A. J. Kitt
Encyclopedia
Alva Ross Kitt IV "A.J." Kitt (born September 13, 1968, in Boulder
, Colorado
) is a former alpine ski racer
. A member of the U.S. Ski Team
for over a decade, Kitt retired from international competition following the 1998
season, at age 29. He had 21 top ten finishes and six World Cup
podiums, which included one downhill victory. Kitt was a bronze medalist in the downhill at the 1993 World Championships
. Kitt resides in Hood River
, Oregon
.
, New York
. He started skiing at just two years of age at Swain Ski Center in western New York
, where his parents, Ross and Nancy, were part-time ski instructors.
was ninth place in the downhill in 1992; he was the top North America
n finisher.
He also competed at the 1988
, 1994
, and 1998
Games.
He is currently the traveling NASTAR
pacesetter.
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
) is a former alpine ski racer
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
. A member of the U.S. Ski Team
United States Ski Team
The United States Ski Team, operated under the auspices of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association , develops and supports men's and women's athletes in the sports of alpine skiing, adaptive alpine, freestyle skiing, cross country, adaptive cross country, ski jumping, and nordic combined....
for over a decade, Kitt retired from international competition following the 1998
1998 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 32nd World Cup season began in October 1997 in Tignes, France, and concluded in March 1998 at the World Cup Finals in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. The overall winners were Hermann Maier of Austria and Katja Seizinger of Germany....
season, at age 29. He had 21 top ten finishes and six World Cup
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
podiums, which included one downhill victory. Kitt was a bronze medalist in the downhill at the 1993 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1993
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1993 were held in Morioka, Japan, from February 4-14, 1993. The men's Super-G race was cancelled due to persistent bad weather and the title went unassigned.-Medals table:...
. Kitt resides in Hood River
Hood River, Oregon
The city of Hood River is the seat of Hood River County, Oregon, United States. It is a port on the Columbia River, and is named for the nearby Hood River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,831...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Early life
Born in Colorado, AJ Kitt grew up in suburban RochesterRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He started skiing at just two years of age at Swain Ski Center in western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where his parents, Ross and Nancy, were part-time ski instructors.
World Cup podiums
| Season | Date | Location | Race | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 1992 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 26th World Cup season began in November 1991 in the United States and concluded in March 1992 in Switzerland. The overall winners were Paul Accola of Switzerland and Petra Kronberger of Austria.... |
07-Dec-1991 1992 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 26th World Cup season began in November 1991 in the United States and concluded in March 1992 in Switzerland. The overall winners were Paul Accola of Switzerland and Petra Kronberger of Austria.... |
 Val d'IsèreVal d'Isère Val d'Isère is a commune of the Tarentaise Valley, in the Savoie department in south-eastern France. It lies from the border with Italy. It is on the border of the Vanoise National Park created in 1963. The Face de Bellevarde was the scene of the men's downhill race as part of the 1992 Winter... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
Downhill | 1st |
| 18-Jan-1992 1992 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 26th World Cup season began in November 1991 in the United States and concluded in March 1992 in Switzerland. The overall winners were Paul Accola of Switzerland and Petra Kronberger of Austria.... |
 KitzbühelHahnenkamm, Kitzbühel The Hahnenkamm is a mountain in Austria, directly south of Kitzbühel, in the Kitzbühel Alps. The elevation of its summit is above sea level.The Hahnenkamm is part of the ski resort of Kitzbühel, and hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races, the Hahnenkammrennen... , Austria Austria Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the... |
Downhill | 2nd | |
| 07-Mar-1992 1992 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 26th World Cup season began in November 1991 in the United States and concluded in March 1992 in Switzerland. The overall winners were Paul Accola of Switzerland and Petra Kronberger of Austria.... |
 PanoramaPanorama Ski Resort Panorama Mountain Village is a ski and golf resort located in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Part of the Columbia Valley sub-region of the East Kootenay region, it is a popular tourist destination known for its rolling cliffs and spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains... , BC British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
Downhill | 3rd | |
| 1993 1993 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 27th World Cup season began in November 1992 in Sestriere, Italy, and concluded in March 1993 in Åre, Sweden. Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg won his fifth overall title, which still stands as the most in World Cup history... |
12-Dec-1992 1993 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 27th World Cup season began in November 1992 in Sestriere, Italy, and concluded in March 1993 in Åre, Sweden. Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg won his fifth overall title, which still stands as the most in World Cup history... |
 Val Gardena, ItalyItaly Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
Downhill | 3rd |
| 1995 1995 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 29th World Cup season began in December 1994 at Tignes, France, and concluded in March 1995 at the World Cup finals in Bormio, Italy. The overall champions were Alberto Tomba of Italy and Vreni Schneider of Switzerland... |
26-Feb-1995 1995 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 29th World Cup season began in December 1994 at Tignes, France, and concluded in March 1995 at the World Cup finals in Bormio, Italy. The overall champions were Alberto Tomba of Italy and Vreni Schneider of Switzerland... |
Whistler, BC, Canada |
Super G Super Giant Slalom skiing The Super Giant Slalom is an Alpine skiing discipline. It is usually referred to as Super G and is a "speed" event, along with the faster Downhill event; the Giant Slalom and Slalom events are known as the "technical" disciplines.-History:... |
2nd |
| 15-Mar-1995 1995 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 29th World Cup season began in December 1994 at Tignes, France, and concluded in March 1995 at the World Cup finals in Bormio, Italy. The overall champions were Alberto Tomba of Italy and Vreni Schneider of Switzerland... |
Bormio Bormio Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200... , Italy |
Downhill | 2nd |
Winter Olympics
Kitt's best finish in the Winter OlympicsAlpine skiing at the Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing has been contested at every Winter Olympics since 1936, when a combined event was held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. From 1948–80, the Winter Olympics also served as the World Championships in Olympic years...
was ninth place in the downhill in 1992; he was the top North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n finisher.
He also competed at the 1988
Alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events, held near Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten events were held at the Nakiska ski area in Kananaskis from February 15-27, 1988....
, 1994
Alpine skiing at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1994 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events held near Lillehammer, Norway. The speed events were held at Kvitfjell and the technical events at Hafjell, from February 13-27, 1994.-Downhill:February 13, 1994-Super G:February 17, 1994...
, and 1998
Alpine skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1998 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events held near Nagano, Japan. The speed events were held at Hakuba and the technical events at Shiga Kogen. There were a number of postponements due to weather; the races were run from February 10-21, 1998.-Downhill:The event was held...
Games.
Post career
AJ Kitt continues to support adult ski racing at the Swain ski resort where he first began his training.He is currently the traveling NASTAR
NASTAR
NASTAR is the world's largest known recreational ski and snowboard race program. It allows ski or snowboard racers of all ages and abilities, through a handicap system, a way to compare themselves with one another and with the national champion, regardless of when and where they race...
pacesetter.
External links
- FIS-ski.com - race results - A J Kitt
- FIS-ski.com - World Cup season standings - A J Kitt - 1988-98
- Ski-db.com - results - A J Kitt