Ingemar Stenmark is one of the greatest
Alpine skiers ever. Between 1974 and 1989 he won a record 86
World Cup races, an amazing 36 more than the next best,
Alberto Tomba. In addition, he holds the record for wins in a season, 13 in 1979, and won two
gold medals in the 1980
Olympics. Stenmark was purely a
technical skier, excelling in the
slalom and
giant slalom events but never won a
downhill. Despite this, he was overall
World Cup Champion three times (1976-1978).
Stenmark was born in Tärnaby, Sweden, 100 miles south of the Arctic Circle. He retired in 1989, and now lives in Monte Carlo.