Hall of Famer

Stephen Gregory Podborski

Affiliated Discipline(s): Alpine
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Active Career Period: 1973 - 1985
Induction CSHF: 1988
Induction Category: Alpine: Giant Slalom, Slalom, Downhill
Steve Podborski. Photo Canada Sports Hall of Fame.

Steve Podborski, nicknamed “Pod”, was born in Toronto, Ontario, was on skis at the age of 3 ½ and started ski racing at the age of 10 in the Nancy Greene Little League. By 13 Steve was on the podium in the Canadian Juvenile Championships. In January 1973, at the age of 16 and newly named to the Team, his international potential was evident when he placed 2nd in the Downhill event in the Can-Am series at Whistler Mountain, British Columbia.

Steve is a two time Olympian and in 1980 at the age of 22 he became the first Canadian male (and the first North American male) to win an Olympic Medal in Downhill, the Bronze at the Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid. In 1982, at the age of 24, he would become the best downhill skier in the world and the first and still only North American male to win a Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) World Cup Downhill Championship title.

A member of Canada’s fabled “Crazy Canucks”, Podborski was appointed to the Ontario Ski Team in 1972 and the National Alpine Team in 1973. He retired in 1984 after a brilliant career with an unprecedented number of 44 World Cup “top-10” finishes of which 20-were Gold, Silver or Bronze medals.

In 1982, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, the highest peacetime award a Canadian can earn.

Career Highlights

1980-1981-1983
Voted Athlete of the Month by the Sports Federation of Canada

1980 & 1981
Selected Ontario Amateur Athlete of the Year

1981
Awarded the John Semmelink Memorial Award by the Canadian Ski Association

1981 & 1982
Recipient of the Norton Crowe Award for Male Athlete of the Year
Recipient of the World Champion Award from the Government of Canada at the Tribute to Champions event
Recipient of the Order of Canada

1983
Recipient of an Excellence Award from the Government of Ontario

1984
Recipient of a Sport Excellence Award from the Government of Canada at the tribute to Champions event
1985
Inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame

1987
Inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame

1988
Inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame

2004
Inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
He is a Level lll Instructor in the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance (CSIA) and a Level lll
Coach and Level ll Examiner in the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation (CSCF)
He is a Director of the Canadian Olympic Committee

Competitive highlights in National competition (top ten finishes)

1977
3rd place, Giant Slalom event, Canadian National Championships
1st place, Slalom event, Canadian National Championships
2nd place, Combined events, Canadian National Championships

1979
7th place, Downhill event, Canadian National Championships

1980
2nd place, Downhill event, Canadian National Championships

1981
7th place, Downhill event, Canadian National Championships

1983
1st place, Downhill event, Canadian National Championships

1984
1st place, Downhill event, Canadian National Championships

Competitive highlights in International competition (top ten finishes)

1974 – 1975
7th place, Combined event, FIS World Cup, Megeve, France

1975 – 1976
8th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Wengen, Switzerland
10th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val d’Isere, France

1976 – 1977
6th place, Combined event, FIS World Cup, Wengen, Switzerland
4th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Laax, Switzerland
6th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Laax, Switzerland

1977-1978
7th place, Downhill event, FIS World Ski Championships, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
10th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria

1978 – 1979
9th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Schladming, Austria
10th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val Gardena, Italy
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Morzine, France
7th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Crans Montana, Switzerland

1979 – 1980
8th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, St Moritz, Switzerland
8th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Lake Placid, USA
3rd place, Bronze Medal, Downhill, Winter Olympic Games, Lake Placid, USA
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS World Ski Championships, Lake Placid, USA
8th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Wengen Switzerland
4th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Lake Louise, Alberta
Placed 10th in overall World Cup standings in Downhill

1980 – 1981
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Wengen, Switzerland
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val d’Isere, France
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val Gardena, Italy
10th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val Gardena, Italy
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria
10th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Aspen, USA
2nd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Aspen, USA
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS Worlds Cup, Wengen, Switzerland

1981 – 1982
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Crans Montana, Switzerland
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria
2nd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria
2nd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Whistler Mountain, British Columbia
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Gramisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
4th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val Gardena, Italy
4th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val d’Isere, France
9th place, Downhill event, FIS World Ski Championships, Schladming, Austria
Placed 1st in overall World Cup standings in Downhill

1982 – 1983
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, St Anton, Austria
Placed 2nd in overall World Cup standings in Downhill
2nd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria
2nd place Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Sarajevo, Jugoslavia
9th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria
Placed 11th in overall World Cup standings in Downhill

1983 – 1984
4th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, St Anton, Austria
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Schladming, Austria
7th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val d’Isere, France
3rd place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Val Gardena, Italy
1st place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
5th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Whistler Mountain, British Columbia
6th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
8th place, Downhill event, FIS World Cup, Aspen, USA
8th place, Downhill event, Winter Olympic Games, Sarajevo, Jugoslavia
Placed 5th in overall World Cup standings in Downhill

 

Please Note: The ski information gathered here is compiled from a number of sources; it may not be inclusive of all accomplishments.
Copyright © 2021, Canadian Ski Museum. For Personal/Educational use only. All Rights Reserved.

Steve Podborski. Alpine Canada Alpin.

1980 Canadian National Championships [L to R]: Steve Podborski (2nd), Ken Read (1st), Dave Murray (3rd). Canadian Ski Association / Information & Resource Center.

Canada’s Steve Podborski participating in the alpine ski event at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. (CP PHOTO/ COC/J. Merrithew) Steve Podborski du Canada participe au Jeux Olympiques d’hiver de Sarajevo de 1984 au ski alpin. (PC Photo/AOC) Olympique.ca

Felix Belczyk, Steve Podborski, Chris Kent 1983
Felix Belczyk, Steve Podborski, Chris Kent. Alec Pytlowany / Winter Visions 1983.

National Alpine ski team members: Ken Read, Dave Murray, Gerry Sorensen, Laurie Graham, and Steve Podborski, in Europe receiving watches from OMEGA. Alpine Canada Alpin.

Steve Podborski (right).Alpine Canada Alpin.

Susan Clifford and Steve Podborski posing with Most Improved Skier Awards on the National Alpine Ski Team. Canadian Ski Association Information Resource Centre.

[L to R]: John Clifford, Steve Podborski, Arturo Hammersley (Chile Ski Federation), Ken Read, Gerry Reagen? Minister of Sport and Recreation. CSHFM Collection.

National Alpine Ski Team c.1970 [L to R]: Brodie Lut (coach), Jim Hunter, Steve Podborski, Dave Murray, Gary Aiken, Dave Irwin, Ken Read, Scott Henderson (coach). Canadian Ski Association – Alpine Office / Lolly Moss

National Alpine Ski Team 1976 at Montreal Ski Show [back row]: Jean Beaulieu, Ken Read, Dave Irwin, Jim Hunter, Karen Cloutier, Jeanette Zanier, Dave Murray, Bernie Lalonde (coach) [front row]: Germain Barrette, Yvon Blackburn, Kathy Kreiner, Susan Clifford, Steve Podborski, Scott Henderson (Coach). Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Ski Team 1978-79 [L to R]: Heinz Kappeler (coach), Terry Spence (coach), Ken Read, John Ritchie (coach), Dave Murray, Steve Podborski, Dave Irwin, Robin McLeish, Mike Irwin, Germain Barrette, Joey Lavigne. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Men’s Ski Team c. 1983 [L to R]: Scott Shaver, Steve Podborski, Todd Brooker, Robin McLeish, Felix Belczyk, Chris Kent. Alpine Canada Alpin / Alec Pytlowany.

Men’s National Alpine Ski Team c. 1980 [top row]: Chris Kent, Steve Podborski, Dave Irwin [bottom row]: Ken Read, Dave Murray, Robin McLeish. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Olympic Men’s Alpine Ski Team 1984 [top row]: Gary Athans, Todd Brooker, Steve Podborski [bottom row]: Jim Read, Mike Tommy. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Ski Team c. 1979 [top row]: Ken Read, Steve Podborski, Dave Irwin, Dave Murray [bottom row]: Kathy Kreiner, Laurie Graham, Loni Klettl. Studio Impact.

Steve Podborski.
Steve Podborski. Public Relations Department / Canadian Ski Association.

Steve Podborski being inducted into Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame on April 27, 1985, and receiving his award’s certificate by Canadian Olympic Association President, Roger Jackson. CSHFM Collection.

Steve Podborski (left) and Ken Read.
Steve Podborski (left) and Ken Read. Canadian Ski Association.

Inductee Steve Podborski with Canadian Ski Museum Chair, Bill Tindale, at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.

Inductee Steve Podborski and Fred Morris at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Inductee Steve Podborski and Fred Morris at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.
Inductee Steve Podborski and Canadian Ski Museum Chair, Bill Tindale, at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Inductee Steve Podborski and Canadian Ski Museum Chair, Bill Tindale, at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.
Inductee Steve Podborski (center) at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Inductee Steve Podborski (center) at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.
Rhoda Wurtele-Eaves with inductee Steve Podborski at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Rhoda Wurtele-Eaves with inductee Steve Podborski at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.

Inductee Steve Podborski (center) at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.

Master of Ceremonies Laurie Graham and inductee Steve Podborski at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Master of Ceremonies Laurie Graham and inductee Steve Podborski at 1988 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.
Steve Podborski visits the Canadian Ski Museum's booth at Toronto Ski Show
Steve Podborski visits the Canadian Ski Museum’s booth at Toronto Ski Show. CSHFM Collection.
Steve Podborski at the 1990 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Steve Podborski at the 1990 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.

Crazy Canucks: Postcard Front. CSHFM Collection.

Words of Olympians: "That was pretty rockin' " Steve Podborski talks winning Olympic bronze.

Canada's Steve Podborski looks back on his performance at the Lake Placid 1980 Winter Games, the build up to his downhill skiing event, his mental preparation and the emotions that came with winning an Olympic medal.

Crazy Canuck Steve Podborski takes home the 1981-82 World Cup Downhill title.

Check out this recap of the 1981-82 World Cup downhill season featuring Crazy Canucks Steve Podborski, Ken Read, Dave Irwin and a young Todd Brooker.

Steve Podborski wins downhill (Crans Montana 1981).

Live coverage with commentary of Steve Podborski racing down Crans Montana 1981.

Do Medals Matter Steve Podborski?

Steve Podborski, Assistant Chef de Mission for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, gives his opinion on the importance of medals in society.

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