Interesting People Met While Skiing

[lpskier]

I went to Ottawa Canada for a tournament today. What a great group of skiers. I had two great pulls by Jeff McClintock, Whitney’s dad. But the unexpected highlight of the day was meeting fellow water skier Kathy Kreiner-Phillips. If the name isn’t familiar, she was the Olympic gold medalist in Giant Slalom at the Innsbruck Olympics in 1976. She introduced herself as Kathy Phillips, and we chatted for some time before I realized who she was. As a ski racer myself in the 60’s and 70’s, I immediately remembered her once I put two and two together. I know lots of Olympians, but it’s still cool to meet a gold medalist.

[DW]

Met Daron Rahlves at the Baja 1000 several years ago, he raced a motorcycle in the event. Super nice guy.

[Killer]

Awesome John. Sorry to have missed you but glad to hear you got some sets up north! Ottawa is the crown jewel of ski sites in Ontario between both carp and Greely.

 

[Than_Bogan]

@lpskier Why do you know lots of Olympians? That seems very unusual.

[6balls]

@Than_Bogan i met a 93 year old multi-gold medalist who also coached USA track and field to additional gold medals last week. He just won the world heptathlon.

He had fallen and I was like ok what were u doing? He said with a straight face “the hurdles”! Then I got the stories.

[BKistler]

I skied against Bruce (aka Caitlyn) Jenner in the late ‘60s early ‘70s. He was a nice kid. Years later he graciously wrote the forward to my book Hit It!

 

I’ve met other Olympians including Winter Haven home boy Rowdy Gaines.

[Horton]

Olivia Newton John spent a lot of time at my parents ski school around the time that they released Grease.

 

I've also gotten to know a couple of Hollywood director producer types from the ski School.

 

if anybody remembers Angie Everhart I met her skiing in the Bakersfield area.

 

I met at Bruce Jenner at Nationals when I was a little kid.

 

most importantly I've met @Bruce_Butterfield

 

[lpskier]

@Than_Bogan Andrew Weibrecht grew next to my parents. He won silver and then bronze in Super G.

 

Jimmy Shea’s parents live two doors the other way. He won a gold medal in skeleton. His dad I think won a silver medal in cross country skiing and his grandfather, who I also knew, won gold in speed skating.

 

Dorothy Hamill lived in my town and dated one of my friends. She won a gold medal in figure skating. My best friend was a three time Olympian in sprint kayak. One of my old water ski buddies was a bobsled driver in two Olympics (and was World Cup champion). One of my wife’s best friends was a UK luge Olympian (and her husband was the head trainer for the Boston Bruins, retiring this season after 26 years).

 

I could go on. Point is, maybe I could have been a star athlete growing up in a different town. Growing up in Lake Placid NY, I was just another schmo.

 

And Lana Del Ray lived down the street and used to baby sit my kids.

 

I almost forgot: I tried a case against and NHL goal tender with a Stanley Cup ring and an Olympic gold medal. We won.

[Cooper_Trelawney]

I taught Barry Tubb (Lonesome Dove, Top Gun) and Alexandra Paul (Baywatch, Dragnet) how to ski.

 

I skied with some Mexican pop stars at Tequesquitengo when I lived in Mexico.

 

Most importantly I skied in collegiate tournaments with John Horton in the early 90s!

[BKistler]

I once ate lunch with a group of skiers and family members that included Cornelia Wallace, former wife of notorious Alabama governor George Wallace. She had Winter Haven family connections and her son got into tournament skiing.

 

Of course Callaway Gardens owner Bo Callaway was Secretary of the Army, a Congressman and nearly became governor of Georgia. Bill Clifford was a buddy of his.

[Kelvin]

Matt Bullard, a member of the 1994 Houston Rockets NBA Championship team, skied at a club in the Houston area after retiring from basketball. He's a super nice guy.

[6balls]

@kelvin Bullard played for the great University of Iowa baby!

[dave2ball]

@Horton have to ask was Bruce Jenner rock-in a 2 piece back then and it caught your eye??????