The birth of the Crazy Canucks

The ‘Crazy Canucks’ were born in Val d'Isere, exploding onto the scene in the downhill on 7 December 1975. Ken Read won with bib number 1, becoming the first North American to ever win a World Cup downhill. From then on, the skiing world knew that Ken Read and his teammates Jim Hunter, Dave Irwin, Dave Murray, and Steve Podborski were not only showmen, but winners. “In the days leading up to the race, I said to our coach Scott Henderson that it would be funny if I could get bib number 1 and win the race”, Read recalled. But when Henderson actually brought the ‘1’ to his room the evening before, Read was anything but pleased. “That was a joke. As a downhill racer, you don't want to be first, as the course usually gets faster as the race progresses.”

1975 was a low-snow year in Val d'Isere and the track was rough and bumpy. But Read recalled: “I had the feeling on the way that my line was good, it was really flowing.” However, the race was decided on the last jump in the final section. “I managed it well, while everyone else was really launched”. Still, he had to wait a long time at the finish. Franz Klammer, the best downhill skier in the world at the time, only arrived with bib number 14. “When he crashed, I knew that I had won.” Read and his four fellow ‘Crazy Canucks’ went on to win thirteen more downhill races. In 1982 Steve Podborski even won the Downhill World Cup, the only non-European to do so to this day. Together, they brought pride to their country and entertained millions.