Spider Sabich

Vladimir " Spider" Sabich ( born January 10, 1945 in Kyburz, California, † March 21 1976 in Aspen, Colorado) was an American alpine skier. Sabich belonged to that generation of successful skier who helped from the mid 1960s to popularize the alpine skiing in the United States.

Sabich came from a family of Croatian immigrants. As of March 1967, he took part in the races of the world cup. The only World Cup victory of his career ( slalom ), he won on April 7, 1968 in Heavenly Valley. By December 1969, he was also placed in three more World Cup slaloms in the top three. In 1968 he took part in the Winter Olympics in Grenoble, reaching fifth place in the slalom.

On March 21, 1976 Sabich was shot by his own gun in the bathroom of his house. The evidence according to this act to have been committed by his friend, the French singer and actress Claudine Longet. In this criminal was acquitted, however, found in subsequent civil litigation guilty.