Bode Miller

Samuel Bode Miller ( born October 12, in Easton, New Hampshire 1977) called, only Bode Miller [ boʊdi mɪləɹ ː ], is an American alpine skier. He rides in the Alpine Skiing World Cup in all disciplines, making it one of the few " all-rounders ", and is the most successful alpine skier of his country. At the Olympic Winter Games 2010 Miller was Olympic champion in the combination. He also won four world titles in four different disciplines ( combined and giant slalom in 2003, Super - G and downhill in 2005 ) added five more Olympic medals and an additional World Cup medal. In the winters of 2004/ 05 and 2007/ 08 Miller decided the overall standings of the World Cup itself. In addition, he was twice three times to win the super- G World Cup, the Combined World Cup and once the giant slalom World Cup. He is one of only five ski racers, who won victories in all five alpine disciplines and so far the only one to have managed this in any discipline at least five times. [Note 1] Miller has a reputation as a rebellious "bad boy", is known for its risky driving style, and is considered eccentric.

2.1 Image
2.2 Controversial statements
2.3 Other Activities
2.4 relations

3.1 The Olympic Games
3.2 World Championships
3.3 World Cup ratings
3.4 World Cup wins
3.5 Continental Cups
3.6 Further successes
3.7 Awards

Biography

Childhood and youth

Miller spent his childhood near Franconia, a village in the White Mountains in the northern part of New Hampshire. He lived with his "hippie " parents, his brother Chelone and two sisters in a wooden house without electricity and running water. The house stood near the Cannon Mountain ski area on a nearly 2 -acre wooded lot where the grandparents a tennis camp and a ski lodge operated. Miller initially received home schooling and went only from the age of ten to school. Early on, he learned to ski, but also showed as football and tennis player talent - he won the tennis championship youth of New Hampshire.

His now divorced parents sent Miller to the Carrabassett Valley Academy, a high school in Sugarloaf, Maine with a comprehensive winter sports funding. From 1992, when he was 15 years old, he began to participate in FIS races. Miller had an unconventional driving style, he only slightly adapting in later years: he leaned back in his ski boots to the back and bounced off the curves that he was driving too fast. Although he parted with this risky driving from often, but was due to his excellent athleticism to be the best, if he made it to the finish. In his senior year he came with a developer of K2 ski company this week. The company experimented with waisted skis that are more suited to his ideas of a snowboard -like driving style. Miller came in 1996 with a new model to the U.S. Junior Championships in Sugarloaf. There he won the championship title in downhill, super -G and giant slalom, while he was second in the slalom. With these successes, he made a major contribution, that carving skis interspersed with racers and were no longer limited to the freeride scene.

First years in the World Cup

In winter 1996/97 Miller won several FIS races and also scored in the Nor- Am Cup regularly good results. On November 20, 1997, he made his debut in the World Cup; surprisingly, he drove in the giant slalom at Park City on the 11th place, winning in his first World Cup points race. Later in the season 1997/98 he was able to classify only one more time in the points, because he drove too inconsistent and too reckless. Even in its first participation in the Olympic Games, Nagano 1998, he resigned from both the giant slalom and the slalom. On the other hand, he succeeded in Nor- Am Cup four victories, he also won his first U.S. title.

Also in the season 1998/99 Miller fell on by a lack of consistency and cemented his reputation as a boisterous "Fall Pilot". In more than half of the World Cup races that he went to the start, he could obtain no countable income. But were offset by even occasional top results; so, he came fourth in the slalom in Wengen and Ofterschwang. His best finish at the 1999 World Cup in Vail / Beaver Creek was the eighth place in the slalom.

Miller did not succeed in the 1999/2000 season continues to reduce its high failure rate. Only five of 22 World Cup races, he was able to place, by far the best result was a 12th place at all. Finally, in the 2000 /01 season he was able to reduce its default rate significantly. The first World Cup podium he succeeded on December 17, 2000 in the giant slalom in Val d'Isere. At the 2001 World Championships in St. Anton am Arlberg Miller was on the fourth place in the combo slalom medal as a promising candidate. In the combination of departure on the following day he led after the first split, but then crashed hard. He suffered a torn ACL and had to end the season prematurely.

Establishment of a world leader

The latest from the 2001/02 season was one of the world's best ski racers Miller. On 9 December 2001, he celebrated in the giant slalom in Val d'Isere his first World Cup victory, the second followed a day later in the slalom at Madonna di Campiglio. After he won two more slaloms for himself, he counted before the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City at the most mentioned favorite. Miller lived up to expectations and was able to ever win a silver medal in the combined and giant slalom. In the World Cup, he finished at the end of the season in second place in the slalom rating and fourth in the overall standings.

Miller's stated goal for the 2002/ 03 season was winning the overall World Cup standings. With consistently good results in all disciplines - in Downhill and Super - G's he drove now regularly in the top ten - he led the scoring in the first half of the season. In two giant slaloms at the turn of more wins were added. Particularly successful Miller was at the 2003 World Championships in St. Moritz, where he won three medals: After silver in Super -G ( same time as Hermann Maier ), he became world champion in the combined and giant slalom. After the World Cup after Miller left something and had to let Eberharter pass in the overall standings in itself. But he could first decide a discipline rating for themselves; those in the combination.

Even before the start of the 2003/04 season was Miller of the favorites to win the overall World Cup. At the beginning of winter, he won superior in two giant slaloms. But then he suffered multiple failures. It was not until mid-January 2004, he was able to continue his success early in the season again. He won two combinations as well as one slalom and a giant slalom. The numerous failures in the first half of the season had the consequence that Miller took fourth place in the standings with only 131 points behind Hermann Maier. But it was enough to win the discipline ratings in the combination and in the giant slalom.

Triumphs and defeats

In the first ten races of the season 2004/ 05 Miller was six times as a winner on the podium, once he finished second. On the last weekend of November, 2004, he won in Lake Louise for the first time in a downhill and a super -G. He rose to the small circle of those skiers who were able to celebrate World Cup victories in all five disciplines. Between 27 November and 13 December, so within 16 days, he won four times in four different disciplines that had previously been successful anyone. At the World Championships in Bormio 2005 Miller won the gold medal in both the downhill and super-G. For quite a stir he made in the combination of departure: A few seconds after the start he lost his left ski, but still drove almost two minutes with only one ski, the Pista Stelvio down and came only shortly before the finish to case. With a total of seven wins and seven additional podium finishes, Miller secured for the first time the overall World Cup and the Super G discipline standings. For his achievements, he was also awarded the Skieur d'Or.

Miller was unable to match the performance of the previous winter in the season 2005/ 06. In twelve out of 31 races, to which he took, he left; in the slalom, he scored only two countable results. Despite these setbacks, he could decide for two races, each a giant slalom and a Super -G. Disappointing went for him the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin: In the downhill and slalom he just missed the medals; in the combination he was after the downhill skiing in the lead, however, winning the gold medal he missed by a threader in the slalom. For He hit the headlines in particular with its extravagant nightlife in the bars of the Olympic race resort Sestriere. At the end of the winter he lay in the overall World Cup standings to third place.

The default rate remained high in the season 2006/ 07, with 14 failures in 35 races. In his erstwhile favorite slalom discipline Miller was no more than 23 square. However, in the giant slalom, he was one with two podiums still a world leader. The most successful he was with two victories in the disciplines of downhill and Super -G. At the 2007 World Championships in Åre, he remained without a medal, best result was 6th place in the Super Combined. For the second time after 2005 he won the super-G discipline standings of the World Cup.

Private team and Olympic victory

Miller broke up in May 2007 by the structures of the U.S. Ski Association because he no longer wanted to subject to strict rules of conduct. It was also forbidden to stay in the competition sites as usual in his motor home. In response, he founded the privately funded team Bode America with its own coaching staff, but continued to perform in the United States. This approach paid off in the 2007/ 08 season. Although he weakened further in the slalom, but dominated the combination contests almost at Miller won three of the five races held and was never worse than fourth. This winter also were added three downhill victories, which he was the first skier now, who had won in the course of his career, in all five disciplines at least five victories. Even before the last race of the winter, he stood for the second time fixed as overall World Cup winner, in addition, he secured the combination discipline standings.

Little successful was the season 2008/09. To scattered successes in the downhill and slalom were again numerous failures over ( in twelve out of 27 races ). Disappointing and the 2009 World Championships in Val d'Isere with ranks 8 in the downhill and super-G 12, followed by three further defaults in the super combined, giant slalom and slalom. Immediately thereafter, Miller decided to waive the outstanding World Cup race of the season and to take a break. As surprising reason he stated that he was a year ago became a father of a daughter (which was previously remained largely secret). After several months has been speculation about a possible resignation in the media, he announced the end of September 2009, the dissolution of his private teams and the return to the U.S. Ski Association, with whose leaders he had found an amicable solution.

Miller had little training in the summer months, which is why he had 2009/10 conditional defects at the beginning of winter. In the first five races of the season he won only two World Cup points. Then, however, was followed by several good results in Downhill and Super -G race. In mid-January he achieved his first World Cup victory in almost two years, which he unexpectedly again counted the favorites in Vancouver shortly before the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Unlike four years ago in Turin, he could live up to expectations: In the bronze medal in the downhill followed the silver in the super -G. Finally, he also won the gold medal in the super combined. Had he also achieved a podium finish in the final slalom, he would have ever been the first skier with Olympic medals in all five disciplines. Due to an ankle injury he renounced the remaining World Cup races this winter.

The End of career against

The 2010/11 season has been rather mixed. The usual high number of failures in slalom and giant slalom were compared with three podiums. At the World Championships 2011 in Garmisch -Partenkirchen Miller could not build on the success of the Olympic Games, two twelfth places were his best results. For the third time in a row he renounced the last World Cup race of the season. The reason he claimed to want to spend more time with his daughter. Somewhat more successful the 2011/12 season was a total of four podiums, including his most recent World Cup victory he won in early December in the departure of Beaver Creek. Following the complaints in his left knee, he had the end of February to cancel the season.

Arthroscopy has become necessary prompted Miller to completely skip the 2012/13 season and to focus on his last major career goal, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The first race of the 2013/14 season he played in Sölden, where he finished 19th. In the Super G in Lake Louise, he then went on the 16th Place. On December 8, 2013, the first podium succeeded after about 22 months when he surprisingly was second in the giant slalom in Beaver Creek; this was also his first giant slalom podium since March 2007. During the downhill on the Streif in Kitzbuehel on January 25, 2014, he finished third after he outclassed his rivals still in training. A day later he became second in the Super -G. In Sochi, he belonged after several pole positions among the favorites of Olympic downhill, but classified only eighth. In the super -G at the same time, he won the bronze medal with Jan Hudec. At the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide Miller reached in the Super -G 3rd place, synonymous with his fourth podium finish of the season. He announced in wanting to deny a further season.

Personal

Image

Miller is perceived in European sports press in the more benevolent sense as an eccentric and rebellious free spirit who defies the usual conventions. His fondness for parties gives him the image of a non-conformist "Rock Stars on snow and ice." Slightly negative, however, it is perceived in the U.S. sporting press. The Chicago Tribune described him as " pesky bore, which tends to be hypocritical -looking statements." Unflattering is also the assessment of the Denver Post: " His behavior has alienated him from virtually all, except by those who mindlessly celebrate rebels simply for their rebellion. "

The less good reactions in the U.S. are primarily due to unmotivated acting behavior before and during the 2006 Winter Olympics. In January 2006, Miller had admitted on the television program 60 Minutes that he was driving under the influence of alcohol race and it is not impossible that he will continue to do so. Before traveling to Turin he had announced: ". Maybe I will go there only do party and drink beer " After he had remained in all five races without winning a medal, he said that this had been " two great weeks," and he was " on Olympic level come to party and among the people. " Then, Miller had to stand accused in the media that he was without any respect and motivation for the games. The San Francisco Chronicle called him even as "the biggest bust in Olympic history ".

A certain correction to its image as a bully and "Bad Boy" succeeded four years later with his Olympic success. Miller said he hated the thing it was in Turin in 2006 role as a figurehead; the hype was then robbed him of the inspiration and passion. He explained his success in Vancouver so that he is now standing at a much lower pressure and have just had fun skiing.

Controversial statements

Miller is known to be very direct and to disseminate controversial opinions in the media. He often criticized the actions of sports officials or decisions of various associations that represent negative developments from his point of view. For the first time in October 2005, he called for the release of doping in alpine skiing: for example, could be increased by the intake of EPO the safety of the racers, as they would be less fatigued at the end of a run and thus geschähen less dangerous accidents. A month later, Miller intensified his statements and kept the concept of the World Anti-Doping Agency for " sick and sheer hypocrisy ". In his view, the security and not the fairness idea must stand in the foreground. He also lamented the systematic violation of the privacy of the athletes by DCOs. In November 2007, he reiterated his call for a reorientation of the anti- doping policy and called doping tests as money and waste of time.

Before the first race of the season 2007/ 08 Miller criticized the International Ski Federation FIS violently and accused him that he would not do enough for racing safety of the athletes. Serious accidents ( eg, those of Scott Macartney and Matthias Lanzinger ) would take the FIS in buying what encrusted association structures were responsible. More sharp criticism of the ( incompetent in his view ) officials of the FIS practiced Miller in October 2011. His displeasure was a new material regulations which were finally introduced at the beginning of the 2012/13 season and is expected to reduce with a lower waist of the ski accidents. Miller described the measure as unfit and told it's better to start with the bindings. He also pointed out that from 1999 to 2003 was at the height of the equipment in ski racing and since then everything has developed in the wrong direction.

Other Activities

Miller co-wrote with his friend Jack McEnany autobiography Bode: Go Fast, Be Good, Have Fun, which appeared in October 2005 in Villard Books / Random House. In the same year the documentary Flying Downhill with Bode Miller was released showing him in his daily training and further reflects his environment and his attitude to life. Miller was also the first American alpine skier since Tommy Moe, the namesake of a computer game was: Bode Miller Alpine Racing was first published in January 2006 for mobile phones, and later for the PlayStation 2 and Windows.

Miller is an avid golfer and participates in charity tournaments in favor of cancer charities. He founded the Turtle Ridge Foundation with relatives, a foundation that will support the environmental protection projects and social institutions. As a fundraising event he organizes annually the BodeBash, a combined tennis and golf tournament. From 2006 to 2008, Miller graduated each year, a baseball game for Nashua Pride, a team in the semi-professional Canadian - American League; the proceeds from the ticket sales also benefited charity.

In June 2010, Miller turned his skills in tennis proof and participated in a meeting organized by the United States Tennis Association qualifying tournament. As winner of the tournament, he would have had the chance to win a wild card for the U.S. Open in another tournament. At the tournament in Waipahu, he was beaten in the first round in straight sets, however. Another area of interest are Millers Horse racing: Since 2012 he is co-owner of a racehorse called carving.

Relations

Miller is the father of a daughter who was born in February 2008 and a temporary, short love affair comes from. In October 2012, he married in San Diego's beach volleyball player Morgan Beck. Three months later, he announced that his wife had suffered a miscarriage. In March 2013 Miller was involved in a custody battle. Applicant is the model Sara McKenna, with whom he had had a brief relationship before Beck. McKenna, who was a month earlier became a mother of a son, Miller accused publicly that he had an alcohol and drug problem. Another blow he suffered in April 2013, when his younger brother Chelone Miller, a professional snowboard crosser, died of a stroke.

Achievements

Olympic games

Salt Lake City 2002: 2 Giant Slalom, 2nd combination, 24th slalom
Turin 2006: 5th exit, 6 Giant Slalom
Vancouver 2010: 1 combination, 2 Super -G, 3rd exit
Sochi 2014: 3 Super -G, Super Combined 6th, 8th departure, 20 Giant Slalom

World Championships

Vail / Beaver Creek 1999: 8 Slalom, Giant Slalom 18, 26, Super -G
St. Moritz 2003: 1 Giant Slalom, 1st combination, 2 Super -G, Slalom 6, 16 departure
Bormio 2005: 1st exit, first Super -G
Åre 2007: 6 combination, exit 7, 15, Giant Slalom, Super -G 24
Val d'Isere 2009: 8 exit 12 Super -G
Garmisch -Partenkirchen 2011: 12 Super -G, Giant Slalom 12 15 Departure

World Cup ratings

Season 2001/ 02: 4th overall World Cup, 2nd World Cup Slalom, Giant Slalom World Cup 7th, 4th Combined World Cup
Season 2002/ 03: 2nd Overall World Cup, second giant slalom World Cup, 1st Combined World Cup
Season 2003/ 04: 4th overall World Cup, 1 giant slalom World Cup, 1st Combined World Cup, 5th World Cup Slalom,
Season 2004/ 05: 1 World Cup, 1 Super - G World Cup, 2nd downhill World Cup, 2nd Giant Slalom World Cup
Season 2005/ 06: 3rd Overall World Cup, 2nd Combined World Cup, fifth downhill World Cup, 9 Giant Slalom World Cup 10 Super - G World Cup
Season 2006/ 07: 4th overall World Cup, 1 Super - G World Cup, 6 giant slalom World Cup, 8th downhill World Cup
Season 2007/ 08: first overall World Cup, 1st Combined World Cup, 2nd downhill World Cup, 8 Super - G World Cup
Season 2008/ 09: 7 downhill World Cup
Season 2009/ 10: 5 Combined World Cup
Season 2011/12: 5 Downhill World Cup
Season 2013/14: 8 Overall World Cup super- G World Cup 5th, 8th downhill World Cup

World Cup wins

33 World Cup victories (8 × departure, 5 × Super -G, Giant Slalom 9 ×, 5 × Slalom, 6 x combination )
80 podiums (20 × downhill, super-G 13 ×, 21 × Giant Slalom, Slalom 12 ×, 13 × combination, 1 × parallel race)

Continental Cups

Nor- Am Cup

European Cup

Other successes

7 U.S. Masters Title: departure in 2006, Super-G in 2003 and 2007, 1998 and 2006 giant slalom, slalom in 2002 and 2003
4 U.S. Junior Champion title: Departure 1996 1996 Giant Slalom, Super-G in 1996, Slalom 1995
13 wins in FIS races

Awards

2005: Skieur d'Or

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