Bode Miller

Bode Miller, born in 1977, United States ski racer, known for his unorthodox style and candid personality. In 2005 he became the first American skier to win the overall World Cup alpine title in more than two decades, a feat he repeated in 2008. He also holds the U.S. record for most World Cup titles.

Bode (pronounced BO-dee) Miller was born near Easton, New Hampshire, in a rural cabin that lacked electricity or running water. He began skiing at age three and was also an avid soccer and tennis player in his youth. He was homeschooled as a child but later attended the snow-sports school Carrabassett Valley Academy in Maine.

Miller first attracted national notice at the 1996 United States Championships, where he finished third in the slalom event. During this time he was one of the first top competitors to race with hourglass-shaped (parabolic) skis, a move that has been widely copied. He made his debut on the World Cup circuit in 1997. The following year he qualified for the Olympic Games but did not finish either of his two events.

Miller’s first big international success came at the 2002 Winter Olympics, as he won silver medals in the giant slalom and combined competitions with dramatic runs. During the 2002-03 season he captured three gold medals at the U.S. Championships, won two gold medals at the World Championships, and won the World Cup combined title (the combined event adds together the times of one downhill race and two slalom races). The following year Miller won the combined crown again and added the giant slalom title.

In 2004-05 Miller had the best year for a U.S. male skier since Phil Mahre won the overall World Cup title in 1983. In the season standings Miller finished first in the super giant slalom and second in the giant slalom and downhill events to take the overall title with 1,648 points. He also won two more gold medals at the 2005 World Championships.

The outspoken Miller caused controversy in January 2006 when he admitted in a nationally televised interview that he had competed under the influence of alcohol in the past and refused to disavow the practice. He quickly apologized in the face of heavy criticism. Miller has also publicly complained about drug testing in the sport. Favored to medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, Miller struggled. He failed to finish in three of his five events and won no medals.

In 2007 Miller announced he was leaving the U.S. national ski team to compete independently. In 2008 he won his second overall World Cup championship, in the process breaking Mahre’s record for most total World Cup titles by a U.S. skier.