After a decades-long dry spell for the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, Picabo Street won the World Cup downhill title in 1995 --- a win that marked a turning point for American ski racing.
“It was a huge thing for the sport,” former U.S. Ski Team Communications Director Tom Kelly said. “And I always looked at that period with Picabo winning that World Cup globe, and then the gold medal in 1998 in Nagano Olympics, as really ushering in a new era. And a lot of success came after that. I think athletes were motivated. They saw that the US can win, we can do this. All of a sudden you have Bode Miller and you have Darren Rahlves and eventually Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin and so many others. But it all to me goes back to that day in Borneo [Italy] in 1995 when Picabo Street won the World Cup downhill title.”
For Street, meeting Tamara McKinney who was the first American woman to win the overall World Cup title in 1983, had a huge impact on her.
"I got all tongue tied," Street said. “And, you know, I was beside myself. And she told me one time, you have an incredible fire, and when you learn how to channel it, you'll be unbeatable. And it was like, wow, you believe in me that much.”
And Lindsey Vonn, who went on to win 82 World Cups, still has the poster Street signed for her when Vonn was just nine years old.
“Honestly, the fire was already burning quite brightly in her,” Street said. “And all of it was just a confirmation of you can stay real, you can stay cool, you can stay kind and nice, and you can be one of the best skiers, if not the best skier in the world and so I kind of just gave her a confirmation of like yeah, go for it.”
On Friday, Feb. 28, Street and Kelly will take the stage to share more stories from Street’s life and career. Street will also take questions from the audience.
A link to purchase tickets is available here.
