If there were a “skier of the generation,” it would be Erik Schlopy, born in 1972. If determination, drive, commitment, and inspiration had a hero, it would be Erik Schlopy. He was that good.
For 22 years Erik Schlopy amassed one of the longest and most successful careers in U.S. ski racing history. He was a two-time Olympic Junior Champion, three-time U.S. Olympian (1994, 2002, 2006), seven-time national champion (11 podiums), World Pro Super-G champion, Bronze Medal winner in the World Championships (2003), ranked third in the world for GS (2001), named to six F.I.S. World Championship teams (1993, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007), and competed as a professional ski racer for 18 years.
Schlopy was the first ski racer in history to successfully go from World Cup skiing to the Pro Tour and back to World Cup ski racing. His extraordinary skiing dominance helped shift United States ski racing paradigms. He paid the price: a broken back (1993), four knee surgeries, and a host of other injuries. But, he always came back . . . and won.
A father of two and resident of Park City, Utah, Erik has passed on his unbending winner mentality to his disciples on many fronts, including his “Schlopy Repetition Drill,” popular among racing clubs throughout the country. Erik Schlopy – the penultimate world-class ski racing champion.