James HEUGA

Jimmy Heuga first became nationally known in 1960 when he won the U.S. Junior and U.S. Senior Slalom titles. He continued to win alpine races through 1963 and then in 1964 acheived two of his biggest wins with a first in the Harriman Cup downhill and a victory in the famed Arlberg Kandahar Combined Race. A few weeks later he followed Billy Kidd to become the second American man to win a medal in Olympic alpine skiing. Heuga continued to compete and do well, mainly in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom, through the 1968 Olympics. However, Jimmy Heuga was not totally well at the 1968 Olympics. In the past year he had begun to have problems which were eventually diagnosed as multiple sclerosis. The disease hastened his retirement a short time after the 1968 Olympics. Heuga later developed to a successful business career as a consultant and spokesman for various firms in the ski industry He also coached and helped raise funds for the U.S. ski team. In the late 70s, with his disease in remission thanks in part to his own intensive therapy of diet and exercise, he began to ski again recreationally.