Patrick Russel

Last updated

Patrick Russel
Patrick Russel c1970.jpg
Personal information
Born22 December 1946 (1946-12-22) (age 77)
Chamonix, France
Occupation Alpine skier
Skiing career
World Cup debut1968
Retired1872
World Championships
Teams1
Medals2
World Cup
Seasons5
Wins13
Podiums26
Overall titles0 (2nd in 1970)
Discipline titles3
Medal record
Men's alpine skiing
Representing Flag of France.svg  France
World Cup race podiums
Event1st2nd3rd
Slalom916
Giant slalom442
Total1358
World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1970 Val Gardena Slalom
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1970 Val Gardena Combined

Patrick Russel (born 22 December 1946) is a former French Alpine ski racer and World Cup champion. He specialized in the technical disciplines (giant slalom and slalom) and won three discipline championships in the World Cup: slalom in 1969 and 1970 and giant slalom in 1971. He also won two silver medals in slalom and combined at the 1970 World Championships at Val Gardena, Italy.

Contents

Career

Russel was the son of Lee Russel, who was a marketing executive at the French ski manufacturer Rossignol. [1] He competed on the World Cup circuit from 1968 through 1972 and became the first male to win World Cup races in three straight years (1968–70) and in four straight years (1968–71). Overall, he won 13 World Cup races and achieved 26 podiums during his career, as well as three discipline championships (slalom in 1969 and 1970; giant slalom in 1971) and two World Championship silver medals in 1970. In 1970, he finished second overall in the World Cup (only 3 points) behind Karl Schranz, and in 1971 he was third overall behind Gustav Thöni.

In 1972, Russel broke his leg during a giant slalom in Berchtesgaden, West Germany, three weeks before the Winter Olympics and was unable to compete for the remainder of the season. [2] After the French men failed to medal during the Olympics, the French ski coach was replaced, and the new coach fired French stars Russel, Henri Duvillard and Jean-Noël Augert from the World Cup team at the start of 1973. [3] It has been suggested that a conflict between the two alpine cultures (alpine and urban) provoked by Bozon and Rossignol caused the firings, the three racers involved being encouraged to not take both training and races seriously just before they were fired. The coaches themselves resigned. Bozon got what he wanted and in the process destroyed the French ski team for years thereafter. All three skiers then turned professional and competed in the United States until their retirements. [3]

After his retirement from competition, Russel became a ski instructor in France at Les Arcs. [4]

World Cup victories

Season titles

SeasonDiscipline
1969 Slalom
1970 Slalom
1971 Giant slalom

Individual victories

13 total wins (9 slalom, 4 giant slalom)

DateLocationRace
25 February 1968 Flag of Norway.svg Oslo Slalom
10 March 1968 Flag of Slovenia.svg Kranjska Gora Slalom
19 January 1969 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel Slalom
9 February 1969 Flag of Sweden.svg Åre Slalom
20 December 1969 Flag of Austria.svg Lienz Giant slalom
11 January 1970 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Wengen Slalom
18 January 1970 Flag of Austria.svg Kitzbühel Slalom
25 February 1970 Flag of France.svg Megève Slalom
8 March 1970 Flag of the United States.svg Heavenly Valley Giant slalom
15 March 1970 Flag of Norway.svg Voss Slalom
17 December 1970 Flag of France.svg Val-d'Isère Giant slalom
18 January 1971 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Adelboden Giant slalom
14 February 1971 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mont St. Anne Slalom

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References

  1. Seth Massia (December 2007). Rossignol Turns 100. Skiing Heritage Journal. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  2. "Ouch". St. Petersburg Times . 11 January 1972. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  3. 1 2 William Oscar Johnson (12 April 1976). "The King of the Mountain". Sports Illustrated . Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  4. "Top Schools on the Slopes". New York Times . 7 November 1982. Retrieved 6 April 2010.