• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Muleski

So much better than a pro
Inactive
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
5,243
Location
North of Boston
Not sure if that's 84' :huh:. Calgary Olympics where in 88'. I found that photo on the web.

I did see Stenmark race a few more times. His only DH in 81' at none other than the fame Hahnenkahm in Kitzbuhel, Austria where he did wear a helmet. I remember him standing up where most of the other racers were in a tuck & still ending up in I think 37th place. Don't remember if the race was before or after his training crash.

I saw him again racing SL at world cup finals in 85' at Heavenly (no helmet)
View attachment 30069

& then again in 86', one of the few to still hike the course. Can't remember if he wore a helmet that day but I don't think so.
View attachment 30070

I just noticed that #12 is the same number he wore in the 79' GS.

I'm multitasking here, and making a ton of mistakes! Sorry. Obviously Calgary was 1988. As we all remember Billy Johnson in 1984! We also remember Stenmark being ineligible as a "Professional."

Great pics, and great info. Fun stuff.

I'm pretty sure that his bad crash was before his one and only WC DH. As the story was told to me, he crashed training in Italy, not sure where. Was airlifted out and spend a month in the hospital. Ran the DH at Kitz and said "No thanks. Done with this." At least that's how I remember it.

I recall a lot of lively debates about it, and a lot of studs in the day defending his decision. He had nothing to prove.

Lots much more cool with no helmet.....how we should remember his racing days!
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,220
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
Ran the DH at Kitz and said "No thanks. Done with this." At least that's how I remember it.
That's how I remember it as well. Steve Podborski won that race & Phil Mahre was a very respectable 9th. Both he & Stenmark were looking for combined points. The cool thing watching Stenmark run that race was how smooth he was & although he obviously was not skiing with full aggression he seemed to have a grin on his face & was enjoying the ride down the gnarliest course in the world.

I think I may have told this story before back on epicski but since this is the Stenmark thread & it is raining outside, I'll tell it again.
It think it was at that last Heavenly race in 86'. Anyway, I somehow finagled my way into the VIP tent between runs where they were serving lunch. As they plopped my BBQ'd chicken sandwich on my paper plate & I was carefully turning around my eyes gazed down on a pair of old beat up caber boots with what looked like coat hanger wire acting as a couple of buckles. As my eyes rose, I found myself face to face with the great one himself! As I was a bit starstruck, I asked, "What are you having?" He looked at mine & in one word said "Same" so I offered him mine. He smiled & indicated shyly that he wouldn't think of taking mine & would gladly wait. That really struck me & showed the humility that he was known for.
Oh, & those boots I'm thinking he skied on the same boots his whole career?
 
Last edited:

K2 Rat

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Posts
482
[QUOTE="4ster, post: 143206, member: 43.
.
Oh, & those boots I'm thinking he skied on the same boots his whole career?[/QUOTE]

In his final year of racing in 1989, Stenmark used Langes. The 'ol pink panthers


IMG_7029.PNG
 

Doby Man

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Aug 22, 2017
Posts
406
Location
Mostly New England
In high school, I had more Stenmark posters on my dorm room wall than any other famous racer and more than any of my other ski race poster collector buddies. I would stare at them for hours and hours and especially on the nights I couldn’t sleep before a race. In class, I almost always sat in my desk chair inclining and angulating my legs out from under the desk emulating the movements in my posters with cow bells ringing in my head while the teacher would babble on like a meandering brook in the distance. I never had the attached photo as a poster but have seen all his photos over and over. Had this one been available as a poster in the 80’s, it would have been the holy grail for me and my race poster geek buddies. I feel emphatically that this one exudes the mastery of the champion that he was more than any other shot I've seen. ALL the power of the turn concentrated to the last 12 inches of the inside edge of his outside ski! (even though possibly the product of a circumstance he may rather have avoided which often, btw, makes for a good poster). Looking back makes me feel incredibly fortunate that I pursued a sport that has evolved more dynamically than anything else out there among non-motorized sports. Under that light and in retrospect, it appears that there was no other option. Though, I do not feel bad for those who do not ski for there is not room in heaven for everyone.


I3PXlxxJ09b0GJhrElo9g1DhlpMK2TPKfmM9TmIBVPyXSkit6nYPXQBl1FFATbXwbB4WPvcALputtMlIpmIC1AU5gZJZI-p0UN0h4-rjY50VFD04xGxhWKo1Yp7xeNW4ycR14P5y
 

K2 Rat

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Posts
482
Thanks....learn something new every day! Would have bet against that, and lost!

And that's Calgary, 1984. He was still racing four, five years later? Of course it was when SL became heavily "armored!" Bet the main reason he wanted that helmet was for the chin guard.

Edit: This Dummy of a poster failed to recall two facts. Calgary was 1988. And, perhaps more importantly, Stenmark was ineligible for the 1984 games due to Avery Brundage and the IOC's stupid stance on amateurism. Stenmark was determined to be a pro. AS were all of the others, BTW.


I think you are right about wearing a SL helmet solely so he could use a chin guard. Here he is at '89 Worlds at Vail in his last season: SL in a helmet and GS in a hat !
IMG_7030.JPG
 

ScotsSkier

USSA Coach
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
3,150
Location
North Lake Tahoe, NV
In high school, I had more Stenmark posters on my dorm room wall than any other famous racer and more than any of my other ski race poster collector buddies. I would stare at them for hours and hours and especially on the nights I couldn’t sleep before a race. In class, I almost always sat in my desk chair inclining and angulating my legs out from under the desk emulating the movements in my posters with cow bells ringing in my head while the teacher would babble on like a meandering brook in the distance. I never had the attached photo as a poster but have seen all his photos over and over. Had this one been available as a poster in the 80’s, it would have been the holy grail for me and my race poster geek buddies. I feel emphatically that this one exudes the mastery of the champion that he was more than any other shot I've seen. ALL the power of the turn concentrated to the last 12 inches of the inside edge of his outside ski! (even though possibly the product of a circumstance he may rather have avoided which often, btw, makes for a good poster). Looking back makes me feel incredibly fortunate that I pursued a sport that has evolved more dynamically than anything else out there among non-motorized sports. Under that light and in retrospect, it appears that there was no other option. Though, I do not feel bad for those who do not ski for there is not room in heaven for everyone.


I3PXlxxJ09b0GJhrElo9g1DhlpMK2TPKfmM9TmIBVPyXSkit6nYPXQBl1FFATbXwbB4WPvcALputtMlIpmIC1AU5gZJZI-p0UN0h4-rjY50VFD04xGxhWKo1Yp7xeNW4ycR14P5y

great pic! The angles and technique (apart from limited counter and being back on the tails in this one!) would still be good today
 

ScotsSkier

USSA Coach
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
3,150
Location
North Lake Tahoe, NV
[QUOTE="4ster, post: 143206, member: 43.
.
Oh, & those boots I'm thinking he skied on the same boots his whole career?

In his final year of racing in 1989, Stenmark used Langes. The 'ol pink panthers


View attachment 30076 [/QUOTE]

Didn't know about the Langes!. I thought he had been on the Caber Alfa his whole career, even though it was discontinued about 1980. It looks also like he is on Salomon bindings in the GS pic rather than Markers as he used most of his career
 

Uncle-A

In the words of Paul Simon "You can call me Al"
Skier
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Posts
10,894
Location
NJ
Didn't know about the Langes!. I thought he had been on the Caber Alfa his whole career, even though it was discontinued about 1980. It looks also like he is on Salomon bindings in the GS pic rather than Markers as he used most of his career

I remember seeing a photo of his Caber boots and the write up that was with the photo talked about he used a reverse cant under the boot. It went on to say that he got his skis up on such an angle that they put the reverse cant to keep the ski from losing contact with the surface.
 

K2 Rat

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Posts
482
Lange did not have very long to run ads and establish any connection/brand recognition with Stenmark. Don't think anyone thinks of Lange and Stenmark. Guess his old Cabers must have finally broke down to make the switch.

IMG_7033.JPG
 

K2 Rat

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Posts
482
IMG_7035.PNG
In his final year of racing in 1989, Stenmark used Langes. The 'ol pink panthers


View attachment 30076

Didn't know about the Langes!. I thought he had been on the Caber Alfa his whole career, even though it was discontinued about 1980. It looks also like he is on Salomon bindings in the GS pic rather than Markers as he used most of his career[/QUOTE]


Good eye. Certainly look like he skied GS on Salomons and Markers on in SL in '89. Interesting ....
 

ScotsSkier

USSA Coach
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
3,150
Location
North Lake Tahoe, NV
yes, in the 1989 slalom pic he is definitely on Markers! Weird! Also looking back at 4ster's pictures, the earlier one looks like a black boot whereas the later one (where he is wearing a helmet) it is a blue boot. May just be fading in the older pictures of course!!
 

Muleski

So much better than a pro
Inactive
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
5,243
Location
North of Boston
Well, guys, that's almost breaking news from PugSki!

I have always had a pretty close eye to this stuff, and I had zero idea that he ever skied in a Lange boot. None.

And the Salomon binding is a good catch. Very good. Nice eye, SS!!

Very cool.
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,220
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
yes, in the 1989 slalom pic he is definitely on Markers! Weird! Also looking back at 4ster's pictures, the earlier one looks like a black boot whereas the later one (where he is wearing a helmet) it is a blue boot. May just be fading in the older pictures of course!!

Pretty sure all those boots in my photos are blue & likely the same pair, at least for those years79'-86'. I know the pair that I saw up close were not a current Caber boot model & had been through the ringer. Of course that could all be folklore.

I too did not recall his time on Langes. I thought I remembered him using those white Salomon rear entries after retirement but when I reviewed the Japanese video I had posted early in this thread, it appears to be a yellow boot probably a Lange.

Interesting trivial trivia :doh:
 

K2 Rat

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Posts
482
Well, guys, that's almost breaking news from PugSki!

I have always had a pretty close eye to this stuff, and I had zero idea that he ever skied in a Lange boot. None.

And the Salomon binding is a good catch. Very good. Nice eye, SS!!

Very cool.


I have known since '89 that he skied in Langes for one year because I had the same Pink Panthers and I am a fanatical Lange guy. Was psyched when he switched to my brand. I would have told you all earlier, but I have only known you for 3 months. My bad .... :)

My old Pink Panthers in the middle of this pic


IMG_3631.PNG
 

Muleski

So much better than a pro
Inactive
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
5,243
Location
North of Boston
That's a nice collection of Lange's.

Kind of funny, we've always struggled to have enough room to store all of our CURRENT ski stuff, which is less that it was a few years ago. So I have never held on to boots. But my first Lange was a locked hinge comp, before they made the yellow flow model. Been many since!

The Stenmark deal is fascinating. Never on my radar! Not sure why!

I have a friend who worked for Lange race long ago, right out of college. On the WC as a real gopher. One of his jobs was to help be Tomba's handler. That included things like brewing two huge thermos' of expresso to have at the start area. And more to the point, he spray painted his shells in the current years color, updated broken buckles, make sure the decals and such were all fresh.

Remember how long racers kept their boots in those days? Very different deal than today. When you see pics of the big guns leaving the factory with a dozen pairs, think Hirscher. I was told that he has 50+ different boot set ups sitting around. Always fiddling.

But even those have required a lot of paint and cosmetic surgery!
 

K2 Rat

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Posts
482
Well, guys, that's almost breaking news from PugSki!

I have always had a pretty close eye to this stuff, and I had zero idea that he ever skied in a Lange boot. None.

And the Salomon binding is a good catch. Very good. Nice eye, SS!!

Very cool.


I have known since '89 that he skied in Langes for one year because I had the same Pink Panthers and I am a fanatical Lange guy. Was psyched when he switched to my brand. I would have told you all earlier, but I have only known you for 3 months. My bad .... :)

My old Pink Panthers in the middle of this pic


View attachment 30088
 

Uncle-A

In the words of Paul Simon "You can call me Al"
Skier
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Posts
10,894
Location
NJ
That's a nice collection of Lange's.

Kind of funny, we've always struggled to have enough room to store all of our CURRENT ski stuff, which is less that it was a few years ago. So I have never held on to boots. But my first Lange was a locked hinge comp, before they made the yellow flow model. Been many since!

The Stenmark deal is fascinating. Never on my radar! Not sure why!

I have a friend who worked for Lange race long ago, right out of college. On the WC as a real gopher. One of his jobs was to help be Tomba's handler. That included things like brewing two huge thermos' of expresso to have at the start area. And more to the point, he spray painted his shells in the current years color, updated broken buckles, make sure the decals and such were all fresh.

Remember how long racers kept their boots in those days? Very different deal than today. When you see pics of the big guns leaving the factory with a dozen pairs, think Hirscher. I was told that he has 50+ different boot set ups sitting around. Always fiddling.

But even those have required a lot of paint and cosmetic surgery!
With all this talk about painting boots and changing buckles are we sure that the pink boots on his feet are Lange and not his old Cabers just painted pink?
 

Swede

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Posts
2,391
Location
Sweden
I'm just smiling. Lots of menories. I have posted some stuff earlier in this thread, among other things a video of Ingemar's DH crasch in Italy. Safe to say that the "Featured"-function works. All hell seems to brake loose. Sweet.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top