Racing Career
Born in Toronto, 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 American 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 a race speed record of 220 km/h on the Hahnenkamm downhill course. He retired following the 1984 season at age 26.
Erik Guay is the only other Canadian to win a World Cup season title (Super-G, 2011) though with fewer World Cup career wins. Ken Read came close (downhill, 1980) finishing second.
Read more about this topic: Steve Podborski
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