Tamara MCKINNEY

Tamara McKinney is the greatest American female ski race never to win an Olympic medal. She was the overall World Cup champion in 1983, the first American woman to win that title. She also won three discipline World Cups in giant slalom in 1981 and 1983, and in slalom in 1984. Overall, McKinney won 18 World Cup races, had 45 podium finishes, and placed in the top 10 99 times in World Cups. At the World Championships, McKinney won a gold in combined in 1989 at Vail, and three bronze medals, in combined in 1985 and 1987, and in slalom in 1989. At a relatively small size of 5-4 (162 cm) and 115 lb (52 kg), McKinney was primarily a technical skier. She now works as a realtor in the Squaw Valley/Lake Tahoe area.