Bojan Križaj

Bojan Križaj ( born January 3, 1957 in Kranj ) is a former Yugoslavian skier. He was an excellent technician and one of the best slalom and giant slalom skier of the 1980s.

Biography

Križaj was born into a well-known skiers family and learned at the age of three years, the skiing. He took 1974 for the first time at a World Cup finals and finished 13th in the slalom. The next year he won the gold medal in the slalom at the European Junior Championships in Mayrhofen. In December 1977, he was also placed in the points in the World Cup for the first time. To kick off the season 1977/78 he first arrived among the top three in the slalom in Madonna di Campiglio.

Two years later, on January 20, 1980 in Wengen him his first World Cup victory succeeded. This was also the first victory of a Yugoslav runner in the history of the World Cup. By the end of his career, followed by seven more wins. He is still the most successful Slovenian alpine skier of all time.

His most successful season in the World Cup was 1986/87 when he won the individual World Cup slalom; the only rating this year that do not went to Swiss Pirmin Zurbriggen. In the slalom World Cup, he was also in the seasons 1979/80 and 1985/86 runner-up and 1980/81 third party. The best result in the World Cup he reached 1979/80 with a fourth place.

For major events Križaj came but only once on the top places. At the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, he missed the bronze medal in the giant slalom only two hundredths of a second and finished fourth. Four years later, he said the Olympic oath at the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. The high expectations that were directed at him, but he could not be fulfilled and was only seventh in the slalom and ninth in the giant slalom. Križaj also qualified for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Due to an injury he suffered shortly before the Games begin, however, he had to forgo participation.

His only medal he won at the Alpine World Skiing Championships 1982 in Schladming, where he won the silver medal in the slalom behind the Swede Ingemar Stenmark. Križaj ended his career in March 1988 at the World Cup finals in Saalbach -Hinterglemm, where he unbuckled his skis just before the end of the track and went on foot to the finish.

Achievements

Olympic games

  • Lake Placid 1980: 4 Giant Slalom
  • Sarajevo 1984: 7 Slalom, Giant Slalom 9

World Championships

  • St. Moritz 1974: 13 Slalom
  • Schladming 1982: 2nd Slalom, Giant Slalom 7
  • Bormio 1985: 5 Slalom, Giant Slalom 8
  • Crans -Montana 1987: 6 Slalom

World Cup rankings

  • 1978/79 season: 8th overall, 3rd giant slalom
  • 1979/ 80: 4th overall, 2nd Slalom, Giant Slalom 6
  • 1980/81 season: 6th overall, 3rd slalom
  • Season 1981/82: 9 Appreciation, 6th Slalom, Giant Slalom 8
  • 1982/83 season: 9th overall, 5th Slalom
  • Season 1983/84: 10th overall, 5th Slalom
  • Season 1984/85: 6 Giant Slalom
  • 1985/86 season: 2nd Slalom
  • 1986/87 season: 9th overall, 1st slalom

World Cup wins

European Junior Championships

  • Mayrhofen 1975: 1st slalom
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