancouver and Whistler as Director of Sports Marketing.
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...
and Olympic
Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years...
downhill 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...
with Ukrainian ancestry.
Racing career
Born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Podborski grew up in the Don Mills
Don Mills
Don Mills is a mixed-use neighbourhood in the North York district of Toronto, Canada. It was developed to be a self-supporting "new town" and was at the time located outside of Toronto proper. Consisting of residential, commercial and industrial sub-districts, it was planned and developed by...
community and started 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...
at the age of two and a half at Craigleith Ski Club in Craigleith, Ontario. He joined the Canadian alpine ski team in 1973 and made his 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...
debut in 1974
1975 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 9th World Cup season began in December 1974 in France and concluded in March 1975 in Italy. Gustav Thöni of Italy would regain the overall title, his fourth overall title in five seasons...
at age 17. He was a member of the Crazy Canucks
Crazy Canucks
The Crazy Canucks was a group of Canadian alpine ski racers who rose to prominence in the World Cup during the 1970s and 80s. Dave Irwin, Dave Murray, Steve Podborski, Jim Hunter and Ken Read earned themselves a reputation for fast and seemingly reckless skiing....
, and won the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
medal in the downhill at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1980 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Lake Placid, New York, U.S.A.. The races were held at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington from February 14–23, 1980....
in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
.
In 1982
1982 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 16th World Cup season began in December 1981 in France and concluded in March 1982, also in France. Phil Mahre of the U.S. repeated as overall champion, the second of his three consecutive titles. Erika Hess of Switzerland won the women's overall title....
, Podborski became the first 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...
n to win the World Cup season title in the downhill. In total, he won eight World Cup downhill races, including the notorious Hahnenkamm
Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel
The Hahnenkamm is a mountain in Austria, directly south of Kitzbühel, in the Kitzbühel Alps. The elevation of its summit is above sea level.The Hahnenkamm is part of the ski resort of Kitzbühel, and hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races, the Hahnenkammrennen...
in Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel
-Demographic evolution:-Personalities:*Karl Wilhelm von Dalla Torre , entomologist and botanist*Alfons Walde , expressionist painter and architect*Peter Aufschnaiter , mountaineer and geographer...
, 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...
, which he won twice (1981-82). In 34 more races, he finished in the top 10. He set magnificent speed result of 220 km/h at Hahnenkamm downhil race. He retired following the 1984
1984 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 18th World Cup season began in December 1983 in Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia , and concluded in March 1984 in Oslo, Norway. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Erika Hess, both of Switzerland....
season at age 26.
National honours
In 1982, Podborski was made an Officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
in 1987, the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 1988, and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
After racing
Podborski is on the organizing committee of the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver, responsible for international relations; he also works as a sports newscaster in Salt Lake City. He has worked as a commentator for American television for the last three Winter Olympics. He covered freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing at the Winter Olympics
Freestyle skiing has been contested at the Winter Olympic Games since the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville. It was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics, with moguls, aerials, and ballet events. Moguls became an official medal sport at the 1992 games, while aerials and ballet were...
for NBC
Olympics on NBC
NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympic Games consists of broadcasts on the various networks of NBC Universal in the United States, including the NBC broadcast network, Spanish language network Telemundo, and many of the company's cable networks....
in 2006
Freestyle skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Four freestyle skiing events were held at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, at the venue in Sauze d'Oulx. There were both men's and women's competition in both aerials and moguls events...
and 2002
Freestyle skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Four freestyle skiing events were held at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, at the venue in Deer Valley. There were both men's and women's competition in both aerials and moguls events...
, and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
for CBS
Olympics on CBS
The Olympics on CBS was a sports telecast that aired on CBS Sports. The last airing of the telecast was for the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.-1960s coverage:...
in 1998
Snowboarding at the 1998 Winter Olympics
-Giant Slalom:-Halfpipe:-Giant Slalom:-Halfpipe:-References:*...
.
Podborski was previously married to Ann Rohmer
Ann Rohmer
Ann Margaret Rohmer is a television personality on CP24 in Toronto, Canada.- Television career :In 1979, she hosted the syndicated program Show Biz. Hired by Global TV, she was a host on the award-winning magazine show That’s Life...
. He currently works for Telus
TELUS
Telus is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, video, and satellite television. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of Greater Vancouver...
in Vancouver and Whistler as Director of Sports Marketing.
External links
- FIS-ski.com - race results - Steve Podborski
- FIS-ski.com - World Cup season standings - Steve Podborski - 1975-84
- Ski-db.com - results - Steve Podborski