Ted Ligety facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ted Ligety

Alpine skier
Ligety in 2018
Disciplines	Giant slalom, super-G, slalom, combined
Club	Park City Ski Education Foundation
Born	(1984-08-31) August 31, 1984 (age 40) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
World Cup debut	November 22, 2003 (age 19)
Website	tedligety.com
Olympics
Teams	4 – (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018)
Medals	2 (2 gold)
World Championships
Teams	7 – (2005–15, 2019)
Medals	7 (5 gold)
World Cup
Seasons	18 – (2003–2021)
Wins	25 – (24 GS, 1 SC)
Podiums	52 – (1 DH, 2 SG, 41 GS,           6 SL, 2 SC)
Overall titles	0 – (3rd – 2013)
Discipline titles	5 – (5 GS)
Medal record Men's alpine skiing Representing the  United States World Cup race podiums Event 1st 2nd 3rd Slalom 0 2 4 Giant 24 7 10 Super-G 0 2 0 Downhill 0 1 0 Combined 1 1 0 International alpine ski competitions Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 2 0 0 World Championships 5 0 2 Olympic Games Gold 2006 Turin Combined Gold 2014 Sochi Giant slalom World Championships Gold 2011 Garmisch Giant slalom Gold 2013 Schladming Super-G Gold 2013 Schladming Combined Gold 2013 Schladming Giant slalom Gold 2015 Beaver Creek Giant slalom Bronze 2009 Val d'Isère Giant slalom Bronze 2015 Beaver Creek Combined Junior World Ski Championships Silver 2004 Maribor Slalom

Theodore Sharp Ligety (born August 31, 1984), known as Ted Ligety, is a retired American alpine ski racer. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist. He also started his own company, Shred Optics, which makes ski goggles and helmets.

Ligety won a gold medal in the combined event at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy. He then won another gold medal in the giant slalom race at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He is also a five-time World Cup champion in giant slalom. He won these titles in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2014.

At the 2011 World Championships, Ligety won a gold medal in the giant slalom. He successfully defended this title in 2013 in Schladming, Austria. There, he also won gold medals in the super-G and the super combined events.

Ligety planned to compete in the 2021 World Championships. However, he had to withdraw due to an injury. This led to his retirement from ski racing in February 2021. He finished his career with 25 victories and 52 podium finishes in World Cup races. His Olympic gold medal, 24 giant slalom World Cup wins, and 5 World Cup titles make him one of the greatest giant slalom skiers ever.

Early Life and Start in Skiing

Ted Ligety was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. His parents, Cyndi Sharp and Bill Ligety, worked as real estate agents. He grew up in Park City and started skiing when he was two years old. He began racing at age ten.

He went to The Winter Sports School and finished in 2002. Ligety was chosen for the U.S. Skiing Development Team. In 2004, he won a silver medal in slalom at the Junior World Championships. He competed in his first World Cup event in 2004, racing in the giant slalom in Park City.

Ligety's Ski Racing Journey

First Big Wins: 2006 Season

In December 2005, Ligety earned his first World Cup podium finish. This means he placed in the top three in a race. It was in a slalom race at Beaver Creek.

His first major victory came at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Ligety won the gold medal in the men's combined event. This was a big surprise because other racers who were expected to win did not finish. At 21 years old, he was the first American man to win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing in 12 years. He was also only the fourth American male skier to win Olympic gold.

After his Olympic win, Ligety got his first World Cup victory. This was a giant slalom race in Yongpyeong, South Korea. He finished ninth in the overall World Cup standings that year.

Building His Career: 2007-2010

In 2006, Ligety changed his ski brand to Rossignol. He started competing in all five alpine skiing events. In 2007, he had two podium finishes, a second place in slalom and a third in giant slalom. He also placed fourth three times, just missing out on medals.

In 2008, Ligety won his first World Cup season title in giant slalom. He finished fifth in the overall standings. He won the last two giant slalom races of the year to win the title.

Ligety started the 2009 season with a third-place finish in Sölden, Austria. At the 2009 World Championships in France, he won a bronze medal in the giant slalom. He then won his fourth World Cup race in Slovenia.

In 2010, Ligety won his fifth World Cup race. He secured his second season title in giant slalom and finished seventh overall. At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, he finished ninth in giant slalom and fifth in super combined.

Changing Gear and More Wins: 2011-2012

Before the 2011 season, Ligety switched his equipment to Head skis. In December 2010, he won his sixth World Cup race. This was his first win on home snow in the U.S., taking the giant slalom at Beaver Creek. He won two more giant slalom races that month.

In February 2011, he won his first world championship gold medal. This was in the giant slalom at the 2011 World Championships in Germany. He won his third season title in giant slalom in 2011.

In the 2012 season, Ligety won three giant slalom races. However, he lost the discipline championship to Marcel Hirscher from Austria.

Best Season Ever: 2013

Ligety was unsure about new rules for giant slalom skis. But he quickly showed they wouldn't stop him. He won the first race of the 2013 season by a huge amount. This season became the best of his career. He finished on the podium in all eight giant slalom races and won six of them. This helped him win the giant slalom title again. Overall, he finished in a career-best third place.

Ligety made his season even more amazing by winning three gold medals at the World Championships in Schladming. He surprisingly won his first gold in the super-G race. Then, he won the super combined event. Finally, he successfully defended his title in the giant slalom. He was the first male skier in 45 years to win three gold medals at one championship.

Olympic Gold and More Records: 2014

Ligety won three giant slalom races before the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In January 2014, he earned his 20th World Cup victory. This was a win in the super combined event in Switzerland, his only World Cup win outside of giant slalom.

At the Olympics, Ligety was expected to win medals. He finished 12th in super combined and 14th in super-G. Under pressure, he skied very fast in the first run of the giant slalom, getting a big lead. He skied carefully in the second run to win the first-ever gold medal for an American man in this event. Ligety became the first American male ski racer to win two Olympic gold medals in his career.

After the Olympics, Ligety won the giant slalom in Slovenia for a record sixth time. He also got his first-ever podium finish in downhill, placing second. This made him only the second American skier, after Bode Miller, to get a podium in all five alpine skiing events. Ligety won his fifth giant slalom title in 2014.

Later Career: 2015-2021

The 2015 season was less successful for Ligety. He won only one race and finished third in the giant slalom standings. At the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2015 in Beaver Creek, he won a bronze medal in the super combined. In the giant slalom, he skied amazingly in the second run to win his third straight world title in the event.

Ligety won the first race of the 2016 season in October 2015. However, in January, he tore a ligament in his right knee during training. This required surgery and ended his season.

He returned to racing in October 2016 for the 2017 season. But he had to have season-ending back surgery in January 2017 due to pain.

Ligety returned again for the 2018 season. He competed at the PyeongChang Olympics, finishing fifth in the combined event. After a disappointing giant slalom, he decided to skip the slalom.

He officially retired from ski racing in February 2021.

Other Achievements

Ligety has won six national championships. This puts him close to the all-time record of nine, held by Bode Miller.

After winning his Olympic gold medal in 2006, he started his company, Shred Optics. Ligety designs all the products, which include ski goggles, sunglasses, and helmets.

World Cup Results

Season Titles

• 5 titles – 5 Giant slalom + 1 Combined (unofficial)

Unofficial, tied with Alexis Pinturault
Ingemar Stenmark is the only racer with more GS season titles (8).

Season Standings

Race Victories

Ligety is one of the few alpine ski racers to have a World Cup podium finish in all five disciplines. In both 2013 and 2014, he had the most victories that season.

• 25 wins – (24 GS, 1 SC)
• 52 podiums – (1 DH, 2 SG, 41 GS, 6 SL, 2 SC)

Season	Date	Location	Discipline
2006	Mar 5, 2006	Yongpyong, South Korea	Giant slalom
2008	Mar 8, 2008	Kranjska Gora, Slovenia	Giant slalom
	Mar 14, 2008	Bormio, Italy	Giant slalom
2009	Feb 28, 2009	Kranjska Gora, Slovenia	Giant slalom
2010	Jan 29, 2010		Giant slalom
2011	Dec 5, 2010	Beaver Creek, United States	Giant slalom
	Dec 11, 2010	Val d'Isère, France	Giant slalom
	Dec 19, 2010	Alta Badia, Italy	Giant slalom
2012	Oct 23, 2011	Sölden, Austria	Giant slalom
	Dec 6, 2011	Beaver Creek, United States	Giant slalom
	Mar 10, 2012	Kranjska Gora, Slovenia	Giant slalom
2013	Oct 28, 2012	Sölden, Austria	Giant slalom
	Dec 2, 2012	Beaver Creek, United States	Giant slalom
	Dec 16, 2012	Alta Badia, Italy	Giant slalom
	Jan 12, 2013	Adelboden, Switzerland	Giant slalom
	Mar 9, 2013	Kranjska Gora, Slovenia	Giant slalom
	Mar 16, 2013	Lenzerheide, Switzerland	Giant slalom
2014	Oct 27, 2013	Sölden, Austria	Giant slalom
	Dec 8, 2013	Beaver Creek, United States	Giant slalom
	Jan 17, 2014	Wengen, Switzerland	Super combined
	Feb 2, 2014	St Moritz, Switzerland	Giant slalom
	Mar 8, 2014	Kranjska Gora, Slovenia	Giant slalom
	Mar 15, 2014	Lenzerheide, Switzerland	Giant slalom
2015	Dec 7, 2014	Beaver Creek, United States	Giant slalom
2016	Oct 25, 2015	Sölden, Austria	Giant slalom

World Championships Results

Ligety has won seven medals at the World Championships, including five gold medals. He won three gold medals in giant slalom. At Schladming in 2013, he became a triple world champion. He won gold in giant slalom, super-G, and combined. He was the first man in 45 years to win three or more gold medals at one world championship.

Olympic Results

Personal Life

Ted Ligety supports Youth Enrichment Services through a program with Citi. This organization helps young people from cities learn to ski and snowboard in the mountains. He is married and has three children: a son born in 2017 and twin sons born in 2020.

Images for kids

• 

  World Cup champs, 2010: Ligety and Lindsey Vonn

See also

In Spanish: Ted Ligety para niños

• List of FIS Alpine Ski World Cup men's race winners