Former U.S. team skier makes Greek history

AJ Ginnis’ long journey to skiing glory began on the relatively obscure slopes of Mount Parnassus north of Athens, took him briefly to the Austrian Alps as a teenager, then over to Vermont and eventually a spot on the U.S. ski team.

Six knee surgeries later — three ACLs, one MCL plus operations to repair “a bunch of meniscus and cartilage damage” — Ginnis is now a member of the Greek team and his secondplace finish in slalom at the Alpine skiing world championships on Sunday in France earned Greece its first major medal in a Winter Olympic sport.

“You put Greece on the map,” Johan Eliasch, president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, told Ginnis before placing the silver medal around the skier’s neck at the awards ceremony to conclude the final event at worlds in Courchevel.

When the U.S. ski team disbanded its men’s slalom team in 2018 as Ginnis struggled with his injuries, the skier was inspired by Greek tennis players Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari to start competing for his birth nation.

“They opened a door into a new sport,” Ginnis said. “So whether it’s skiing or the next sport that starts taking off in Greece, I just hope (my medal) acts as an inspiration.”

Ginnis stood second after the opening run and held his position through deep ruts that constantly threatened to knock him off course to finish 0.20 seconds behind Norwegian winner Henrik Kristoffersen.

Ginnis already became the first skier from Greece on a World Cup podium when he finished second in the last slalom before worlds.

“It’s just a dream, the last two weeks. History for Greece, best moment in my career,” Ginnis said.