Bode Miller is one of the greatest skiers of all time...

Leaving carving or not aside, there is no doubt that Bode is a truely amazing skier. His capacity to throw caution to the wind is something to behold and when he gets it right WOW!. I saw him about two years lose a ski with about 5 gates still to ski - he still managed to complete the course on one ski but had to slow down to only 80kph over the final stretch. His time was still good enough to get him into the World Cup points - that must have been pretty disheartening for the lower rank skiers who were unable to match a man on one ski :shock:

.... But is he the greatest? No doubt that he is up there but I have always been a huge admirer of the Herminator. Another skier who would really take on the mountain and more often that not won. Despite his extreme agression, he got down the mountain way more often that Bode and completely dominated the tour until his accident.

Then having been told he would probably never walk again, he manages to get back to competition standard - amazing and an inspiration to anybody facing adversity.

I haven't been following the ski racing that long but DaveMac has rightly suggested Klammer - for so long the poster boy of skiing. And what about Alberto Tomba?

what about Pirmin Zubriggen?

How many skiers would have recovered from this and come second?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW4Ja-XF9Ow

Obviously he may not be the greatest but he is up there!

Dshenberger wrote:
Carving seems to be a bitterly contested technique on here. Very interesting. I wonder if it has anything to do with the differences among nationalities? ;)

:D Whatever gave you that impression :D
I think its more a case of one or two people have very strong opinions about carving being a seperate discipline rather than a way of turning - makes life interesting )

Bode Miller is one of the greatest skiers of all time...

Definitely 'one of' , as to 'the best' well ... eye of the beholder and all that.

Brilliant photo, by the way :D

RossF wrote:To a healthy debate about who is actually the best skier of all time..

Dave's got it bang on Franz Klammer

Ski Race Fact: Ingemar Stenmarks first name is Jan.

That name sounds familiar :wink:

blodyn1 wrote:what about Pirmin Zubriggen?

70's for me was Franz, then 80's I did used to follow Pirman Zubriggen out of the two still Klammer :thumbup:

My Italian friend who taught me to ski ( or at least try to ski ) says Tomba ... but then again he's biased !
Klammer or Maier for me, with Bode 3rd. (and Alberto 4th)

G