The U.S. Olympic Committee today named a pair of Colorado skiers as its male and female athletes of the year.
Alpine racer Lindsey Vonn of Vail and nordic combined skier Todd Lodwick of Steamboat Springs were chosen as America’s best Olympic athletes for 2009. The field of candidates came from winter and summer sports, a fact that wasn’t lost on Lodwick when he realized he beat out the likes of swimmer Michael Phelps.
“My condolences to you, Michael,” Lodwick joked.
Vonn and Lodwick won two gold medals each at their respective world championships last winter. Vonn won the downhill and super-G at Val d’Isere, France. Lodwick won the mass start and normal hill events in Liberec, Czech Republic. World championships in skiing are held every other year, and skiers consider titles won there nearly on a par with Olympic medals.
Vonn is the third skier to win the women’s USOC award, following Tamara McKinney (1983) and Picabo Street (1995, 1998). Moguls skier Johnny Moseley had been the only skier to win the men’s award (1998).
“It’s a huge honor,” Vonn said. “To be honored is great not only for me, but for the sport of alpine skiing. I’m very honored and happy.”
Vonn also won her second World Cup overall title in 2009, unprecedented for a U.S. female racer. Today she claimed her 29th World Cup victory in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, when she prevailed in a super-G.
“Colorado is known for its skiing and its skiing heritage,” Lodwick said. “To have two people come out of Colorado and get this honor is truly humbling.”
Vonn is the reigning star of skiing’s most glamorous discipline, alpine racing, and is getting lots of attention in the run-up to the Vancouver Olympics. Lodwick toils in a discipline with a much dimmer spotlight, but nordic combined is starting to attract more attention, and Lodwick has Vonn’s respect.
“That’s awesome,” Vonn said when told of Lodwick’s honor. “That’s cool. He’s been a great competitor and he’s been having a lot of success lately. Two Colorado athletes, that’s pretty awesome.”
Because of Lodwick’s accomplishments and those of successful teammates Johnny Spillane and Bill Demong, more people than ever are learning nordic combined is a dual event involving ski jumping and cross country racing. The U.S. nordic combined team believes it is on track to win its first-ever Olympic medal next month.
“For me, the sport in general, we’re actually getting recognized,” Lodwick said. “Fame is a result of results, and our fame is attributed to our hard work. We’re not in this sport to make millions of dollars and be on a reality TV show and have that type of limelight. Our results have proven that we deserve a little bit of recognition.”
Steven Holcomb’s four-man bobsled team was named USOC Team of the Year. Mono-skier Stephani Victor and sled hockey player Steve Cash were named Paralympic SportsWoman and SportsMan of the Year. The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team was named USOC Paralympic Team of the Year.
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
