How Connor McDavid made this man a world ski champion

“Beating them now feels unreal,” said Crawford after his biggest success to date. His first victory in the world elite was a surprise, but not a sensation. Or as sixth-placed Marco Schwarz said: “The Crawford is not a nose picker. He is one of the best speed drivers in the world and has had a very good start to the season. You always have to keep people like that in mind.”

Crawford, who reached the Super-G podium for the only time in the World Cup a year ago in Kvitfjell and has sixth place as his best result this winter, followed in the footsteps of Erik Guay, who was previously the only Canadian to finish super-G in 2017. had become G world champion.

Fully there at the right moment Once again a North American was present at a major event. “At world championships we are simply able to perform,” said Crawford, who is now trained by John Kucera (downhill world champion in 2009), without knowing a reason for this. He probably planned his trip “more on the risky side”. “I’m very happy that I was able to make it to the bottom,” said the 2022 Olympic bronze medalist in the Alpine combined.

The winner's podium. © APA/afp / LIONEL BONAVENTURE

Crawford is of course familiar with the “Crazy Canucks” of the 1970s around Ken Read, Steve Podborski and Dave Irwin, who were famous for their willingness to take risks. The 25-year-old said he would like to ride in the yellow Crazy Canuck outfit. But his time was and is different; as a teenager he mainly admired Bode Miller and Didier Cuche in videos.

The McDavid Story A superstar is partly to blame for Crawford using skis instead of runners. As a 15-year-old, Crawford played on a student ice hockey team in Toronto with now NHL superstar Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. “He made sure I took the right path,” Crawford said, laughing. “I probably wouldn't have been a bad ice hockey player, but watching him play is like watching Odermatt ski. For some reason he’s just better than everyone else.”

He was the fastest on the track in Courchevel called Eclipse. He handled the jumps and many waves better than anyone else. Also as Odermatt, who finished fourth behind Kilde and Alexis Pinturault in the shortest Super-G of the year. “I knew Odermatt, Kilde and all these guys would be extremely fast. It turned out to be a hassle.” The French underground seems familiar to him. “The snow here is similar to Lake Louise, Panorama, Canada – that makes it easy for me.”

Ski genes in the family Crawford was practically born with the skiing skills. The gold medalist said his father was an outstanding skier, but unlike his aunt Judy, he didn't make it to the top in the world. Judy Crawford finished fourth at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo. “She told me: Nobody remembers fourth-place finishers. If you think you can go a little faster, then you should do it,” said the new Super-G world champion.

By the way, Crawford got his nickname from his sister. “She just wanted me to be called Jack when I was born. She was about three years old then. My parents didn’t fight it,” Crawford explained. “Everyone who knows me calls me Jack.”

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How Connor McDavid made this man a world ski champion

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