Aleksandr Zhirov
Alexander Vasilyevich Shirov (Russian: Александр Васильевич Жиров; born September 12, 1958 in Dedenewo in Moscow, † 21 May 1983; Yakhroma ) was a Russian skier. Shirov was with Valeri Zyganow the only male Russian runner who could ever win a World Cup race.
Biography
Shirov was from early 1980 to early 1982 one of the best slalom and giant slalom skier in the world. In his short career, he was also placed in the top ten 23 times. His strongest phase he had in March 1981, when he won four races in two weeks.
In the overall standings of the World Cup, he finished second in the 1980/81 season behind Phil Mahre and Ingemar Stenmark the third place, the best result that has ever won a Russian skier.
Shirov took only once participate in the Olympics. In Lake Placid 1980, he was ninth in the giant slalom. The World Ski Championships 1982 in Schladming, he was in the slalom 13
Shirov had an accident in May 1983 at the age of 24 years near the city Yakhroma with his car and died from his injuries.