- Bill Koch (skier)
Bill Koch (born
June 7 ,1955 ) is an Americanskier , the first world-class cross-country skier from the United States.A native of
Brattleboro, Vermont , he originally competed in theNIS in theNordic combined , but later switched tocross country skiing . In 1974 he was the first American to win a medal in international competition, placing third in the European junior championships. He also was the first American to win an Olympic medal in Nordic skiing, winning the silver in the 30 km for the 1976 Olympics (he remains the only North American male to win an Olympic medal in this event). Koch also finished 6th in the 15 km event at those same Winter Olympics.Stress caused by media presence, along with
asthma , plagued Koch after his early successes. Considered the top American sportsman at the1980 Winter Olympics , he performed poorly and finished far out of contention in all of his races.Afterwards, he developed a new skiing technique that resembled
ice skating on skis, now known as the freestylecross-country skiing technique. In 1982 won the Cross-country skiing World Cup for cross-country. Koch would earn a bronze medal in the 30 km event at the1982 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships becoming the first non-Europe an to ever medal in a cross country skiing at the World Championships (Canada 'sSara Renner would become the second when she earned a bronze medal in the individual sprint at the2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships inOberstdorf .). He also finished 3rd in the 1983 World Cup. Thefreestyle skiing technique has been used inBiathlon competitions since 1985, has been mandatory inNordic Combined since 1985, and has been part of allcross country skiing competitions since 1982.Koch carried the American flag at the Opening Ceremonies of the
1992 Winter Olympics inAlbertville .References
*FIS|S=CC|ID=31319|name=Bill Koch
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