Debbie Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Deborah Rae Armstrong (born December 6, 1963 in Salem
, Oregon
) is a former alpine ski racer
from Seattle. She was the first gold medalist from the U.S.
in women's alpine skiing
in 12 years, winning the giant slalom
at the 1984 Winter Olympics
in Sarajevo
, Yugoslavia
.
and soccer. After being named to the U.S. Ski Team
, she broke a leg and was unable to compete. She finished second in the combined
at the 1983 U.S. Nationals, and placed third in a World Cup
Super G
in early January 1984
, five weeks before the Olympics.
At the 1984 Winter Olympics
in Sarajevo
, she became the first American woman to win a gold medal in skiing since Barbara Cochran
won gold 12 years earlier in 1972
at Sapporo. Taking the silver medal behind her at Jahorina
was Sun Valley's
Christin Cooper
. Later in those games, Phil Mahre
and Bill Johnson
became the first American men to win Olympic gold in alpine skiing, and Steve Mahre
took the silver in the men's slalom
behind his twin brother. All five alpine medalists from the U.S. were from the Northwest
.
At the World Championships, Armstrong placed 4th in the giant slalom in 1985
and 6th in the Super-G
in 1987
. She finished 13th in the giant slalom at the 1988 Winter Olympics
in Calgary. She completed her World Cup
career with 18 top ten finishes: 7 in the downhill
, three in the Super-G
, five in the giant slalom
, and three in the combined
.
season, Armstrong has led various humanitarian causes, including the Debbie Armstrong Say No to Alcohol and Drugs campaign; the SKIFORALL Foundation, which opens skiing events to the disabled; and Global ReLeaf Sarajevo, which seeks to reforest Sarajevo
after the Bosnian war
.
Then Debbie served as an enthusiastic ambassador for Taos Ski Valley, giving away free early morning lessons and U.S. Ski Team stickers for fans of the team. Ski Racing magazine reported a few years later that Debbie nearly died as the result of a tick bite she suffered while hiking. Debbie apparently opted for a dangerous procedure that, while it killed the tick, resulted in the release of all of the tick's toxins at once.
Today, she serves as Alpine Competitive Program Director for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
, a world-renowned ski club located in Steamboat Springs
, Colorado
.
Debbie Armstrong developed her racing skills in the 1970s at the Alpental
ski area at Snoqualmie Pass
, an hour east of Seattle
on I-90
. The run "Debbie's Gold" and the "Armstrong's Express" high-speed quad chairlift
are named for her.
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, 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...
) 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...
from Seattle. She was the first gold medalist from the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in women's alpine skiing
Alpine 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...
in 12 years, winning the giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
at the 1984 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Sarajevo, Yugoslavia .The men's races were held at Bjelašnica, the women's at Jahorina from February 13-19, 1984....
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
Racing career
In addition to ski racing, Armstrong was a multi-sport athlete at Garfield High School in Seattle, playing basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and soccer. After being named to 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....
, she broke a leg and was unable to compete. She finished second in the combined
Alpine skiing combined
Combined is an alpine skiing event. Although not technically a discipline of its own, it is sometimes referred to as a fifth alpine discipline, along with downhill, super G, giant slalom, and slalom.-Traditional & Super-Combined:...
at the 1983 U.S. Nationals, and placed third in a 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...
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:...
in early January 1984
1984 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 18th World Cup season began in December 1983 in Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia , and concluded in March 1984 in Oslo, Norway. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Erika Hess, both of Switzerland....
, five weeks before the Olympics.
At the 1984 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1984 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Sarajevo, Yugoslavia .The men's races were held at Bjelašnica, the women's at Jahorina from February 13-19, 1984....
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, she became the first American woman to win a gold medal in skiing since Barbara Cochran
Barbara Cochran
Barbara Ann Cochran is a former alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist, who competed on the World Cup circuit for seven seasons. She retired from international competition following the 1974 season.Barbara Cochran is a member of the famous "Skiing Cochrans" family, which has operated a small...
won gold 12 years earlier in 1972
Alpine skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1972 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Sapporo, Japan, from February 5–13, 1972. The downhills were held at Mount Eniwa, and the four technical events at Teine.-Downhill:February 7, 1972...
at Sapporo. Taking the silver medal behind her at Jahorina
Jahorina
Mount Jahorina , is a mountain in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, located southeast of Sarajevo within Republika Srpska. It borders fellow Olympic mountain Trebević...
was Sun Valley's
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
Christin Cooper
Christin Cooper
Christin Elizabeth Cooper is a former alpine ski racer and Olympic medalist from Ketchum, Idaho.-Racing career:...
. Later in those games, Phil Mahre
Phil Mahre
Philip Mahre is a former champion alpine ski racer, widely regarded as one of the greatest American skiers of all time...
and Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson (skier)
William Dean "Bill" Johnson is a former alpine ski racer with the U.S. Ski Team. He was the first American male to win an Olympic gold medal in alpine skiing, winning the downhill at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Bill has 2 sons, named Tyler and Nick...
became the first American men to win Olympic gold in alpine skiing, and Steve Mahre
Steve Mahre
Steven Mahre is a former alpine ski racer and younger twin brother of ski racer Phil Mahre....
took the silver in the men's slalom
Slalom skiing
Slalom is an alpine skiing discipline, involving skiing between poles spaced much closer together than in Giant Slalom, Super-G or Downhill, thereby causing quicker and shorter turns.- Origins :...
behind his twin brother. All five alpine medalists from the U.S. were from the Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.
At the World Championships, Armstrong placed 4th in the giant slalom in 1985
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1985
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1985 were held in Bormio, northern Italy between January 31 and February 10, 1985.These were the first world championships held in an odd-numbered year, and the last without the Super-G event....
and 6th in the 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:...
in 1987
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1987
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1987 were held in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, between January 27 and February 8, 1987.The world championships included Super-G for the first time; it was first run on the World Cup level four seasons earlier, in December 1982.-Medals table:...
. She finished 13th in the giant slalom at the 1988 Winter Olympics
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....
in Calgary. She completed her 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...
career with 18 top ten finishes: 7 in the downhill
Downhill
Downhill is an alpine skiing discipline. The rules for the Downhill were originally developed by Sir Arnold Lunn for the 1921 British National Ski Championships....
, three in the 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:...
, five in the giant slalom
Giant Slalom skiing
Giant slalom is an alpine skiing discipline. It involves skiing between sets of poles spaced at a greater distance to each other than in slalom but less than in super G....
, and three in the combined
Alpine skiing combined
Combined is an alpine skiing event. Although not technically a discipline of its own, it is sometimes referred to as a fifth alpine discipline, along with downhill, super G, giant slalom, and slalom.-Traditional & Super-Combined:...
.
World Cup top tens
| Season | Date | Location | Race | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 1983 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 17th season of World Cup competition began in December 1982 in Switzerland and concluded in March 1983 in Japan. For the first time, the overall titles were won by two Americans, Tamara McKinney and Phil Mahre, who won his third consecutive overall title... |
15 Dec 1982 |  San Sicario, 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... |
Slalom | 7th |
| 29 Jan 1983 |  Les Diablerets, SwitzerlandSwitzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... |
Downhill | 5th | |
| 1984 1984 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 18th World Cup season began in December 1983 in Kranjska Gora, Yugoslavia , and concluded in March 1984 in Oslo, Norway. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Erika Hess, both of Switzerland.... |
08 Jan 1984 |  Puy St. VincentPuy-Saint-Vincent Puy-Saint-Vincent is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*... , 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... |
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:... |
3rd |
| 29 Jan 1984 | St. Gervais Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The village is best known for tourism, and has been a popular holiday destination because of its beauty and location since the Early 1900's.... , France |
Combined Alpine skiing combined Combined is an alpine skiing event. Although not technically a discipline of its own, it is sometimes referred to as a fifth alpine discipline, along with downhill, super G, giant slalom, and slalom.-Traditional & Super-Combined:... |
6th | |
| 29 Jan 1984 | St. Gervais, France |
Giant Slalom | 5th | |
 1984 Winter Olympics |
||||
| 21 Mar 1984 |  ZwieselZwiesel Zwiesel is a town in the district of Regen, in Bavaria, Germany.-Geography:Zwiesel is situated in the Bavarian Forest, lying south of Bodenmais and to the northwest of Grafenau... , West Germany West Germany West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990.... |
Giant Slalom | 9th | |
| 1985 1985 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 19th World Cup season began in December 1984 in Italy and concluded in March 1985 in the United States. The overall champions were Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg and Michela Figini of Switzerland.... |
15 Dec 1984 | Madonna di Campiglio Madonna di Campiglio Madonna di Campiglio is a village and a ski resort in northeast Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Pinzolo. The village lies in the Val Rendena at an altitude of 1,522 m... , Italy |
Giant Slalom | 5th |
| 17 Dec 1984 | Santa Caterina Santa Caterina di Valfurva Santa Caterina di Valfurva is a frazione of the comune of Valfurva, in the northern Italian province of Sondrio. It is home to a popular ski resort, with many FIS World Cups races taking place in the resort. Santa Caterina hosted the 2005 World Ski Championships. The highest point of the resort is... , Italy |
Giant Slalom | 4th | |
| 09 Jan 1985 | Santa Caterina, Italy |
Combined | 8th | |
| 1985 World Championships FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1985 The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1985 were held in Bormio, northern Italy between January 31 and February 10, 1985.These were the first world championships held in an odd-numbered year, and the last without the Super-G event.... |
||||
| 09 Mar 1985 |  BanffSunshine Village Sunshine Village is a Canadian ski resort, located within Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is one of three major ski resorts located in the Banff National Park. The Sunshine base area is located Southwest of the town of Banff, Alberta. By car, it is about one hour and thirty minute drive... , AB Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , 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 | 8th | |
| 10 Mar 1985 | Banff, AB, Canada |
Super G | 7th | |
| 17 Mar 1985 |  Waterville ValleyWaterville Valley Resort Waterville Valley is a ski resort in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire. The resort's motto is "Altitude without the Attitude". Built on Mount Tecumseh, with a summit elevation of above sea level, the ski trails extend to a high point on the south ridge of the mountain at ,... , NH New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian... , USA |
Giant Slalom | 10th | |
| 1986 1986 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 20th World Cup season began in August 1985 in Argentina, resumed in December, and concluded in March 1986 in Canada. The overall champions were Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg and Maria Walliser of Switzerland.-Calendar:Note:... |
07 Dec 1985 | Sestriere Sestriere Sestriere is an alpine village in Italy, a comune of the Province of Turin. It is from the French border. Its name derives from Latin: ad petram sistrariam, that is at sixty Roman miles from Turin.... , Italy |
Super G | 4th |
| 12 Dec 1985 | Val d'Isère, France |
Downhill | 5th | |
| 13 Dec 1985 | Val d'Isère, France |
Downhill | 7th | |
| 06 Jan 1986 | Maribor Maribor Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor.... , Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century.... |
Combined | 6th | |
| 1987 1987 Alpine Skiing World Cup The 21st World Cup season began in August 1986 in Argentina, resumed in late November, and concluded in March 1987 in Sarajevo. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Maria Walliser, both of Switzerland.... |
12 Dec 1986 | Val d'Isère, France |
Downhill | 6th |
| 13 Dec 1986 | Val d'Isère, France |
Downhill | 4th | |
| 1987 World Championships FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1987 The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1987 were held in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, between January 27 and February 8, 1987.The world championships included Super-G for the first time; it was first run on the World Cup level four seasons earlier, in December 1982.-Medals table:... |
||||
Post-racing
Since her retirement from competitive skiing following the 1988 World Cup1988 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 22nd World Cup season began in November 1987 in Italy and concluded in March 1988 in Austria. The overall champions were Pirmin Zurbriggen and Michela Figini, both of Switzerland....
season, Armstrong has led various humanitarian causes, including the Debbie Armstrong Say No to Alcohol and Drugs campaign; the SKIFORALL Foundation, which opens skiing events to the disabled; and Global ReLeaf Sarajevo, which seeks to reforest Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
after the Bosnian war
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
.
Then Debbie served as an enthusiastic ambassador for Taos Ski Valley, giving away free early morning lessons and U.S. Ski Team stickers for fans of the team. Ski Racing magazine reported a few years later that Debbie nearly died as the result of a tick bite she suffered while hiking. Debbie apparently opted for a dangerous procedure that, while it killed the tick, resulted in the release of all of the tick's toxins at once.
Today, she serves as Alpine Competitive Program Director for the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club is located in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. SSWSC has produced many Winter Olympians such as 1992 Bronze Medalist Nelson Carmichael, 2002 Silver Medalist Travis Mayer, Todd Lodwick, Caroline Lalive and many more....
, a world-renowned ski club located in Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
, 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...
.
Debbie Armstrong developed her racing skills in the 1970s at the Alpental
Alpental
Alpental, the German word for alpine valley, is both a valley in eastern King County, Washington, United States and a ski area in the valley. The valley is about 50 miles east of Seattle, Washington and is north of Snoqualmie Pass, in the Washington Cascades. It is a popular outdoor...
ski area at Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in the U.S. State of Washington. The elevation of the pass summit is , and is on the county line between Kittitas County and King County...
, an hour east of Seattle
on I-90
Interstate 90 in Washington
Interstate 90 , a transcontinental Interstate Highway from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts, crosses the state of Washington before crossing the Idaho state line between Spokane and Post Falls...
. The run "Debbie's Gold" and the "Armstrong's Express" high-speed quad chairlift
Detachable chairlift
A detachable chairlift or high-speed chairlift is a type of passenger aerial lift, which, like a fixed-grip chairlift, consists of numerous chairs attached to a constantly moving wire rope that is strung between two terminals over intermediate towers. They are now commonplace at all but the...
are named for her.
External links
- FIS-ski.com - World Cup season standings - Debbie Armstrong - 1983-88
- Sports Illustrated - cover - Debbie Armstrong - 20-Feb-1984
- "Have fun! Have fun! Have fun!" - by William Oscar Johnson
- Hickok Sports.com - bio for Debbie Armstrong