Ginnis wins Greece’s 1st big winter medal
COURCHEVEL, France — 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 second-place finish in slalom at the Alpine skiing world championships on Sunday 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.
When the U.S. 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 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. “I can’t believe it. I don’t know what happened. During the (second) run I thought it was not enough and I just gave everything in the last gates.”
After the first run, Ginnis said he had no pressure.
“I ski for Greece, so I ski free,” he said, adding with a laugh that he prayed to “all 12” Greek gods before the race.
Kristoffersen posted the fastest-second run time and improved from 16th position after the opening run. Alex Vinatzer finished 0.38 behind to take bronze and earn the Italian men their first medal at these worlds.
First-run leader Manuel Feller of Austria dropped to seventh.
Ginnis was born in Greece and learned to ski at Mount Parnassus, a 2 ½-hour drive from Athens. At 12 he moved to Austria with his father, a ski instructor who ran a ski shop near Parnassos Ski Center, then on to the U.S. and competed for the U.S. at the 2017 worlds.
He’s now coached by Sandy Vietz and Gaby Coulet, who roomed together at the University of Vermont.