Most of the new generation of hot nordic skiers have forgotten or never heard of Bill Koch. If they have heard of him, it is just because when they were little - 5 to 13 years old - they probably skied in the Bill Koch League program. Nevertheless, he is still the only American every to win a nordic medal in the Olympics (1976). (We hope that part changes in the next several weeks.) He also was the only American to win the year-long World Cup title in 1982. He was a role model, inspiration, and of course, fellow racer that left me (and most others) in the dust. My most vivid memory of him was in the 1982 National 50K Championship race that was held on an intensely hilly 10K loop in central Vermont. The US Ski Team had flown him back from Europe to use this as a training day. The coaches were stationed 1K apart all around the loop, and they would tell him to go fast for a couple of kilometers, then back off and cruise for a few more kilometers, he was in totally casual mode ... the nearest US Ski teamer was 15-20 minutes back! During the race he passed me on a tight, technical, very steep, and incredibly icy downhill. Everyone that I saw was snowplowing the hill - including yours truly - Koch on the other hand passed me in a deep tuck. He was truly that good! Click on this text to access a link to an article that reviews the recently passed Olympics.
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