On December 1, 2023 I had fun catching up with US Ski Team legend Ted Ligety in Beaver Creek, Colorado during the Birds of Prey World Cup weekend. While the races were canceled due to adverse weather, chatting with Ted about his career, his family, his favorite resorts, and his future was a highlight.
Ligety, a giant slalom specialist, dominated the World Cup during his career, with 25 World Cup wins, and 52 podiums. He is among the few racers to have podiumed in all five race disciplines. In addition, Ligety won two Olympic gold medals, in Alpine Combined at Torino in 2006 and in Giant Slalom at the Sochi Olympics in 2014. He retired in 2021.
Ted Ligety On Skiing with His Three Sons
Q: Now that you’re a father, are your kids skiing?
A: Our six year old has been skiing since he was one. It was easier obviously when there was just one of them. The three year olds twins are skiing, but we’re a little outnumbered, so they don’t have nearly as many miles.
This winter they’ll be in the ski program at Deer Valley (Ligety is an ambassador for this Park City area resort). The six year old will be involved too this year, and once the twins are a little more independent, it will be easier to go rip around the mountain with them on a higher frequency.
Q: Are you teaching your sons or are you putting them in ski school?
A: They are in ski school. All my sons are very stubborn – I don’t know where they get that! – so they go to ski school.
What’s great about that is they want to show off to me later, which is fun. They want to hear stuff from me every once in a while, but mostly they just want to go have fun. I don’t feel the need to be their coach. Neither of my parents coached me or taught me how to ski. I guess that’s my inclination as well.
Q: What is your involvement with training and preparing a new generation of ski racers?
A: I don’t officially coach, other than during my camp up at Mount Hood. But I am on the Board of the Park City Ski Team. I ski with those kids every once in a while, but not in any organized or formal manner.
Ted Ligety on World Cup Racing
Q: What are your favorite memories of racing here in Beaver Creek?
A: I’ve been skiing at Beaver Creek every November since I was 19 years old and even before that. I have a lot of great memories skiing here.This was always my favorite race venue because it was often the only venue in the US, and the hill lines up awesome for how I ski. I’ve had a lot of success here and it’s also close enough to Park City, so a lot of friends and family would come out.
Q: Looking back on your career, what were your favorite race venues?
A: Beaver Creek was one of them. For all the reasons I said before: the home race, the snow, the hill matched up really well for me. I love Kranjska Gora (Slovenia).That was a hill where I had some of my first successes. My first World Cup points were there, the second podium of my career, so that’s a fun hill. It’s kind of a fun and different atmosphere. Alta Badia, I think, is the prettiest area but also as far as giant slalom hills go, it is legendary. If I could pick one GS hill to ski every day that would be the one I’d go to.
And then of course, the Schladmings and the Kitzbuhels – mountains with an amazing race atmosphere.They are such cool spots, and so unique as well. But all the World Cup races are very unique and different. They all have their special themes.
Q: When your kids are old enough, which World Cup mountains are you taking them to first?
A: Probably the resorts in the Dolomites because that’s a fun place to go with kids. There is good food and the skiing is more family-friendly. But also Wengen. That would be really cool. The terrain is so unique, and the surrounding mountains are so crazy big.
Q: What is it like being in Beaver Creek, but not racing?
A: It is weird being on the other side of it. When I was racing, I was so in the zone. Now it’s cool to be on the other side and not have the pressure.
I’m still friends with a lot of the racers since I’m only 2 years out of it, so I see them and the industry people who are also my friends. It’s like a reunion. That part is really fun.
When I watch a race and there is hero snow that looks really nice, then I miss it a little. If my body could take going fast down a race hill it would be at Beaver Creek. But I know I wouldn’t be standing up out of the couch any more for a week if I went and tried to do that!
Ted Ligety on the Future
Q: What’s next?
A: The kids are a big part of day-to-day life, but my company SHRED is where I spend most of my time these days. I started SHRED in 2006 and now I have a higher touch role in all facets of the business. It’s been a learning experience throughout the entirety of it, but now even more so. I also stay involved doing some commentating here and there.
It’s fun to stay involved in the ski industry. I’m lucky that I can squeeze more juice out of it.
Thank you to the team at Kjus for arranging the interview with Ted Ligety.
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