Julia Mancuso
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Medal record
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Julia Marie Mancuso (born March 9, 1984) is an American retired World Cup alpine ski racer, Olympic gold medalist and podcast host. She won the giant slalom at the 2006 Winter Olympics, and was the silver medalist in both downhill and combined in 2010, and the bronze medalist in the combined in 2014. She has also won five medals (two silver and three bronze) at the World Championships and seven races in regular World Cup competition. Her four Olympic medals are the most ever for a female American alpine skier.
Racing career
Mancuso made her World Cup debut at the age of 15 at
Mancuso's World Cup results improved dramatically during the
Mancuso won the race despite ongoing pain in her right knee, which was finally traced to
At the start of the off-season, Mancuso endured
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Julia_Mancuso_Aspen.jpg/220px-Julia_Mancuso_Aspen.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Julia_Mancuso_1.jpg/220px-Julia_Mancuso_1.jpg)
Although she started off slowly, with a number of disappointing results in the first few weeks as she worked back into race shape, the
Following the 2008 season, Mancuso did not achieve a top-three finish in World Cup events for nearly two years due to back problems, so her silver medal in the women's downhill at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics was another surprise.[4] The very next day, she won another silver in the women's super combined, an event that incorporates both a downhill and a slalom run.[5] However, while Mancuso was trying to defend her title in giant slalom, Lindsey Vonn crashed after Mancuso, the next skier, had started, forcing Mancuso's run to be stopped just before she reached Vonn's crash.[6] Forced to restart from the back of the pack, Mancuso only managed an 18th-place first run, and her strong second run only brought her up to eighth overall.[7] Her Olympic performances did however lead to a revival in form, as she took 16 World Cup podium finishes and two more World Championship medals over the next four years.[1]
On the first competition day at the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch, Germany, she once again proved her strength at big events by winning the silver medal in the super-G. A month later she won her first World Cup race in over four years, a victory in the downhill at the World Cup finals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Since this was a few days after a terrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan, she launched a fundraiser by pledging half her race earnings of the World Cup finals to the skiershelpingjapan.com campaign website.[8]
Over the three seasons through 2013, Mancuso was on the World Cup podium in at least 10 races, placing well in the season standings in varied events. But she finished in the top 15 in only one of the several late-2013 events that launched the 2014 season, and decided to take a break from the World Cup circuit to refresh for the 2014 Olympics.[9] Mancuso's strategy worked, as she won her fourth Olympic medal, a bronze, in the women's super combined at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, after placing first in the downhill section.[1]
During the 2014-15 season, Mancuso scored what would be her last World Cup podium in a downhill at Lake Louise, finishing third behind team-mates Lindsey Vonn and Stacey Cook as part of an American clean sweep of the podium places.[1] After the end of the season Mancuso had to undergo a hip surgery in order to relieve persistent pain which was disabling her from skiing: as a result she missed the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.[2]
Mancuso returned to competition in December 2017, failing to finish a World Cup super-G in St. Moritz. She made two more appearances at the super-G races in Val-d'Isère a week later, however she could only manage a best finish of 42nd place.[1] The following month, she announced her retirement from competition, making her final appearance in a downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo - the venue where she had taken her first World Cup podium - whilst wearing a Wonder Woman outfit and a cape.[2]
Mancuso was known as a particularly strong competitor in major championships: whilst she took a total of 36 World Cup podium finishes from 398 races (nine percent), her nine Olympic and World Championship medals from 40 starts gave her a strike rate of 23 percent.[1][10]
World Cup results
Season standings
Season | Age | Overall | Slalom | Giant slalom |
Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 |
16 | 113 | 55 | — | 47 | — | — |
2002 |
17 | 73 | — | — | 37 | 33 | 17 |
2003 |
18 | 46 | 44 | — | 25 | 27 | 5 |
2004 |
19 | 55 | 32 | 58 | 27 | 42 | — |
2005 |
20 | 9 | 26 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 6 |
2006 |
21 | 8 | 22 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
2007 |
22 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
2008 |
23 | 7 | 28 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 6 |
2009 |
24 | 27 | 42 | 17 | 27 | 24 | 36 |
2010 |
25 | 20 | — | 28 | 16 | 9 | 22 |
2011 |
26 | 5 | 51 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
2012 |
27 | 4 | 50 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 22 |
2013 |
28 | 4 | 33 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 6 |
2014 |
29 | 22 | — | 30 | 14 | 16 | — |
2015 |
30 | 21 | — | 39 | 11 | 13 | 12 |
2016 |
31 | hip surgery, out for these 2 seasons | |||||
2017 |
32 | ||||||
2018 |
33 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Source:[11]
Race podiums
Season | Date | Location | Discipline | Place |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 |
27 Jan 2006 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Super-G | 2nd |
28 Jan 2006 | Downhill | 2nd | ||
4 Feb 2006 | Ofterschwang, Germany | Giant slalom | 3rd | |
2007 |
19 Dec 2006 | Val-d'Isère, France | Downhill | 1st |
20 Dec 2006 | Downhill | 2nd | ||
13 Jan 2007 | Altenmarkt, Austria | Downhill | 3rd | |
14 Jan 2007 | Super combined | 1st | ||
19 Jan 2007 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Super-G | 1st | |
20 Jan 2007 | Downhill | 2nd | ||
21 Jan 2007 | Giant slalom | 2nd | ||
2 Mar 2007 | Tarvisio, Italy | Super combined | 2nd | |
3 Mar 2007 | Downhill | 1st | ||
4 Mar 2007 | Super-G | 3rd | ||
2008 |
27 Oct 2007 | Sölden, Austria | Giant slalom | 2nd |
21 Dec 2007 | St. Anton , Austria |
Downhill | 3rd | |
22 Dec 2007 | Super combined | 3rd | ||
28 Dec 2007 | Lienz, Austria | Giant slalom | 2nd | |
20 Jan 2008 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Super-G | 2nd | |
22 Feb 2008 | Whistler, Canada | Downhill | 3rd | |
2010 |
7 Mar 2010 | Crans-Montana, Switzerland | Super-G | 3rd |
2011 |
5 Dec 2010 | Lake Louise, Canada | Super-G | 3rd |
22 Jan 2011 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | Downhill | 2nd | |
27 Feb 2011 | Åre , Sweden |
Super-G | 3rd | |
6 Mar 2011 | Tarvisio, Italy | Super-G | 2nd | |
16 Mar 2011 | Lenzerheide, Switzerland | Downhill | 1st | |
2012 |
26 Nov 2011 | Aspen, USA | Giant slalom | 3rd |
4 Dec 2011 | Lake Louise, Canada | Super-G | 3rd | |
7 Jan 2012 | Bad Kleinkirchheim, Austria | Downhill | 2nd | |
5 Feb 2012 | Garmisch, Germany | Super-G | 1st | |
21 Feb 2012 | Moscow, Russia | City event | 1st | |
15 Mar 2012 | Schladming, Austria | Super-G | 2nd | |
2013 |
2 Dec 2012 | Lake Louise, Canada | Super-G | 2nd |
8 Dec 2012 | St. Moritz, Switzerland | Super-G | 3rd | |
1 Mar 2013 | Garmisch, Germany | Super-G | 2nd | |
3 Mar 2013 | Super-G | 3rd | ||
2015 |
6 Dec 2014 | Lake Louise, Canada | Downhill | 3rd |
World Championship results
Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom |
Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | 18 | DNF1 | — | 21 | — | 7 |
2005 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 3 | — | 9 |
2007 | 22 | — | 5 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
2009 | 24 | — | 18 | DNF | — | DNF1 |
2011 | 26 | DNF1 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
2013 | 28 | — | 22 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
2015 | 30 | — | — | 9 | 16 | 15 |
Olympic results
Year | Age | Slalom | Giant slalom |
Super-G | Downhill | Combined |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | 17 | — | — | — | — | 13 |
2006 | 21 | — | 1 | 11 | 7 | 9 |
2010 | 25 | — | 8 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
2014 | 29 | — | DNF1 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
Lifestyle and endorsements
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Julia_Mancuso_Altenmarkt-Zauchensee_2011.jpg/220px-Julia_Mancuso_Altenmarkt-Zauchensee_2011.jpg)
Mancuso's nickname among her
After her coach gave her a plastic tiara as a good-luck token in 2005, she wore it over her racing helmet during several slalom races. She wore her tiara following her silver medal run in the women's downhill and again at the medal ceremony at the 2010 Winter Olympics. In 2010, Mancuso launched her own lingerie line named Kiss My Tiara.[13] Mancuso also models lingerie and has been memorably quoted as saying, "I think underwear is my calling. You can be feminine and fast."[14]
In December 2006,
During the 2010 Winter Olympics, VISA featured Mancuso in an animated story describing how as a child she had drawn a picture of herself as a gold medalist, and closing with a photograph of her after winning the gold medal in 2006.[18] She also starred in a commercial for 24 Hour Fitness called 'Reach Your Potential', directed by Brent Roske. In 2012, Mancuso appeared in the GoPro Hero3 video promotion.[19]
Personal life
Of
Mancuso graduated from The Winter Sports School in Park City, Utah, in 2000 and resides in Olympic Valley, California.
She dated Norwegian alpine skier Aksel Lund Svindal for four years, until they decided to go their separate ways in September 2013. During her post-2015 injury layoff, Mancuso married surfer Dylan Fish.[1] In July 2019, Mancuso gave birth to their son Sonny Fish Mancuso.[22]
In her spare time, Mancuso enjoys participating in other sports like surfing or freeride skiing.[citation needed] In 2016, she appeared in the Redbull Media House movie "Shades of Winter. Between" starring alongside other extreme sport performers.[citation needed]
Being the influential figure she is in Lake Tahoe, Mancuso has fostered relationships with many young racers and even sells and gives them her old racing suits.[citation needed]
References
- ^ United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the originalon January 19, 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ cbsnews.com. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d Whiting, Sam (November 26, 2006). "Julia's Gold: Neither sleet, nor snow, nor familial dysfunction will knock Julia Mancuso off form". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2007.
- ^ Dampf, Andrew (February 17, 2010). "Vonn captures gold; Mancuso silver". Associated Press.
- ^ SI.com (February 18, 2010). "Vonn falls in super-combined, fails to place; Mancuso grabs silver". CNN. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
- ^ Tim Layden (February 24, 2010). "Vonn's crash derails unlucky teammate Mancuso". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010.
- ^ Dale Robertson (February 25, 2010). "Mancuso can't salvage medal in giant slalom". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008.
- ^ Dale Robertson (March 15, 2010). "Alpine skiers pledge WCup prize money to Japan". Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008.
- ^ "Sports Briefing: Mancuso Will Take a Break". The New York Times. Associated Press. December 31, 2013. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008.
- NBCSports.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Julia Mancuso". FIS. World Cup season standings. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ "Julia Mancuso Olympic Skier is 'Super Jules'". Bitten and Bound. February 19, 2010. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008.
- ^ "Racy! Olympic skier launches lingerie line". New York: MSNBC. Associated Press. February 11, 2010. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2010.
- The Sunday Times (UK). Archived from the originalon December 1, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2007.
- ^ "Lange introduces "new" Lange Girl concept; names Mancuso first Lange Girl Athlete". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 23, 2007.
"Ski Racing Short Films BONUS: Julia Mancuso: Lange Girl". Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved March 23, 2007. - ^ Ski Racing.com – Mancuso joins Marker Volkl Team – 2010-05-04
- ^ "Julia Mancuso signs three year deal with Head skis". Ski Racing.com. April 2, 2012. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008.
- ^ "Visa Go World Julia Mancuso". The Inspiration Room. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
- ^ "GoPro HERO3: Almost as Epic as the HERO3+". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
- ^ a b c Layden, Tim (February 13, 2006). "Skiing is believing". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
- ^ Brady, Eric (February 10, 2014). "Mancuso's first thought after stellar run: Her late grandpa". USA Today. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
- ^ Miller, Darcy. "BABY BOOM! OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS JULIA MANCUSO AND CULLEN JONES EACH WELCOME THEIR FIRST CHILD". Team USA.org. Archived from the original on July 13, 2019.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Julia Mancuso at the International Ski and Snowboard Federation
- Julia Mancuso at Ski-DB Alpine Ski Database
- Julia Mancuso at Stoeckli Skis (archived)
- Julia Mancuso at the U.S. Ski Team
- Julia Mancuso at Team USA (archive June 6, 2023)
- Julia Mancuso at Olympics.com
- Julia Mancuso at Olympedia
- Official website