Franck PICCARD

Franck Piccard first became known internationally when he won the 1982 World Junior downhill title. He eventually competed in four Winter Olympics (1988, 1992, 1994, 1998), winning three Olympic medals – gold in 1988 super-G, silver in 1992 downhill, and bronze in 1988 downhill. His only podium finish at the World Championships was a bronze in the 1991 super-G. Piccard won two French national titles, the super-G in 1987 and giant slalom in 1993. On the World Cup circuit he won four events – one downhill, two super-G’s, and one giant slalom, with his best overall seasonal finish being seventh in 1987-88. In the seasonal event World Cup standings, Piccard finished third four times – in super-G in 1987-88 and 1988-89, in the giant slalom in 1993-94, and in the combined in 1987-88. In all Piccard had 11 podium finishes in World Cup races.

After his retirement from competitive ski racing, Franck Piccard took up cross-country skiing, and competed at the French long-distance championships from 2006-09. In 1988 the French Academy of Sports awarded him the Prix de la ville de Paris. He came from a skiing family, as two brothers and a sister were international-level ski racers, with Leïla, Ian, and Ted all competing at the Winter Olympics.